SUPERVISED AND UNSUPERVISED SEAT FOLDING

• US 20080021618A1
• Filed: 07/14/2006
• Published: 01/24/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/14/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Nathan, John F., Kennedy, Karl
• Granted Patent: US 7,965,170 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0237 using portable terminals, e.g. smartphones
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0278 using sensors external to the seat for measurements in relation to the seat adjustment, e.g. for identifying the presence of obstacles or the appropriateness of the occupants position
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3013 the back-rest being hinged on the vehicle frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/36 into a loading platform B60N2/065 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/42 Detection using safety edges
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/77 using wireless control
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/538 Interior lids

Abstract

Supervised and unsupervised seat folding of the type wherein supervised or unsupervised seating folding is permitted as function of whether a user is within a particular proximity to a seat being folded. The proximity being determined according to any number of parameters, such as but not limited whether the user is able to view the folding seat.

Claims

1. A method of folding a vehicle seat, the method comprising:

receiving a remotely transmitted request for seat folding from a key fob;

determining a proximity of the key fob to the vehicle;

permitting unsupervised seat folding if the key fob is within a first proximity to the vehicle; and

requiring supervised seat folding if the key fob is within a second proximity to the vehicle.

2. The method of claim 1 further comprising requiring one-touch seat actuation if unsupervised seating folding is permitted and requiring continuous seat actuation if supervised seating folding is permitted.

3. The method of claim 2 further comprising requiring continuous manual depression of an electrical switch used in supervised seat folding if continuous seat actuation is required.

4. The method of claim 1 further comprising overriding the unsupervised seat folding in response to determining an override event such that supervised seat folding is required in order to fold the vehicle seat.

5. The method of claim 2 further comprising defining the override event according to stability logic associated with preventing successive seat foldings within a predefined period of time.

6. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining the override event according to a status of an obstruction sensor used to sense for obstructions on the vehicle seat.

7. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining the override event according to a status of a seat fold travel sensor used to sense movement of the vehicle seat.

8. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining the override event according to a status of a seat belt latch sensor used to sense engagement of a seat belt used to restrain a passenger relative to the vehicle seat.

9. The method of claim 2 further comprising determining the override event according to a status of a seat belt tension sensor used to sense tensioning on a seat belt used to restrain a passenger relative to the vehicle seat.

10. The method of claim 2 wherein the vehicle seat includes a shape memory alloy (SMA) element configured to facilitate seat folding, and wherein the method further comprises defining the override event override according to SMA protection logic used to protect operations of the SMA element.

11. The method of claim 10 further comprising overriding the unsupervised seat folding according to SMA protection logic for thermal or electrical protection.

12. The method of claim 1 further comprising remotely actuating a secondary seat element associated with the vehicle seat before permitting unsupervised seat folding.

13. The method of claim 12 wherein the secondary seat element is a temperature exchange element associated with heating or cooling the vehicle seat, the temperature exchange element being attached to the vehicle seat, and wherein the method further comprises shutting off the temperature exchange element before remotely actuating the secondary seat element.

14. The method of claim 1 further comprising defining the first proximity to correspond with a distance sufficient to visually inspect the vehicle seat.

15. A method of folding a vehicle seat, the method comprising:

determining a proximity of a key fob used to request seat folding; and

permitting unsupervised seat folding if the key fob is within a proximity relative to the vehicle that permits viewing of the seat, otherwise requiring supervised seat folding.

16. The method of claim 15 further comprising overriding seat folding in response to determining an override event.

17. The method of claim 16 further comprising permitting seat folding if the override event is determined as long as continuous actuation of the key fob or a vehicle seat switch is determined.

18. A system for folding a vehicle seat, the system comprising:

a key fob to request seat folding;

a seat actuation element configured to facilitate seat folding, the seat actuation element configured for permitting unsupervised seat folding if the key fob is within a proximity relative to the vehicle that permits viewing of the seat, otherwise requiring supervised seat folding; and

wherein the seat actuation element is further configured for monitoring for occurrence of override events, occurrence of at least one override event at least temporarily stopping the unsupervised seat folding, and wherein monitoring for the override event includes;

(i) defining at least one override event according to stability logic associated with preventing successive seat foldings within a predefined period of time;

(ii) determining at least one override event according to a status of an obstruction sensor used to sense for obstructions on the vehicle seat;

(iii) determining at least one override event according to a status of a seat fold travel sensor used to sense movement of the vehicle seat;

(iv) determining at least one override event according to a status of a seat belt latch sensor used to sense engagement of a seat belt used to restrain a passenger relative to the vehicle seat;

(v) determining at least one override event according to a status of a seat belt tension sensor used to sense tensioning on a seat belt used to restrain a passenger relative to the vehicle seat; and

(vi) defining at least one override event override according to SMA protection logic used to protect operations of the SMA element.

19. The system of claim 18 wherein the seat actuation element is configured for permitting seat folding if the override event is determined as long as continuous actuation of the key fob or a vehicle seat switch is determined.

20. The system of claim 18 further comprising a vehicle mounted seat switch and wherein the seat actuation element is configured to permit seat folding if the override event is determined and the seat switch is used to instigate seat folding.