Vehicle seat positioning system

Abstract

A system for controlling the position of a vehicle seat is disclosed. The system includes an input device, a detection system, at least one controller, and at least one controllable device in network communication. The detection system measures a current value of at least one of a seat's recline, fore-aft, or swivel position. The input device communicates a desired value for at least one of the seat positions to the controller. The controller compares the measured value with a limit value and the desired value and calculates a movement factor value. The movement factor value determines communication between the controller and the controllable device. If the movement factor value falls within a range in which the seat can be moved to the desired value, the controller sends a signal to the at least one controllable device to control adjustment of at least one of the recline, fore-aft, or swivel position to the desired value. However, if the movement factor value is outside the range in which the seat can be moved to the desired value, the controller sends a signal to the at least one controllable device to limit adjustment of at least one of the recline, fore-aft, or swivel position.

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application No. 63 / 076034, filed September 9, 2020, which is incorporated by reference in its entirety.

[0002] The present invention relates to vehicle seats, and more particularly to improvements in automatic positioning of vehicle seats in work vehicles. [Background technology]

[0003] FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE This disclosure relates generally to vehicle seat adjustment systems, and more particularly to systems and methods for electronically directing adjustment of one position of a vehicle seat based on another position of the vehicle seat.

[0004] Due to their size and configuration, many large vehicles, such as commercial semis, construction vehicles, and agricultural vehicles, have operator seats that are in tight environments. Although the seats are adjustable, in some environments it can be difficult to adjust the seat to the proper position to avoid adverse effects with the cabin walls or console. Seats known in the art allow the seat to be reclined or slid against the cabin walls, making it difficult to further adjust the seat for operator comfort.

[0005] Sliding and reclining positions for automobile seats are well known. Both can typically be controlled mechanically or electrically, but in known technology, the fore-aft position of the seat is independent of the reclining position. However, automobiles generally do not face the same space limitations as work vehicles.

[0006] In electronically controlled seats, the need to control the range of motion of one position of the seat based on another position of the seat remains unsolved, especially in enclosed space areas. Thus, there is a need for an active automatic seat position adjustment system that ensures that the various positions of the seat are adapted to the specific size of the vehicle cabin. Summary of the Invention

[0007] Therefore, what is needed is a seat positioning system that has limited ability to fully recline or swivel based on fore-aft position within the cabin, and vice versa, to provide a better experience for work vehicle operators by allowing them to quickly adjust their seats based on their specific preferences.

[0008] The present disclosure is directed to an electronically controlled seat adjustment system that controls the range of an adjustable seat variable based on a travel factor. Methods for implementing the system are also contemplated. Other aspects will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1 is a block diagram of components of the vehicle seat position system disclosed herein. [Diagram 2] 1 is an exemplary seat for a vehicle seat position system showing input devices as buttons. [Diagram 3] 1 is a touch screen input device for a vehicle seat position system. [Figure 4] 2 is a flowchart of a method for seat position adjustment according to the present disclosure, implemented by the seat position controller shown in FIG. 1 . DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] To promote an understanding of the principles of the present disclosure, reference will be made to the embodiments shown in the drawings and described in the following specification. It will be understood that no limitation to the scope of the present disclosure is intended thereby. It will be further understood that the present disclosure includes any changes and modifications to the illustrated embodiments, and further applications of the principles disclosed herein, as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the present disclosure pertains.

[0011] An electronically controlled vehicle seat positioning system is disclosed that determines a movement factor and restricts a particular seat position relative to other seat positions. The system accounts for various cabin constraints of individual vehicles and can accommodate various types of powered seats and cabin sizes. In one embodiment, the vehicle seat positioning system includes, in communication with each other, a seat for supporting an operator (wherein the seat is capable of at least two of electrically controlled automatic reclining, electrically controlled automatic fore-aft positioning, and electrically controlled automatic swivel), a controller, and at least one controllable device, and a detection system configured to determine a current position of the seat recline, seat fore-aft position, and / or seat swivel position. The detection system is operable to send a signal to the controller, and the controller is operable to send a signal to a controllable device, such as an actuator, to adjust the seat fore-aft, reclining, and / or swivel position based on the movement factor.

[0012] In one aspect of an electronically controlled seat positioning system such as that shown in FIG. 1, one or more detectors 10, 12, 14 provide information regarding the fore-aft, reclined, and / or swivel position of the seat. In a particular embodiment, a console detector 15 is contemplated. These detectors may be located on the seat or on the suspension, but as will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the location of the detector is not important as long as it is capable of transmitting information regarding the fore-aft, reclined, and / or swivel position of the seat or console position. The detectors may be switches, sensors, or motors.

[0013] The detectors 10, 12, 14 can measure the seat position value by resistance change or magnetic field change, or by digital pulse or sonar. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that the type of measurement method or value of the measurement is not limited as long as the measurement provides information about the actual position of the seat. In one embodiment, the detector outputs a ratiometric voltage based on the supply voltage and detector position. However, other detector outputs are contemplated, such as pulse width modulation (PWM), integrated circuit (I2C), serial peripheral interface (SPI), controller area network (CAN), local interconnect network (LIN), and other applicable current or digital outputs. As will be appreciated by those skilled in the art, the seat position detector can be various types of sensors and can be integrated in various ways as known in the art. The only limiting factor is that the seat position detector can sense the position of the seat in either a fore-aft position, a reclining position, or a swivel position. In some embodiments, the position detection is based on a time-based calculation, or a time and current draw calculation from a system actuator, such as when the system actuator is a powered motor.

[0014] In one embodiment, a single detector measures the fore-aft and recline positions of the seat. In another embodiment, one detector measures the fore-aft position of the seat and another detector measures the recline of the seat. The number of detectors is not limited. Also, the type of detector is not limited. Using a single potentiometer sensor as the detector has the advantage of providing accurate feedback immediately. In another embodiment, an accelerometer sensor can be used. However, in an embodiment using an accelerometer, the accelerometer data must be further converted to accurate position data, so the data using the accelerometer may be off from the real-time data. When dealing with safety-critical components, the use of multiple detectors may be important and the possibility of a detector failure is not acceptable. Examples include steer-by-wire or fly-by-wire systems.

[0015] Software or firmware in a processor, such as a processor in the vehicle seat position controller 16, receives signals, either current or voltage signals, from at least one of the detectors 10, 12, 14 and determines at least one position of the seat from the received signals, or at least determines a value indicative of at least one position of the seat. The controller 16 then calculates and converts these raw signals into engineering values. To determine the position of the seat, the raw signals can be voltages corresponding to distances, such as millimeters, or percentages of movement. The controller 16 monitors at least one position of the seat in real time. It then programmatically calculates a movement factor based on whether the current position is out of specification based on other positions, i.e., limit values. An in-specification value is a value within a predetermined tolerance range. For example, in different embodiments, this determination can be made using look-up tables and interpolated values, linear equations, or complex equations that determine acceptable position limits. In most embodiments, the complexity of these determinations is determined at least in part by the physical space constraints of the cabin environment, which can be pre-programmed into the system.

[0016] A vehicle seat positioning system according to the present disclosure is implemented by one or more controllable devices 18, 20, 22, 23. In one embodiment, the controller 16 is configured to instruct the actuators to move the position of the vehicle seat based on the movement factor. For example, if the desired position is outside the boundaries allowing free movement calculated in the movement factor value, the actuators may be instructed by the controller 16 to limit the fore-aft movement of the seat based on the current position of the seat recline. Or, based on the value of the movement factor, the controller 16 communicates with the controllable devices 18, 20, 22, 23 to move the seat reclining position based on the fore-aft position. In yet another embodiment, the actuators move the seat swivel position based on either the seat reclining or the fore-aft position.

[0017] The controller 16 can communicate either mandatory or preventative movement of the vehicle seat position according to the same principles. For example, if the vehicle seat is commanded to a maximum rearward value, the movement factor will be out of acceptable specifications and an actuator acting on a signal from the controller will prevent the seat from reclining beyond a certain level. In another embodiment, forward and rearward movement is prevented based on the value of the movement factor determined by the current recline of the seat. For example, if the recline is at a maximum position, the movement factor will be out of acceptable specifications and the controller will command the actuator not to move the seat to a maximum rearward position. In general, any actuator, such as an electric motor, capable of limiting movement or movement of a powered seat adjustment upon receiving a signal from the controller 16 is contemplated herein.

[0018] The desired position value of the seat is input using an input device that communicates with the controller 16. This desired position value can be a preprogrammed position known to provide the greatest comfort for most operators. It can also be an individual position preferred by an individual operator. In certain embodiments, the input device is a preprogrammed memory in the controller. In other embodiments, the input device is a knob or a touch screen. In certain embodiments, the controller signal to the actuator can be manually overridden by the operator setting the desired seat position via the input device. Examples of input devices that can be used with the present disclosure are shown in Figures 2 and 3. In Figure 2, button 31 represents a forward / backward slide input device and button 33 represents a recline input device. In an example of an override using a touch screen such as touch screen 30 shown in Figure 3, the operator sets the desired seat position via a human machine interface (HMI) and the resulting signal is sent to the controller 16 to command the seat actuators 18, 20, 22, 23 to adjust the seat to the desired position without calculating a movement factor. Different zones of the touch screen 30 correspond to buttons 31 and 33. For example, touch screen zone 35 is a forward / backward slide input and touch screen zone 37 is a recline input. In some embodiments, the operator cannot override the system.

[0019] As an example, the system directs the steps according to the flowchart shown in FIG. 4. Referring to FIG. 4, in a first series of steps, the controller 16 determines whether the seat positioning system is functional (step 1). If the system is not functional, the seat is positioned based only on the operator or pre-programmed input. If the system is functional, information regarding one position of the seat is detected. If the operator has set a desired position via an input device of a functional system, in this example, the system determines which seat position has been set by the operator (i.e., the fore-aft position (position 1) or the reclining position (position 2) (step 2). Based on the detection of position 1 or position 2, the controller 16 calculates the movement coefficients to determine whether the positions of the different components need to be limited (step 3) or forced (step 4). If the movement coefficients are outside of the acceptable parameters and position 1 or position 2 needs to be limited or forced, the controller 16 communicates with the actuators 18 / 20 to limit or force the other positions (step 5 / step 6). The positions that can be used to limit or force are based on the appropriate movement coefficient values ​​that allow the seat to be positioned within a limited area and without adversely affecting the cabin walls, consoles, etc.

[0020] The controller 16 may communicate directly or indirectly with the various components of the system. For direct communication, components such as the detectors 10, 12, 14, 15 and the actuators 18, 20, 22, 23 may be directly connected to the controller by appropriate wiring. Communication with the controller 16 may be based on analog or digital signals and may follow various communication protocols such as LIN, CAN, UART, SPI, etc. Alternatively, communication between the controller 16 and certain system components may be wireless using various known wireless communication protocols.

[0021] As shown herein, a single controller 16 is disclosed. However, there is no limit to the number of controllers in the system. For example, there may be two controllers, such as parent / child. In this situation, the controllers collect data but wait for instructions from the parent controller before directing actuator movement. In another embodiment, one controller collects position information, while the other controller is responsible for directing actuator movement. In yet another embodiment, i.e., if the vehicle has multiple seats, there may be one parent controller and several child controllers.

[0022] In one embodiment, when the vehicle is on, the controller 16 is configured to continuously execute the steps illustrated by the flow chart loop of Figure 4. In certain scenarios, the operator may need to power on the system by simply turning the key. The system may also be turned off by the operator using an input device.

[0023] This disclosure is to be considered illustrative and not restrictive, with the understanding that only certain embodiments have been presented, and that all changes, modifications, and further applications that come within the spirit of the disclosure are desired to be protected.

Claims

1. A system for controlling a vehicle seat position adjustment in a work vehicle, comprising: a vehicle seat, an input device, a detection system, at least one controller, and at least one controllable device, all constructed and configured in network communication; the input device communicates to the at least one controller a desired value for at least one of a reclining position of the vehicle seat, a fore-aft position of the vehicle seat, or a swivel position of the vehicle seat; the sensing system measures a current value of at least one of a reclining position of the vehicle seat, a fore-aft position of the vehicle seat, or a swivel position of the vehicle seat, and communicates the measured current value to the at least one controller; the at least one controller compares the measured current value with a limit value and the desired value and calculates a shift factor value, the shift factor value determining communication between the at least one controller and the at least one controllable device; if the displacement factor value falls within a range that allows the vehicle seat to be displaced to the desired value, the controller sends a signal to the at least one controllable device to control an adjustment of at least one of a reclining position of the vehicle seat, a fore-aft position of the vehicle seat, or a swivel position of the vehicle seat to the desired value; If the movement factor value is outside of a range that allows the vehicle seat to be moved to the desired value, the controller sends a signal to the at least one controllable device to limit or force adjustment of at least one of a reclining position of the vehicle seat, a fore-aft position of the vehicle seat, or a swivel position of the vehicle seat.

2. The system of claim 1 further comprising a console, the location of the console being detected by the detection system.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the detection system is a sensor.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the controllable device is an actuator.

5. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the input device is a memory in the controller operable to store a desired reclined, fore-aft, or swivel position of the vehicle seat.

6. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein a desired reclining, fore-aft, or swivel position of the vehicle seat is preloaded into the memory.

7. The system of claim 5 , wherein the desired reclining, fore-aft, or swivel position of the vehicle seat is set by an operator.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the input device is a touch screen.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the input device is a knob.

10. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the detection system includes two detectors, one detector for measuring a reclined position of the vehicle seat and another detector for measuring a fore-aft position of the vehicle seat.

11. A method for adjusting a seat in a work vehicle, comprising: inputting at least one desired position of a seat reclining position, a seat fore-aft position, or a seat swivel position; determining a current position of at least one of a reclining position of the seat, a fore-aft position of the seat, or a swivel position of the seat; calculating a movement value based on the desired position, the current position, and a predetermined limit range; activating a controllable device to adjust at least one of a reclining position of the seat, a fore-aft position of the seat, or a swivel position of the seat; Including, if the movement value falls within the predetermined limit range, the controllable device adjusts a current position of at least one of the seat reclining position, the seat fore-aft position, or the seat swivel position to the desired position; The method, wherein the controllable device limits or forces an adjustment of a current position of at least one of the seat reclining position, the seat fore-aft position, or the seat swivel position if the movement value is outside the predetermined limit range.

12. An apparatus for controlling adjustment of a vehicle seat position in a work vehicle, comprising: a) at least one input device that communicates a desired position of at least one of a reclining position of the vehicle seat, a fore-aft position of the vehicle seat, or a swivel position of the vehicle seat; b) a detection system that communicates a current position value of at least one of a reclining position of the vehicle seat, a fore-aft position of the vehicle seat, or a swivel position of the vehicle seat; and c) at least one controller operatively connected to the at least one input device and the detection system, the controller being configured to receive and process information from the at least one input device and the detection system, the controller comprising: i) calculating the transfer coefficient value; ii) a controller that automatically instructs a controllable device if the displacement factor value differs from the desired position, and the controllable device is instructed to force or limit adjustment of at least one of a reclining position of the vehicle seat, a fore-aft position of the vehicle seat, or a swivel position of the vehicle seat; An apparatus comprising:

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