Control device for the control of stepping motors for the adjustment of a motor vehicle seat

• US 5,278,363 A
• Filed: 10/05/1990
• Issued: 01/11/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/07/1989
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Pieper, Edgar, Bollman, Jurgen, Nothacker, Siegfried, Berger, Josef, Krieg, Karl-Heinz, Baumert, Heinz, Klink, Siegfried
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellinen, A. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Friedhofer, Michael A.
• Application Number:
  US07/593,909
• Time in Patent Office: 1,194 Days
• Field of Search: 200/5 R, 200/5 A, 200/5 B, 200/52 R, 200/18, 200/17 R, 200/17 A, 200/6 B, 397/330, 318/282, 318/286
• US Class Current: 200/5.00R
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0228 Hand-activated mechanical switches B60N2/0229 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2217/04 Mimics of controlled apparatus or symbol

Abstract

A control device for the control of stepping motors for the adjustment of a motor vehicle seat, including an adjustment of the seat depth, being the distance between the front edge of the seat surface and the backrest, for adaptation to different thigh lengths of the respective passengers. The control device comprises, in a preferred embodiment, at least one actuating element with two parts, that are displaceable independently of but parallel to each other, as well as first and second switches assigned to parts of the actuating element, respectively, wherein the first switches are provided to control at least the seat depth adjustment, while the second switches are provided to control at least the longitudinal seat adjustment.

Claims

1. Control device for stepping motors for the adjustment of at least a seat depth dimension of a motor vehicle seat as well as a forward and backward position of said motor vehicle seat, said control having a first switch actuating element which is displaceable at least for forward and backward adjustment of the entire motor vehicle seat and which is arranged within a vehicle passenger compartment and oriented with its direction of displacement corresponding to a desired direction of adjustment of the motor vehicle seat, wherein said actuating element is divided by a partial joint into two parts which are displaceable independently of each other, first switching means for adjustment of seat depth of the motor vehicle seat being coupled to at least one part of the actuating element, and second switching means, for the forward and backward adjustment of the entire motor vehicle seat being coupled at least to the other part of the actuating element;

wherein the partial joint is arranged on a straight line through the actuating element, two parts of the actuating element being displaceable along the partial joint both jointly and individually and always remaining aligned parallel to each other.

2. Control device according to claim 1, wherein the switching means for the adjustment of the seat depth of the motor vehicle seat is assigned at least to a top part of the actuating element, and the switching means for the longitudinal adjustment of the entire motor vehicle seat is assigned at least to a bottom part of the actuating element.

3. Control device according to claim 2, wherein the two actuating element parts have parallel displacement paths of different lengths, which different lengths are required for the activation of the respectively assigned switching means.

4. Control device according to claim 1, wherein the switching means for the adjustment of the seat depth of the motor vehicle seat is assigned at least to a part of the actuating element which symbolically represents the front edge of the seat.

5. Control device according to claim 1, wherein the two actuating element parts have parallel displacement paths of different lengths, which different lengths are required for the activation of the respectively assigned switching means.

6. Control device according to claim 1, wherein the switching means for the forward and backward adjustment of the position of the entire motor vehicle seat and for the seat depth adjustment of the motor vehicle seat comprise both parts of the actuating element, the switching means for the forward and backward adjustment being activated by displacement int he same direction of both parts of the actuating element and the switching means for the seat depth adjustment being activated by displacement in opposite directions of the two parts of the actuating element.

7. Control device according to claim 6, wherein the actuating element in the unoperated state has an overall length defined by a front edge and a rear edge, and wherein the front edge of the actuating element is formed by a section of on of the actuating element parts and the rear edge of the actuating element is formed by a section of the other actuating element part, at least one portion of the partial joint extending between the actuating element parts being so arranged and having such a width as to permit displacement in opposite directions of the two actuating element parts with shortening or lengthening of the overall length of the actuating element, and wherein the switching means is activated to reduce the seat depth by displacement in opposite directions in the shortening sense, and to enlarge the seat depth by displacement in opposite directions in the lengthening sense.

8. Control device according to claim 7, wherein two parts of the actuating element are of angular shape, each having two limbs arranged parallel to the corresponding limb of the respective other part, and wherein the partial joint is subdivided into a narrow partial joint section of fixed width, extending between two of the limbs in the direction of the relative displaceability of the two parts, and two wide partial joint sections, extending at an angle to said direction at least on the visible surface of the actuating element, said two wide partial joint sections having variable width on displacement of the two parts in opposite directions.

9. Control device according to claim 8, wherein the displacement of each actuating element part in the direction of the other is limited to a maximum of half the width, measured in said direction, of the wide partial joint section, the switching means assigned to each actuating element part for this direction of displacement being adapted to be activated within this displacement.

10. Control device according to claim 7, having a wide partial joint section of the partial joint, disposed at an angle in relation to the direction of relative displaceability of the two parts, which partial joint section increases obliquely in a straight line, at least on the visible surface of the actuation element, with the variable width on displacing the two parts in opposite directions.

11. Control device according to claim 10, wherein the displacement of each actuating element part in the direction of the other is limited to a maximum of half the width, measured in said direction, of the wide partial joint section, the switching means assigned to each actuating element part for this direction of displacement being adapted to be activated within this displacement.

12. Control device according to claim 7, wherein a positive-fit coupling is provided between the two parts of the actuating element.

13. Control device according to claim 7, which further comprises a second switch actuating element for adjustment of inclination of a backrest of the motor vehicle seat, the first actuating element being arranged at an angle to the second actuating element, and both actuating elements together being configured in a visual representation of a seat with seat cushion and backrest.

14. Control device according to claim 1, which further comprises third switching means coupled to said actuating element for the adjustment of seat height, the said third switching means being responsive to simultaneous vertical displacement of both parts of the actuating element to change the seat height.

15. Control device according to claim 14, which further comprises fourth switching means coupled to said actuating element for the adjustment of seat inclination, said fourth switching means being responsive to the simultaneous swivelling of both parts of the actuating element to change the seat inclination.

16. Control device according to claim 1, in wherein switching contacts are actuated directly by the actuating element and thereby make contact with fixed contacts assigned to them, and wherein one switching contact in each case is assigned to each part of the actuating element, and four fixed contacts in each case are assigned to each switching contact.

17. Control device according to claim 1, wherein a positive-fit coupling is provided between the two parts of the actuating element.

18. Control device according to claim 1, which further comprises a second switch actuating element for adjustment of inclination of a backrest of the motor vehicle sat, the first actuating element being arranged at an angle to the second actuating element, and both actuating elements together being configured in a visual representation of a seat with seat cushion and backrest.

19. Control device according to claim 18, wherein the actuating element is spring biased int he plane of its starting position, and a change-over device is controlled by a pushbutton which can be switched by means of the actuating element during the displacement of the latter into the deviating plane.

20. Control device according to claim 19, wherein change-over of the pushbutton is effected by pulling the actuating element into the deviating plane.

21. Control device according to claim 20, wherein the displacement of the actuating element into the deviating plane, is inhibited by a catch, which can be overcome by increased pressure on the actuating element.

22. Control device according to claim 19, change-over of the pushbutton is effected by depression of the actuating element into the deviating plane.

23. Control device according to claim 22, wherein the displacement of the actuating element into the deviating plane, is inhibited by a catch, which can be overcome by increased pressure on the actuating element.

24. Control device according to claim 1, which further comprises a third actuating element for adjustment of height of a headrest of the motor vehicle seat.

25. Control for stepping motors for adjustment of a motor vehicle seat, comprising:

a first switching element having a first actuating element at least for forward and backward adjustment of the entire motor vehicle seat in the passenger compartment,

a second switching element having a second actuating element at least for adjustment of inclination of a backrest with regard to seat surface, which second actuating element can be swivelled about an axis relative to the first actuating element and is oriented with its swivel movement corresponding to a desired swivel direction of the backrest,

said second actuating element being displaceable in a predetermined manner relative to the first actuating element, and

switching means responsive to displacement of the second actuating element for adjustment of the distance between a front edge and the backrest of the motor vehicle seat.

26. Control device according to claim 25, wherein the first and the second switch actuating elements are arranged at an angle to each other, and together are configured in a visual representation of a seat with seat cushion and backrest, and

wherein the displacement movements of the second switch actuating element are guided in the direction of a longitudinal extension of the first switch actuating element.

27. Control for stepping motors for adjustment of at least a seat depth dimension of a motor vehicle seat as well as a forward and backward position of said motor vehicle seat, said control having at least one switching element having an actuating element displaceable in a first plane from a starting position for forward and backward adjustment of the entire motor vehicle seat in a vehicle passenger compartment, said actuating element being oriented with its direction of displacement corresponding to a desired direction of adjustment of the motor vehicle seat, wherein switching means for adjustment of said seat depth is coupled to the same actuating element, said actuating element being displaceable in a second plane deviating from the first plane of its starting position, and being movable only in the deviating second plane for activating the switching means for the adjustment of the seat dept in a direction corresponding to the direction of operation of the forward and backward adjustment of the seat, starting from its starting position.

28. Control device according to claim 27, wherein the switching means of the longitudinal adjustment of the seat correspond to the switching means for the seat depth adjustment and wherein a change-over device, which can be switched by displacement of the actuating element into the deviating plane, causes a change-over of the switching means for the control of the stepping motor to the desired adjustment.

29. Control device according to claim 27, wherein the second plane extends parallel to the first plane of the starting position of the actuating element, the second plane being attainable by displacement of the actuating element perpendicular to the first plane of its basic position.

30. Control device according to claim 27 which further comprises a separate actuating element for the adjustment of the inclination of a backrest of the motor vehicle seat, said actuating element being arranged at an angle to the separate actuating element, and both actuating elements together being configured is a visual representation of a seat with seat cushion and backrest.