Seat adjusting device

• US 8,593,097 B2
• Filed: 07/07/2009
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/08/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Adient US, LLC (Adient plc)
• Original Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Company KG (Johnson Controls International plc)
• Inventors: Diehl, Andreas
• Primary Examiner(s): Ro, Bentsu
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUO, DAVID S
• Application Number:
  US13/003,166
• Publication Number:
  US 20110266991A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,603 Days
• Field of Search: 318/461, 318255-259
• US Class Current: 318/461
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0248 with memory of positions
• CPC Class Codes: H02P 23/20 Controlling the acceleration or deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 74/19 Gearing

Abstract

A seat adjusting device for an automobile seat (1) having an electric motor (11) for generating a drive motion, wherein the electric motor is operationally coupled to a gearbox (13) for transmitting the drive motion thereof, the gearbox having a gearbox housing (19) in which gearbox elements are disposed for a step-up or step-down transmission of the motor drive motion, by means of which electric motors of lesser technical complexity can be used than previously. To this end, the invention proposes that the gearbox (13) has detection device for detecting information about the speed of at least one of the gearbox elements or detecting a variable dependent on the speed.

Claims

1. A seat adjusting device for an automobile seat, comprising:

an electric motor for generating a drive motion;

gearbox elements;

evaluation electronics;

a gearbox, wherein said electric motor is operationally coupled to said gearbox for transmitting the drive motion thereof, said gearbox having a gearbox housing, in which said gearbox elements are disposed for a step-up or step-down transmission, said gearbox having at least one detection means for one of detecting information relating to a rotation speed of at least one of said gearbox elements and detecting a variable dependent on the rotation speed, said evaluation electronics being arranged on said gearbox for evaluation of signals provided by said at least one detection means, wherein at least one signal generator is arranged on at least one of said gearbox elements provided for the rotary movement, said at least one signal generator being arranged on a gearbox element which is provided for the rotary movement with a rotation speed that is less than a rotation speed of a motor drive shaft of said electric motor.

2. A seat adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one detection means is integrated into the evaluation electronics, said at least one detection means being arranged on a shared board with said evaluation electronics.

3. A seat adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein a control and/or power electronics of the seat adjusting device is arranged on said gearbox.

4. A seat adjusting device according to claim 3, wherein said control and/or power electronics of the seat adjusting device is arranged inside the gearbox housing.

5. A seat adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one signal generator is arranged on one or more of said gearbox elements which rotates with a lowest rotation speed in the gearbox on a rotary movement of the gearbox elements.

6. A seat adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein said at least one detection means is arranged inside said gearbox housing.

7. A seat adjusting device according to claim 1, wherein said evaluation electronics are arranged inside said gearbox housing.

8. A seat adjusting device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a connection for connecting said gearbox to one or more of a current supply and a control; and

a connection for an electrical contacting of said gearbox with said electric motor.

9. A seat adjusting device for an automobile seat, comprising:

a gearbox comprising a gearbox housing and gearbox elements, said gearbox elements being arranged in said gearbox housing, said gearbox comprising at least one detection means for detecting one of data corresponding a rotational speed of at least one of said gearbox elements and for detecting a variable dependent on said rotational speed of said at least one of said gearbox elements;

an electric motor, said gearbox elements being connected to said electric motor for stepping-up or stepping-down of power transmitted via said electric motor;

at least one electrical connection provided on the gearbox for one or more of current supply and data exchange; and

a means arranged on said gearbox for supplying current to said electric motor.

10. A seat adjusting device according to claim 9, wherein said at least one electrical connection for current supply is arranged on said gearbox housing.

11. A seat adjusting device according to claim 9, wherein said gearbox communicates via wired or wireless data line means with a control of the seat adjusting device.

12. A seat adjusting device according to claim 9, wherein said gearbox comprises an evaluation device, said evaluation device being arranged on said gearbox housing, said evaluation device receiving said data, said evaluation device evaluating said data such that said evaluation device determines said rotational speed of said at least one of said gearbox elements based on said data to provide an evaluated rotational speed of said at least one of said gearbox elements, wherein said electric motor is controlled based on said evaluated rotational speed of said at least one of said gearbox elements.

13. A seat adjusting device for an automobile seat, comprising:

an electric motor;

a plurality of gearbox elements;

a control element comprising an evaluating device;

a gearbox comprising a gearbox housing, said electric motor being coupled to said gearbox elements, said plurality of gearbox elements stepping up or stepping down power transmitted by said electric motor, said plurality of gearbox elements being arranged in said gearbox housing;

a detection means arranged in said gearbox housing for one of detecting data corresponding to a rotational speed of at least one of said gearbox elements and detecting a variable dependent on said rotational speed of said at least one of said gearbox element, said control element being arranged on said gearbox, said evaluating device receiving said one of said data corresponding to said rotational speed of said at least one of said gearbox elements and said variable dependent on said rotational speed of said at least one of said gearbox elements, said evaluating device determining said rotational speed of said at least one of said gearbox elements based on said one of said data corresponding to said rotational speed of said at least one of said gearbox elements and said variable dependent on said rotational speed of said at least one of said gearbox elements to provide a determined rotational speed of said at least one of said gearbox elements, said control element controlling said electric motor based on said determined rotational speed.

14. A seat adjusting device according to claim 13, wherein said detection means is integrated into said control element, said detection means being arranged on a shared board with said control element.

15. A seat adjusting device according to claim 13, further comprising a signal generator, wherein at least one said signal generator is arranged on at least one of said gearbox elements provided for rotary movement.

16. A seat adjusting device according to claim 15, wherein said at least one signal generator is arranged on one of said gearbox elements, said one of said gearbox element being provided for rotary movement with a rotation speed that is less than a rotational speed of a motor drive shaft of said electric motor.

17. A seat adjusting device according to claim 13, further comprising:

a connection for connecting said gearbox to one or more of a current supply and an actuating device; and

a connection for an electrical contacting of said gearbox with said electric motor.

18. A seat adjusting device for an automobile seat, comprising:

an electric motor for generating a drive motion;

gearbox elements;

evaluation electronics;

a gearbox, wherein said electric motor is operationally coupled to said gearbox for transmitting the drive motion thereof, said gearbox having a gearbox housing, in which said gearbox elements are disposed for a step-up or step-down transmission, said gearbox having at least one detection means for one of detecting information relating to a rotation speed of at least one of said gearbox elements and detecting a variable dependent on the rotation speed, said evaluation electronics being arranged on said gearbox for evaluation of signals provided by said at least one detection means, wherein at least one signal generator is arranged on at least one of said gearbox elements provided for the rotary movement, said at least one signal generator being arranged on one or more of said gearbox elements which rotates with a lowest rotation speed in the gearbox on a rotary movement of the gearbox elements.