Seat track assembly for a motor vehicle having an integrated position sensor

• US 20070108748A1
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Published: 05/17/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Intier Automotive, Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Intier Automotive, Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tokarz, Stephen, Ventura, Kevin
• Granted Patent: US 7,322,605 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01211 Expansion of air bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors

Abstract

A seat track assembly for a seat of a motor vehicle having a floor and an airbag. The seat track assembly includes a stationary rail fixedly secured to the floor. The seat track assembly also includes a movable rail fixedly secured to the seat and slidably engaged with the stationary rail to move the seat therealong. The movable rail extends along a length between a forward position and a rearward position. A shunt defining an elongated body extends along a portion of the length of the movable rail. A sensor is fixedly secured to the stationary rail and disposed adjacent the shunt to produce a position signal indicating a position of the sensor relative to the shunt. The sensor and the shunt are disposed within the stationary and movable rails to be protected thereby.

Claims

1-24. -24. (canceled)

25. A method for controlling a deployment rate of an airbag of a motor vehicle having a seat and a seat track assembly including a stationary rail, a sensor disposed within the stationary rail, a movable rail, and a shunt disposed within the movable rail, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing a magnetic field using the sensor and the shunt;

producing a position signal indicating the position of the seat based on the magnetic field sensed by the sensor; and

varying the deployment rate of the airbag based upon the position signal.

26. A method as set forth in claim 25 including the step of sending the position signal to a controller during the step of varying the deployment rate of the airbag based upon the position signal.

27. A method as set forth in claim 26 including the step of sending a control signal from the controller to an airbag controller during the step of varying the deployment rate of the airbag based upon the position signal.

28. A method as set forth in claim 27 including the step of sliding the shunt along the sensor during the step of sensing the position of the sensor relative to the shunt.

29. (canceled)