SE535896C2 - Vehicle seat control system and device - Google Patents

Abstract

SUMMARY (10) (1), commercial vehicle preferably equipped with a bath or The invention relates to a system for moving an electrically adjustable vehicle seat specifically intended for a passenger seat located at the rear of a cab, comprising at least in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle movable seat (1) (l2a -e), for controlling the motors of the seat whose movement and one (l2a-e) The invention is achieved (2), are arranged easily accessible from the interior / rear (10) of the cab at least one of the vehicle seats is carried out by one or more electric motor actuators. (2) in order to achieve different desired installation layers, in that at least one further operating member exceeds the ordinary, space, and that the system is arranged to, upon activation of the operating member (2) (1), a desired position. (Figure 1)

Description

25 30 535 B96 It is common for the seats in a vehicle to be mechanically adjustable and they are then e.g. equipped with a mechanical release device so that the chair can be moved forwards or backwards, when a pedal or lever, usually located at the front lower edge of the chair, is activated, e.g. is pressed. This function enables a rapid movement of the seat in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle by the user manually, e.g. using leg power, push the chair forward or backward. The chair is then fixed in the new desired position.

In commercial vehicles such as e.g. a truck with sleeping space at the rear of the cab enables or facilitates passage out of the cab, from the rear space, by displacing the front seats backwards to a rear end position so that the space in front of the seats is maximized. By, on the other hand, displacing the seat to a front end position, space is freed up in the rear space, which is desirable since this space is otherwise limited by the seats being in their normal, rear, driving position.

It is becoming increasingly common for the seats to be moved electrically by one or more electric motors being mounted in each chair and which motors move the chair, often via a mechanical gear, when the user activates a control, e.g. an electric switch, usually located on one side of the chair, facing the door, so that it can be accessed from the outside when the user has opened the door.

For passenger cars is already known with a function to facilitate entry to the rear seat, e.g. on cars with two doors. This function, sometimes called "Easy Access", works by moving the seat forward with the push of a button to make it easier to pass behind the driver's seat to enter the rear seat. the user is outside the vehicle 10 15 20 30 535 896. This button must be kept pressed all the time during the movement of the seat and the speed of movement is the same as in normal length adjustment and is limited by the nominal speed of the electric motors and their gear ratio. the seats to facilitate passage from the rear space.

Conventional constructions of electrically adjustable vehicle seats do not allow the possibility of using a mechanical release device for a quick movement of the chair because the electric motor that maneuvers the chair is directly and firmly connected to the mechanical movement mechanism of the chair, usually via a gear. A mechanical release device is difficult to realize with regard to existing requirements for safety, cost and the limited space available in and by the seat in today's well-packed and compact vehicles. However, it is highly desirable to demonstrate a solution to this problem, and to be able to easily achieve a, preferably fast, movement of electrically adjustable vehicle seats to desired positions to facilitate passage out of the vehicle and to free up space at the rear of the cab.

Normal controls for adjusting electrically adjustable vehicle seats are usually located next to the front seats below the seat cushion, on the side of the seat facing the door and accessible when the vehicle door is opened. This makes it difficult or impossible to reach these controls from the rear space of, for example, a vehicle cab without the user having to extend over the seat or sit in the chair, which is a significant disadvantage and not ergonomically optimal if you are in the rear space of the cab. .

Various solutions have been proposed to effect the movement of vehicle seats when entering or exiting. DE 15916091 describes, for example, a mechanical mechanism which is activated from the driver's seat and which, when activated, moves the seat backwards and the steering wheel upwards. The purpose is to make it easier for the driver to get out of the vehicle from the driver's seat. The mechanism is not intended for electrically adjustable chairs.

US6273494 describes a solution with radio transmitted signals where the system senses which person is to pass into the vehicle and from there determines the position of the seat and also moves it so that the entry is facilitated. The invention does not describe any form of rapid movement for chairs with electrical adjustment, nor does it have fixed controls which can be easily reached from e.g. the rear space of a cabin.

US6401021 and US6460934 describe seat adjusting devices which automatically move the seat to a predetermined position when the seat / backrest folds forward, i.e. when a passenger wants to pass into or out of the rear seat of the vehicle. The device is not applicable to a truck where access to the rear cab space usually takes place in front of and between the seats.

Prior art in this field thus does not solve the problem of easily moving electrically adjustable vehicle seats from the rear space of the vehicle so that entry and exit are facilitated in front of the driver and passenger seat and which can also cause the space at the rear next to the bed to be easily maximized.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems and to demonstrate a system and a vehicle seat for controlling electrically adjustable vehicle seats so that the comfort of the user increases and so that one or more seats can be moved to a position that facilitates passage past in front of the driver 's or passenger's seat, especially when exiting the cab from the rear space, ie via the vehicle's front seats and doors, and at the same time easily creating maximum space next to the bed at rest or overnight in the cab's rear space.

Another object of the invention is that the movement of the seats can easily be initiated regardless of whether the driver or passenger is in one of the ordinary / front seats or is in the rear space of the vehicle cab.

A further object of the invention is that the movement of the chair should be able to take place quickly.

A further purpose is that the system should not require mechanical redesign of existing seats, but that the position changes for the chair should be able to be carried out by existing electric motors.

A further object of the invention is that different desired chair positions can be stored in a memory and that an automatic return can take place to a stored original position, e.g. a "drive mode", by activating a control button for this.

A further object of the invention is that the construction should be functional, cost-effective and easy to manufacture, secure, assemble and maintain.

These and further objects and advantages are achieved according to the invention by a system, a device and a vehicle defined by the features set forth in the characterizing parts of the appended independent claims. The invention is thus particularly intended for vehicle cabins provided with a rear space, usually intended as a space for rest or the like with at least one bed or a passenger seat arranged at the rear of the cab and where there is a need during rest / rest, simply and / or quickly move the driver 's seat and / or passenger seat to a front end position to free up space next to the bed and where when exiting the cab it should be easy and simple and / or quickly move the driver' s seat and / or the passenger seat to a rear end position to widen the space in front of one or both seats, ie between the seats and the vehicle's dashboard. The fast movement takes place by the electric motors in the seats being arranged to be operated at at least two different speeds, a normal position for normal adjustment and a fast position for the fast movement.

When the vehicle is driven on the road, ie when no one is using the bed in the rear space of the cab, it is desirable that the electrically adjustable seats work in a normal way, ie that their longitudinal positions along with other settings for the seat and backrest can be adjusted in the usual way. ex. via the normal controls located normally at the door side of the seats.

The invention is achieved by arranging at least one further operating member, or operating keypad, so that it can be easily reached by a person who is in the rear space of the vehicle. These additional operating means can for instance and suitably be arranged on or next to the backrest of the driver 's or passenger seat, preferably in the area of the backrest which is close to the central part of the cab, but can also be placed in another way at the seats, e.g. on the seat or armrest on the side of the chair facing the cabin 10 15 20 25 30 535 896 or at, in front of or at the bottom of the bed. The reason why an additional slider is needed is that the commonly used slider should sit against the door side so that the chair is easily adjustable when the user intends to pass into the cab.

By arranging an additional slider in the right way, easy access to this is possible from the rear part of the cab and thus significantly increases the comfort for the user by making it quick and convenient to reach the slider and to move the chair at the touch of a button compared to extending over the chair. and try to press, for example, a mechanical pedal or lever at the lower front part of the chair and push the chair manually to the desired end position or to try to reach the electric controls at the lower / outer side of the chair.

The system is arranged so that e.g. a rapid short-term depression of an actuator causes the chair to move all the way to the front or rear end position, while a continuous activation of the actuator causes the chair to move only as long as the actuator is activated, ie depressed.

The system is arranged to facilitate passage in front of the seat when entering and exiting the vehicle's cab.

The change of position / displacement of the chairs is effected by means of the electric motors which are arranged in the chair in a known manner. Desired stop positions and desired end positions of the chair can be determined by means of the operating means and can be stored in a memory in the chair's control unit.

Advantages of the solution according to the invention are that it does not require redesign of the existing mechanical parts of the chair.

This makes it easier, faster and cheaper to implement the new solution. The actuator according to the invention also makes it possible to effect adjustment of other settings of the seat than just the length adjustment of the seat in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, such as, for example, the inclination of the backrest.

Additional advantages of the invention are that it is possible to use personal settings for the chair. It will also be easily possible to return the seat to the position it was in immediately before the quick transfer was initiated or to a desired personal driving position, which e.g. is not possible in a purely mechanical chair solution. It is also possible to integrate this control solution with an electrically adjusted steering wheel etc.

Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following, more detailed description of the invention, and from the accompanying drawings and other claims. The invention is described in more detail below in some preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Figure 1 shows a side view obliquely from behind of a vehicle seat provided with an additional operating member according to the invention with several operating buttons for adjusting the position of at least one vehicle seat.

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of a control system according to the invention for maneuvering and adjusting the chair.

Figure 3 shows a flow chart of the various steps the invention goes through when activating the actuator.

DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Figure 15 shows a side view obliquely from behind of a vehicle seat 1 according to the invention provided with a further operating member 2, with several operating buttons, for adjusting the setting position of the vehicle seat 1. The operating member 2 is placed on or near the vehicle seat 1 so that it can be easily reached from the rear space of the cab, e.g. from the bed or passenger seat usually located there (not shown). In the figure, the operating member is arranged on the backrest 3 of the driver's seat and more precisely at the right end side 4 of the backrest 3. The operating member 2 can of course also be placed in another way at the backrest 3, for example on the back of the backrest 3 or headrest 5 at the seat 1 (not shown) . The operating member 2 or comprises in the embodiment shown four different operating buttons 6a-d provided with different symbols. A first control button 6a is for moving the chair 1 backwards when activated. A second control button 6b is for moving the chair 1 forward. A quick depression of these buttons 6a, b causes the chair 1 to move to a predetermined front or rear position depending on which control button 6a, b is activated. This position can preferably be one of the end positions of the chair in question 1. If any of the control buttons 6a, b is instead pressed, the chair 1 will be moved until the control button 6a, b is released. A third control button 6c is arranged to initiate movement of the chair 1 back to the initial position, ie to the position which the chair 1 had before the movement was initiated.

Figure 2 shows a block diagram of the control system for maneuvering and adjusting the positions of a driver and / or passenger seat 1 in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle and / or for other possible seat settings, such as for example the height or angular positions of the seat 7 or the backrest 3.

The control system 10 mainly consists of two seat control units 11, a control unit for the driver's seat 11a and a control unit for the passenger seat 11b, which control the various actuators, usually electric motors, placed in the driver's seat and in the passenger seat (not shown). In one embodiment, at least some of the electric motors are arranged to be able to rotate at two different speeds, a higher and a lower speed. The control unit for the driver 's seat 11a controls the electric motors 12a-e connected to this unit on the basis of input signals from connected sensors 13 and other system components such as the additional and the ordinary actuator 2, 14a. In a still second embodiment, the control unit 11a for the driver's seat is arranged to command the passenger seat control unit 11b so that it controls its electric motors l5ad coordinated with the driver's seat electric motors electric motors l2a-e to, for example, facilitate passing in front of the seats or increase the space behind the seats I at rest. / overnight stay or change the backrest 3 to a table function.

In a further embodiment, the control unit for the passenger seat 11b controls the electric motors l5a-d in the passenger seat correspondingly on the basis of input signals from connected system components such as an ordinary and an additional actuator 14b, 16 for the seat and can also order the control unit for the driver seat 11a that it controls its electric motors 12a-e in a coordinated manner so that, for example, passing is facilitated or to increase the space at the bed or to adjust the backrest 3 to a table function.

The control unit for the driver's seat 11a and for the passenger seat 11b, respectively, exchanges information and control signals via a connection 17 arranged therebetween, e.g. in the form of a data bus.

In the block diagram, two actuators 2, 14a, 14b, 16 or actuators are arranged at each vehicle seat 1, a "Quick / move actuator" 2,16 and an ordinary "seat settings actuator" 14a, b. In practice, it may be sufficient that, for example, the driver's seat is equipped with two controls, while the passenger seat has only one control for seat settings. Preferably, each actuator is designed to be able to activate quick movement of one or both seats and "Quick movement actuator" is located easily accessible from the rear space of the cab. In an embodiment of the invention, a wireless remote control 18 is also provided which can control the control units of the chairs both from inside the cab and from the outside of the cab.

The remote control 18 communicates with the control unit 11a via a transmitter 19 and receiver 20. With the remote control 18, essentially the same functions can be controlled as are controlled via one of the operating means.

The ordinary operating means for seat settings are arranged at the entrance to the cab, ie the keypad is placed on or next to resp. chair, on the side facing the door, and can be easily accessed and maneuvered before entry or from a sitting position in the chair, and is used for normal adjustment of the various parts of the chair. On this keypad, control buttons for quick movement of the chair can also be integrated.

The system for adjusting the seats 1 is also connected to the vehicle's overall control system 21, "Vehicle control system", from which various information and control signals are supplied.

Information that is interesting for the seat system is, for example, if the parking brake is activated, if the vehicle is rolling, ie has a speed greater than zero, etc. The information is used, for example, to determine if the vehicle is rolling or stationary, and if the parking brake is not activated. chair 1 is not activated.

A first actuator, a seat adjustment motor 12a, is arranged to move the driver's seat in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle. The seat adjustment motor 12a is, for example, an electric motor and is arranged to be able to be operated extra quickly when rapid movement is activated to accelerate the movement of the seat 1 to a predetermined position. When the chair 1 reaches the desired position, this is detected by via a sensor 13. the control unit 11a, e.g. 10 15 20 25 30 535 896 12 An additional seat adjustment motor 12b is arranged to influence the inclination of the backrest 3 on the driver's seat 1. The seat adjustment motor 12b is also arranged to be able to be driven extra fast when rapid movement is activated to accelerate the movement of the backrest 3 to a predetermined position. When the backrest 3 reaches the predetermined position, this is detected by a sensor 13 and a feedback that the position has been reached takes place to the control unit 11a.

An additional seat adjustment motor 12c is arranged to lower the backrest 3 of the chair 1 completely so that the backrest 3 can be used as a table. The seat adjustment motor 12c is arranged to be able to be operated extra fast when rapid movement is activated to accelerate the movement of the backrest 3 to its predetermined position. When the backrest 3 reaches the position, this is detected by a sensor 13 and a feedback that the position has been reached takes place to the control unit 11a.

A steering wheel adjustment motor l2d is arranged to adjust the position of the vehicle's steering wheel (not shown), for example angling up the steering wheel, so that it is easier to pass in front of the seat 1 or to enable an angle of the seat 1 to have more space at rest / overnight. When the steering wheel and / or the chair 1 have reached their respective predetermined positions, this is detected by a sensor 13 and a feedback of the position change takes place to the control unit 11a.

A bed control motor 12e provides an adjustment of the vehicle bed (not shown), e.g. a contraction / folding of the bed, to further widen the floor space next to the bed so that movement is facilitated. It is also possible to initiate a folding up of the bed against the rear wall of the cabin in order to further maximize the space behind the seats 1. The bed guide motor 12e can of course also be used when pulling out or folding down the bed to a rest or sleeping position.

In the same way, seat adjustment motors l5a-c are arranged for regulating the corresponding functions of the passenger seat, but an additional seat adjustment motor l5d is arranged in the passenger seat to rotate it so that additional space is created for passing or for providing maximum space at rest / overnight or for to place the chair in a comfortable position. It is also possible to fold down the backrest completely to table function. The seat adjustment motor l5d is arranged to be able to be operated extra fast when fast movement is activated to speed up the adjustment. When the chair 1 reaches the predetermined position, this is detected by a sensor (not shown) and a feedback of the position takes place to the control unit 11b.

An alarm unit 22 is arranged to emit a light and / or sound signal when a fault has occurred in the control unit 10 and / or when a desired position of the chair 1, the backrest 3 or the steering wheel has been reached.

A sensor 13 can also be arranged in the seat 7 to detect if a person is sitting in the seat 1. Activation of this sensor can initiate that the seat 1 automatically returns to a predetermined driving position. Activation of the sensor 13 can also cause the system 10 to stop the ordered rapid movement of the chair 1 when there is a risk of squeezing for a person who happens to be sitting in the chair 1.

A memory control button 6d is arranged to store a desired, currently relevant, seat position in a memory 23 in the control system when activated. This position can, for example, be a desired sleeping position where the chair 1 is projected and the backrest 3 is tilted slightly forward. Figure 3 shows a simple flow chart of how the system according to the invention works step by step. When a control button for movement is activated manually, the system starts up 31 and a first check is made 32 of whether the seat can be moved in a safe way, ie it is checked that, for example, the vehicle does not roll and that the parking brake is activated. If these criteria are met, it is considered that the chair can be moved in a safe manner. Otherwise, the system terminates further activities. In the following steps, a check is made of which function is requested 33, ie which key in any of the control keypads in the vehicle has been activated. If an exit control button is activated, one or both seats are moved backwards from their current positions 34, for example from the driving position or from a projected "sleeping position", and the backrest is straightened if it was lowered. If the "sleep" button is activated, the chair moves forward 35, and the backrest folds down, to create maximum space next to the bed. If the drive mode button is activated, the seat is returned from the current position to the last known setting 36, e.g. driving mode, or another predetermined mode stored in memory (not shown). Thereafter, the system further terminates activities 37 and returns to standby mode pending the next button activation.

The description above is primarily intended to facilitate the understanding of the invention and is of course not limited to the stated embodiments, but also other variants of the invention are possible and conceivable within the scope of the inventive concept and the scope of subsequent claims.

Claims (9)

10 15 20 30 35 535 895 15 PAEENTKRKV 1. A system (10) for moving an electrically adjustable vehicle seat (1), preferably intended for a commercial vehicle provided with at least one bed or a passenger seat located at the rear of the vehicle cab, comprising at least one seat movable in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle (1) whose movement (12a-e), (14a-b) for controlling the electric motors of the chair is performed by one or more electric motors and an operating means (12a-e) to achieve different desired setting positions, characterized in that - at least one further operating means (2 ) is arranged easily accessible from the interior / rear space of the cab and is arranged substantially centrally in the interior space of the vehicle on, or in direct connection with, the driver 's seat (1) (10) move at least one of the vehicle's seats (1) a desired rear end position, (10 ) the seat (1) when entering and exiting the vehicle's cab. and / or the passenger seat, - that the system is arranged that upon actuation of the actuator (2) to and - that the system is arranged to facilitate passage in front of (10) characterized by, System according to claim 1, that the operating member (2) is arranged on or in direct connection with the backrest (3) of the driver's seat (1), preferably at the part of the backrest (3) which is directed towards the center of the cab. System (1) according to one of Claims 1 to 2, characterized in that the operating member (2) comprises at least one, but preferably several, operating buttons (6a-d). (10) characterized by, A system according to claim 1 or 3, wherein the actuator (2) is arranged on or at a bed or rear passenger seat arranged in the vehicle. 10 15 20 25 30 535 898 16 System (10) according to one of Claims 1 to 3, characterized in that at least the driver 's seat (1) has at least two operating means 2, 14a) for controlling the position settings and movement of the seat (1). System (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that at least one of the electric motors (12a-e) of the vehicle seat (1) is arranged to be able to be operated at at least two different speeds. System (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that when the actuator (2) is actuated, at least one of the vehicle seats (1) is moved rapidly to a desired front or rear position. System (10) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that a memory (23) is arranged to store predetermined setting positions for one or both vehicle seats (1). Vehicle comprising a system for controlling the setting position of an electrically adjustable vehicle seat (1) according to any one of claims 1-8.