Method and system for controlling an actuator for a loading area adjustably mounted on a motor vehicle body

• US 10,434,906 B2
• Filed: 02/23/2016
• Issued: 10/08/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Frommann, Markus, Mazur, Oleg
• Primary Examiner(s): Shudy, Angelina
• Application Number:
  US15/051,065
• Publication Number:
  US 20160243964A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,323 Days
• Field of Search: 701 45
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4214 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42736 of the whole seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01252 Devices other than bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means

Abstract

A method and a system are provided to control an actuator for exerting forces upon a loading area, particularly a vehicle seat, in an adjusting direction, especially a longitudinal vehicle direction extending from a front end of the vehicle to a tail end of the vehicle. The loading area is mounted on a body of a motor vehicle, particularly a passenger car, such that it can be adjusted in the adjusting direction. An imminent collision of the motor vehicle is detected, and an actuator is driven in order to accelerate the loading area in the adjusting direction prior to the imminent collision in the event an imminent collision is detected.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an actuator for exerting forces upon a loading area mounted on a vehicle body of a motor vehicle, the method comprising:

detecting an imminent collision of the motor vehicle prior to an impact;

driving the actuator to accelerate the loading area in a first direction prior to the impact when the imminent collision is detected, wherein the first direction is along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle body opposite a traveling direction of the motor vehicle; and

driving the actuator to decelerate the loading area in a second direction opposite the first direction along the longitudinal axis upon impact.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising driving the actuator in the first direction to decelerate a motion of the loading area relative to the vehicle body after a collision-related standstill of the motor vehicle to at least partially compensate for a rebound thereof.

3. The method according to claim 1 comprising determining a permissible resetting distance of the loading area in the first direction, and driving the actuator based on the predetermined resetting distance.

4. The method according to claim 3, further comprising driving the actuator based on the determined permissible resetting distance in order to minimize an absolute speed of the loading area upon the impact.

5. The method according to claim 3, further comprising driving the actuator based on the determined permissible resetting distance to maximize the permissible resetting distance upon the impact.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a weight of a live load on the loading area, and driving the actuator based on the determined weight of the live load.

7. The method according to claim 1, further comprising driving the actuator based on a predefined permissible acceleration.

8. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining an initial position of the loading area, and driving the actuator based on the determined initial position.

9. A system for exerting forces upon a vehicle seat mounted on a vehicle body of a motor vehicle, the system comprising:

a sensor configured to detect an imminent collision of the motor vehicle prior to an impact;

an actuator configured to exert forces upon the vehicle seat in a first direction, wherein the first direction is along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle body opposite a traveling direction of the motor vehicle; and

a controller configured to drive the actuator in order to accelerate the vehicle seat in the first direction prior to the impact when the imminent collision is detected and to drive the actuator to decelerate the vehicle seat in a second direction opposite the first direction along the longitudinal axis upon impact.

10. The system according to claim 9 wherein the controller is configured to drive the actuator in the first direction to decelerate a motion of the vehicle relative to the vehicle body after a collision-related standstill of the motor vehicle to at least partially compensate for a rebound thereof.

11. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a position sensor configured to determine a permissible resetting distance of the vehicle seat, wherein the controller is configured to drive the actuator based on the determined permissible resetting distance.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to drive the actuator in order to minimize an absolute speed of the vehicle seat upon the impact.

13. The system according to claim 11, wherein the controller is configured to drive the actuator in order to maximize the permissible resetting distance upon the impact.

14. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a weight sensor configured to determine a weight of a load on the vehicle seat, wherein the controller is configured to drive the actuator based on the weight of the load.

15. The system according to claim 9, further comprising a position sensor configured to determine an initial position of the vehicle seat, wherein the controller is configured to drive the actuator based on the determined initial position.

16. A motor vehicle comprising:

a vehicle body having a vehicle seat adjustably mounted thereon for movement in a first direction, wherein the first direction is along a longitudinal axis of the vehicle body opposite a traveling direction of the motor vehicle;

a position sensor configured to determine an initial positon of the vehicle seat on the vehicle body;

an actuator operably coupled between the vehicle body and the vehicle seat for exerting forces upon the vehicle seat in the first direction and in a second direction opposite the first direction along the longitudinal axis; and

a controller configured to;

detect an imminent collision of the motor vehicle prior to an impact; and

drive the actuator from the initial position for a permissible resetting distance in the first direction for accelerating the vehicle seat prior to the impact when the imminent collision is detected; and

drive the actuator to decelerate the vehicle seat in the second direction opposite the first direction along the longitudinal axis upon impact.