Classifications

• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/02—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable
  • B60N2/04—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable the whole seat being movable
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/02—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable
  • B60N2/0224—Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
  • B60N2/0244—Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation with logic circuits
  • B60N2/0248—Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation with logic circuits with memory of positions
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/02—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable
  • B60N2/0224—Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
  • B60N2/0226—User interfaces specially adapted for seat adjustment
  • B60N2/0228—Hand-activated mechanical switches
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/02—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable
  • B60N2/0224—Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
  • B60N2/0226—User interfaces specially adapted for seat adjustment
  • B60N2/0229—User interfaces specially adapted for seat adjustment characterised by the shape, e.g. switches having cushion or backrest shape
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/02—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable
  • B60N2/0224—Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
  • B60N2/0244—Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation with logic circuits
  • B60N2/0256—Arrangements for facilitating the occupant to get in or out of the vehicle, e.g. stowing a seat forward
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/02—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable
  • B60N2/0296—Central command actuator to selectively switch on or engage one of several special purpose circuits or mechanisms
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/02—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable
  • B60N2/04—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable the whole seat being movable
  • B60N2/06—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles the seat or part thereof being movable, e.g. adjustable the whole seat being movable slidable
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2/00—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles
  • B60N2/24—Seats specially adapted for vehicles; Arrangement or mounting of seats in vehicles for particular purposes or particular vehicles
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60P—VEHICLES ADAPTED FOR LOAD TRANSPORTATION OR TO TRANSPORT, TO CARRY, OR TO COMPRISE SPECIAL LOADS OR OBJECTS
  • B60P3/00—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects
  • B60P3/32—Vehicles adapted to transport, to carry or to comprise special loads or objects comprising living accommodation for people, e.g. caravans, camping, or like vehicles
  • B60P3/36—Auxiliary arrangements; Arrangements of living accommodation; Details
  • B60P3/38—Sleeping arrangements, e.g. living or sleeping accommodation on the roof of the vehicle
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2205/00—General mechanical or structural details
  • B60N2205/40—Dual or redundant actuating means, e.g. backrest tilting can be actuated alternatively by a lever at the backrest or a lever in the luggage compartment
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2210/00—Sensor types, e.g. for passenger detection systems or for controlling seats
  • B60N2210/10—Field detection presence sensors
• • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
  • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
  • B60N—SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
  • B60N2230/00—Communication or electronic aspects
  • B60N2230/20—Wireless data transmission

Definitions

• the present invention relates to a system and a device for making it easy for a vehicle seat to be moved to a desired position, e.g. a rear position, in order to facilitate entry to and exit from the vehicle.
• the invention relates also to a function for easily being able to adjust the vehicle's driving and passenger seats to a desired position, e.g. a forward position, so that the space in the cab behind them is
• the invention relates to operating means so arranged as to be easy to reach from different locations in the cab, particularly for a user who is in the space behind the seats.
• the invention is particularly intended for cabs of commercial vehicles which have at least one bunk or passenger seat situated in the rear of the cab and have electrically adjustable front seats.
• the invention relates also to a vehicle provided with a system or vehicle seat according to the invention.
• a commercial vehicle such as a truck which has a rear space for a bunk or a passenger seat it is desirable to have an easy way of moving one or both of the front seats in the cab to make it easier for the driver or passengers to pass in front of them when entering or leaving the vehicle, and to create more room in the rear space when it is for example to be used for resting or spending the night.
• This function involves pressing a button and thereby causing the driving seat to move forward to make it easier for a person to pass behind it in order to reach the rear seat.
• an extra circuit-breaker is so situated that it can be reached when the user is still outside the vehicle.
• the button has to be kept pressed for the whole period of movement of the seat, and the speed of its movement is the same as in normal longitudinal adjustment and is limited by the nominal speed and gearing of the electric motors.
• This function does not have the object of making room in front of the seats to make it easier to leave the rear space.
• DE19916091 describes for example a mechanical mechanism which is activated from the driving seat and thereupon moves the seat rearwards and the steering wheel upwards.
• the object is to make it easier for the driver to leave the vehicle from the driving seat.
• the mechanism is not intended for electrically adjustable seats.
• US6273494 describes a solution with signals transmitted by radio whereby the system monitors a person about to enter the vehicle and on that basis determines the position of the seat and then moves it in such a way as to facilitate entry.
• the invention does not describe any form of rapid movement for seats with electrical adjustment, nor does it have any fixed control which is easy to reach from, for example, a cab's rear space .
• US6401021 and US6460934 describes seat adjustment devices which automatically move the seat to a predetermined position when the seat /backrest is tilted forwards, i.e. when a
• the device is not appropriate to a truck in which the cab' s rear space is usually reached by passing in front of and between the seats.
• An object of the invention is to solve the above problem and propose a system and a device for control of electrically adjustable vehicle seats so as to achieve greater user
• Another object of the invention is that it should be easy for the movement of the seats to be initiated irrespective of whether the driver or passenger is on one of the
• a further object of the invention is that it should be
• a further object is that the system should entail no
• a further object of the invention is that it should be
• a further object of the invention is that the configuration should be functional, safe, cost-effective and easy to
• the invention is thus particularly intended for vehicle cabs provided with a rear space usually intended to be used for resting or the like, with at least one bunk or passenger seat situated in the rear of the cab, such that for resting
• the driving seat and/or the passenger seat should be easy and simple and/or quick to move to an extreme rear position in order to create more room in front of one or both of the seats, i.e. between the seats and the vehicle's instrument panel.
• the rapid movement is achieved by the electric motors in the seats being capable of running at at least two different speeds, viz. a normal speed for normal adjustment and a fast speed for rapid movement .
• electrically adjustable seats should function in a normal way, i.e. that their positions in the longitudinal direction and the settings in other respects for the seat and the backrest can be regulated in a usual way, e.g. via the normal operating means situated normally at the door side of the seats.
• the invention is achieved by at least one further operating means or set of operating buttons being so situated as to be easily reachable by a person who is in the cab's rear space.
• These further operating means may for example be situated with advantage on or beside the backrest of the driving or the passenger seat, preferably in the region of the backrest which is near to the middle of the cab, but they may also be
• the movement/change of position of the seats is achieved by means of the electric motors provided in a known way in the seat. Desired stop positions and desired extreme positions for the seat may be determined by using the operating means and be stored in a memory in the seat's control unit.
• the system may also be so arranged that, for example, a rapid brief pressure on an operating means causes the seat to move all the way to the extreme forward or rear position, whereas continuous activation of the operating means will cause the seat to only move while the operating means is activated, i.e. pressed .
• the advantages of the solution according to the invention are that it entails no reconfiguration of the seat's existing mechanical parts. This makes the novel solution easier, quicker and less expensive to implement.
• the operating means according to the invention also makes it possible to effect adjustment of other settings of the seat than merely its length adjustment in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, e.g. the angle of inclination of the backrest.
• Figure 1 depicts a side view obliquely from behind of a vehicle seat provided with a further operating means according to the invention with various operating buttons for setting at least one position of the seat.
• FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a control system according to the invention for moving and adjusting the seat.
• Figure 3 is a flowchart of the various steps effected
• Figure 1 depicts a side view obliquely from behind of a vehicle seat 1 provided with a further operating means 2, comprising various operating buttons, for regulating the setting position of the seat.
• the operating means 2 is situated on or adjacent to the seat 1 in such a way as to be easy to reach from the cab's rear space, e.g. from the bunk or passenger seat usually situated there (not depicted) .
• the operating means is situated on the backrest 3 of the driving seat, more specifically on the upper right side 4 of the backrest.
• the operating means 2 may of course also be situated otherwise in relation to the backrest, e.g. on the rear of the backrest or of the head restraint 5 or at the bottom of the side of the seat (not depicted) .
• the operating means 2 comprises in the embodiment example depicted four different operating buttons 6a-d provided with different symbols.
• a first operating button 6a is for moving the seat rearwards.
• a second operating button 6b is for moving the seat forwards. Briefly pressing these buttons 6a, b causes the seat to move to a predetermined forward or rear position depending on which button 6a, b is activated. The position may preferably be either of the particular seat's extreme positions. If either of the buttons 6a, b is instead kept pressed, the seat 1 will continue to move until the button is released.
• a third operating button 6c is adapted to initiating return movement of the seat to the original position, i.e. to the position in which the seat was before the movement was initiated.
• Figure 2 is a block diagram of the control system for moving and adjusting the position of a driving and/or passenger seat 1 in the vehicle's longitudinal direction, and/or for other possible seat settings, e.g. angled or height positions of the sitting portion 7 of the seat or its backrest 3.
• the control system 10 consists mainly of two seat control units 11, viz. a control unit 11a for the driving seat and a control unit lib for the passenger seat, to control the various actuators, usually electric motors, situated
• the electric motors are adapted to being able to rotate at two different speeds, viz. a higher speed and a lower speed.
• the control unit 11a for the driving seat controls the electric motors 12a-e connected to this unit on the basis of input signals from associated sensors 13 and other system components such as the further and ordinary operating means 2,14a.
• the control unit 11a for the driving seat is adapted to causing the passenger seat's control unit lib to control its electric motors 15a-d in coordination with the driving seat's electric motors 12a-e, e.g. in order to make it easier for occupants to pass in front of the seats or in order to create more room behind the seats for the purposes of resting/spending the night, or in order to change the backrest to a table function.
• passenger seat controls the seat's electric motors 15a-d in a similar way on the basis of input signals from connected system components, e.g. an ordinary and a further operating means 14b, 16 for the seat, and may also cause the driving seat's control unit 11a to control its electric motors 12a-e in a coordinated way so as, for example, to make it easier for occupants to pass, or to create more space adjacent to the bunk or change the backrest 3 to a table function.
• connected system components e.g. an ordinary and a further operating means 14b, 16 for the seat
• driving seat's control unit 11a to control its electric motors 12a-e in a coordinated way so as, for example, to make it easier for occupants to pass, or to create more space adjacent to the bunk or change the backrest 3 to a table function.
• the respective control units 11a for the driving seat and lib for the passenger seat exchange information and control signals via a connection 17 set up between them, e.g. in the form of a data bus.
• each vehicle seat comprising a "rapid movement operating means" 2,16 and an ordinary “seat settings operating means" 14a, b.
• the driving seat be equipped with two operating means but the passenger seat with only one operating means for seat settings.
• each operating means be configured to be able to activate rapid movement of one or both of the seats and that the "rapid movement operating means" be easy to reach from the cab' s rear space .
• An embodiment of the invention comprises also a wireless remote control 18 which can control the control units of the seats from both inside and outside the cab.
• the remote control 18 communicates with the control unit 11a via a transmitter 19 and receiver 20.
• the remote control 18 may be used to control substantially the same functions as those controlled via any of the operating means.
• the ordinary operating means for seat settings are situated at the entrance to the cab, in the form of a keypad (button set) situated on or beside the respective seat, on its door side, are easy to reach and operate whether before the user enters the cab or when he/she is already sitting on the seat, and are used during normal adjustment of the various portions of the seat. Operating buttons for rapid movement of the seat may also be incorporated in this keypad.
• the system for adjusting the seats is also connected to the vehicle's overall control system 21, which supplies various forms of information and control signals.
• relevant to the seat system comprises for example whether the parking brake is activated, whether the vehicle is in motion, i.e. has a speed greater than zero, etc. Such information is used for example to decide whether the vehicle is in motion or stationary, and rapid movement of the seat cannot be activated when the parking brake is not activated.
• a first actuator in the form of a seat adjustment motor 12a is adapted to moving the driving seat in the vehicle's
• the seat adjustment motor 12a is for example an electric motor arranged to be able to run extra fast when rapid movement is activated to accelerate the movement of the seat to a predetermined position. When the seat reaches the desired position, this is detected by the control unit 11a, e.g. via a sensor 13.
• a further seat adjustment motor 12b is provided to alter the angle of inclination of the driving seat.
• the motor 12b is likewise arranged to be able to run extra fast when rapid movement is activated to accelerate the movement of the backrest to a predetermined position.
• the backrest 3 reaches the predetermined position, this is detected by a sensor 13, and the fact that the position has been reached is fed back to the control unit 11a.
• a further seat adjustment motor 12c is provided to tilt the seat's backrest 3 all the way down to enable it to serve as a table.
• the motor 12c is arranged to be able to run extra fast when rapid movement is activated to accelerate the backrest's movement to its predetermined position. When the backrest 3 reaches that position, this is detected by a sensor 13, and the fact that the position has been reached is fed back to the control unit 11a.
• a steering wheel adjustment motor 12d is provided to adapt the position of the vehicle's steering wheel (not depicted), e.g. to angle it upwards to make it easier for a person to pass in front of the seat 1 or to make it possible to place the seat at an angle to create more room for resting/spending the night.
• the steering wheel and/or the seat have reached their respective predetermined positions, this is detected by a sensor 13 and the change of position is fed back to the control unit 11a.
• a bunk control motor 12e effects adjustment of the vehicle's bunk (not depicted), e.g. raising/lowering it, to further increase the floor area adjacent to the bunk and thereby facilitate occupant movements. It is also possible to
• the bunk control motor 12e may of course also be used when
• seat adjustment motors 15a-c are provided to regulate similar functions of the passenger seat, but a further seat adjustment motor 15d is provided in the passenger seat to rotate the seat so as to make more room for a person to pass, or to create maximum room for resting/spending the night, or to place the seat in a convenient position. It is also possible to tilt the backrest all the way down for table function.
• the seat adjustment motor 15d is arranged to be able to run extra fast when rapid movement is activated to accelerate the setting. When the seat reaches the
• An alarm unit 22 is provided to deliver an acoustic and/or lamp signal when a fault occurs in the control unit 10 and/or when a desired position for the seat, the backrest or the steering wheel is reached.
• a sensor 13 may also be provided in the seat's sitting portion 7 to detect whether someone is sitting on it. Activation of this sensor may initiate the seat's automatic return to a predetermined travel position. Activation of the sensor 13 may also cause the system 10 to halt rapid forward movement of the seat 1 which is already in progress when there is risk of trapping a person sitting on it.
• a memory operating button 6d is provided to, when activated, store in a memory 23 of the control system a desired seat position applicable at the time. This may for example be a desired sleep position in which the seat is pushed forward and its backrest is inclined somewhat forwards.
• Figure 3 is a simple flowchart of how the system according to the invention works step by step.
• an operating button for movement is activated manually 30
• the system starts up 31 and does a first check 32 that the seat can be moved safely, e.g. that the vehicle is not in motion and that the parking brake is activated. If these criteria are fulfilled, it is considered that movement of the seat can be effected safely, otherwise the system stops further activity.
• the next step is a check on which function is required 33, i.e.
• the seat is moved rearwards from its current position 34, e.g. from the travel position or from a pushed-forward "sleep position", and the backrest is raised up if it had been lowered. If the "sleep position" button is activated, the seat is moved forwards 35 and the backrest is lowered, to create maximum room adjacent to the bunk. If the travel position button is activated, the seat is moved back from its current position to the latest known setting 36, e.g. the travel position, or some other predetermined position stored in the memory (not depicted) .

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• Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
• Transportation (AREA)
• Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
• Aviation & Aerospace Engineering (AREA)
• Human Computer Interaction (AREA)
• Health & Medical Sciences (AREA)
• Public Health (AREA)
• Seats For Vehicles (AREA)

Priority Applications (3)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Publications (1)

Family

ID=46244969

Family Applications (1)

Country Status (5)

Cited By (10)

Families Citing this family (7)

Citations (6)

Family Cites Families (4)

• 2010
  • 2010-12-14 SE SE1051314A patent/SE535896C2/sv not_active IP Right Cessation
• 2011
  • 2011-12-02 WO PCT/SE2011/051471 patent/WO2012082052A1/en active Application Filing
  • 2011-12-02 BR BR112013013694A patent/BR112013013694A2/pt active Search and Examination
  • 2011-12-02 CN CN2011800601474A patent/CN103260941A/zh active Pending
  • 2011-12-02 EP EP11848544.0A patent/EP2651691A4/en not_active Withdrawn

Patent Citations (6)

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