CONTROL DEVICE FOR ADJUSTING THE DRIVER'S SEAT OF A MOTOR VEHICLE WITH A DYNAMIC LIGHT-EMITTING VISUAL DISPLAY

Abstract: Control device for systems for adjusting the driver's seat (S) of a motor vehicle, including motor-driven actuator means (A1, A2, A3) operable by manual control members (1, 2, 3) to adjust the horizontal and vertical position of the seat (S) and the inclination of its backrest (s2), respectively. The device includes a light-emitting visual display (8) for indicat­ ing the adjusted position of the seat (S) and its backrest (s2).

Description: Control device for systems for adjusting the driver's seat of a motot vehicle with a light-emitting visual display associated with the control for the air conditioning of the passenger compartment of the vehicle. The present invention relates to control devices for systems for adjusting the driver's seat of a motor vehicle, of the type including motor-driven actuator means operable by manual control members to adjust the horizontal and vertical position of the seat and the inclination of its backrest, respectively. The object of the present invention is to provide a control device of the type specified above, which is able to provide the user with convenient and immediate information relating to the position of the seat so as to facilitate any adjustment of the seat itself. According to the invention, this object is achieved by virtue of the fact that the control device includes a light-emitting visual display for indicating the position of adjustment of the seat and its backrest. According to the invention, the device includes means for sensing the position of the seat and its backrest, and a control unit connected to the sensor means and the visual display and through which the control members actuate the motor-driven actuator means. According to another characteristic of the invention, the control unit includes memory means for storing data corresponding to at least one chosen position of adjustment of the seat and its backrest, and the control members include means for recalling the stored data to control automatically the actuation of the actuator means for disposing the seat in the position of adjustment. By virtue of this characteristic, the position of adjustment of the seat corresponding to use by a habitual user of the vehicle may be restored very conveniently and easily. Normally, the memory means are arranged to store two different chosen positions of adjustment. Further characteristics and advantages of the invention will become clear from the description which follows with reference to the appended drawings, provided purely by way of non-limiting example, in which: Figure 1 is a block schematic diagram illustrating a control device according to the invention, and Figure 2 is a perspective view illustrating a possible constructional embodiment of the control device. In Figure 1, the driver's seat of a motor vehicle is schematically indicated S and includes a squab 51 and a backrest 52 The seat S has a known type of adjusting system for varying its horizontal and vertical position and the inclination of the backrest s2 relative to the squab 51 In known manner, this system includes three motors, usually electric, indicated A1 (horizontal translation), A2 (vertical translation), and A3 (rotation of the backrest s2), respectively. Three control buttons 1, 2, 3 for three electric switches are provided for the actuation of the three motors A1, A2, A3. The control buttons are normally of the rocker type, and have a central neutral position and two active end positions in correspondence with which the respective electrical switch causes the actuation of the corresponding electric motor in one sense or in the opposite sense. This actuation occurs through a control unit, generally indicated 4, which may incorporate a microprocessor. Three transducers 5, 6, 7 are connected to the control unit 4 and are arranged to send to this control unit 4 electrical signals indicative of the position adopted by the seat S. In particular, the signals sent by the transducer 5 are indicative of the horizontal position of adjustment of the seat S, those sent by the sensor 6 are indicative of the vertical position of the seat S, and those sent by the transducer 7 are indicative of the position of adjustment of the backrest 52 relative to the squab sl. The transducers 5, 6, and 7 are of known type and may be operatively associated directly with the seat S or with the motors A1, A2 and A3. The signals from the transducers 5, 6 and 7 are processed by the control unit 4 and used to pilot a light-emitting visual display 8 for indicating the position of adjustment of the seat S. The light-emitting indicator 8 is arranged to provide a schematic representation in the form of a seat 9 the position of which corresponds to that of the seat S during and after the various adjustments. In order to render the identification of the position of adjustment of the seat S more immediate, the visual display 8 may have a reference representation corresponding, for example, to an ergonomically optimum position of the seat S relative to which the light-emitting representation 9 is moved. According to another aspect of the invention, the control unit 4 has a memory device 10 arranged to store data coming from the transducers 5, 6 and 7, corresponding to one or preferably two predetermined positions of adjustment, normally corresponding to the positions of the seat S used by habitual users of the vehicle. In order to enter this data into the memory device 10, two enabling buttons 11, 12 are provided which are connected to the control unit 4, by means of which the data corresponding to a first and a second position of adjustment of the seat S are stored by the device 10. This data may be recalled subsequently by means of two recall buttons 13, 14 also connected to the control unit 4, pressing of one or other of which causes the automatic actuation of the motors A1, A2 and A3 to dispose the seat S with its backrest 82 in one or other of the memorised positions of adjustment. Clearly, the deactivation of the motors A1, A2, A3 is effected automatically by the control unit 4 when the data sent thereto by the transducers 5, 6 and 7 corresponds exactly to one or other of the predetermined positions of adjustment selected by means of the corresponding buttons 13 and 14. It should be noted that the buttons 11 and 12 could be combined in a single rocker-type button, as could the buttons 13 and 14. Furthermore, it is possible to provide a greater number of memory buttons for storing a plurality of different predetermined positions of adjustment. When the squab 51 of the seat S has electrical heating resistors R, the light-emitting visual display 8 is to advantage provided with an indicator 15 actuated by the unit 4 while the resistors R are switched on by means of a control button 16 connected to the unit 4. Figure 2 illustrates a possible constructional embodiment of the device according to the invention, in the form of a control panel 17 which can be applied to the dashboard of a motor vehicle. On one side of this panel 17 are the control buttons 1, 2 and 3, the memory buttons 11 and 12, and the recall buttons 13 and 14, and the control button 16. As is seen in the drawing, the memory buttons 11 and 12 are combined in a single rocker-type button, as are the recall buttons 13 and 14. On the other side of the panel 17 is the light-emitting visual display 8 with the representation 9 of the seat and the representation 15 of the heating resistors R. It should be noted that the panel 17 also includes a central series of buttons, generally indicated 18, for controlling the air conditioning of the passenger compartment of the vehicle through the unit 4. These control buttons 18 have corresponding arrow- shaped representations, generally indicated 19, on the light-emitting visual display 8. The manner in which the representations 19 are actuated through the control buttons 18 to obtain an indication of variable hue is described and illustrated in Italian Utility Model Application No. 52906-B/84 by the same Applicants.

Claims: CLAIMS 1. Control device for systems for adjusting the driver's seat of a motor vehicle, including motor-driven actuator means operable by manual control members to adjust the horizontal and vertical position of the seat and the inclination of its backrest, respectively, characterised in that it includes a light-emitting visual display (8) for indicating the adjusted position of the seat (S) and its backrest 2. Device according to Claim 1, characterised in that it includes means (5, 6, 7) for sensing the position of the seat (S) and its backrest (s2), ), and a control unit (4) connected to the sensor means (5, 6, 7) and the visual display (8) and through which the control members (1, 2, 3) actuate the motor-driven actuator means (A1, A2, A3). 3. Device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the light-emitting visual display (8) is arranged to indicate variations in the adjustment of the seat (S) and its backrest (s2) relative to a reference position. 4. Device according to Claim 2, characterised in that the control unit (4) includes memory means (10) for storing data corresponding to at least one chosen position of adjustment of the seat (S) and its backrest and andthe control members include input means (11, 12) for entering the data into the memory means and means for recalling the stored data (13, 14) to control automatically the actuation of the actuator means (A1, A2, A3) for disposing the seat (S) and its backrest in the said position of adjustment memorised by the memory means (10). 5. Device according to any one of the preceding claims, in which the seat includes heater means in its squab, characterised in that the visual display (8) further includes a representation (15) for providing an indication of the switching-on of the heater means (R). 6. Device according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterised in that it is incorporated in a control panel (17) for the air-conditioning of the passenger compartment of a vehicle, with a variable-hue light-emitting visual display device.

Inventors: SBURLATI, LUIGI
Applicants: FIAT AUTO S.P.A.
Application year: 1985
Main classification: B60N1
IPC codes: B60N2, B60H1, H01H9