Driving position control system for automobiles

• US 4,689,537 A
• Filed: 03/24/1986
• Issued: 08/25/1987
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/1985
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kondo, Shiro, Mizuta, Ken
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BERGMANN, SAUL
• Application Number:
  US06/843,182
• Time in Patent Office: 519 Days
• Field of Search: 318/568, 318/603, 318/466
• US Class Current: 318/568.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0228 Hand-activated mechanical switches B60N2/0229 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/067 by linear actuators, e.g. linear screw mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/22 Optical; Photoelectric; Lidar [Light Detection and Ranging]
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/10 using a database

Abstract

An automatic seat adjustment system for the driver'"'"'s seat of an automobile has a memory for storing the preferred seating positions of individual drivers and a control until for adjusting the seat from an arbitrary seating position to the preferred position at the touch of a button.

Claims

1. A seating position control system comprising:

a power seat having adjusting means responsive to a control signal from a control unit for adjusting the position of the seat, and detecting means for detecting the seating position of the seat and supplying a position signal to the control unit;

a mirror having adjusting means responsive to a control signal from the control unit for adjusting the angle of the mirror, and detecting means for detecting the angle of the mirror and supplying an angle signal to the control unit;

memory means for storing a predetermined optimum position of the seat and angle of the mirror for a driver and supplying this optimum position and angle to the control unit; and

activation means for activating the control unit to send a control signal to each of the seat adjusting means and the mirror adjusting means to thereby adjust the seating position of the seat together with the angle of the mirror to the optimum position and angle, respectively, based on the position signal supplied by the seat detecting means and the angle signal supplied by the mirror detecting means.

2. A seating position control system as in claim 1 wherein said memory means can store a plurality of optimum positions;

and said control unit has means for addressing a desired subset of said plurality of optimum positions according to an identification code supplied by the activation means.

3. A seating position control system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said control unit has storing means for storing the detected seating position as a subset of said plurality of optimum positions stored in the memory unit.

4. A seating position control system as set forth in claim 2 wherein said activation means includes key means for generating said identification code.

5. A seating position control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said control unit includes means for comparing the detected seat position with the optimum position and sending a first control signal to stop adjustment of the adjusting means when the detected position is equal to the optimum position.

6. A seating control system as set forth in claim 5 wherein said control unit has means for sending second and third control signals to said adjusting means based on an inequality detected by said means for comparing to thereby cause said adjusting means to adjust toward the optimum position.

7. A seating position control system as set forth in claim 1 wherein said seat adjusting means is provided to adjust the position of the seat in predetermined directions in response to control signals from the control unit, and said activation means includes corresponding operation keys for operating the control unit to energize the seat adjusting means in the respective predetermined directions.

8. A seating position control system comprising:

a power seat having adjusting means responsive to a control signal from a control unit for adjusting the position of the seat, and detecting means for detecting the seating position of the seat and supplying a position signal to the control unit, wherein said adjusting means includes a rotating member for shifting the position of the seat and said detecting means includes a rotary encoder means for detecting the rotation position of the rotating member of said adjusting means;

memory means for storing a predetermined optimum position of the seat for a driver and supplying this optimum position to the control unit; and

activation means for activating the control unit to send a control signal to the seat adjusting means to thereby adjust the seating position of the seat together to the optimum position based on the position signal supplied by the seat detecting means.