Method of controlling a side support for use with a vehicle seat and device for use in such method

• US 4,924,162 A
• Filed: 02/01/1989
• Issued: 05/08/1990
• Est. Priority Date: 02/01/1989
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Inventors: Sakamoto, Takao, Takizawa, Kiyotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US07/304,713
• Time in Patent Office: 461 Days
• Field of Search: 318/466, 318/467, 318/468, 318/469, 318/470, 318/560, 318/569, 297/284, 297/311, 297/330, 297/353, 297/452, 297/460, 297/464, 297/486, 296/63, 296/64, 296/68.1, 296/147
• US Class Current: 297/284.9
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/026 varying hardness or support of upholstery, e.g. for tuning seat comfort when driving curved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/986 Side-rests B60N2/2872, B60N2/885 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/99 adjustable
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2300/008 Application power seats

Abstract

A method of controlling a side support device which is provided in a seat for a vehicle such as an automobile and the like. In the method, an arbitrary support position can be set manually by driving and controlling a motor by means of a manual switch operation. Also, a closed position and an open position which are respectively present close to the arbitrary support position can be respectively set with one touch automatically by driving and controlling the motor by means of an automatic switch operation.

Claims

1. A method of controlling a side support for use with a seat in a vehicle comprising the steps of driving a motor according to operating conditions of the vehicle to thereby move the side support between a closed position for supporting an occupant from both sides thereof to thereby prevent the occupant from losing his or her sitting position and an open position where the side support is kept spaced apart from the occupant;

setting an arbitrary support position manually by driving and controlling said motor by means of operation of a manual switch;

automatically setting the closed and open positions, both adjoining said arbitrary support position, by driving and controlling said motor by means of operation of an automatic switch respectively;

said motor including a rotation sensor and further comprising the steps of detecting the number of rotations of said motor by said rotation sensor;

storing the number of rotations in a counter memory;

driving said motor continuously if said manual switch is depressed to thereby set said arbitrary support position;

resetting said counter memory when said arbitrary support position is set to thereby set the number of counts to zero;

driving said motor in the direction of said closed or open position if a hard switch of a self-maintaining type or a soft switch of a self-maintaining type is depressed, until said number of counts reaches a pre-set value, to thereby set said closed or open position; and

thereafter, driving said motor until said counter memory is set to zero if said hard or soft switch is depressed again to thereby set said arbitrary support position.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1, further comprising when said arbitrary support position or open position is set, if any of upward/downward, forward/backward and right/left accelerations detected by an acceleration sensor exceeds a predetermined set value, then driving said motor in said closed position direction to thereby set said closed position.

3. A side support device for use with a seat in a vehicle, comprising:

a side support movable between a closed position where the side support presses against an occupant from both sides thereof to support the occupant so as to prevent the occupant from losing his or her sitting position and an open position where it is kept apart from the occupant;

a motor with a rotation sensor for moving said side support;

a circuit for driving said motor;

a counter memory for storing the number of rotations of said motor;

switch means including a manual switch for controlling driving of said motor to thereby set an arbitrary support position and an automatic switch for controlling the driving of said motor to said closed position and open position, both adjoining said arbitrary support position;

a central processing unit for controlling operation of said device;

said manual switch of said switch means being arranged such that if it is depressed, then said circuit drives said motor continuously to thereby set said arbitrary support position, and, if said arbitrary support position is set, then said counter memory is reset to thereby set the number of counts to zero;

said automatic switch of said switch means including a self-maintaining type hard switch which, when depressed, drives said motor from said arbitrary support position in the direction of said closed position until the number of counts reaches a pre-set value to thereby set said closed position and, thereafter, when depressed again, drives said motor in the direction of said open position until said counter memory is set to zero to thereby set said arbitrary support position, and a self-maintaining type soft switch which, when depressed, drives said motor from said arbitrary support position in the direction of said open position until said number of counts reaches another pre-set value to thereby set said open position and, thereafter, when depressed again, drives said motor in the direction of said closed position until said counter memory is set to zero to thereby set said arbitrary support position.

4. A side support device as set forth in claim 3, further comprising an acceleration sensor for detecting upward/downward, forward/backward and right/left accelerations connected to said central processing unit and wherein said acceleration sensor is arranged such that, while said arbitrary support position or said open position is set, if any of said accelerations detected by said acceleration sensor exceeds a predetermined set value, then said circuit drives said motor in the direction of said closed position to thereby be able to set said closed position.