Seat track assembly for a motor vehicle having an integrated position sensor

• US 7,322,605 B2
• Filed: 10/31/2006
• Issued: 01/29/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Intier Automotive, Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Intier Automotive, Incorporated (Magna International Incorporated)
• Inventors: Tokarz, Stephen P., Ventura, Kevin John
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): WEBB, TIFFANY LOUISE
• Application Number:
  US11/590,518
• Publication Number:
  US 20070108748A1
• Time in Patent Office: 455 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/736, 280/742, 296/65.01, 296/68.1, 296/65.13, 248/550
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01211 Expansion of air bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors

Abstract

A seat track assembly for a seat of a motor vehicle having a floor and an airbag. The seat track assembly includes a stationary rail fixedly secured to the floor. The seat track assembly also includes a movable rail fixedly secured to the seat and slidably engaged with the stationary rail to move the seat therealong. The movable rail extends along a length between a forward position and a rearward position. A shunt defining an elongated body extends along a portion of the length of the movable rail. A sensor is fixedly secured to the stationary rail and disposed adjacent the shunt to produce a position signal indicating a position of the sensor relative to the shunt. The sensor and the shunt are disposed within the stationary and movable rails to be protected thereby.

Claims

1. A method for controlling a deployment rate of an airbag of a motor vehicle having a seat and a seat track assembly including a stationary rail, a sensor disposed within the stationary rail, a movable rail, and a shunt disposed within the movable rail, the stunt having a ferromagnetic surface adjacent a non-ferromagnetic surface, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing a strength of a magnetic field along the shunt by the sensor;

producing a position signal indicating the position of the seat based on the strength of the magnetic field sensed by the sensor; and

varying the deployment rate of the airbag based upon the position signal.

2. A method as set forth in claim 1 including a step of sending the position signal to a controller during the step of varying the deployment rate of the airbag based upon the position signal.

3. A method as set forth in claim 2 including a step of sending a control signal from the controller to an airbag controller during the step of varying the deployment rate of the airbag based upon the position signal.

4. A method as set forth in claim 3 including a step of sliding the shunt relative to the sensor during the step of sensing the strength of the magnetic field along the shunt.