Method and device for controlling a powered automotive seat of rotatable type

• US 5,136,221 A
• Filed: 04/16/1991
• Issued: 08/04/1992
• Est. Priority Date: 04/16/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Tachi-S Company Limited
• Inventors: Ogasawara, Hiromitsu, Takizawa, Kiyotaka
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Application Number:
  US07/686,190
• Time in Patent Office: 476 Days
• Field of Search: 318/34, 318/35, 318/51, 318/264, 318/265, 318/266, 318/283, 318/286, 318/466, 318/467, 318/468, 318/469, 318/470, 318/567, 364/424.05
• US Class Current: 318/567
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/14 rotatable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/10 , B60N2/2869 take precedence

Abstract

Method and device for controlling a powered automotive seat of a rotatable type, wherein said seat is caused to move to a neutral position where said seat is free from contact with other adjacent fittings or other occupant, before being subjected to automatic rotation between drive position and climbing/descending position. Further, such automatic rotation of seat is permitted only when a door detector detects the door to be opened at an opening angle larger than a predetermined angle.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a powered automotive seat of a rotatable type, in which a longitudinal motor is driven to cause said seat to be positioned between a drive position and a climbing/descending position, said drive position being a location where an occupant on said seat drives the automobile, and said climbing/descending position being a location where said occupant climbs onto or descends from said seat, said method comprising the steps of:

presetting a neutral position where a seat cushion of said seat is located in a fore-and-aft direction along a longitudinal direction of said automobile and where a seat back of said seat is located at a reclining angle forwardly and backwardly relative to said seat cushioning, allowing said seat to be rotated without contact with other adjacent fitting or things and other occupant on other seat than said seat;

causing return of said seat cushion and seat back to said neutral position, by operation of a switch means to control a drive of said longitudinal motor, when said occupant intends to get in or out of said automobile;

thereafter, causing said seat to be automatically rotated in a proper direction corresponding to said climbing/descending position;

determining whether or not said seat is located at said drive position, when said seat is located at said climbing/descending position and said occupant is about to descend from said seat;

prior to causing return of said seat to said drive position, delaying a time to drive a motor associated with rotation of said seat, so that said occupant can descend from said seat without contact with said seat; and

after lapse of said delayed time, permitting drive of said motor to cause return of said seat to said drive position.

2. A method for controlling a powered automotive seat of a rotatable type, in which a motor is driven to cause said seat to be rotated between a drive position and a climbing/descending position, said drive position being a location where an occupant on said seat drives the automobile, and said climbing/descending position being a location where said occupant climbs onto or descends from said seat, said method comprising the steps of:

presetting a neutral position where a seat cushion or said seat is located in a fore-and-aft direction along a longitudinal direction of said automobile and where a seat back of said seat is located as a reclining angle forwardly and backwardly relative to said seat cushion, allowing said seat to be rotated without contact with other adjacent fittings or things and other occupant on other seat than said seat;

detecting an opening angle of a door of said automobile, when said occupant opens said door;

determining whether said door opening angle exceeds over a first opening angle, or not, said first opening angle defined at such a degree sufficient to allow said occupant to push the door a smallest possible amount for attaining a backward view;

determining whether said door opening angle exceeds over a second opening angle, or not, said second opening angle defined at such a degree sufficient to allow said occupant to push the door a smallest possible amount for avoiding contact with said occupant'"'"'s foot with the door during a rotation of the seat; and

causing said seat, only if said door opening angle exceeds said second opening angle, to be automatically rotated in a proper direction corresponding to said climbing/descending position.

3. The method as defined in claim 2, wherein subsequent to determining whether said door opening angle exceeds over a first opening angle, there is included a step of causing return of said seat to said neutral position in response to said door being opened by said occupant.

4. The method as defined in claim 2 wherein said opening angle of said door comprises the first opening angle and the second opening angle, and wherein there is included the step of prohibiting said automatic rotation of said seat if said door opening angle is less than said first opening angle.

5. A device for controlling a powered automotive seat of a rotatable type, in which said seat includes a seat cushion and a seat back, said device comprising:

at least one motor for effecting a fore-and-aft adjustment of said seat;

at least one motor for effecting a reclining angle adjustment of said seat back;

at least one motor for adjustably rotating said seat;

switch means operable for controlling said motors for causing movement of said seat to a proper position for allowing an occupant to climb onto or descend from said seat;

a position detecting means for detecting a neutral position of said seat and seat back and further detecting a drive position of said seat and a climbing/descending position thereof, said neutral position being a location where said seat is located in a fore-and-aft direction along a longitudinal direction of said automobile and where said seat back is located as a reclining angle forwardly and backwardly relative to said seat cushion, allowing said seat to be rotated without contact with other adjacent fittings or things and other occupant or other seat, said drive position being a location where said occupant drives said automobile, and said climbing/descending position being a location where said occupant climbs onto or descends from said seat;

a central processing unit which processes data input from said switch means and position detecting means according to a predetermined program, and controls respective drives of said motors;

wherein, when said occupant climbs onto or descends from said seat, operating said switch means causes control of said motors so as to move said seat and seat back to said neutral position, and thereafter, said central processing unit causes automatic control of said motors associated with said rotation of said seat so as to direct said seat in a direction corresponding to said climbing/descending position; and

a door detector for detecting a first and a second opening angle of a door of said automobile, and wherein if said door detector detects said door to be opened at opening angle less than said first opening angle, said central processing unit prohibits said rotation of said seat to said climbing/descending position, and wherein said door detector permits said automatic control for said rotation of said seat towards said climbing/descending position, only when said door is opened to an angle greater than said second opening angle.