Motor control device for powered seat

• US 5,019,765 A
• Filed: 03/13/1990
• Issued: 05/28/1991
• Est. Priority Date: 03/13/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Inventors: Ogasawara, Hiromitsu
• Primary Examiner(s): Shoop, Jr., William M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bergmann, Saul M.
• Application Number:
  US07/492,674
• Time in Patent Office: 441 Days
• Field of Search: 318/628, 318/466, 354/195.12, 338/162
• US Class Current: 318/628
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 7/05 by means of electronic switching

Abstract

A motor control device for a powered seat comprising a switch capable of selective determination for rotation direction of a motor and further of depression for adjustment of rotation rate of the motor, and an electric circuit for causing the motor to rotate in a selected one of normal and reverse directions and increase or decrease its rotation rate in response to the switch-over and depressing/releasing operations of such one switch only.

Claims

1. A motor control device for a powered seat in which the best includes a seating posture adjustment means therein and a movable part of said seating posture adjustment means is moved and adjustable by control of aid motor, said motor control device comprising:

a switch means for selectively determining a rotation direction of said motor and capable of depression for a stepless adjustment of a rotation rate of said motor;

a drive circuit connected electronically with said switch means;

a voltage-variable power supply circuit connected electrically with said switch mean and motor; and

a relay means having an electrical communication with both said drive circuit and voltage-variable power supply circuit;

whereby a switch-over operation of said switch means imparts a signal to determine said rotation direction of said motor and a depressing/releasing operation of said switch means causes a step-less variation of a voltage to said motor, thereby permitting said rotation rate of said motor to be increased and decreased in a stepless way, continuously from said switchover operation.

2. The motor control device according to claim 1, wherein said switch means comprises a self return switch having a central switch position, a normal switch position and a reverse switch position, wherein depressant said normal switch position determines a normal rotation direction of said motor, while depressing said reverse switch position determines a reverse rotation direction of said motor.

3. A motor control device according to claim 1, further including a digital control circuit for definitely imparting to said relay means a signal which is sent from said switch means via said drive circuit, and wherein analog control circuit is provided between said switch means and said voltage-variable power supply circuit, to thereby permit a fine, stepless adjustment of said rotation rate of said motor in response to the degree to which said switch mans is depressed or released, following said switch-over operation thereof.

4. A motor control device for a vehicle seat in which the seat includes a seating posture adjustment means therein, and said seating posture adjustment means includes a movable part, said motor control device comprising:

a motor for causing movement of said movable part of said seating posture adjustment means;

a self return type switch having a variable resistance means incorporated therein, said switch selectively determining a rotation direction of said motor said self return switch capable of depression for adjustment of a rotation rate of said motor, wherein said self return switch has a normal switch area and a reverse switch area for enabling a switch-over operation thereupon, such that depressing said normal switch area causes said motor to rotate in a normal rotation direction, while depressing said reverse switch area, causes said motor to rotate in a reverse rotation direction, and where, according to a degree at which either of said normal and reverse switch area is depressed or released, a resistance amount of said variable resistance means is varied to thereby produce a varied voltage for adjustment of said motor rotation rate;

a drive circuit electrically connected with said self return switch, said drive circuit being activated in response to said switch-over operation of said switch, so as to determine a definite conveyance of one of said normal and reverse signals as well as said varied voltage;

a normal/reversed discrimination circuit electrically connected with said drive circuit , said normal/reverse discrimination circuit receiving one of said normal and reverse signals, discriminating it as to which said normal switch area or said reverse switch area it comes from, and then energizing a relay means which control a drive of said motor so that a corresponding contact point of said relay means is turned on for causing said motor to drive in a required one of said normal and reverse rotation directions; and

a voltage-variable power supply circuit connected electrically with said switch, said power supply circuit being so designed as to vary an output voltage in a proportional response to said depressing degree of said switch and impart said varied output voltage to said motor via said contact point of said relay means,

whereby said motor is driven in a selected one of said normal and reverse rotation directions by the switch-over operation of said switch and at the same time adjusting its rotation rate according to said depressing/releasing degree.

5. The motor control device according to claim 4, wherein aid drive circuit includes a pair of first and second transistors electrically connected with said switch, said first transistor is adapted to connect with said reverse switch area whereby said drive circuit conveys said varied voltage at said variable resistance to said voltage-variable power supply circuit, and conveys a selected one of said normal and reverse signals to said normal/reverse discrimination circuit.

6. The motor control device according to claim 4, wherein said normal reverse discrimination circuit includes a digital control circuit having a logic gate means.

7. The motor control device according to claim 6, wherein said logic gate means includes an EX.OR gate and a pair of AND gates.

8. The motor control device according to claim 4 wherein said voltage-variable power supply circuit includes a negative-feedback operational amplifier and a second operational amplifier whose negative input terminal is connected therewith and positive input terminal is connected with a transistor which is incorporated in said power supply circuit, whereby a variable constant voltage is imparted to said motor in a stable proportion to said depressing/ releasing degree of said switch.