Seat position detecting apparatus, a rail position detecting apparatus and a movable body detecting apparatus

• US 20050057065A1
• Filed: 12/23/2003
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/24/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Suzuki, Takashi, Endoh, Hirofumi, Hasegawa, Yasunori, Tamura, Hiroshi, Kojima, Yasuhiro, Koga, Yoshitaka, Ohchi, Masato, Tagawa, Satoru
• Granted Patent: US 7,564,234 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 296/65.130
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/07 Slide construction

Abstract

A seat position detecting apparatus includes a fixed rail fixed on a vehicle floor, a movable rail at which a vehicle seat is fixed for sliding on the fixed rail, and a position detecting means directly mounted at one of either the fixed rail or the movable rail for detecting a relative position between the fixed rail and the movable rail by detecting the other of either the fixed rail or the movable rail, wherein a first engaging means is provided at either the fixed rail or the movable rail at which the position detecting means is mounted, and a second engaging means provided complementarily to the first engaging means engages with the first engaging means through the position detecting means.

Claims

1. A seat position detecting apparatus comprising:

a fixed rail fixed on a vehicle floor;

a movable rail at which a vehicle seat is fixed for sliding on the fixed rail; and

a position detecting means directly mounted at one of either the fixed rail or the movable rail for detecting a relative position between the fixed rail and the movable rail by detecting the other of either the fixed rail or the movable rail.

2. A seat position detecting apparatus comprising:

a fixed rail fixed on a vehicle floor;

a movable rail at which a vehicle seat is fixed for sliding on the fixed rail; and

a position detecting means mounted at one of either the fixed rail or the movable rail for detecting a relative position between the fixed rail and the movable rail by detecting the other of either the fixed rail or the movable rail, wherein a first engaging means is provided at either the fixed rail or the movable rail at which the position detecting means is mounted, and a second engaging means provided complementarily to the first engaging means engages with the first engaging means through the position detecting means.

3. A seat position detecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the first engaging means can be a nut, and the second engaging means can be a bolt screwed into the nut through the position detecting means.

4. A seat position detecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the second engaging means can be the nut, and the first engaging means can be the bolt screwed into the nut through the position detecting means.

5. A seat position detecting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a first position defining means is formed in either the fixed rail or the movable rail at which the position detecting means is mounted, and a second position defining means is integrally formed at the position detecting means for engaging with the first position defining means.

6. A seat position detecting apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a first position defining means is formed in either the fixed rail or the movable rail at which the position detecting means is mounted, and a second position defining means is integrally formed at the position detecting means for engaging with the first position defining means.

7. A seat position detecting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a first position defining means is formed in either the fixed rail or the movable rail at which the position detecting means is mounted, and a second position defining means is integrally formed at the position detecting means for engaging with the first position defining means.

13. A seat position detecting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second position defining means is shaped complementarily to the first position defining means for engaging each other.

14. A seat position detecting apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the second position defining means is shaped complementarily to the first position defining means for engaging each other.

15. A seat position detecting apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the second position defining means is shaped complementarily to the first position defining means for engaging each other.

8. A rail position detecting apparatus includes a position detecting means provided at one of either a fixed rail or a movable rail slidably engaging each other, and the other of either the fixed rail or the movable rail is defined as an object;

wherein the position detecting means detects the object with a magnet and a magneto detecting element, and the object is not provided between the magnet and the magneto detecting element.

9. A rail position detecting apparatus includes a position detecting means provided at one of either a fixed rail or a movable rail slidably engaging each other, and the other of either the fixed rail or the movable rail is defined as an object;

wherein the position detecting means detects the object with a magnet and a magneto detecting element, and the position detecting means detects the object based on a magnetic flux from the magnet flows out and flows in through a surface at which the position detecting means faces to the object.

10. A movable body position detecting apparatus includes a position detecting means provided at one of either a guide member or a movable member slidably engaging each other, and the other of either the guide member or the movable member is defined as an object, wherein the position detecting means detects the object with a magnet and a magneto detecting element, and the object is not provided between the magnet and the magneto detecting element.

11. A movable body position detecting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the movable body makes a straight movement or a circular movement.

12. A movable body position detecting apparatus according to claim 10, wherein the guide member can be the fixed rail fixed on the vehicle floor, and the movable member can be the movable rail at which the vehicle seat is fixed for sliding on the fixed rail.