ELECTRO-MECHANICAL PUSH BUTTON VEHICLE SEAT ACTUATION MECHANISM

• US 20130200668A1
• Filed: 06/23/2011
• Published: 08/08/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/24/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adient US, LLC (Adient plc)
• Original Assignee: Johnson Controls Technology Company (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Michalak, Eric B., Medvecky, Jeffrey P., Rajkumar, Joseph, Kowalski, Mark, Havali, Vijay
• Granted Patent: US 9,233,627 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/217.1
• 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 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/12 slidable and tiltable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/20 the back-rest being tiltable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/04, B60N2/22 , B60N2/3002 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/22 the back-rest being adjustable B60N2/2878 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3009 about transversal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/3065 in a longitudinal-vertical plane

Abstract

A vehicle seat having a seat back pivotably coupled to a seat base by a seat recliner mechanism such that the seat back can be pivoted in a forward and rearward direction relative the seat base. The seat includes a track assembly coupled to the vehicle and the seat, such that the seat can be moved in the forward and rearward directions relative to the vehicle interior. The seat further includes an actuator mechanism having a first actuator that includes a push button located on the seat and an actuator in electrical communication with the push button, A force transmitting device has one end connected to the actuator and a second end connected to the seat recliner mechanism, such that energizing the actuator actuates the force transmitting device to release the seat recliner mechanism and move the seat between a use and a tipped and forward position.

Claims

1. A seat for use in a vehicle, the seat comprising:

a seat back pivotably coupled to a seat base by a recliner mechanism, such that the seat back can be pivoted in a forward and rearward direction relative to the seat base;

a track assembly coupled to the vehicle and the seat that moves the seat in the forward and rearward directions relative to the vehicle, wherein the recliner mechanism operatively moves the seat from a first position to a second position;

an actuator mechanism having a first electromechanical actuator locate on the seat, wherein the first electromechanical actuator is a push button;

an actuator in electrical communication with the first electromechanical actuator; and

a force transmitting device having one end connected to the actuator and a second end connected to the recliner mechanism, such that energizing the actuator actuates the force transmitting device to release the recliner mechanism and move the seat from the first position to the second position.

2. The seat of claim 1 further comprising:

a second electromechanical actuator located on the seat, wherein the second electromechanical actuator is a push button that is in communication with the actuator and operatively moves the seat from a first position to a third position when pressed, wherein the third position is a fold-flat position.

3. The seat of claim 1, further comprising an emergency release handle that is operatively connected to the recliner mechanism, and disengages the recliner mechanism when pulled thereby enabling the seat to be adjusted.

4. The seat of claim 1, wherein the first position is a use position and the second position is an easy-entry position.

5. The seat of claim 1, wherein the first actuator is activated remotely outside the vehicle using a key fob.

6. The seat of claim 1, further comprising an energy bypass mechanism in operative communication with the actuator mechanism that prevents operation of the actuator when the seat is occupied.

7. The seat of claim 6, wherein the energy bypass mechanism further comprises:

a housing;

a pivot member disposed within the housing and coupled to the energy storage device and having a central aperture, wherein the pivot member is pivotably coupled to the housing and the seat, and the energy storage device biases the pivot member in a predetermined direction;

a slide block member slidably disposed within the housing and having a first end and a second end, the first end having a surface for engagement with the pivot member;

a pinion member disposed within the housing and having a first end and a second end, the first end having a biasing member for coupling to the slide block member,

an interlock member disposed within the housing and having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end includes a surface for engagement with the pinion member and the second end includes a surface having a biasing member that biases the pinion member away from the slide block member such that the interlock member is in engagement with the slide block member when the seat is occupied, thereby enabling the energy stored in the energy storage device to be released upon actuation of at least one of the first actuator and the second actuator and the interlock member is disengaged from pinion member and the pinion member is disengaged from the slide block member when the seat is occupied, thereby preventing the slide block member from being disengaged from the pivot member and thereby preventing the energy stored in the energy storage device from being released upon actuation of at least one of the first actuator and the second actuator.

8. The seat of claim 1, further comprising:

a seat occupation detection system for regulating the engagement and disengagement of the energy storage bypass mechanism.

9. The seat of claim 1, wherein the force transmitting device is a push-pull cable.

10. The seat of claim 1, further comprising a seat occupant detection system that detects the presence of an occupant in the seat and regulates the engagement and disengagement of an energy storage bypass mechanism depending on whether the seat is occupied or unoccupied.

11. The seat of claim 10, wherein the seat occupant detection system includes a cable placed across the a portion of the seat and is operatively engaged to the energy storage bypass mechanism, such that the weight of an occupant causes the cable to be pulled to deactivate the energy storage bypass mechanism and prevent disengagement of the recliner mechanism.

12. The seat of claim 11, wherein the cable is placed across a suspension surface of the seat base.

13. The seat of claim 1, wherein the actuator is a linear motor, a rotary motor, or a solenoid.

14. A method of adjusting a vehicle seat using an electro-mechanical actuation mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:

connecting an actuator with a power source associated with the vehicle seat;

transmitting a signal to the actuator by activating a push button in operative communication with the actuator, wherein the push button is located on the vehicle seat;

determining whether the vehicle seat is occupied or unoccupied via a seat occupant detection system;

identifying the signal as unintended if the seat is occupied and identifying the signal as intended if the seat is not occupied; and

energizing the actuator if the signal was identified as intended to transmit a force to a transmitting device that releases a recliner mechanism to initiate movement of the seat from a first position to a second position.

15. The method of claim 14, further comprising the step of:

measuring the duration of the signal and preventing energizing of the actuator if the duration of the signal exceeds a predetermined period of time.