Vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system

• US 7,334,829 B2
• Filed: 03/16/2007
• Issued: 02/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/24/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autech Japan, Inc. (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Autech Japan, Inc. (Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Watanabe, Kiyoto, Fukui, Osamu
• Primary Examiner(s): PAPE, JOSEPH
• Application Number:
  US11/687,241
• Publication Number:
  US 20070221429A1
• Time in Patent Office: 347 Days
• Field of Search: 296/65.01, 296/65.11, 296/65.12, 297/344.2, 297/344.11, 297/344.03
• US Class Current: 296/65.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0228 Hand-activated mechanical switches B60N2/0229 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/074 rotated about the transversal axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0745 the slide path being curved
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/14 rotatable, e.g. to permit easy access B60N2/10 , B60N2/2869 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/50 Inertial sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/20 using a deterministic algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/30 Signal processing of sensor data

Abstract

A vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system basically has a lift-up mechanism, a control unit and an interface. The lift-up mechanism is configured to selectively lower and lift a vehicle seat between a first position inside a vehicle occupant compartment and a second position outside the vehicle occupant compartment. The control unit is configured to control lowering and lifting movements of the vehicle seat via the lift-up mechanism. The interface is configured to transmit a command signal to the control unit. The interface includes a lift switch and a lift speed variable switch. The control unit is further configured to operate the lift-up mechanism to move the vehicle seat at a predetermined speed when an input is received from only the lift switch, and at a different speed from than the predetermined speed when simultaneous inputs are received from the lift speed variable switch and the lift switch.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system comprising:

a lift-up mechanism configured to selectively lower and lift a vehicle seat between a first position inside a vehicle occupant compartment and a second position outside the vehicle occupant compartment;

a control unit configured to control lowering and lifting movements of the vehicle seat via the lift-up mechanism; and

an interface configured to transmit a command signal to the control unit, the interface including a lift switch and a lift speed variable switch;

the control unit being further configured to operate the lift-up mechanism to move the vehicle seat

at a predetermined speed when an input is received from only the lift switch, and

at a different speed from than the predetermined speed when simultaneous inputs are received from the lift speed variable switch and the lift switch.

2. The vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system as recited in claim 1, wherein

the lift switch is an ascend switch that signals the control unit to perform a lifting operation.

3. The vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system as recited in claim 2, wherein

the lift speed variable switch is a high speed switch that signals the control unit to operate the lift-up mechanism at a high speed that is higher than the predetermined speed when the lift speed variable switch and the lift switch are simultaneously operated.

4. The vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system as recited in claim 2, wherein

the lift speed variable switch is a low speed switch that signals the control unit to operate the lift-up mechanism at a low speed that is lower than the predetermined speed when the lift speed variable switch and the lift switch are simultaneously operated.

5. The vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system as recited in claim 1, wherein

the lift switch is a descend switch that signals the control unit to perform a lowering operation.

6. The vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system as recited in claim 5, wherein

the lift speed variable switch is a high speed switch that signals the control unit to operate the lift-up mechanism at a high speed that is higher than the predetermined speed when the lift speed variable switch and the lift switch are simultaneously operated.

7. The vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system as recited in claim 5, wherein

the lift speed variable switch is a low speed switch that signals the control unit to operate the lift-up mechanism at a low speed that is lower than the predetermined speed when the lift speed variable switch and the lift switch are simultaneously operated.

8. The vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system as recited in claim 1, wherein

the lift speed variable switch is a high speed switch that signals the control unit to operate the lift-up mechanism at a high speed that is higher than the predetermined speed when the lift speed variable switch and the lift switch are simultaneously operated.

9. The vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system as recited in claim 1, wherein

the lift speed variable switch is a low speed switch that signals the control unit to operate the lift-up mechanism at a low speed that is lower than the predetermined speed when the lift speed variable switch and the lift switch are simultaneously operated.

10. A vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system comprising:

a lift-up mechanism configured to selectively lower and lift a vehicle seat between a first position inside a vehicle occupant compartment and a second position outside the vehicle occupant compartment;

a control unit configured to control lowering and lifting movements of the vehicle seat via the lift-up mechanism; and

an interface configured to transmit a command signal to the control unit, the interface including an ascend switch, a descend switch, a high speed switch and a low speed switch;

the control unit being further configured to operate the lift-up mechanism to lift the vehicle seat

at a predetermined ascending speed when an input is received from only the ascend switch,

at a high speed that is higher than the predetermined ascending speed when simultaneous inputs are received from the high speed switch and the ascend switch, and

at a low speed that is lower than the predetermined ascending speed when simultaneous inputs are received from the low speed switch and the ascend switch,

the control unit being further configured to operate the lift-up mechanism to lower the vehicle seat

at a predetermined descending speed when an input is received from only the descend switch,

at a high speed that is higher than the predetermined descending speed when simultaneous inputs are received from the high speed switch and the descend switch, and

at a low speed that is lower than the predetermined descending speed when simultaneous inputs are received from the low speed switch and the descend switch.

11. The vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system as recited in claim 10, wherein

the high speed switch and the low speed switch of the interface are arranged adjacent to each other, and

the control unit is configured to control one of a pair of movements of a predetermined mechanism set beforehand for each of the high and low speed switches when an input is received from only one of the high speed and low speed switches.

12. A vehicle seat lift speed variable switch system comprising:

lift-up means for selectively lowering and lifting a vehicle seat between a first position inside a vehicle occupant compartment and a second position outside the vehicle occupant compartment;

control unit means for controlling the lowering and lifting of the vehicle seat via the lift-up mechanism; and

user interface means for transmitting a command signal to the control means, the user interface means including lift switch means for signaling at least one of the lowering and lifting of the vehicle seat at a predetermined speed and lift speed variable switch means for signaling at least one of an ascending speed and a descending speed such that the control unit means operates the lift-up means to move the vehicle seat

at a predetermined speed when only the lift switch means is operated, and

at a different speed from than the predetermined speed when the lift speed variable switch means and the lift switch means are simultaneously operated.