Motor vehicle having equipment parts in the front occupant area which can be adjusted on separate sides

• US 5,361,865 A
• Filed: 07/27/1993
• Issued: 11/08/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 07/28/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Lindner, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/099,481
• Time in Patent Office: 469 Days
• Field of Search: 180/273, 280/735, 165/22, 165/42, 165/43, 237/2 A, 454/75
• US Class Current: 180/273
• CPC Class Codes: B60H 1/00842 the system comprising a plurality of damper doors; Air distribution between several outlets

Abstract

In a motor vehicle having equipment parts in the front-occupant area which can be adjusted on separate sides, two operating modes are possible. In a conventional operating mode, the adjusting of the equipment parts on the front passenger'"'"'s side takes place individually corresponding to the front passenger'"'"'s presettings. In the other operating mode, the adjusting of the equipment parts on the front passenger'"'"'s side takes place synchronously with the adjustment of the equipment parts on the driver'"'"'s side corresponding to the driver'"'"'s presettings. The selection of the two operating modes takes place automatically or arbitrarily.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle comprising:

equipment parts in a front occupant area which are separately adjustable on a driver side and on a front passenger side of the motor vehicle;

a control unit coupled to the equipment parts, which is operable in a first operating mode in which the equipment parts are separately adjustable and in a second operating mode in which adjustment of the equipment parts on the front passenger side is synchronous with a corresponding adjustment on the driver side, wherein the control unit includes a logic circuit coupled to receive from a signal source at least one input signal that determines the operating mode, and a desired value change-over switch coupled between the logic circuit and the equipment parts and controlled by the logic circuit between two positions such that in a first of the positions, the equipment parts are separately adjustable at the driver side and at the front passenger side, and in a second of the positions, the equipment parts are synchronously adjustable at the driver side.

2. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising an arbitrarily selectable first switch coupled to the control unit and which provides said input signal to the logic circuit which causes the logic circuit to select the second operating mode.

3. A motor vehicle according to claim 2, further comprising a circuit coupled to the control unit and which provides said input signal to the logic circuit which causes the logic circuit to automatically select the second operating mode.

4. A motor vehicle according to claim 3, wherein the circuit includes means for recognizing when a front passenger seat is occupied, the means for recognizing generating said input signal.

5. A motor vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the means for recognizing is coupled to a control unit that controls activation of a front passenger air bag.

6. A motor vehicle according to claim 1, further comprising a circuit coupled to the control unit and which provides said input signal to the logic circuit which causes the logic circuit to automatically select the second operating mode.

7. A motor vehicle comprising:

equipment parts in front occupant area which are separately adjustable on a driver side and on a front passenger side of the motor vehicle;

a control unit coupled to the equipment parts, said control unit being operable in a first operating mode in which the equipment parts are separately adjustable and in a second operating mode in which adjustment of the equipment parts on the front passenger side is synchronous with a corresponding adjustment on the driver side, wherein the control unit includes a logic circuit coupled to receive from a signal source an input signal that is indicative of occupancy of the front passenger side, wherein the operating mode of the control unit is automatically determined by the logic circuit in dependence on the input signal such that occupancy of the front passenger side causes the logic circuit to place the control unit in the first operating mode, and no occupancy of the front passenger side causes the logic circuit to place the control unit in the second operating mode, and a switch coupled between the logic circuit and the equipment parts for controlling the equipment parts to be separately adjustable or synchronously adjustable in dependence on the determination by the logic circuit.

8. A motor vehicle according to claim 7, further comprising an arbitrarily selectable first switch coupled to the control unit and which provides a second input signal to the logic circuit which causes the logic circuit to select the second operating mode.

9. A motor vehicle according to claim 8, wherein the signal source is a means for recognizing when a front passenger seat is occupied, the means for recognizing generating said input signal.

10. A motor vehicle according to claim 9, wherein the means for recognizing is coupled to a control unit that controls activation of a front passenger air bag.