Vehicle seat assembly having movable bolsters

Abstract

A vehicle seat assembly having a lower seat assembly with a lower sitting surface and a seatback with a seatback sitting surface. At least one of the lower seat assembly and the seatback is adapted for movement. The seat assembly also includes at least one bolster adapted for movement to thereby change curvature of at least one of the lower sitting surface and the seatback sitting surface. The bolster automatically moves due to movement of at least one of the lower seat assembly and the seatback.

1 . A vehicle seat assembly comprising: 
 a lower seat assembly with a lower sitting surface;    a seatback with a seatback sitting surface, wherein at least one of said lower seat assembly and said seatback is adapted for movement; and    at least one bolster adapted for movement to thereby change curvature of at least one of said lower sitting surface and said seatback sitting surface; and    wherein said bolster automatically moves due to movement of at least one of said lower seat assembly and said seatback.    
   
   
       2 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said seatback is adapted to move relative to said lower seat assembly between an upright position and a folded position, and wherein said bolster automatically moves between an extended position and a retracted position as said seatback moves between the upright position and the folded position.  
   
   
       3 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said bolster includes at least one flexible member with a first end and a second end, and wherein the relative distance between said first end and said second end changes due to movement of at least one of said lower seat assembly and said seatback.  
   
   
       4 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising at least one bolster camming surface that cams said bolster due to movement of at least one of said lower seat assembly and said seatback.  
   
   
       5 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 4  further comprising a lever that includes said bolster camming surface and still further comprising a lever camming surface, wherein said lever moves toward and away from said lever camming surface such that lever camming surface cams said lever and bolster camming surface cams said bolster as said lever moves toward said lever.  
   
   
       6 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 4  further comprising a lever that includes said bolster camming surface and that includes an interference member that limits rotation of said lever such that said bolster camming surface of said lever cams said bolster.  
   
   
       7 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a biasing member that biases said bolster for movement.  
   
   
       8 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 7  wherein said biasing member is a torsion spring.  
   
   
       9 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 1  wherein each of said lower seat assembly and said seatback include at least one bolster, and wherein said contact between said bolster of said seatback and said bolster of said lower seat assembly causes movement of said bolster of said seatback and said bolster of said lower seat assembly.  
   
   
       10 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 1  further comprising a cable operable to pull and rotate said bolster due to movement of at least one of said seatback and said lower seat assembly.  
   
   
       11 . A vehicle seat assembly comprising: 
 a lower seat assembly with a lower sitting surface;    a seatback with a seatback sitting surface, said seatback adapted to move relative to said lower seat assembly between an upright position and a folded position;    wherein at least one of said lower seat assembly and said seatback include at least one bolster adapted for movement between an extended position, wherein curvature of said corresponding one of said lower sitting surface and said seatback sitting surface is increased, and a retracted position, wherein curvature of said corresponding one of said lower sitting surface and said seatback sitting surface is reduced;    wherein said bolster automatically moves away from the extended position and toward the retracted position as said seatback moves away from the upright position and toward the folded position, and wherein said bolster automatically moves away from the retracted position and toward the extended position as said seatback moves away from the folded position and toward the upright position.    
   
   
       12 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 11  wherein said bolster includes at least one flexible member that moves so as to move said bolster between the extended position and the retracted position.  
   
   
       13 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 11  wherein said bolster includes at least one flexible member with a first end and a second end, and wherein the relative distance between said first end and said second end changes as said seatback moves between the upright position and the folded position to thereby move said bolster between the extended position and the retracted position.  
   
   
       14 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 11  further comprising at least one bolster camming surface that cams said bolster as said seatback moves.  
   
   
       15 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 14  further comprising a lever that includes said bolster camming surface and still further comprising a lever camming surface, wherein said lever moves toward said lever camming surface when said seatback moves away from the folded position and toward the upright position, thereby causing the lever camming surface to cam said lever such that said bolster camming surface cams said bolster away from the retracted position and toward the extended position.  
   
   
       16 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 14  further comprising a lever that includes said bolster camming surface and that includes an interference member that limits rotation of said lever as said seatback moves away from the folded position and toward the upright position such that said bolster camming surface of said lever cams said bolster away from the retracted position and toward the extended position.  
   
   
       17 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 11  further including a biasing member that biases said bolster toward one of the retracted position and the extended position.  
   
   
       18 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 17 , wherein said biasing member is a torsion spring.  
   
   
       19 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 11  wherein contact between said seatback and said lower seat assembly as said seatback moves away from the upright position and toward the folded position causes said bolster to move away from the extended position and toward the retracted position.  
   
   
       20 . A vehicle seat assembly as set forth in  claim 11  further comprising a cable operable to pull and rotate said bolster toward one of the retracted position and the extended position upon actuation by said cable.