Centralized control unit for a vehicle seat

• US 5,126,640 A
• Filed: 07/12/1991
• Issued: 06/30/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 07/12/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bertrand Faure Automobile
• Original Assignee: Bertrand Faure Automobile
• Inventors: Leroy, Yannick
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US07/729,408
• Time in Patent Office: 354 Days
• Field of Search: 318/34, 318/49, 318/51, 318/53, 318/54, 318/65, 318/103, 318/112, 200/11 TW
• US Class Current: 318/34
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0228 Hand-activated mechanical switches B60N2/0229 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/10 using a database

Abstract

A centralized control unit that includes supply circuits for supplying various motors for controlling movements of parts of a vehicle seat, an in-board power source for feeding the supply circuits, an inverting device for enabling a control with inversion in a rotation direction of the various motors, and a study carrying wheel having a set of studs for enabling a selection of each of the various motors, with each of the set of studs being connected to a circuit of one of the various motors for controlling one of the parts of the seat.

Claims

1. A centralized control unit for a vehicle seat comprising:

a plurality of supply circuits supplying electric power to a plurality of motors for controlling movements of a plurality of parts of the vehicle seat;

an in-board power source for feeding said electrical power to said plurality of supply circuits;

an inverting device for enabling inversion of rotational directions of said plurality of motors; and

a stud carrying wheel having a set of studs for enabling a selection of each of said plurality of motors, each of said studs being connected to one of said supply circuits for a respective one of said plurality motors for controlling adjustment of a corresponding one of said parts of said seat.

2. A centralized control unit as set forth in claim 1, wherein said stud carrying wheel is fixed to an indexing device placed in front of a window of a box, for selecting a supply circuit corresponding to the adjustment of one of said parts of said seat.

3. A centralized control unit for a vehicle seat to enable an adjustment in a horizontal direction, an adjustment in a vertical direction, and an adjustment in inclination of various parts of said seat, comprising:

i) a longitudinal adjustment of a sitting portion of said seat by means of slide members;

ii) a vertical adjustment of said sitting portion of said seat by means of a trim adjustment device;

iii) means for adjusting an under-thigh cushion;

iv) means for adjusting a lower part of a back portion of said seat;

v) means for adjusting an upper part of said back portion of said seat;

vi) means for adjusting inclination of a head cushion by one of a simple and double movement, said head cushion comprising at least one part;

vii) an adjustment in inclination of said head cushion by one of a simple and double movement;

vii) means for controlling other adjusting elements of said seat;

wherein said control unit has the shape of a box and is disposed on one of a part of said seat and a part of a car body of the vehicle, and includes supplying circuits for supplying power to various motors that control various adjustments of said seat;

wherein said supplying circuits are fed by an in-board power source through an inverting device to enable control with inversion in a rotational direction of said various motors and via a stud carrying wheel to enable selection among said various motors, said stud carrying wheel being provided with studs, each of said studs is connected to one of said various motors for controlling one of said adjustments of said seat; and

wherein said stud carrying wheel is fixed to an indexing device placed in front of a window of said box for selecting a circuit corresponding to one adjustment of said seat.

4. A centralized unit as set forth in claim 3, wherein a push-button switch is provided in said box for controlling a resistance for heating said sitting portion of the seat.

5. A centralized control unit as set forth in claim 3 further comprising:

an interface;

a memory means for storing position data of said seat for a given passenger; and

means for automatic adjustment of said seat for said passenger according to said stored position data.