SEAT APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE

• US 20080109140A1
• Filed: 11/05/2007
• Published: 05/08/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 11/06/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Aoki, Koji, Hattori, Koji, Maeda, Toshiro, HOZUMI, Soichiro
• Granted Patent: US 7,917,264 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/986 Side-rests B60N2/2872, B60N2/885 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/99 adjustable

Abstract

A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a side support portion that is controlled depending on a road condition, includes a distance calculating means for calculating a distance of a straight portion between a first curve, on which a vehicle is supposed to be driven, and a second curve, on which the vehicle is supposed to be driven after the first curve, based on an electronic map data, a first controlling level calculating means for calculating a first controlling level at which the side support portion is controlled when the vehicle is driven on the first curve, a second controlling level calculating means for calculating a second controlling level at which the side support portion is controlled when the vehicle is driven on the straight portion, and a driving means for operating the side support portion based on the first controlling level and the second controlling level.

Claims

1. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a side support portion that is controlled depending on a road condition, comprising:

a distance calculating means for calculating a distance of a straight portion of a road between a first curved portion, on which a vehicle is supposed to be driven, and a second curved portion, on which the vehicle is supposed to be driven following by the first curved portion, based on an electronic map data;

a first controlling level calculating means for calculating a first controlling level at which the side support portion is controlled when the vehicle is driven on the first curved portion;

a second controlling level calculating means for calculating a second controlling level at which the side support portion is controlled when the vehicle is driven on the straight portion; and

a driving means for operating the side support portion based on the first controlling level and the second controlling level.

2. The seat apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first controlling level of the side support portion when the vehicle is driven on the first curved portion is calculated by the first controlling level calculating means on the basis of a value outputted from a lateral acceleration sensor, which detects acceleration generated at the vehicle in a lateral direction thereof, and the second controlling level of the side support portion when the vehicle is driven on the straight portion is calculated by the second controlling level calculating means by multiplying a maximum first controlling level of the side support portion when the vehicle is driven on the first curved portion by supporting rate that increases in inverse proportion to the distance of the straight portion.

3. The seat apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first controlling level of the side support portion when the vehicle is driven on the first curved portion is calculated by the first controlling level calculating means on the basis of a value outputted from a steering angle sensor and a value outputted from a vehicle speed sensor, and the second controlling level of the side support portion when the vehicle is driven on the straight portion is calculated by the second controlling level calculating means by multiplying a first maximum controlling level of the side support portion when the vehicle is driven on the first curved portion by supporting rate, which increases in inverse proportion to the distance of the straight portion.

4. The seat apparatus for the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the first controlling level of the side support portion when the vehicle is driven on the first curved portion is calculated by the first controlling level calculating means on the basis of a lateral acceleration value that is calculated on the basis of the electronic map data and a value outputted from a vehicle speed sensor, and the second controlling level of the side support portion when the vehicle is driven on the straight portion is calculated by the second controlling level calculating means by multiplying a maximum first controlling level of the side support portion when the vehicle is driven on the first curved portion by supporting rate that increases in inverse proportion to the distance of the straight portion.