Combination mirror and memory switch

• US 5,939,796 A
• Filed: 01/23/1998
• Issued: 08/17/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 01/23/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Automotive Casting Technology, Inc., UT Automotive Dearborn, Inc.
• Original Assignee: UT Automotive Dearborn, Inc.
• Inventors: Feldman, Mark, Tomassi, Roberto, Fedele, Gennaro, Cranick, John
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US09/012,844
• Time in Patent Office: 571 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/113, 307/125, 307/115, 307/119, 701/36, 701/49, 318/466
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 1/07 by electrically powered actuators

Abstract

An electrical switching unit includes a first switch for positioning a vehicle component or activating a memory function. A second switch controls the first switch to select between positioning the component or activating the memory function. Preferably, the switching unit controls the positioning of the right and left side mirrors and activation of a memory function. In one embodiment, the second switch has three positions to select right side mirror positioning, left side mirror positioning, or memory function. The first switch includes four sub-switches to control the upward, downward, inward, and outward adjustment of the right and left side mirror and activation of the set and recall modes of the memory function.

Claims

1. A switching unit for use in a vehicle comprising:

a first switch for selectively providing positioning of a vehicle component and activation of a memory function; and

a second switch operable to control said first switch to select between said positioning of the vehicle component and said activation of the memory function.

2. The switching unit of claim 1 wherein said second switch is a three position switch.

3. The switching unit of claim 2 wherein said three position switch is used to select adjustment of a right side mirror, adjustment of a left side mirror, or activation of a memory function and the vehicle component includes the right and left side mirrors.

4. The switching unit of claim 3 wherein said first switch includes a plurality of sub-switches.

5. The switching unit of claim 4 wherein said plurality of sub-switches control upward, downward, inward, and outward mirror adjustment when said second switch controls said first switch to provide adjustment of the right or left side mirror.

6. The switching unit of claim 5 wherein said plurality of sub-switches recall a first memory position, a second memory position, and allow setting of a new memory position when said second switch controls said first switch to provide activation of said memory function.

7. The switching unit of claim 6 wherein said plurality of sub-switches recall a third memory position.

8. The switching unit of claim 1, wherein said second switch is a single switch which may be serially actuated to move the first switch between said positioning and memory functions.

9. A switching unit for use in a vehicle comprising:

a first switch for selectively providing positioning of a first vehicle component and activation of a memory function of at least a second vehicle component; and

a second switch operable to control said first switch to select between said positioning of the first vehicle component and said activation of said memory function.

10. The switching unit as recited in claim 9, wherein said first vehicle component includes the vehicle side mirrors, and said second vehicle component includes at least the vehicle seats.

11. The switching unit as recited in claim 10, wherein said second vehicle components also include the vehicle side mirrors.

12. The switching unit as recited in claim 9, wherein said second switch includes a three position switch.

13. The switching unit as recited in claim 9, wherein said second switch includes a single switch which may be serially actuated to control said first switch and move said first switch between its vehicle positioning and memory modes.

14. A combined mirror adjustment and memory switch unit for a vehicle comprising:

a three way selector switch having a right mirror select position, a left mirror select position, and a memory select position; and

four sub-switches for controlling upward, downward, inward, and outward mirror adjustment when said selector switch is in one of said right mirror select position and said left mirror select position and for recalling a first component position, recalling a second component position, and setting a new component position when said selector switch is in said memory select position.

15. The mirror adjustment switch unit of claim 14 wherein said recalling of said first and second component positions includes the recalling of memory locations for at least a seat.