Seat adjustment for easier opening of a vehicle glove compartment

Abstract

The invention relates to a system for a passenger car (1) for opening a glove compartment (2) of the passenger car (1), comprising a control unit (3) and an actuator (4) connected to the control unit (3) for adjusting a longitudinal position of a passenger seat (5), wherein the control unit (3) is designed to couple an opening of the glove compartment (2) with a control of the actuator (4) for moving the passenger seat (5) away from the glove compartment (2).

Description

[0001] The invention relates to a system for a passenger car for opening a glove compartment of the passenger car, as well as a method for opening a glove compartment of a passenger car.

[0002] A car's glove compartment is typically located in front of the passenger seat and below a console, i.e., the dashboard or instrument panel. Opening such a glove compartment can be difficult for a passenger, especially if the passenger is seated so far forward that their knees obstruct the opening. The passenger's size also plays a role; as their height increases, their knees tend to extend further from the passenger seat to the glove compartment. If this obstruction at least partially blocks the glove compartment, loading and unloading it is also limited.

[0003] DE 40 21 841 A1 relates in a broader context to a glove compartment for creating storage space in a motor vehicle, in particular a commercial vehicle or truck, which is arranged in front of a passenger seat, wherein the glove compartment is arranged to be essentially vertically adjustable depending on the position of the passenger seat. In one embodiment, DE 40 21 841 A1 describes that a control system for the drive to move the glove compartment is connected to an adjustment device of the passenger seat such that moving the seat forward causes the glove compartment to move upward and moving the seat backward causes the glove compartment to move downward.

[0004] The object of the invention is to solve the aforementioned problem of limited accessibility of a glove compartment in a passenger car due to blockage by the knee of a passenger in an alternative way.

[0005] The invention is defined by the features of the independent claims. Advantageous further developments and embodiments are the subject of the dependent claims.

[0006] A first aspect of the invention relates to a system for a passenger car for simplifying the opening of a glove compartment of the passenger car, comprising a control unit and an actuator connected to the control unit for adjusting a longitudinal position of a passenger seat, wherein the control unit is designed to couple an opening of the glove compartment with a control of the actuator for moving the passenger seat away from the glove compartment.

[0007] It is assumed that the glove compartment is located on an instrument panel in front of the passenger seat, so that a passenger present, as described above, may experience a limited opening of the glove compartment, especially if the passenger is seated very far forward, and particularly if the passenger is very tall. Furthermore, it is specifically assumed that when opened, the glove compartment moves at least partially towards the passenger's knee.

[0008] The system according to the first aspect of the invention solves the problem that the glove compartment can collide with the passenger's knee when opened, thus limiting the opening width of the glove compartment and causing ergonomic discomfort for the passenger. To prevent a collision between the glove compartment and one or both of the passenger's knees when opened, a control unit adjusts the position of the passenger seat to move the passenger and the seat further away from the glove compartment. This provides more clearance for the glove compartment to open unimpeded, allowing for full access and easy loading and unloading.

[0009] In this process, the passenger seat is moved along a longitudinal direction of the vehicle by means of the actuator, i.e., the distance between the passenger seat and the glove compartment increases, and thus also the distance between the passenger sitting in the passenger seat and the glove compartment.

[0010] The actuator can be electric, pneumatic, hydraulic, or otherwise. The actuator's specific operating principle is of secondary importance; in any case, it is connected to a control unit designed to actuate it. This control unit can then react to the opening of the glove compartment and conditionally activate the actuator.

[0011] It is an advantageous effect of the invention that the problem described at the outset can be easily avoided, namely that when opening the glove compartment, part of it collides with one or both knees of a passenger. Instead, the passenger has a very positive experience when using the passenger car.

[0012] According to an advantageous embodiment, the control unit is designed to couple a closing operation of the glove compartment with a control of the actuator to move the passenger seat towards the glove compartment, if previously the passenger seat has been moved away from the glove compartment with the help of the actuator.

[0013] According to this embodiment, the control unit is not only able to use the actuator's control signal to move the passenger seat away from the glove compartment, but also subsequently to move the passenger seat forward again after the glove compartment is closed, thus restoring the original state and seating position of the passenger seat. Advantageously, the control unit detects when the glove compartment is closed again in order to reverse the movement of the passenger seat position triggered by this event.

[0014] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the control unit is designed to detect an opening of the glove compartment when a trigger signal for automatic opening of the glove compartment occurs, and is designed to control the actuator for moving the passenger seat regardless of the current opening state of the glove compartment.

[0015] The trigger signal can be generated, for example, by manually pressing a switch, button, or similar device to initiate the opening of the glove compartment. It can also be triggered by voice control, gestures, or other means. These signals are accessible to the control unit, which recognizes the desired automatic opening of the glove compartment within this trigger signal. The control unit then conditionally activates the actuator to move the passenger seat. The actuator is preferably controlled by the control unit in such a way that the desired position increment is achieved by moving the passenger seat away from the glove compartment.

[0016] There are several possible ways to implement this: firstly, the passenger seat can be moved in response to the trigger signal without being functionally linked to or dependent on the current open state of the glove compartment. Secondly, the control unit can be designed to delay the opening of the glove compartment until the desired position of the passenger seat is reached, i.e., until the actuator movement has fully reached the desired position increment and the passenger seat, along with the passenger, is positioned a sufficient distance from the glove compartment.

[0017] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the trigger signal is generated by a user actuating a switching unit. As described above, the switching unit can be a push button, a switch, a push button, a proximity sensor, a voice control device, or the like.

[0018] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the glove compartment has a sensor unit for determining an open state of the glove compartment, wherein the control unit is designed to control the actuator in such a way that a displacement of the passenger seat is a function of the open state.

[0019] In contrast to the previous embodiment, in which the actuator is conditionally controlled by the control unit upon the trigger signal, here the control unit performs a function that mathematically maps the opening state of the glove compartment to a target displacement, and in an alternative embodiment additionally to a target displacement speed, of the passenger seat. Preferably, the target displacement speed is limited by software to a maximum permissible value, unless it is already limited in a local control unit of the actuator or elsewhere, or by limited movement speeds of the actuator itself.

[0020] For this purpose, appropriate sensors are necessary on the glove compartment if it is designed for actuated opening; the sensors can, for example, be arranged on a gear of a transmission, and in particular be designed as a rotary angle sensor to transmit a current opening state, in particular an opening width or an opening angle, of the glove compartment to the control unit, which uses this information as a function input and calculates a corresponding target displacement for the passenger seat by calculating the function value.

[0021] According to another advantageous embodiment, the function takes into account an opening state and an opening speed.

[0022] According to a further advantageous embodiment, the control unit is designed to actuate the actuator for moving the passenger seat away from the glove compartment only when all of the following conditions are met: A passenger is detected in the passenger seat, and there is no person on the rear seat behind the passenger seat.

[0023] The presence of the front passenger, or of another person in the rear seat behind the front passenger, is preferably detected by an interior camera. However, any other suitable sensor can also be used, such as a pressure sensor in the seat cushion of the front passenger seat or the rear seat. This prevents unnecessary movement of the front passenger seat. In particular, moving the front passenger seat backward, and thus away from the glove compartment, is unnecessary if there is no passenger in the front passenger seat, which also prevents the opening glove compartment from colliding with the front passenger's knee.Furthermore, if there is a person behind the front passenger on the rear seat, this person can be protected from a collision with the front passenger seat by an automatic reversal movement, by preventing the front passenger seat from moving backwards and thus towards the rear seat in such a case.

[0024] According to a further advantageous embodiment, a further condition is: a passenger in the front passenger seat is detected whose size meets a predefined first condition. This takes into account the particular risk factor of the passenger's size. If the passenger is sufficiently small, a collision between the opening glove compartment and the passenger's knee is unlikely to be impossible. The first condition is therefore advantageously defined as the passenger's height exceeding a predefined limit. Size ratios at the passenger's thighs and / or lower legs can also be determined, particularly with the aid of an interior camera.

[0025] According to a further advantageous embodiment, a further condition is: a passenger in the front passenger seat is detected whose longitudinal position fulfills a predefined second condition. The longitudinal position can be that of the passenger relative to the interior, as well as that of the passenger seat relative to the interior. In particular, the positions of one or both of the passenger's knees can be analyzed to determine their current longitudinal position relative to the vehicle's interior.

[0026] Another aspect of the invention relates to a method for opening a glove compartment of a passenger car, wherein a control unit detects an opening of the glove compartment and, upon detection of the opening, an actuator for moving the passenger seat away from the glove compartment is coupled with the opening of the glove compartment, if the following conditions A to D are all met: A: no person is detected on the rear seat behind the passenger seat; B: a passenger is detected in the passenger seat; C: the size of the passenger meets a predetermined first condition; D: the longitudinal position of the passenger meets a predetermined second condition.

[0027] Advantages and preferred further developments of the proposed procedure result from an analogous and substantive transfer of the above statements made in connection with the proposed system.

[0028] Further advantages, features and details will become apparent from the following description, in which - possibly with reference to the drawing - at least one embodiment is described in detail.

[0029] They show: Fig. 1: A method for opening a glove compartment according to an embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2: An exemplary scene of opening a glove compartment with a system for opening according to an embodiment of the invention.

[0030] The representations in the figures are schematic and not to scale.

[0031] Fig. Figure 1 shows a method for assisting the opening of a glove compartment 2 in a passenger car 1. The passenger car 1 is equipped with a control unit 3, which detects when the glove compartment 2 is opened (S1). Before the control unit 3 moves a passenger seat 5 of the passenger car 1 by controlling the actuator 4 connected to the passenger seat 5, it checks a series of conditions A to D, all of which must be met for the passenger seat 5 to be moved by the control unit 3. These conditions are thus connected by a logical "AND" operation, and the condition check is only successful if all conditions are met. Condition A checks whether a person is present on a rear seat behind the passenger seat 5. If this is the case, the check loop is restarted after the control unit 3 detects that the glove compartment 2 has been opened again.If no person is detected on a rear seat by a pressure sensor on the rear seat or an interior camera, condition B is checked. This condition is met if a passenger is detected in the front passenger seat 5. If condition B is not met, the check loop restarts, as if a person were present on the rear seat, after the control unit 3 detects another opening of the glove compartment 2. However, if the passenger is detected, condition C is checked to see if the passenger's size meets a predefined first condition. If the passenger is sufficiently large and thus meets condition C, condition D is checked. This condition is met if the passenger's longitudinal position meets a predefined second condition. If condition D is not met, the check loop restarts after the control unit 3 detects another opening of the glove compartment 2, and then restarts again later in step S1.Condition D is fulfilled, in particular, if the distance between the passenger seat 5 or the passenger themselves and the glove compartment 2 is too small. If all these conditions A to D are fulfilled, the control unit 3 activates the actuator 4 so that the passenger seat 5 moves a predetermined distance away from the glove compartment.

[0032] Fig. Figure 2 shows the interior of a passenger car 1 from the passenger side. The passenger car 1 has a system for simplified opening of its glove compartment 2. A control unit 3 of the passenger car 1 is used for this purpose. When a button on the glove compartment 2 is pressed to initiate its opening, an electrical signal is triggered and transmitted to the control unit 3. The control unit 3 is also connected to interior cameras to check whether a person is on the rear seat behind the front passenger seat 5, whether a passenger is in the front passenger seat 5, and whether the position of the front passenger seat 5 has moved forward far enough to exceed a predefined threshold.If no other person is detected on the rear seat, and a passenger is in the front passenger seat 5 whose position exceeds the threshold, the control unit 3 couples the opening of the glove compartment 2 with a movement of the front passenger seat 5 away from the glove compartment 2 by controlling an actuator 4. This movement of the front passenger seat 5 is in the . Fig. 2 is marked by a dashed horizontal arrow. In the position shown, as indicated, the glove compartment door 2 collides with the passenger's knee. Only when the passenger seat 5 is moved backward can the glove compartment door 2 open fully in front of the passenger's knee.

[0033] Although the invention has been further illustrated and explained in detail by means of preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited by the disclosed examples, and other variations can be derived from them by a person skilled in the art without departing from the scope of protection of the invention. It is therefore clear that a multitude of possible variations exist. It is also clear that the embodiments mentioned as examples are truly only examples and are not to be understood in any way as limiting, for example, the scope of protection, the possible applications, or the configuration of the invention.Rather, the preceding description and the description of the figures enable the person skilled in the art to implement the exemplary embodiments in concrete terms, whereby the person skilled in the art, with knowledge of the disclosed inventive concept, can make various changes, for example with regard to the function or the arrangement of individual elements mentioned in an exemplary embodiment, without leaving the scope of protection defined by the claims and their legal equivalents, such as further explanations in the description.

Claims

[1] System for a passenger car (1) for simplifying the opening of a glove compartment (2) of the passenger car (1), comprising a control unit (3) and an actuator (4) connected to the control unit (3) for adjusting a longitudinal position of a passenger seat (5), wherein the control unit (3) is configured to couple an opening of the glove compartment (2) with an actuation of the actuator (4) for moving the passenger seat (5) away from the glove compartment (2). [2] System according to claim 1, wherein the control unit (3) is configured to couple a closing operation of the glove compartment (2) with a control of the actuator (4) to move the passenger seat (5) towards the glove compartment (2) if the passenger seat (5) has previously been moved away from the glove compartment (2) by means of the actuator (4). [3] System according to one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the control unit (3) is configured to detect an opening of the glove compartment (2) when a trigger signal for automatic opening of the glove compartment (2) occurs, and is configured to control the actuator (4) for moving the passenger seat (5) independently of the current opening state of the glove compartment (2). [4] System according to claim 3, wherein the trigger signal is provided by actuating a switching unit by a user. [5] System according to one of claims 1 to 2, wherein the glove compartment (2) has a sensor unit for determining an open state of the glove compartment (2), wherein the control unit (3) is configured to control the actuator (4) such that a displacement of the passenger seat (5) is a function of the open state. [6] System according to claim 5, wherein the function takes into account an opening state and an opening speed. [7] System according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the control unit (3) is configured to actuate the actuator (4) to move the passenger seat (5) away from the glove compartment (2) only when all of the following conditions are met: A passenger is detected in the passenger seat (5), there is no person on the rear seat behind the passenger seat (5). [8] System according to claim 7, wherein a further condition is: a passenger is detected on the passenger seat (5) whose size meets a predetermined first condition. [9] System according to one of claims 7 to 8, wherein a further condition is: a passenger is detected on the passenger seat (5) whose longitudinal position satisfies a predetermined second condition. [10] Method for opening a glove compartment (2) of a passenger car (1), wherein a control unit (3) detects an opening of the glove compartment (2) (S1) and, upon detection of the opening, an actuator (4) for moving the front passenger seat (5) away from the glove compartment (2) is coupled with the opening of the glove compartment (2) (S2), if the following conditions A to D are all met: A: no person is detected on the rear seat behind the front passenger seat (5); B: a front passenger is detected on the front passenger seat (5); C: the size of the front passenger meets a predetermined first condition; D: the longitudinal position of the front passenger meets a predetermined second condition.

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