Objective seating comfort scores for seat design in automobiles are available to replace subjective seating comfort scores. The score is calculated from the optimized math data that defines a seat design and the position of digital human bodies sitting in the seat.

1. Objective seating comfort scores for
auto seat design.
ERL LLC
February 15, 2012

2. Objective Auto Seat Design
Optimize seat for driver at start of production
 Body Size & Back Posture
 Vision of Road
 Reach to Controls
 Seat Size, Shape and Deflection
 Objective Seat Comfort Score

3. Body Size & Back Posture:
Japan, Italy, Germany & USA
Female Male
5th 5th
Standing
Height
5th 95th 95th
1st 1st
1st 95th 99th 99th
S N E S N E S N E
99th
1400 1500 1600 1700 1800 1900
Standing ERL ERL ERL Large
Stature Small Medium Male
(mm) Female Male
ANSUR (U.S. ARMY)
}
Germany US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138
PeopleSize
Italy
2000 v2.06
Japan
E = Erect ERL Occupant
N = Neutral ERL Occupant
S = Slumped ERL Occupant

4. Vision: Depends upon eye position
for driving without visual obstructions
Upward Vision Target (X, Z)
Rearview Mirror
Upward Vision
Angle
Downward
Vision Angle
Downward Vision
Target (X, Z)
Instrument Panel
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

5. SMALL FEMALE HAND REACH
Seat tilt lever outside reach boundaries.
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

6. LARGE MALE HAND REACH
All hand controls within reach boundaries.
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

7. Seat Deflection: Meat-to-Metal is distance
of deflected body surface to frame
 Problem: Identify
Body all locations of
body-to-frame
distances that are
less than allowable
for seat stiffness
and ride comfort
Frame
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

8. Seat Deflection: Pressure is body
penetration of Sitting Surface
Body
 Problem: Find
the maximum
penetrations of
body into seat
STO bolster
Bolster surfaces
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

9. Seat Deflection: Penetration of the thigh
into the seat wing (Pressure)
Measure using tools in
CAD.
 If maximum penetration
exceeds criteria for
Body comfortable pressure,
adjust seat design
parameters and find new
solution.
Bolster
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

10. Lumbar Support Analysis Example
Lumbar in seat provides no
support
full support no support
Required
Actual Lumbar
Occupant Erect Lumbar % Support
Support Force
Posture Support Force Provided by Seat
(N)
(N)
Small Female 40.8 7.9 19.3%
Medium Male 123.2 42.4 34.4%
Large Male 168.2 25.8 15.3%
Bite line too far forward
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

11. Objective Seat Comfort:
Evaluate for the Global Population
 Driver’s Preferred Position
 Seat support and contact of Driver’s Body
 Vision meets needs of all drivers
 Reach to controls & switches
 All driver’s equally “fit” in seat & car

12. All drivers prefer a neutral posture, but each
has different needs to be accommodated.
Erect
Vision
Neutral Controls
Reach Headroom
Slumped Legroom
Small Female (5th %) Medium Male (50th %) Large Male (95th %)
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

13. Objective Comfort Scores on 5 pt scale
Japanese Subcompact
German Sedan
American SUV

14. Japanese Subcompact
ERL Population Comfort Scores

15. Japanese Subcompact Seat
4.2

16. Japanese Subcompact Driver
SMALL FEMALE
ERL Score: 3.25
Cushion: 3.1; Back: 3.4; Package: 5.0
Cushion is too long
too long too short
Cushion is wide at Thigh & Ischium
too narrow too wide
Head Restraint is too close
too close too far
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

17. Japanese Subcompact Driver
MEDIUM MALE
ERL Score: 4.57
Cushion: 4.19; Back: 4.51: Package: 5.0
Cushion length is just right
too long too short
Cushion doesn’t provide enough thigh support
too much no support
Shoulder patch wing shape is close
too close too far
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

18. Japanese Subcompact Driver
LARGE MALE
ERL Score: 3.3
Cushion: 2.0; Back: 4.2; Package: 4.3
Cushion length is short
too long too short
Cushion doesn’t provide enough thigh support
too much not enough
Seat requires additional rearward travel
forward rearward
Shoulder patch wing shape is close
too close too far
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

19. German Sedan
ERL Population Comfort Scores

20. German Sedan Seat
4.12

21. German Sedan Driver
SMALL FEMALE
ERL Score: 3.61
Cushion: 2.16; Back: 4.33; Package: 4.33
Cushion too long
too long too short
Cushion provides thigh pressure
too much pressure no support
Cushion is too wide at Ischium
too narrow too wide
Shoulder is close
too close too far
Can not comfortably reach pedals
can not can
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

22. German Sedan Driver
MEDIUM MALE
ERL Score: 4.17
Cushion: 3.83; Back: 3.78; Package: 4.90
Cushion length is just right
too long too short
Cushion provides thigh pressure
too much pressure no support
Cushion is wide at ischium
too narrow too wide
Head restraint is far
too close too far
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

23. German Sedan Driver
LARGE MALE
ERL Score: 4.22
Cushion: 4.50; Back: 3.22; Package: 5.00
Cushion length is just right
too long too short
Cushion is wide at thigh
too narrow too wide
Shoulder wing shape provides too much penetration
extreme penetration no contact
Head restraint is too far
too close too far
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

24. American SUV
ERL Population Comfort Scores
Seat Package
Total Cushion Back Package
Penalty % Penalty %
Total (1.00 - 5.00) 4.48 4.53 4.19 4.94 0.40 1.40
Small Female 3.03 3.30 2.77 4.34 3.75 9.55
Medium Male 4.69 4.63 4.44 5.00 0.00 0.00
Large Male 4.39 5.00 3.64 5.00 0.30 4.40

25. American SUV Seat
4.53

26. American SUV Driver
SMALL FEMALE
ERL Score: 3.05
Cushion: 3.3; Back: 2.75; Package: 4.34
Cannot comfortably reach accelerator
cannot reach can reach
Cushion length is too long
too long too short
Head restraint is too close
too close too far
Seatback stiffness is too soft
too firm too soft
Bite line contact is close
extreme penetration no contact
25mm (Heel off floor)
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

27. American SUV Driver
MEDIUM MALE
ERL Score: 4.7
Cushion: 4.65; Back: 4.45; Package: 5.0
Cushion length is just right
too long too short
Seatback insert stiffness is too soft
too firm too soft
Overall bolster shape provides good support
extreme penetration no contact
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

28. American SUV Driver
LARGE MALE
ERL Score: 8.8
Cushion: 5.0; Back: 3.65; Package: 5.0
Cushion length is just right
too long too short
Overall bolster shape provides good support
extreme penetration no contact
Seatback insert stiffness is too soft
too firm too soft
Bite line contact is close
too far too close
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

29. Comfort scores
and body dimensions
define population affected
by seated comfort in Automobile.

30. Seat Cushion Dimensions
for Global Market Evaluation
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

31. US Female Population:
Cushion Length & Contact Length Analysis
86% of
Cushion
Length Females Cushion
Too Long Length
Too Short
Cushion section behind calf Females:
Cushion Length is TOO LONG: 14%
}
Cushion Length is LONG: 5%
Small Female Contact Length Is JUST RIGHT:
Contact Length Is SHORT:
81%
0%
86%
Contact Length Is TOO SHORT: 0%
Cushion Supports 86% of US Females*
* Based on Buttock-Knee length
using ANSUR data base.
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

32. US Male Population:
Cushion Length & Contact Length Analysis
97% of Males
Cushion
Length Cushion
Too Long Length
Too Short
Cushion section behind calf
Large Male
Males:
Cushion Length is TOO LONG: 2%
}
Cushion Length is LONG: 1%
Contact Length Is JUST RIGHT: 94% 97%
Contact Length Is SHORT: 2%
Contact Length Is TOO SHORT: 1%
Cushion Supports 97% of US Males*
Cushion section behind calf
Medium Male * Based on Buttock-Knee length
using ANSUR data base.
US Patents: #6,840,125, #7,047,831, #7,347,114, #7,797,138

33. % of US Market affected by Sources of
Discomfort in Seating
% Population
Vehicle Small Female¹ Average Male¹ Large Male¹
<3.75 Score
Japanese Sedan 3.77 4.74 4.19 0%
Japanese Compact 4.04 4.72 3.26 5.9%
German Sedan 4.15 4.70 4.21 0%
German SUV 3.18 4.51 4.12 18.7%
Swedish Sedan 4.12 4.57 3.48 3.7%
American Crossover 2.96 4.69 4.39 21.5%
Japanese Subcompact 3.25 4.45 3.30 25.6%
American Sedan 3.40 4.71 4.43 9.7%
American muscle car 3.21 4.63 4.31 15.5%
American Subcompact SUV 2.78 4.12 3.88 37.0%
American Sedan 2.94 4.29 4.10 30.5%
Italian Subcompact 3.37 4.00 3.78 26.3%
¹Five (5) Point Scale: Score calculated from math data in ERL.

34. Thanks
More Information:
www.erlllc.com
www.occuzone.com
www.slideshare.net/macreynolds
Inquiries:
Mac Reynolds, Ph.D.
ERL LLC
reynolds@erlllc.com
1-517-256-3180