Memory drive positioning apparatus for seat or steering wheel shaft

• US 5,283,473 A
• Filed: 10/25/1991
• Issued: 02/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 10/26/1990
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Jidosha Denki Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsuba Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Jidosha Denki Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsuba Corporation)
• Inventors: Furuse, Takahisa, Yokoyama, Mitsuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Pellinen, A. D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Elms, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US07/783,105
• Time in Patent Office: 830 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.1, 307/10.6, 364/424.05, 200/52 R, 200/18, 200/5 R, 200/61.54, 318/445-452, 318/484, 318/266, 318/286, 318/466-469, 318/434
• US Class Current: 307/10.6
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/181 with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory

Abstract

A drive positioning apparatus which comprises at least one motor for driving a seat or a steering wheel shaft, a preset memory for memorizing operating data of the motor, a memory drive circuit for actuating the motor automatically according to the memorized data, a manual switch for actuating the motor manually, an ignition switch provided with a KEY contact, an IGN contact and an ACC contact for supplying electric power to electrical equipment which is so structured as to change to its OFF-state interlockingly by an ON-operation of a ST contact used for actuating an engine starter motor, and a control mechanism for prohibiting the automatic actuation of the motor in a case where predetermined time elapses after the ACC contact changes to the OFF-state from its ON-state while the motor is being actuated automatically.

Claims

1. A memory drive positioning apparatus for controlling the attitude of a device mounted on a vehicle having an engine and a starter motor for starting the engine, the apparatus comprising:

actuating means for actuating the vehicle mounted device;

driving means connected to said actuating means for energizing said actuating means;

key switch means changeable between at least four states including an OFF state, a first ON state to detect a key in said key switch means, a second ON state to actuate said actuating means and a third ON state to energize the starter motor for starting the engine; and

controlling means connected to said actuating means through said driving means and said key switch means for controlling said actuating means and having memory means for memorizing predetermined position data and means for automatically driving said actuating means to move the vehicle mounted device to a position in accordance with the memorized position data in the memory means when said key switch means is in the second ON state, whereby said controlling means temporarily stops energizing said actuating means while said key switch means is switched from the second ON state to the third ON state and said controlling means restarts to energize said actuating means when said key switch means is returned to the second ON state from the third ON state;

wherein said controlling means further comprises;

timer means for clocking a time duration after said key switch means is switched from the second ON state to the third ON state, and

cancelling means connected with said timer means for cancelling the restart of said actuating means when said time duration of said timer means reaches a predetermined time duration.

2. The apparatus in accordance with claim 1, wherein said actuating means comprises an electric reversible motor and said driving means comprises a pair of relays connected with said reversible motor and a pair of switching transistors connected with said relays.

3. The apparatus in accordance with claim 2, wherein said driving means further comprises a pair of manual switches connected in parallel with said transistors.

4. A memory drive positioning apparatus for controlling the attitude of a device mounted on a vehicle having an engine and a starter motor for starting the engine, the apparatus comprising:

actuating means for actuating the vehicle mounted device;

driving means connected to said actuating means for energizing said actuating means;

key switch means changeable between at least four states including an OFF state, a first ON state to detect a key in said key switch means, a second ON state to actuate said actuating means and a third ON state to energize the starter motor for starting the engine; and

controlling means connected to said actuating means through said driving means and said key switch means for controlling said actuating means and having memory means for memorizing predetermined position data and means for automatically driving said actuating means to move the vehicle mounted device to a position in accordance with the memorized position data in the memory means when said key switch means is in the second ON state, stopping means for temporarily stopping said actuating means while said key switch means is in the third ON state and restarting means for restarting said actuating means when said key switch means is returned to the second ON state from the third ON state;

wherein said controlling means further comprises;

timer means for clocking a time duration after said key switch means is switched from the second ON state to the third ON state, and

cancelling means connected with said timer means for cancelling the restart of said actuating means when said time duration of said timer means reaches a predetermined time duration.

5. The apparatus in accordance with claim 4, wherein said actuating means comprises an electric reversible motor and said driving means comprises a pair of relays connected with said reversible motor and a pair of switching transistors connected with said relays.

6. The apparatus in accordance with claim 5, wherein said driving means further comprises a pair of manual switches connected in parallel with said transistors.