Method for adjusting a vehicle seat of a vehicle and a vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a method (3) for adjusting a vehicle seat (4) of a vehicle (2) from an upright active driving position (B) intended for active driving to at least one reclined relaxation position (A, A1, A2) intended for relaxation and back. The invention also relates to a vehicle (2) with a control unit for carrying out the method (3).

Description

The invention relates to a method for adjusting a vehicle seat of a vehicle from an upright active driving position provided for active driving into at least one reclined relaxing position provided for relaxing and back. The invention also relates to a vehicle having a control unit for carrying out the method.The automated or autonomous driving redefines the requirements for functions and interactions in the vehicle and thus the role of the interior. The automated driving enables the user to use the time that has been used to actively drive for other activities. It is to be assumed here that the change between manual and automated driving has an effect on the social context and on the driving situation. A central problem here is the situational change from a reclined seating position during autonomous driving and / or during loading of the vehicle and / or during working and / or during reading to an upright seating position during active driving and vice versa.DE 102 38 656 A1 discloses an operating arrangement for a vehicle seat, which has an elongate operating panel and a plurality of operating elements. The operating elements are designed such that they can be distinguished by sensing their position or shape.DE 198 36 670 A1 discloses an operating unit for a vehicle seat having a plurality of operating elements for adjusting components of the vehicle seat. The operating elements are protected by a screen when not in use. To operate the operating elements, the panel is lowered via a button on the front side of the seat cushion.The object of the invention is therefore to specify an improved or at least alternative embodiment for a method of the generic type, in which the described disadvantages are overcome. The object of the invention is also to provide a vehicle having a control unit for carrying out the method.This object is achieved according to the invention by the subject matter of the independent claims. Advantageous embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.The method according to the invention is designed for adjusting a vehicle seat of a vehicle from an upright active driving position provided for active or manual driving into at least one reclined relaxing position provided for relaxing and vice versa. In the method, a user of the vehicle seat first actuates or displaces a switch from a neutral position in the direction of travel of the vehicle or counter to the direction of travel of the vehicle. When the switch is actuated counter to the direction of travel, the vehicle seat is adjusted into the at least one relaxed position counter to the direction of travel. When the switch is actuated in the direction of travel, the vehicle seat is moved back from the at least one relaxed position into the direction of travel. After the switch is actuated, the switch automatically moves back into the neutral position.With the method according to the invention, the vehicle seat can be intuitively adjusted into the relaxed position and into the active driving position. If the switch is actuated counter to the direction of travel, the vehicle seat also moves counter to the direction of travel or to the rear. If the switch is actuated in the direction of travel, the vehicle seat also moves in the direction of travel or forwards. As a result, the user of the vehicle seat can be provided with an intuitive and safe seat adjustment between the active driving position during manual or active driving and the relaxing position, for example during automated or autonomous driving and / or during loading of the vehicle and / or during working and / or during reading.In this case, when the switch is actuated, a switching signal can be transmitted to a control unit of the vehicle. The control unit can then receive and process the switching signal. Subsequently, the control unit can actuate the vehicle seat for adjustment depending on the received switching signal. The switching signal can be generated at the switch in different ways. Thus, the switch may be mechanical and the switching signal may be generated in the form of an electrical signal by closing electrical contacts. The implementation could be effected, for example, by sliding contacts, which can be closed by means of a contact bridge, or by microswitches or by Hall sensors or by optical distance sensors, such as TOF sensors, or by potentiometers or else differently.After the adjustment of the vehicle seat, its current position can be displayed on at least one display element of the switch. For example, for this purpose, the control unit can actuate the at least one display element of the switch accordingly. As a result, the user can recognize at the switch whether the vehicle seat is in the active driving position or in the at least one relaxing position.After the adjustment of the vehicle seat, its current position can be displayed on a central monitor of the vehicle. For example, for this purpose, the control unit can actuate the central monitor accordingly. As a result, the user can identify whether the vehicle seat is in the active driving position or in the at least one relaxing position.A current status of the switch can be displayed on at least one light element of the switch. For example, for this purpose, the control unit can actuate the at least one light element of the switch accordingly. For this purpose, the luminous element can illuminate when the switch is active and cannot illuminate when the switch is not active.The switch can be operated in multiple stages in the direction of travel of the vehicle and counter to the direction of travel of the vehicle. As a result, the vehicle seat can be adjustable from the active driving position into at least two different relaxation positions. As a result, the user can decide depending on the situation between a plurality of relaxation positions.The actuation of the switch can be haptically indicated for the user. In particular, the user can thereby haptically identify whether or not the adjustment of the vehicle seat is activated. For this purpose, the switch can be mechanical, for example, and the haptic indication can be realized via a ball-spring system of the switch.The switch can have a slide in the form of a hand-held drawbar. As a result, the switch can combine the function of a switch and a hand-held painter. As a result, several relevant functions can be bound in one element for the customer. Moreover, this solution can provide ergonomic and space-related advantages and extend an aesthetic clearance.The invention also relates to a vehicle having a vehicle seat and a control unit, wherein the vehicle seat has a switch for adjusting the vehicle seat and the control unit is designed to carry out the method described above.Further important features and advantages of the invention are evident from the dependent claims, from the drawings and from the associated description of the figures with reference to the drawings.It is understood that the features mentioned above and those still to be explained below can be used not only in the respectively specified combination, but also in other combinations or alone, without departing from the scope of the present invention.Preferred exemplary embodiments of the invention are illustrated in the drawings and are explained in more detail in the following description, wherein the same reference numerals refer to the same or similar or functionally the same components.In each case, diagrammatically show: FIGS. 1, 2 to 3 show views of a switch of a vehicle according to the invention in a first embodiment when carrying out a method according to the invention; FIGS. 4, 5 to 6 are views of the switch of the vehicle according to the invention in the first embodiment when carrying out the method according to the invention; FIG. 7 is a plan view of the switch of the vehicle according to the present invention in the first embodiment; FIG. 8 is a side view of the switch of the vehicle according to the invention in a second embodiment; FIG. 9 is a front view of the switch of the vehicle according to the present invention in the second embodiment; FIG. 10 shows a side view of the switch of the vehicle according to the invention in the second embodiment when carrying out the method according to the invention; FIG. 11 shows a plan view of the switch of the vehicle according to the invention in the second embodiment when carrying out the method according to the invention.FIGS. 1 to 6 show views of a switch 1 of a vehicle 2 according to the invention in a first embodiment during the execution of a method 3 according to the invention. The method 3 is designed here for adjusting a vehicle seat 4 of the vehicle 3 from an upright active driving position B provided for active or manual driving into a reclined relaxing position A provided for relaxing and back. The vehicle seat 4 of the vehicle 3 can be adjusted into the relaxation position A, for example, during automated or autonomous driving and / or during charging of the vehicle and / or during working and / or during reading.Referring to FIG. 1, the vehicle seat 4 is in the active driving position B and the switch 1 is in a neutral position. Referring to FIG. 2, the switch 1 is actuated by the user counter to the direction of travel FR-as indicated by the arrow-and the vehicle seat 4 is adjusted into the relaxed position A. Referring now to FIG. 3, the switch 1 automatically returns to the neutral position.Referring now to FIG. 4, the vehicle seat 4 is in the relaxed position A and the switch 1 is in the neutral position. Referring to FIG. 5, the switch 1 is operated by the user in the direction of travel FR-as indicated by the arrow-and the vehicle seat 4 is adjusted into the active driving position B. Referring now to FIG. 6, the switch 1 automatically returns to the neutral position.FIG. 7 is a plan view of the switch 1 of the vehicle 3 according to the present invention in the first embodiment. The switch 1 comprises a slide 6 and a switching block 7. the slide 6 can be displaced in a guide rail 8 of the switching block 7 in and counter to the direction of travel FR and can thereby be actuated. The switch 1 comprises a plurality-here four-display elements 5 on the switch block 7. two of the display elements 5 correspond to the relaxed position A and two of the display elements 5 correspond to the active driving position B. The display elements 5 can display the current position of the vehicle seat, for which purpose the corresponding display elements 5 can be illuminated.FIG. 8 shows a side view of the switch 1 of the vehicle 2 according to the invention in a second embodiment. In the second embodiment, the vehicle seat 4 of the vehicle 2 can be adjusted from the active driving position B into two different relaxation positions A 1 and A 2. For this purpose, the switch 1 can be actuated in two stages in the direction of travel FR and in two stages counter to the direction of travel FR. Otherwise, the actuation of the switch 1 and the adjustment of the vehicle seat 4 take place as described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.Five shift points 10 are formed in the guide rail 8 for the slide 6 which differ from one another and are spaced apart from one another in the direction of travel FR. In FIG. 8, the slide 6 is located at the middle switching point 10 and the switch 1 is located overall in the neutral position. For restoring the slide 6 to the central switching point 10 and the switch 1 into the neutral position, the switch 1 comprises a restoring system 9 with two counteracting springs.FIG. 9 is a front view of the switch 1 of the vehicle 2 according to the present invention in the second embodiment. It can be seen in FIG. 9 that the switch 1 comprises a ball-and-spring system 11. The ball-spring system 11 is arranged on the slide 6 of the switch 1 and comprises two springs 12 and two balls 13 loaded with the springs 12. In other words, the depressions 14 define the respective switching points 10. As a result, the position of the slide 6 or the actuation of the switch 1 can be communicated haptically to the user.FIG. 10 shows a side view of the switch 1 of the vehicle 2 according to the invention in the second embodiment when carrying out the method 3 according to the invention. If the slide 6 of the switch 1 is moved to one of the positions P1 to P4, a microswitch 15 assigned to the respective position P1 to P4 is actuated and a corresponding electrical switching signal is generated. The switching signal can then be transmitted to a control unit of the vehicle 2-not shown here-and the vehicle seat 4 can be adjusted according to the transmitted switching signal. No microswitch 15 is provided at the central switching point 10 or at the position P0. At the position P0, the above-described neutral position of the switch 1 is thereby defined.Referring to FIGS. 8 to 10, the switch 1 further includes a light emitting element 16 disposed on the slider 6. A current status of the switch 1 can be displayed on the light element 16.FIG. 11 shows a plan view of the switch 1 of the vehicle 2 according to the invention in the second embodiment when carrying out the method 3 according to the invention. the switch 1 here comprises a plurality-in this case six-display elements 5 on the switch block 7. two of the display elements 5 correspond to the relaxed position A 1, two of the display elements 5 correspond to the relaxed position A 2 and two of the display elements 5 correspond to the active driving position B. The current position of the vehicle seat can be displayed on the display elements 5, for which purpose the corresponding display elements 5 can be illuminated.References included in the specificationThis list of documents cited by the applicant has been produced in an automated manner and is only included for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent application or utility model application. The DPMA does not take any adhesion for any faults or omissions.Patent Literature citedDE 102 38 656 A1

[0003] DE 198 36 670 A1

[0004]

Claims

Method (3) for adjusting a vehicle seat (4) of a vehicle (2) from an upright active driving position (B) provided for active driving into at least one reclined relaxing position (A, A1, A2) provided for relaxing and back, - wherein a user of the vehicle seat (4) actuates a switch (1) from a neutral position in the direction of travel (FR) of the vehicle (2) or counter to the direction of travel (FR) of the vehicle (2), - wherein the vehicle seat (4) is adjusted counter to the direction of travel (FR) into the at least one relaxing position (A, A1, A2) counter to the direction of travel (FR) when the switch (1) is actuated; wherein the vehicle seat (4) is moved back from the at least one relaxed position (A, A1, A2) in the direction of travel (FR) when the switch (1) is actuated in the direction of travel (FR), and wherein the switch (1) automatically moves into the neutral position after the switch (1) is actuated.Method (3) according to Claim 1, characterized in that the switch (1) is actuated in the direction of travel (FR) of the vehicle (2) and counter to the direction of travel (FR) of the vehicle (2) in a multistage manner, with the result that the vehicle seat (4) can be adjusted from the active driving position (B) into at least two relaxation positions (A1, A2) which differ from one another.Method (3) according to Claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the actuation of the switch (1) is indicated haptically to the user, preferably by a ball-and-spring system (11) of the switch (1).Method (3) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized - in that, after the adjustment of the vehicle seat (4), its current position (A, A1, A2, B) is displayed on at least one display element (5) of the switch (1), and / or - in that, after the adjustment of the vehicle seat (4), its current position (A, A1, A2, B) is displayed on a central monitor of the vehicle (2), and / or - in that a current status of the switch (1) is displayed on at least one lighting element (16) of the switch (1).Vehicle (2) having a vehicle seat (4) and a control unit, wherein the vehicle seat (4) has a switch (1) for adjusting the vehicle seat (4) and the control unit is designed to carry out the method (3) according to one of the preceding claims.

Images