MEMORY FEATURES FOR A MANUALLY ADJUSTABLE APPARATUS

• US 20110279282A1
• Filed: 05/12/2010
• Published: 11/17/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/12/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations LLC (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Bryant, Wade W.
• Granted Patent: US 9,073,575 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/686.1
• 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: B60N 2/16 height-adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/04 mounted inside vehicle B60R1/025, B60R1/08 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/187 with tilt adjustment; with tilt and axial adjustment B62D1/183, B62D1/19 takes precedence

Abstract

A system is disclosed for manually pre-selecting and retrieving a position of an apparatus arranged inside a vehicle. The system includes an adjustment device operatively connected to the apparatus and configured to manually pre-select and lock the position of the apparatus relative to the vehicle. The system additionally includes a sensory signaling device operatively connected to the apparatus and selectively moveable within a predetermined range with respect to the vehicle. The sensory signaling device is configured to identify the pre-selected position of the apparatus and provide a sensory signal indicative of the pre-selected position, thereby facilitating the manual retrieval of the position without trial and error experimentation. A method for manually pre-selecting and retrieving a position of an apparatus arranged inside a vehicle is also disclosed.

Claims

1. A system for manually pre-selecting and retrieving a position of an apparatus arranged inside a vehicle, the system comprising:

an adjustment device operatively connected to the apparatus and configured to manually pre-select and lock the position of the apparatus relative to the vehicle; and

a sensory signaling device operatively connected to the apparatus and selectively moveable within a predetermined range with respect to the vehicle, the sensory signaling device configured to identify the pre-selected position of the apparatus and provide a sensory signal indicative of the pre-selected position, thereby facilitating the manual retrieval of the position without trial and error experimentation.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the sensory signaling device includes a reference feature fixed relative to one of the apparatus and the vehicle, and at least one of a visual, an audible, and a tactile indicator, such that the at least one of a visual, an audible, and a tactile indicator is adapted to be selectively moveable relative to, and to interact with the reference feature to thereby identify the pre-selected position and provide the sensory signal.

3. The system according to claim 2, wherein the visual indicator is a gauge having a pointer that is selectively moveable on a track with respect to the reference feature.

4. The system according to claim 2, wherein the visual indicator is a bubble-level device configured to be moveable with respect to the reference feature to indicate the position of the apparatus.

5. The system according to claim 2, including the audible indicator, wherein the audible indicator is arranged moveably on a track and adapted to interact with the reference feature by establishing a detent for clicking against the feature to generate an audible signal indicative of the position of the apparatus.

6. The system according to claim 2, including the tactile indicator, wherein the tactile indicator is arranged moveably on a track and adapted to interact with the reference feature by varying interference therewith to generate a tactile signal indicative of the position of the apparatus.

7. The system according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is at least one of a manual seat fore-aft position adjuster, a manual seat height position adjuster, and a manual seat-back angle adjuster for a seat arranged in the vehicle.

8. The system according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is a rearview mirror positioned in the vehicle.

9. The system according to claim 2, wherein the apparatus is a steering wheel having its position adjustable by at least one of tilting and telescoping.

10. A vehicle comprising:

an apparatus configured to selectively adopt a position relative to the vehicle for accommodating an occupant in the vehicle;

an adjustment device operatively connected to the apparatus and configured to manually pre-select and lock the position of the apparatus relative to the vehicle; and

a sensory signaling device operatively connected to the apparatus and selectively moveable within a predetermined range with respect to the vehicle, the sensory signaling device configured to identify the pre-selected position of the apparatus and provide a sensory signal indicative of the pre-selected position, thereby facilitating the manual retrieval of the position without trial and error experimentation.

11. The vehicle according to claim 10, wherein the sensory signaling device includes a reference feature fixed relative to one of the apparatus and the vehicle, and at least one of a visual, an audible, and a tactile indicator, such that the at least one of a visual, an audible, and a tactile indicator is adapted to be selectively moveable relative to and interact with the reference feature to thereby identify the pre-selected position and provide the sensory signal.

12. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the visual indicator is a gauge having a pointer that is selectively moveable on a track with respect to the reference feature.

13. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the visual indicator is a bubble-level device configured to be moveable with respect to the reference feature to indicate the position of the apparatus.

14. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the audible indicator is arranged moveably on a track and adapted to interact with the reference feature by establishing a detent for clicking against the feature to generate an audible signal indicative of the position of the apparatus.

15. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the tactile indicator is arranged moveably on a track and adapted to interact with the reference feature by varying interference therewith to generate a tactile signal indicative of the position of the apparatus.

16. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus is at least one of a manual seat fore-aft position adjuster, a manual seat height position adjuster, and a manual seat-back angle adjuster for a seat arranged in the vehicle.

17. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus is a rearview mirror positioned in the vehicle.

18. The vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the apparatus is a steering wheel having its position adjustable by at least one of tilting and telescoping.

19. A method for manually pre-selecting and retrieving a position of an apparatus arranged inside a vehicle, the method comprising:

manually pre-selecting and locking the position of the apparatus relative to the vehicle by operating an adjustment device;

identifying the pre-selected position of the apparatus via a sensory signaling device operatively connected to the apparatus and selectively moveable within a predetermined range with respect to the vehicle;

providing a sensory signal indicative of the pre-selected position via the sensory signaling device; and

retrieving the pre-selected position without trial and error experimentation.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the sensory signaling device includes a reference feature fixed relative to one of the apparatus and the vehicle, and at least one of a visual, an audible, and a tactile indicator, such that said identifying the pre-selected position of the apparatus is accomplished by selectively moving the at least one of a visual, an audible, and a tactile indicator relative to the reference feature, and said providing a sensory signal is accomplished by the at least one of a visual, an audible, and a tactile indicator interacting with the reference feature.