Method for controlling operation of power seat for vehicle

• US 7,053,575 B2
• Filed: 01/06/2004
• Issued: 05/30/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 01/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Matsushiro, Hiromasa, Fukuhara, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Duda, Rina
• Application Number:
  US10/752,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20040140783A1
• Time in Patent Office: 875 Days
• Field of Search: 318/538, 318/543, 318/544, 318/549, 318/552, 297/330, 297/341, 297/232, 297/344.11, 297/362.11, 296/65.01, 296/65.12, 296/65.07
• US Class Current: 318/538
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0292 Multiple configuration seats, e.g. for spacious vehicles or mini-buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/12 slidable and tiltable

Abstract

A method for controlling operations of power seats for a vehicle, comprises the steps of moving a first seat toward a second seat by a first reversible motor, causing a seat cushion of the first seat to be tipped up, by a second reversible motor, relative to a seat back of the first seat which stands up, sensing loads which are applied to the first and second reversible motors, once stopping the driving of the first reversible motor, when excessive load of the first reversible motor is sensed during the movement of the first seat toward the second seat, thereafter returning the first seat to a position at which the excessive load of the first reversible motor is not sensed and stopping the movement of the first seat, once stopping the tipping-up of the seat cushion, when excessive load of the second reversible motor is sensed during the tipping-up of the seat cushion, and thereafter returning the seat cushion to an original posture thereof and stopping the movement of the seat cushion.

Claims

1. In a vehicle having powered seats including a front seat and a rear seat, wherein the rear seat is arranged in back of said front seat, the rear seat is adapted to be automatically moved in a forward/rearward direction, said rear seat includes a first seat cushion and a first seat back, the first seat cushion and the first seat back being pivotally connected to each other, the first seat back being adapted to be automatically pivoted relative to said first seat cushion, and said first seat cushion being adapted to be automatically tipped up relative to said first seat back, and said front seat includes a second seat cushion and a second seat back, said second seat cushion and said second seat back being pivotally connected to each other, and said second seat back being adapted to be automatically pivoted relative to said second seat cushion, a method performed by a programmable controller for controlling operations of the powered seats comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a reclining angle of said second seat back relative to said second seat cushion, thereby determining whether said second seat back is inclined rearward relative to said second seat cushion;

(b) when it is determined in step (a) that said second seat back is not inclined rearward relative to said second seat cushion, then detecting a reclining angle of said first seat back relative to said first seat cushion, thereby determining whether said first seat back is inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion, or

when it is determined in step (a) that said second seat back is inclined rearward relative to said second seat cushion, causing said second seat back to be automatically pivoted forward relative to said second seat cushion by a predetermined angle and, thereafter, detecting a reclining angle of said first seat back relative to said first seat cushion, thereby determining whether said first seat back is inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion;

(c) when it is determined in step (b) that said first seat back is not inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion, automatically moving said rear seat toward said front seat or,

when it is determined in step (b) that said first seat back is inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion, causing said first seat back to be automatically pivoted forward relative to said first seat cushion by a predetermined angle and, thereafter, automatically moving said rear seat toward said front seat.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 comprising the steps of:

(d) when said rear seat is moving toward said front seat, determining whether said rear seat has moved to a first position where the first seat cushion is allowed to be tipped up relative to the first seat back; and

(e) when it is determined in step (d) that said rear seat has not yet arrived at the first position, further moving said rear seat toward said front seat and repeating step (d);

or

when it is determined in step (d) that said rear seat arrives at the first position, causing said first seat cushion to be tipped up relative to said first seat back.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 comprising the steps of:

(f) determining an angular displacement of said first seat cushion relative to said first seat back; and

(g) when it is determined in step (f) that said first seat cushion is not fully tipped-up relative to said first seat back, causing said first seat cushion to be tipped up further to a terminal angle relative to said first seat back and repeating step (f);

or

when it is determined in step (f) that said first seat cushion is fully tipped up relative to said first seat back, automatically causing said rear seat to move from said first position toward a terminal position immediately behind said front seat.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 comprising the steps of:

(h) determining whether said rear seat has arrived at the terminal position; and

(i) when it is determined in step (h) that said rear seat has not arrived at the terminal position, continuing to move said rear seat toward the terminal position and repeating step (h);

or

(j) when it is determined in step (h) that said rear seat has arrived at the terminal position, stopping the movement of said rear seat at the terminal position.

5. A method as set forth in claim 1 comprising the steps of:

when said rear seat is moving toward said front seat, determining whether an obstruction is present between said rear seat and a first position where said first seat cushion is allowed to be tipped up relative to said first seat back; and

when it is determined that an obstruction is present between said rear seat and the first position, automatically performing the following steps;

stopping the movement of said rear seat;

causing said rear seat to move to a rearward position where said rear seat is clear of the obstruction; and

then

stopping the movement of said rear seat at the rearward position so that the obstruction can be removed.

6. A method as set forth in claim 2 comprising the steps of:

when said first seat cushion is being tipped up relative to said first seat back, determining whether an obstruction is present between said first seat cushion and said first seat back; and

when it is determined that an obstruction is present between said first seat cushion and said first seat back, automatically performing the following steps;

stopping the tipping up of said first seat cushion;

causing said first seat cushion to move to its original position relative to said first seat back; and

then

stopping the movement of said first seat cushion at the original position so that the obstruction can be removed.

7. A method as set forth in claim 3 comprising the steps of:

when said rear seat is moving from the first position toward the terminal position, determining whether an obstruction is present between said rear seat and the terminal position; and

when it is determined that an obstruction is present between said rear seat and the terminal position, automatically performing the following steps;

stopping the movement of said rear seat;

causing said rear seat to move to a rearward position where said rear seat is clear of the obstruction; and

then

stopping the movement of said rear seat at the rearward position so that the obstruction can be removed.

8. In a vehicle having powered seats including a front seat, a first rear seat and a second rear seat, wherein the first rear seat is arranged in back of said front seat, and the second rear seat is arranged in back of said first rear seat, the first and second rear seats are adapted to be automatically moved in a forward/rearward direction, said first rear seat includes a first seat cushion and a first seat back, the first seat cushion and the first seat back being pivotally connected to each other, the first seat back being adapted to be automatically pivoted relative to said first seat cushion, and said first seat cushion being adapted to be automatically tipped up relative to said first seat back, said second rear seat includes a second seat cushion and a second seat back, the second seat cushion and the second seat back being pivotally connected to each other, the second seat back being adapted to be automatically pivoted relative to said second seat cushion, and said second seat cushion being adapted to be automatically tipped up relative to said second seat back, and said front seat includes a third seat cushion and a third seat back, said third seat cushion and said third seat back being pivotally connected to each other, and said third seat back being adapted to be automatically pivoted relative to said third seat cushion, a method performed by a programmable controller for controlling operations of the powered seats comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting a reclining angle of said third seat back relative to said third seat cushion, thereby determining whether said third seat back is inclined rearward relative to said third seat cushion;

(b) when it is determined in step (a) that said third seat back is not inclined rearward relative to said third seat cushion, then detecting a reclining angle of said first seat back relative to said first seat cushion, thereby determining whether said first seat back is inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion, or

when it is determined in step (a) that said third seat back is inclined rearward relative to said third seat cushion, causing said third seat back to be automatically pivoted forward relative to said third seat cushion by a predetermined angle and, thereafter, detecting a reclining angle of said first seat back relative to said first seat cushion, thereby determining whether said first seat back is inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion;

(c) when it is determined in step (b) that said first seat back is not inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion, automatically moving said first rear seat toward said front seat or,

when it is determined in step (b) that said first seat back is inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion, causing said first seat back to be automatically pivoted forward relative to said first seat cushion by a predetermined angle and, thereafter, automatically moving said first rear seat toward said front seat;

(d) detecting a reclining angle of said first seat back relative to said first seat cushion, thereby determining whether said first seat back is inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion;

(e) when it is determined in step (d) that said first seat back is inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion, causing said first seat back to be automatically pivoted forward relative to said first seat cushion by a predetermined angle;

(f) when it is determined in step (d) that said first seat back is not inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion, automatically moving said second rear seat toward said first rear seat or,

when it is determined in step (d) that said first seat back is inclined rearward relative to said first seat cushion, causing said first seat back to be automatically pivoted forward relative to said first seat cushion by a predetermined angle and, thereafter, automatically moving said second rear seat toward said first rear seat.

9. A method as set forth in claim 8 comprising the steps of:

(g) when said first rear seat is moving toward said front seat, determining whether said first rear seat has moved to a first position where the first seat cushion is allowed to be tipped up relative to the first seat back; and

(h) when it is determined in step (g) that said first rear seat has not yet arrived at the first position, further moving said first rear seat toward said front seat and repeating step (g);

or

when it is determined in step (g) that said first rear seat arrives at the first position, causing said first seat cushion to be tipped up relative to said first seat back;

(i) when said second rear seat is moving toward said second rear seat, determining whether said second rear seat has moved to a second position where the second seat cushion is allowed to be tipped up relative to the second seat back; and

(j) when it is determined in step (i) that said second rear seat has not yet arrived at the second position, further moving said second rear seat toward said first rear seat and repeating step (i);

or

when it is determined in step (i) that said second rear seat arrives at the second position, causing said second seat cushion to be tipped up relative to said second seat back.

10. A method as set forth in claim 9 comprising the steps of:

(k) determining an angular displacement of said first seat cushion relative to said first seat back; and

(l) when it is determined in step (k) that said first seat cushion is not fully tipped-up relative to said first seat back, causing said first seat cushion to be tipped up further to a terminal angle relative to said first seat back and repeating step (k);

or

when it is determined in step (k) that said first seat cushion is fully tipped up relative to said first seat back, automatically causing said first rear seat to move from the first position toward a first terminal position immediately behind said front seat

(m) determining an angular displacement of said second seat cushion relative to said second seat back; and

(n) when it is determined in step (m) that said second seat cushion is not fully tipped-up relative to said second seat back, causing said second seat cushion to be tipped up further to a second terminal angle relative to said second seat back and repeating step (m);

or

when it is determined in step (m) that said second seat cushion is fully tipped up relative to said second seat back, automatically causing said second rear seat to move from the second position toward a second terminal position immediately behind said first rear seat.

11. A method as set forth in claim 10 comprising the steps of:

(o) determining whether said first rear seat has arrived at the first terminal position; and

(p) when it is determined in step (o) that said first rear seat has not arrived at the first terminal position, continuing to move said first rear seat toward the first terminal position and repeating step (o);

or

(q) when it is determined in step (o) that said first rear seat has arrived at the first terminal position, stopping the movement of said first rear seat at the first terminal position;

(r) determining whether said second rear seat has arrived at the second terminal position; and

(s) when it is determined in step (r) that said second rear seat has not arrived at the second terminal position, continuing to move said second rear seat toward the second terminal position and repeating step (r);

or

(t) when it is determined in step (r) that said second rear seat has arrived at the second terminal position, stopping the movement of said second rear seat at the second terminal position.