Assembly for adjusting the position of at least two motor vehicle components

• US 6,064,932 A
• Filed: 05/19/1998
• Issued: 05/16/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Cesa--Compagnie Europeenne de Sieges Pour Automobiles
• Original Assignee: Cesa--Compagnie Europeenne de Sieges Pour Automobiles
• Inventors: Fran.cedilla.ois, Fourrey
• Primary Examiner(s): NGUYEN, TAN QUANG
• Application Number:
  US08/983,424
• Time in Patent Office: 728 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/49, 340/438
• US Class Current: 701/49
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0228 Hand-activated mechanical switches B60N2/0229 takes precedence

Abstract

A basic movement may be imparted selectively to each movable component (A, D, RD, RG, V) in either of two opposite directions. For this purpose, an adjustment assembly comprises a control device (20) common to all the components to be adjusted and including component position adjusting means. The adjusting means comprise means (38) for selecting a component to be adjusted and a basic movement thereof, as well as means (40, 42) for executing the selected movement in a selected direction. The adjustment assembly further comprises means (60) for displaying data on the selected component and basic movement, and means (68) for switching the control device (20) to a movable component position adjustment mode or to a control mode for controlling at least one other non-movable means such as a radio-cassette player.

Claims

1. System for adjusting the position of at least two elements (A, D, RD, RG, V) of an automobile vehicle of the kind in which each element is mobile in accordance with at least one elementary movement in two opposite direction at will, the adjustment system including a common control device (20) for all the elements to be adjusted including means for adjusting the position of the elements, these adjustment means including, means (38), for selecting an element to be adjusted and an elementary movement of that element, and, means (40, 42) for executing the selected movement in a chosen direction, the adjustment system further including means (60) for displaying information indicating the element and the elementary movement selected and means (68) for allocating the control device (20) either to adjusting the position of the movable elements or to controlling at least one other non-movable element, the adjustment system including further means (38;

40,

     42) imposing a logical sequence for execution of the various element position adjustments.

2. Adjustment system according to claim 1 wherein the elementary movements are executed by means of electromechanical drive means (12-18, 48-54) and in that the control device includes a control system (22) including electric switches and a microprocessor unit (24) to which the control system and the electromechanical drive means are connected.

3. Adjustment system according to claim 2, wherein the allocation means include an electric switch (68) connected to the microprocessor unit (24).

4. Adjustment system according to claim 2, wherein the control system (22) is disposed near the steering wheel of the vehicle or integrated into the steering wheel so that the switches (38-42, 56, 58) can be operated by the fingers of a driver wise hands remain on the steering wheel.

5. Adjustment system according to claim 2, wherein the selector means include an electric switch (38) for selecting an element and an elementary movement and wherein the means for executing the elementary movement include two electric switches (40, 42) each controlling one direction of execution of the elementary movement, the switches for selecting the element and the direction of movement being integrated into the control system (22).

6. Adjustment system according to claim 5, wherein the selector electric switch (38) is a rotary switch with multiple indexed positions forming the means imposing a logical sequence, movement of this selector switch (38) in the same direction successively selecting the various elements to be adjusted and their elementary movements.

7. Adjustment system according to claim 5, wherein the two electric switches (40, 42) for executing an elementary movement form the means for imposing a logical sequence, simultaneous actuation of these two switches (40, 42) selecting successively the various elements to be adjusted and their elementary movements.

8. Adjustment system according to claim 2, wherein the control device (20) includes means (38, 56) for storing at least two positions of an element and means (38, 56) for selecting a stored position and wherein the storage means include an electric switch (38) for selective recall of a memory and an electric switch (56) for storing a position of the element in that memory, the memory recall and stored position activation switches being integrated into the control system (22).

9. Adjustment system according to claim 2, wherein the control device (20) includes means (38, 56) for storing at least two positions of an element and means (38, 56) for selecting a stored position and wherein the means for selecting a stored position include an electric switch (38) for selective recall of a memory and an electric switch (56) for activating the stored position, the memory recall and the stored position activation switches being integrated into the control system (22).

10. Adjustment system according to claim 2, wherein the control device (20) includes means (38, 56) for storing at least two positions of an element and means (38, 56) for selecting a stored position, wherein some of the switches are common to more than one of the element position adjustment means (38-42), the position storage means (38, 56) and the stored position selection means (38, 56) and wherein the control device (20) includes means (58) for selective activation of the element position adjustment means, the position storage means and the stored position selection means.

11. Adjustment system according to claim 10, wherein the selective activation means include an electric switch (58) integrated into the control system (22).

12. Adjustment system according to claim 2, including mean for positioning at least one element in a standard position comprising an electric switch (62) connected to the microprocessor unit (24).

13. Adjustment system according to claim 2, wherein the control device (20) includes means (38,56) for storing at least two positions of an element and means (38,56) for selecting a stored position and wherein the means for selecting a stored position include an electric switch (38) for selective recall of a memory and an electric switch (56) for activating the stored position, the memory recall and the stored position activation switches being integrated into the control system (22), the adjustment system further including means for selecting a pulsed or continuous depression operating mode of the stored position activation switch (56), said operating mode selector means including a safety electric switch (64) connected to the microprocessor unit (24).

14. Adjustment system according to claim 13, wherein the safety switch (64) is actuated by a handbrake of the vehicle.

15. Adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the display means (60) also indicate the direction of execution of the selected elementary movement and the position of the selected element.

16. Adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the display means include a screen (60) for displaying pictograms (A, D, E, RD, RG, V).

17. Adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the control device (20) includes means (38, 56) for storing at least two positions of an element and means (38, 56) for selecting a stored position.

18. Adjustment system according to claim 1, wherein the elements to be adjusted include seat elements such as a seat cushion (A) and a seat squab (D).

19. Adjustment system according to claim 18, wherein the logical sequence includes in succession longitudinal adjustment of the seat cushion, adjustment of the inclination of the seat squab and vertical adjustment of the seat cushion.