Adjustment device for a motor vehicle seat

• US 7,902,781 B2
• Filed: 09/26/2008
• Issued: 03/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/27/2007
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: C ROB Hammerstein GmbH & Company KG (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Original Assignee: C ROB Hammerstein GmbH & Company KG (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Reimann, Michael, Beneker, Wilfried, Becker, Burckhard
• Primary Examiner(s): Leykin; Rita
• Application Number:
  US12/239,212
• Publication Number:
  US 20090115359A1
• Time in Patent Office: 893 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 701/70, 701/36, 280/735, 280/734, 280/806, 318/453, 318/400.3, 180/282, 180/271
• US Class Current: 318/453
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02253 characterised by the transmission between the electric motor and the seat or seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4228 due to impact coming from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01252 Devices other than bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558

Abstract

An adjustment device for a motor vehicle seat that includes an electric motor, a gear connected to the electric motor, a mechanical adjustment unit connected to the gear and a control circuit, at least one sensor being associated with the control circuit for detecting a critical situation of the motor vehicle and the control circuit providing an operating voltage for the electric motor, characterized in that the control circuit provides as an alternative, in addition to the normal operating voltage, an overvoltage for supplying the electric motor, that the normal operating voltage applies in a normal driving condition of the motor vehicle in which the sensor does not deliver any signal, that the overvoltage applies at the electric motor in a driving condition after the sensor has delivered a signal indicating that the driving condition is no longer normal and that the overvoltage is at least 150% of the value of the normal operating voltage, more specifically at least 200% of the value of the normal operating voltage.

Claims

1. An adjustment device for a motor vehicle seat comprising an electric motor, a gear connected to said electric motor, a mechanical adjustment unit connected to said gear and a control circuit, at least one sensor being associated with said control circuit for detecting a critical situation of said motor vehicle and said control circuit providing an operating voltage for said electric motor, wherein said control circuit provides in addition to said normal operating voltage, an overvoltage for supplying said electric motor, said normal operating voltage is applied in a normal driving condition of said motor vehicle in which said sensor does not deliver any signal and said overvoltage is applied at said electric motor in a driving condition after said sensor has delivered a signal indicating that a critical situation of said motor vehicle is present, said overvoltage being at least 150% of said value of said normal operating voltage.

2. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor is a crash sensor that is responsive to decelerations of said motor vehicle as they occur when said motor vehicle is subjected to deformations due to an accident.

3. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said sensor is at least one of a distance meter that operates with radar or with ultrasound, an ABS system that senses a rolling condition of all wheels of said motor vehicle and a system for detecting a ground track of said motor vehicle.

4. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electric motor and/or said gear comprise a lowest possible moment of inertia.

5. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said control circuit comprises an operating switch and a switching device, said switching device alternatively applying to said electric motor either said normal operating voltage, controlled through said operating switch, or said overvoltage.

6. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said control circuit comprises a circuit for increasing said voltage and a capacitor is provided, that is always charged with said overvoltage.

7. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said circuit for increasing said voltage is devised for a power that is smaller than 20% of a power needed for operating said electric motor at said overvoltage.

8. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said capacitor is devised such that a charge stored therein is only sufficient for operating said electric motor at said overvoltage for only a maximum duration of 1 s.

9. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 6, wherein said capacitor is devised such that a charge stored therein is only sufficient for operating said electric motor at said overvoltage for only a maximum duration of 0.1 s.

10. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said adjustment device is an adjustment device for a head restraint.

11. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electric motor, said gear and said control circuit are accommodated in one common housing.

12. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said overvoltage is at least 200% of said value of said normal operating voltage.

13. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said electric motor is a pancake motor.

14. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein gear wheels of said gear are one of plastic gear wheels and light metal gear wheels.

15. The adjustment device as set forth in claim 1, wherein said control circuit comprises a circuit for increasing said voltage and a capacitor is provided, that is always charged with said overvoltage, said capacitor being connected downstream of said component part.