Device for adjusting a vehicle head support and a method using such a device

• US 6,402,195 B1
• Filed: 04/14/2000
• Issued: 06/11/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Lu, Yan, Eisenmann, Lutz
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Bottorff, Christopher
• Application Number:
  US09/549,571
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 180/272, 280/735, 280/753, 297/400, 297/410, 297/391
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0028 of a body part, e.g. of an arm or a leg
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/003 characterised by the sensor mounting location in or on the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0035 characterised by the sensor data transmission, e.g. wired connections or wireless transmitters therefor; characterised by the sensor data processing, e.g. seat sensor signal amplification or electric circuits for providing seat sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/809 vertically slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/12 Capacitive; Electric field

Abstract

In a device for adjusting a vehicle'"'"'s head support with reference to the position of a passenger'"'"'s head, with a sensor disposed in the head support for detecting the position of the head, the sensor contains two condenser plates which are arranged one above the other and are part of a condenser, in which the head of the passenger acts as a dielectric. In the method for the adjustment of the vehicle'"'"'s head support, the height is varied, starting from a rest position with the head support retracted, to such an extent that the increase of the sensor signal of the one condenser plate takes place simultaneously with the decrease of the sensor signal of the other condenser plate.

Claims

1. Device for adjusting a vehicle'"'"'s head support to the position of a passenger'"'"'s head, comprising:

a sensor arranged in the head support to recognize the head position relative to a height of the head support, wherein the sensor contains two condenser plates arranged one over the other as part of a condenser, in which the passenger'"'"'s head acts as a dielectric;

wherein the arrangement and size of the two condenser plates is selected such that the signal emitted by both is equal when the head support is correctly set.

2. Device according to claim 1, further comprising a third condenser plate arranged between the two condenser plates.

3. Method for adjusting a vehicle'"'"'s head support, comprising the acts of:

starting from a rest position with the head support retracted, varying a height of the head support; and

stopping the height variation when an increase of a sensor signal of one condenser plate takes place simultaneously with a decrease of a sensor signal of another condenser plate, said one and another condenser plates being arranged one over the other in the head support as part of a condenser, in which the passenger'"'"'s head acts as a dielectric.

4. Method according to claim 3, wherein the condenser plates are co-phasally excited.

5. A vehicle head rest, comprising:

a head support;

a sensor arranged in the head support to recognize a head position relative to a height of the head support, wherein the sensor contains two condenser plates arranged one over the other as part of a condenser, in which a passenger'"'"'s head acts as a dielectric;

wherein the arrangement and size of the two condenser plates is selected such that the signal emitted by both is equal when the head support is correctly set.

6. Device according to claim 5, further comprising a third condenser plate arranged between the two condenser plates.

7. A method for adjusting a vehicle head support in relation to a passenger'"'"'s head, the method comprising the acts of:

seating a passenger such that the passenger'"'"'s head is in a vicinity of the head support, the head support having arranged therein two condenser plates one above the other as part of a condenser in which the passenger'"'"'s head acts as a dielectric; and

starting from a rest position with the head support retracted, varying a height of the head support at least until an increase of a sensor signal of one condenser plate takes place simultaneously with a decrease of a sensor signal of the other condenser plate.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the condenser plates are co-phasally excited.

9. The method according to claim 7, further comprising the act of correctly setting the head support when the signals emitted by the two condenser plates are equal.

10. Device for adjusting a vehicle'"'"'s head support to the position of a passenger'"'"'s head, comprising:

a sensor arranged in the head support to recognize the head position, wherein the sensor contains two condenser plates arranged one over the other as part of a condenser, in which the passenger'"'"'s head acts as a dielectric;

further comprising an excitation source that co-phasally excites both condenser plates.

11. A vehicle head rest, comprising:

a head support; and

a sensor arranged in the head support to recognize a head position, wherein the sensor contains two condenser plates arranged one over the other as part of a condenser, in which a passenger'"'"'s head acts as a dielectric;

further comprising an excitation source that co-phasally excites both condenser plates.