VEHICLE SEAT DEVICE

• US 20130154328A1
• Filed: 10/26/2011
• Published: 06/20/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 10/29/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Maeda, Toshiro, Kino, Hiroki
• Application Number:
  US13/820,633
• Publication Number:
  US 20130154328A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/311
• 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 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0256 Arrangements for facilitating the occupant to get in or out of the vehicle, e.g. stowing a seat forward
• 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 2/16 height-adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/12 Capacitive; Electric field

Abstract

A vehicle seat device including a drive device, a control unit, and seating detection unit. The drive device is configured to move a seat cushion having a seat surface on which a vehicle occupant is seated in a vertical direction. The control unit controls the drive device. The seating detection unit detects a seating action of the vehicle occupant on the seat cushion. The control unit controls the drive device to move the seat cushion downward when the seating detection unit detects the seating action of the occupant.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat device comprising:

a drive device configured to move a seat cushion in a vertical direction, wherein the seat cushion includes a seat surface on which a vehicle occupant is seated;

a control unit that controls the drive device;

a seating detection unit that detects a seating action of the vehicle occupant on the seat cushion,

wherein the control unit controls the drive device to move the seat cushion downward when the seating detection unit detects the seating action of the occupant.

2. The vehicle seat device according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle entering detection unit that detects a vehicle entering intention of the vehicle occupant,

wherein the control unit sets the seating detection unit in a detection enabling state after the vehicle entering detection unit detects the vehicle entering intention of the vehicle occupant.

3. The vehicle seat device according to claim 2, wherein

the seat cushion is movable in the vertical direction within a predetermined movable range;

and

when the vehicle entering detection unit detects the vehicle entering intention, the control unit determines, before moving the seat cushion downward, whether or not the seat cushion is located in a preset upper area in the movable range, the control unit controls the drive device to move the seat cushion upward when having determined that the seat cushion is not in the upper area, and the control unit waits as it is until detecting the seating action of the vehicle occupant when having determined that the seat cushion is in the upper area.

4. The vehicle seat device according to claim 3, wherein

the control unit is configured to move the seat cushion downward by a specified stroke amount based on a detection of the seating action;

and

the control unit controls the drive device to move the seat cushion upward by the specified stroke amount when having determined that the seat cushion is not in the upper area and moving the seat cushion upward.

5. The vehicle seat device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit controls the drive device to move the seat cushion downward by a specified stroke amount based on a detection of the seating action when having determined that the seat cushion is in the upper area and then move the seat cushion upward by the specified stroke amount.

6. The vehicle seat device according to claim 4, wherein the specified stroke amount is preset to a distance required to reduce a seating impact received by the vehicle occupant.

7. The vehicle seat device according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle entering detection unit includes a door courtesy switch.

8. The vehicle seat device according to claim 1, wherein the seating detection unit includes a capacitive sensor.