DRIVING POSITION ADJUSTING DEVICE

• US 20080231090A1
• Filed: 02/26/2008
• Published: 09/25/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: OHTSUBO, Tomonori, UEMURA, Hiroki, TAKEDA, Yusaku, YAMADA, Naoki
• Granted Patent: US 7,695,045 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/83
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1828 Slides only
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1835 pivoting about an axis located in the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/1853 Linear actuator, e.g. screw mechanism
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 3/063 with adjustment systems

Abstract

A driving position adjusting device comprises a seat-position adjusting mechanism to adjust height and seat-face angle of a seat cushion in accordance with longitudinal movement of a driver'"'"'s seat, and a floor adjusting mechanism to adjust a height of a floor board in accordance with the operation of the longitudinal adjustment of the driver'"'"'s seat, wherein the seat-position adjusting mechanism is configured so that an inclination angle of the seat cushion becomes smaller as the driver'"'"'s seat is moved forward from a middle position, and the floor adjusting mechanism is configured so that the height of the floor board becomes higher as the driver'"'"'s seat is moved forward from the middle position. Accordingly, the sitting position of the driver and the operational function of the operational pedal can be provided properly regardless of the body size of the driver.

Claims

1. A driving position adjusting device, comprising:

a seat-position adjusting mechanism operative to adjust a longitudinal position, a height and a seat-face angle of a seat cushion of a driver'"'"'s seat, the longitudinal position of the seat cushion of the driver'"'"'s seat adjusted by the seat-position adjusting mechanism being configured to changeable within an adjustable longitudinal range of the driver'"'"'s seat; and

a movable-floor-portion adjusting mechanism operative to adjust a height of a movable floor portion, the movable floor portion being provided for a foot portion of a driver that is to be placed thereon,

wherein said seat-position adjusting mechanism is configured so that the adjusted seat-face angle of the seat cushion is changeable in accordance with the longitudinal position of the seat cushion at least in a specified area within said adjustable longitudinal range of the seat cushion of the driver'"'"'s seat in such a manner that an inclination angle of the seat face of the seat cushion relative to a horizontal face becomes smaller as the seat cushion of the driver'"'"'s seat is moved forward, and

said movable-floor-portion adjusting mechanism is configured so that the adjusted height of the movable floor portion is changeable in accordance with the longitudinal position of the seat cushion at least in the specified area within said adjustable longitudinal range of the seat cushion of the driver'"'"'s seat in such a manner that the height of the movable floor portion becomes higher as the seat cushion of the driver'"'"'s seat is moved forward.

2. The driving position adjusting device of claim 1, wherein said specified area within the adjustable longitudinal range of the seat cushion of the driver'"'"'s seat is configured to be a front-located area that substantially covers a middle position of the adjustable longitudinal range and a forward area from the middle position, whereby the inclination angle of the seat face of the seat cushion relative to the horizontal face can become smaller as the seat cushion of the driver'"'"'s seat is moved forward from the middle position, whereby the height of the movable floor portion can become higher as the seat cushion of the driver'"'"'s seat is moved forward from the middle position.

3. The driving position adjusting device of claim 2, wherein said movable-floor-portion adjusting mechanism is further configured so that a changing rate of the height of the movable floor portion that becomes higher is changeable in accordance with the longitudinal position of the seat cushion in such a manner that the changing rate of the height of the movable floor portion decreases as the seat cushion of the driver'"'"'s seat is moved forward from the middle position.

4. The driving position adjusting device of claim 1, wherein said specified area within the adjustable longitudinal range of the seat cushion of the driver'"'"'s seat is configured to be a rear-located area that substantially covers a middle position of the adjustable longitudinal range and a rearward area from the middle position, whereby the inclination angle of the seat face of the seat cushion relative to the horizontal face can become greater as the seat cushion of the driver'"'"'s seat is moved rearward from the middle position, whereby the height of the movable floor portion can become lower as the seat cushion of the driver'"'"'s seat is moved rearward from the middle position.

5. The driving position adjusting device of claim 4, wherein said movable-floor-portion adjusting mechanism is further configured so that a changing rate of the height of the movable floor portion that becomes lower is changeable in accordance with the longitudinal position of the seat cushion in such a manner that the changing rate of the height of the movable floor portion decreases as the seat cushion of the driver'"'"'s seat is moved rearward from the middle position.

6. The driving position adjusting device of claim 1, wherein the driver'"'"'s seat comprises a seat back that is provided substantially in an upright state at a rear portion of the seat cushion, and the seat cushion and the seat back of the driver'"'"'s seat are configured to change positions thereof together when said seat-position adjusting mechanism operates to adjust the seat-face angle of the seat cushion.