Vehicle power seat adjuster control system

• US 4,284,935 A
• Filed: 05/24/1979
• Issued: 08/18/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Horton, Thomas E., March, Anthony
• Primary Examiner(s): Weldon, Ulysses
• Application Number:
  US06/042,097
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 318/280, 318/283, 318/285, 318/291, 318/293, 318/256, 318/266, 318/282, 318/286, 318/257, 297/344, 297/345, 297/346, 296/65 R, 49/665 GA
• US Class Current: 318/280
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/03 for controlling the direction of rotation of DC motors

Abstract

A vehicle power seat adjuster control system that provides for the pulsed reversal of rotation of the armature of the operating motor of a vehicle power seat adjuster mechanism each time the operating motor is deenergized at the conclusion of each seat adjusting operation.

Claims

1. A power seat adjuster control system for use with power seat adjuster mechanisms of the type that are drivable through a plurality of selectable seat adjusting modes by respective operating devices that may be selectively coupled to a bi-directional electric operating motor through respective solenoid operated dog-type clutches that may become locked up should the seat be adjusted in any seat adjusting mode until motor stall thus preventing seat adjustment in another mode that requires motor armature rotation in the same direction as that until stall, comprising:

means for producing an electrical signal indication of each selected seat adjusting mode;

first circuit means responsive to any one of said electrical signal indications for effecting the energization of the said solenoid operated clutch through which the said operating device that drives said seat adjuster mechanism through the selected seat adjusting mode is coupled to said operating motor; and

second circuit means responsive to any one of said electrical signal indications for effecting the energization of said operating motor for armature rotation in the direction to effect seat adjustment in the selected mode and responsive to the termination of said electrical signal indication of the selected seat adjusting mode for effecting for a predetermined period of time the energization of said operating motor for armature rotation in the direction opposite to the direction of armature rotation during the period of said electrical signal indication whereby any lock-up of the solenoid operated clutch that may occur should the seat be adjusted in any seat adjusting mode until motor stall is relieved.

2. A power seat adjuster control system for use with power seat adjuster mechanisms of the type that are drivable through a plurality of selectable seat adjusting modes by respective operating devices that may be selectively coupled to a bi-directional electric operating motor through respective solenoid operated dog-type clutches that may become locked up should the seat be adjusted in any seat adjusting mode until motor stall thus preventing seat adjustment in another mode that requires motor armature rotation in the same direction as that until stall, comprising:

means for producing an electrical signal indication of each selected seat adjusting mode;

first circuit means responsive to any one of said electrical signal indications for effecting the energization of the said solenoid operated clutch through which the said operating device that drives said seat adjuster mechanism through the selected seat adjusting mode is coupled to said operating motor;

second circuit means responsive to any one of said electrical signal indications for effecting the energization of said operating motor for armature rotation in the direction to effect seat adjustment in the selected mode; and

third circuit means included in said second circuit means responsive to the termination of each said electrical signal indication of the selected seat adjusting mode for effecting for a predetermined period of time the energization of said operating motor for armature rotation in the direction opposite to the direction of armature rotation during the period of said electrical signal indication whereby any lock-up of the solenoid operated clutch that may occur should the seat be adjusted in any seat adjusting mode until motor stall is relieved.

3. A power seat adjuster control system for use with power seat adjuster mechanisms of the type that are drivable through a plurality of selectable seat adjusting modes by respective operating devices that may be selectively coupled to a bi-directional electric operating motor through respective solenoid operated dog-type clutches that may become locked up should the seat be adjusted in any seat adjusting mode until motor stall thus preventing seat adjustment in another mode that requires motor armature rotation in the same direction as that until stall, comprising:

means for producing an electrical signal indication of each selected seat adjusting mode, one group thereof indicating respective seat adjusting modes that require operating motor energization for armature rotation in a first direction and another group thereof indicating respective seat adjusting modes that require operating motor energization for armature rotation in a second opposite direction;

first circuit means responsive to any one of said electrical signal indications for effecting the energization of the said solenoid operated clutch through which the said operating device that drives said seat adjuster mechanism through the selected seat adjusting mode is coupled to said operating motor;

second circuit means for producing a first output signal of a predetermined time duration in response to the termination of any one of said electrical signal indications of seat adjusting modes that require operating motor energization for armature rotation in a first direction;

third circuit means for producing a second output signal of a predetermined time duration in response to the termination of any one of the said electrical signal indications of seat adjusting modes that require operating motor energization for armature rotation in a second opposite direction;

and

circuit means responsive to any one of said electrical signal indications for effecting the energization of said operating motor for armature rotation in the direction to effect seat adjustment in the selected mode and responsive to said first and second output signals for effecting the energization of said operating motor for armature rotation in the direction opposite that during the period of the last terminated said electrical signal indication whereby any lock-up of the solenoid operated clutch that may occur should the seat be adjusted in any seat adjusting mode under motor stall is relieved.

4. A power seat adjuster control system for use with power seat adjuster mechanisms of the type that are drivable through a plurality of selectable seat adjusting modes by respective operating devices that may be selectively coupled to a bi-directional electric operating motor through respective solenoid operated dog-type clutches that may become locked up should the seat be adjusted in any seat adjusting mode until motor stall thus preventing seat adjustment in another mode that requires motor armature rotation in the same direction as that until stall, comprising:

means for producing an electrical signal indication of each selected seat adjusting mode, one group thereof indicating respective seat adjusting modes that require operating motor energization for armature rotation in a first direction and another group thereof indicating respective seat adjusting modes that require operating motor energization for armature rotation in a second opposite direction;

first circuit means responsive to any one of said electrical signal indications for effecting the energization of the said solenoid operated clutch through which the said operating device that drives said seat adjuster mechanism through the selected seat adjusting mode is coupled to said operating motor;

second circuit means for producing a first output signal in response to and for the duration of any one of said electrical signal indications of seat adjusting modes that require operating motor energization for armature rotation in a first direction;

third circuit means for producing a second output signal in response to and for the duration of any one of the said electrical signal indications of seat adjusting modes that require operating motor energization for armature rotation in a second opposite direction;

fourth circuit means responsive to the termination of said first output signal for producing a third output signal of a predetermined time duration;

fifth circuit means responsive to the termination of said second output signal for producing a fourth output signal of a predetermined time duration; and

circuit means responsive to said first and second output signals for effecting the energization of said operating motor for armature rotation in respective first and second opposite directions to effect seat adjustment in the selected mode and responsive to said third and fourth output signals for effecting the energization of said operating motor for armature rotation in the direction opposite that during the period of said first output signal and during the period of said second output signal, respectively, whereby any lock-up of the solenoid operated clutch that may occur should the seat be adjusted in any seat adjusting mode until motor stall is relieved.

5. A power seat adjuster control system for use with power seat adjuster mechanisms of the type that are drivable through a plurality of selectable seat adjusting modes by respective operating devices that may be selectively coupled to a bi-directional electric operating motor through respective solenoid operated dog-type clutches that may become locked up should the seat be adjusted in any seat adjusting mode until motor stall thus preventing seat adjustment in another mode that requires motor armature rotation in the same direction as that until stall, comprising:

means for producing an electrical signal indication of each selected seat adjusting mode, one group thereof indicating respective seat adjusting modes that require operating motor energization for armature rotation in a first direction and another group thereof indicating respective seat adjusting modes that require operating motor energization for armature rotation in a second opposite direction;

first circuit means responsive to any one of said electrical signal indications for effecting the energization of the said solenoid operated clutch through which the said operating device that drives said seat adjuster mechanism through the selected seat adjusting mode is coupled to said operating motor;

second circuit means for producing a first output signal in response to and for the duration of any one of said electrical signal indications of seat adjusting modes that require operating motor energization for armature rotation in a first direction;

third circuit means for producing a second output signal in response to and for the duration of any one of the said electrical signal indications of seat adjusting modes that require operating motor energization for armature rotation in a second opposite direction;

fourth circuit means responsive to the termination of said first output signal for producing a third output signal of a predetermined time duration;

fifth circuit means responsive to the termination of said second output signal for producing a fourth output signal of a predetermined time duration;

sixth circuit means responsive to said first and fourth output signals for effecting the energization of said operating motor for armature rotation in a first direction; and

seventh circuit means responsive to said second and third output signals for effecting the energization of said operating motor for armature rotation in a second opposite direction whereby through the operation of said sixth and seventh circuit means seat adjustment in the selected mode is effected in response to said first and second output signals and the energization of said operating motor for armature rotation in the direction opposite that during the period of said first and second output signals is effected in response to said third and fourth output signals, respectively, to relieve any lock-up of the solenoid operated clutch that may occur should the seat be adjusted in any seat adjusting mode until motor stall.