Operation and control device

Abstract

To reduce the size of a device for unlocking / locking a plurality of mechanisms.SOLUTION: In an operation control device 30, a first operation wire 26 for unlocking / locking a sliding mechanism and a second operation wire 28 for unlocking / unlocking a reclining mechanism are connected to a pulley 48. When the pulley 48 is forwardly and reversely rotated by a motor 46, a control unit 42 moves the first operation wire 26 and the second operation wire 28 by rotation of the pulley 48 from an initial position toward an unlocking position and rotation from the unlocking position toward the initial position in a forward rotation direction and a reverse rotation direction. This can achieve a reduced size of an operation control device 30 which performs unlocking / locking.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to an operation control device for a vehicle seat. [Background technology]

[0002] The operating module of the vehicle seat in Patent Document 1 is provided with a transmission member that is rotated by the operation of an actuator, and one end of a first drive cable and a second drive cable are connected to the transmission member. The transmission member is driven in a rotational direction for driving the first drive cable from a first locked position to a first unlocked position, and in a second rotational direction opposite to the first rotational direction for disposing the second drive cable from a second locked position to a second unlocked position.

[0003] The first drive cable and the second drive cable are respectively connected to a seat element movement mechanism such as a reclining mechanism and a sliding mechanism of the vehicle seat. The actuation module unlocks the seat element to which the first drive cable is connected by rotating the transmission member to an unlock position for the first drive cable, and unlocks the seat element to which the second drive cable is connected by rotating the transmission member to an unlock position for the second drive cable. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] U.S. Patent No. 10,232,745 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Incidentally, the operating module of Patent Document 1 is equipped with a springback mechanism, for example, using a spiral spring, attached to the transmission member, and the springback mechanism rotates the transmission member so that a first drive cable arranged in an unlocked position is arranged in a locked position, and rotates the transmission member so that a second drive cable arranged in an unlocked position is arranged in a locked position.

[0006] For this reason, in the operating module, the springback mechanism requires a large elastic force (biasing force) to rotate the transmission member and the actuator to which the transmission member is connected, and the actuator requires a driving force that can rotate the transmission member against the elastic force of the springback function, resulting in an increase in the size of the device.

[0007] The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and has as its object to provide an operation control device that can be made smaller in size for a vehicle seat or the like. [Means for solving the problem]

[0008] In order to achieve the above object, the present invention According to the first aspect The operation control device includes a first transmission member connected to a first displacement mechanism that locks to limit displacement of the first element and unlocks to allow displacement, and is moved in the locking and unlocking directions of the first displacement mechanism, and a second transmission member connected to a second displacement mechanism that locks to limit displacement of the second element and unlocks to allow displacement, and is moved in the locking and unlocking directions of the second displacement mechanism; It is a circle that rotates around the center of rotation, From the initial position in the first direction Rotation By this, the first transmission member is moved in a direction to unlock the first displacement mechanism, and at the same time, the first transmission member is moved in a second direction opposite to the first direction toward the initial position. Rotation By this, the first transmission member is moved in the locking direction of the first displacement mechanism, and the first transmission member is moved from the initial position to the second direction. Rotation By this, the second transmission member is moved in a direction to unlock the second displacement mechanism, and the second transmission member is moved in the first direction toward the initial position. Rotationan actuating member that, when actuated, moves the second transmission member in a locking direction of the second displacement mechanism; and To rotate An actuator; a detecting means that faces the operating member at a position radially inward from the outer periphery of the operating member and includes a first detecting means for detecting the initial position of the operating member; The operation of the actuator is controlled to move the operating member in the first direction and the second direction. Rotation to make At this time, the first detection means detects that the operating member has reached the initial position. and an operation control means.

[0009] According to the first aspect In the operation control device, a first displacement mechanism locks to limit the displacement of the first element and unlocks to allow displacement, and a second displacement mechanism locks to limit the displacement of the second element and unlocks to allow displacement. A first transmission member is connected to the first displacement mechanism, and the first displacement mechanism is unlocked when the first transmission member is moved in the unlocking direction, and the first displacement mechanism is locked when the first transmission member is moved in the locking direction. Furthermore, a second transmission member is connected to the second displacement mechanism, and the second displacement mechanism is unlocked when the second transmission member is moved in the unlocking direction, and the second displacement mechanism is locked when the second transmission member is moved in the locking direction.

[0010] The operation control device is configured such that at least the first displacement mechanism and the second displacement mechanism, and the first transmission member connected to the first displacement mechanism and the second transmission member connected to the second displacement mechanism are different. Furthermore, in the operation control device, the seat elements used as the first element and the second element may be different, such as a seat cushion and a seat back, or the seat cushion or the seat back may be used as the first element and the second element. In the latter case, it is sufficient that at least the direction and state of displacement are different. The first transmission member and the second transmission member are connected to an actuating member, and the actuating member is moved in a first direction and a second direction opposite to the first direction by an actuator operated by the operation control means.

[0011] Here, the actuating member is actuated in a first direction from an initial position. (Rotation) By this, the first transmission member is moved in the direction of unlocking the first displacement mechanism, and is operated in the second direction toward the initial position. (Rotation)When the actuating member is actuated in the second direction from the initial position, the first transmission member moves in the locking direction of the first displacement mechanism. When the actuating member is actuated in the second direction from the initial position, the second transmission member moves in the unlocking direction of the second displacement mechanism, and when actuated in the first direction toward the initial position, the second transmission member moves in the locking direction of the second displacement mechanism.

[0012] The actuating member is circular and rotates about the center of rotation by the operation of the actuator. Furthermore, the first detection means for detecting the initial position of the actuating member is located radially inward from the outer periphery of the circular actuating member, facing the actuating member. This prevents the movement range (rotation range) of the actuating member and the arrangement range of the first detection means from expanding, allowing for miniaturization. This allows the actuator to lock and unlock the first displacement mechanism and the second displacement mechanism, respectively, thereby simplifying the configuration for locking and unlocking the first displacement mechanism and the second displacement mechanism. and It can be made smaller.

[0013] According to the second aspect The operation control device is First Aspect a first operation switch that is operated when unlocking the first displacement mechanism and a second operation switch that is operated when unlocking the second displacement mechanism, and the operation control means controls the actuation member to move from the initial position in the first direction when the first operation switch is turned on to operate the actuator. Rotation When the first operation switch is turned from an ON operation to an OFF operation, the actuating member moves in the second direction toward the initial position. Rotation When a second operation switch is turned on, the actuating member moves from the initial position in the second direction. Rotation When the second operation switch is turned from an ON operation to an OFF operation, the actuating member moves in the first direction toward the initial position. Rotation Make it work like this.

[0014] According to the second aspect The operation control device includes a first operation switch that is operated to unlock the first displacement mechanism and a second operation switch that is operated to unlock the second displacement mechanism, and the operation control means activates the actuator in response to the operation of the first operation switch and the second operation switch.

[0015] Here, the operation control means operates the actuator so that the operating member moves in a first direction from an initial position when the first operation switch is turned on, and operates the actuator so that the operating member moves in a second direction toward the initial position when the first operation switch is turned off from on.Furthermore, the operation control means operates the actuator so that the operating member moves in the second direction from the initial position when the second operation switch is turned on, and operates the actuator so that the operating member moves in the first direction toward the initial position when the second operation switch is turned off from on.

[0016] This allows the first displacement mechanism and the second displacement mechanism to be smoothly unlocked and locked using a single actuator.

[0017] According to the third aspect The operation control device is First or second aspect In The detection means includes second detection means that faces the operating member radially inward from the outer periphery of the operating member and radially outward from the first detection means, and that detects each of a movement position of the operating member corresponding to unlocking of the first displacement mechanism and a movement position of the operating member corresponding to unlocking of the second displacement mechanism. .

[0020] According to the third aspect In the operation control device, the detection means The first detecting means detects the initial position of the operating member, and the second detecting means detects the initial position of the operating member. The movement position of the actuating member corresponding to the unlocking of the first displacement mechanism and the movement position of the actuating member corresponding to the unlocking of the second displacement mechanism are detected, thereby enabling smooth locking and unlocking.

[0021] According to the fourth aspect The operation control device is Third Aspect In the above, the actuating member is formed with a detectable portion that enables the detection means to detect each of the initial position, a movement position of the actuating member corresponding to the unlocking of the first displacement mechanism, and a movement position of the actuating member corresponding to the unlocking of the second displacement mechanism.

[0022] According to the fourth aspect In the operation control device, the actuating member is provided with a detection target, which makes it possible to easily detect the initial position of the actuating member, the movement position of the actuating member corresponding to the unlocking of the first displacement mechanism, and the movement position of the actuating member corresponding to the unlocking of the second displacement mechanism.

[0023] According to the fifth aspect The operation control device is First to fourth aspects Either 1 to The first element and the second element are a first seat element and a second seat element that can change the seating posture of a seated occupant by being displaced, respectively.

[0024] According to the fifth aspect The operation control device can lock and unlock the first seat element and the second seat element, which can change the seating position of the seated occupant, and the configuration for locking and unlocking the first seat element and the second seat element can be made compact. [Effects of the Invention]

[0025] As described above, according to the operation control device of the present invention, the first displacement mechanism and the second displacement mechanism can be selectively unlocked and locked by moving the actuating member in the first direction and the second direction based on the initial position of the actuating member, which has the advantage of making it possible to miniaturize the configuration for unlocking and locking. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0026] [Figure 1] 1 is a side view showing an outline of a vehicle seat according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a schematic configuration of an operation control device. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main parts of the operation control device. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the main parts of the operation control device. [Figure 5] FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the main parts of a control unit. [Figure 6] (A) to (C) are plan views showing the main parts of the operation control device, where (A) shows the initial position of the pulley, (B) shows the state of the pulley rotating in the forward direction, and (C) shows the state of the pulley rotated in the forward direction to the unlocked position. [Figure 7](A) to (C) are plan views showing the main parts of the operation control device, where (A) shows the initial position of the pulley, (B) shows the state of rotation in the reverse direction, and (C) shows the state of rotation in the reverse direction to the unlocked position. [Figure 8] 10 is a timing chart of the control unit showing the unlocking / locking of the slide mechanism. [Figure 9] 10 is a timing chart of the control unit showing the unlocking / locking of the reclining mechanism. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0027] An embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. 1 shows a schematic side view of a vehicle seat 10 according to this embodiment as seen in the vehicle width direction. In each drawing, the front side of the vehicle (front side in the longitudinal direction) is indicated by an arrow FR, and the upper side (upper side in the vertical direction) is indicated by an arrow UP. In the following description, the direction intersecting (orthogonal to) the vehicle longitudinal direction and the vertical direction is referred to as the vehicle width direction.

[0028] As shown in Fig. 1, a vehicle seat 10 according to this embodiment is arranged in the front seats (driver's seat and passenger seat) in a vehicle interior 12, and occupants are seated in the front seats. The vehicle seat 10 is not limited to the front seats, and may also be arranged in the rear seats. In the following description, the driver's seat and passenger seat will not be distinguished from each other.

[0029] The vehicle seat 10 includes a seat cushion 14 as one of a first seat element (displacement element, first element) and a second seat element (displacement element, second element), and a seat back 16 as the other of the first and second seat elements, with a headrest 16A attached to the seat back 16. The vehicle seat 10 also includes a slide mechanism (slide device) 18 as one of a first displacement mechanism and a second displacement mechanism, and a reclining mechanism (reclining device) 20 as the other of the first and second displacement mechanisms. The slide mechanism 18 is provided on the seat cushion 14, and the reclining mechanism 20 is provided between the seat cushion 14 and the seat back 16. In the following description, as an example, the slide mechanism 18 is referred to as the first displacement mechanism, and the reclining mechanism 20 is referred to as the second displacement mechanism.

[0030] A slide rail 22 is attached to a floor panel 12A inside the vehicle compartment 12, and the vehicle seat 10 is supported so as to be movable in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle by attaching a cushion frame (not shown) serving as a framework member of the seat cushion 14 to the slide rail 22. When the vehicle seat 10 (seat cushion 14) is placed in a locked state by the slide mechanism 18, it is locked to the slide rail 22 and movement in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle is restricted. When the lock by the slide mechanism 18 is released (unlocked), the vehicle seat 10 becomes movable (displaceable) in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle (see dashed line in FIG. 1 ).

[0031] The vehicle seat 10 has a shaft 24 disposed in the vehicle rear portion of the seat cushion 14, and the shaft 24 is attached to the cushion frame with its axis oriented in the vehicle width direction. The seat back 16 has a lower portion of a seat back frame (not shown) serving as a framework member rotatably supported by the shaft 24. This allows the seat back 16 of the vehicle seat 10 to rotate about the shaft 24 and tilt (displace) in the fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle (recline).

[0032] In the vehicle seat 10, the seat back 16 is locked by the reclining mechanism 20, so that the rotation (tilting) of the seat back 16 relative to the shaft 24 is restricted. In addition, when the lock by the reclining mechanism 20 is released, the vehicle seat 10 allows the seat back 16 to tilt relative to the shaft 24 (see the two-dot chain line in FIG. 1). Note that known configurations can be applied to the slide mechanism 18 and the reclining mechanism 20.

[0033] One end of a first actuating wire (first unlocking wire) 26 serving as a first transmission member is connected to the slide mechanism 18, and one end of a second actuating wire (second unlocking wire) 28 serving as a second transmission member is connected to the reclining mechanism 20. The first actuating wire 26 and the second actuating wire 28 are each movable to one side in the axial direction (pulling side) and the other side in the axial direction (push-back side).

[0034] The slide mechanism 18 is unlocked when the first actuating wire 26 is pulled (movement in the pull-out direction from the slide mechanism 18), and is locked when the first actuating wire 26 is pushed toward the slide mechanism 18, and remains locked until it is unlocked. In addition, the reclining mechanism 20 is unlocked when the second actuating wire 28 is pulled (movement in the pull-out direction from the reclining mechanism 20), and is locked when the second actuating wire 28 is pushed toward the reclining mechanism 20, and remains locked until it is unlocked.

[0035] Meanwhile, the vehicle seat 10 is equipped with an operation control device 30, which locks and unlocks the slide mechanism 18 and the reclining mechanism 20. Fig. 2 shows a perspective view of the exterior of the operation control device 30, and Fig. 3 shows an exploded perspective view of the main parts of the operation control device 30. Fig. 4 shows a plan view of the main parts of the operation control device 30.

[0036] 2 to 4, the operation control device 30 includes a casing 32. The casing 32 is formed into a hollow, approximately rectangular box-like shape by stacking a base body 34 and a lid body 36, each of which has an approximately rectangular box shape with one side open, with the open sides facing each other.

[0037] The base 34 is formed with a substantially rectangular bottom plate 38A, side walls 38B and 38C erected on the short sides of the bottom plate 38A, and side walls 38D and 38E erected on the long sides of the bottom plate 38A. The base 34 also has a plurality of flanges 38F extending outward from each of the short sides of the bottom plate 38A, and each of the flanges 38F has a through-hole 38G formed therethrough in the vertical direction. The casing 32 is fastened to the cushion frame (which may be the floor panel 12A) by bolts (not shown) inserted into the through-holes 38G of the flanges 38F and threaded into nuts. The casing 32 may have the lid 36 on the lower side, or the base 34 and the lid 36 may be arranged horizontally facing each other.

[0038] The operation control device 30 is provided with a drive unit 40 formed in a base 34 and a control unit 42 as operation control means for controlling the operation of the drive unit 40, and the control unit 42 is formed on a board (electric circuit board) 44. In the operation control device 30, the board 44 is disposed above the drive unit 40 (on the lid 36 side), and the drive unit 40 and the board 44 are housed in the casing 32.

[0039] The drive unit 40 includes a motor (electric motor) 46 as an actuator (drive source), a pulley 48 as an operating member and a rotating member, and a transmission unit 50 for transmitting the rotational force of the motor 46 to the pulley 48.

[0040] The motor 46 is attached to the bottom plate 38A (and side wall 38B) on one side wall 38B side so that the axis of the drive shaft 46A is along the side wall 38B, and a worm (screw gear) 52 is attached to the drive shaft 46A of the motor 46. The worm 52 rotates (forward and reverse) integrally with the drive shaft 46A of the motor 46.

[0041] The transmission unit 50 includes a two-stage gear 54 and a spur gear 56, with the two-stage gear 54 disposed on the motor 46 side and the spur gear 56 disposed on the opposite side of the two-stage gear 54 from the motor 46 (the side of the side wall 38C). A shaft 58A is inserted through the axial center of the two-stage gear 54, and a shaft 58B is inserted through the axial center of the spur gear 56. Both ends of the shafts 58A and 58B in the vertical axial direction are attached to the bottom plate 38A and the cover 36 of the base 34, respectively. As a result, the two-stage gear 54 and the spur gear 56 are attached to the casing 32 and supported rotatably about the shafts 58A and 58B, respectively.

[0042] The double gear 54 has a spur gear 54A disposed on the lower side and a worm wheel (helical gear) 54B, which has a larger diameter than the spur gear 54A, disposed on the upper side, with the spur gear 54A and the worm wheel 54B being integrated together. The worm wheel 54B of the double gear 54 is meshed with the worm 52, and the rotation of the worm 52 rotates the double gear 54 (worm wheel 54B and spur gear 54A).

[0043] A spur gear 56A having a larger diameter than the worm wheel 54B is formed on the spur gear 56, and the spur gear 56A is formed over approximately three-quarters of the circumference of the spur gear 56. The spur gear 56A of the spur gear 56 is meshed with the spur gear 54A of the double gear 54. A pulley 48 is disposed on the upper surface of the spur gear 56. The pulley 48 is attached to the spur gear 56, with a shaft 58B inserted through its axial center, so as to be rotatable relative to the shaft 58B.

[0044] As a result, in the drive unit 40, the rotation of the drive shaft 46A of the motor 46 is transmitted to the spur gear 56, and the pulley 48 rotates integrally with the spur gear 56. At this time, the rotation of the drive shaft 46A of the motor 46 in one direction and the other direction causes the pulley 48 to rotate in the forward direction (clockwise when viewed from above, in the direction of the arrow CW) and the reverse direction (counterclockwise when viewed from above, in the direction of the arrow CCW).

[0045] The pulley 48 and the spur gear 56 to which the pulley 48 is attached are set to initial positions (original position, home position). The initial position of the pulley 48 is based on a reference line C (shown by a dashed line in the drawing) that passes through the center of the shaft 58B (the rotation center of the pulley 48) and is set along the uncurved side wall 38D of the base 34, and the pulley 48 is positioned symmetrically with respect to the reference line C. Note that FIG. 4 shows the pulley 48 and spur gear 56 in their initial positions.

[0046] The spur gear 56 has a spur gear 56A formed on one side and the other side of the spur gear 56 in the circumferential direction about the reference line C in the initial position, so that the spur gear 56A has the same angular range. The pulley 48 also has a guide groove 60 formed on the outer peripheral surface on the side opposite the spur gear 56A (the side of the side wall 38C of the base 34) across the shaft 58B, and the guide groove 60 is formed over a range of approximately one-quarter of a circumference (a range of approximately half a circumference overall) on one side and the other side of the circumferential direction of the pulley 48 about the reference line C in the initial position.

[0047] On the other hand, the first operating wire 26 and the second operating wire 28 are connected to the pulley 48. The other ends of the first operating wire 26 and the second operating wire 28 are connected to the slide mechanism 18 and the reclining mechanism 20, respectively. Two wire holders 62 are attached to the side wall 38C of the base body 34. The first operating wire 26 is inserted into one of the wire holders 62 and supported so as to be movable in the axial direction, and the second operating wire 28 is inserted into the other wire holder 62 and supported so as to be movable in the axial direction.

[0048] Furthermore, a substantially cylindrical locking portion 64 is attached to each of the tip portions of the first actuating wire 26 and the second actuating wire 28. The tip side (locking portion 64 side) of the first actuating wire 26 is housed in the guide groove 60 of the pulley 48, and the locking portion 64 is locked to the outer periphery of the pulley 48. Furthermore, the tip side (locking portion 64 side) of the second actuating wire 28 is housed in the guide groove 60 of the pulley 48 on the opposite side of the shaft 58B (across the reference line C) from the first actuating wire 26, and the locking portion 64 is locked to the outer periphery of the pulley 48.

[0049] Therefore, when the pulley 48 is rotated in the forward direction (clockwise rotation about the shaft 58B when viewed from above, rotation in the direction of the arrow CW), the first operating wire 26 is wound around the pulley 48 and pulled into the casing 32. This moves the first operating wire 26 in the unlocking direction relative to the slide mechanism 18, and the slide mechanism 18 is unlocked.

[0050] Furthermore, when the pulley 48 is rotated in the reverse direction (counterclockwise rotation of the shaft 58B when viewed from above, rotation in the CCW direction indicated by the arrow), the first operating wire 26 is moved by the pulley 48 in a direction in which it is pushed out from the casing 32. As a result, the first operating wire 26 is moved in the locking direction relative to the slide mechanism 18, and the slide mechanism 18 is locked.

[0051] Similarly, when the pulley 48 is rotated in the reverse direction (CCW direction as indicated by the arrow), the second operating wire 28 is wound around the pulley 48 and pulled into the casing 32. This moves the second operating wire 28 in the unlocking direction relative to the reclining mechanism 20, unlocking the reclining mechanism 20.

[0052] Furthermore, when the pulley 48 is rotated in the forward direction (in the direction of the arrow CW), the second actuation wire 28 is moved in a direction to be pushed out from the casing 32. As a result, the second actuation wire 28 is moved in the locking direction relative to the reclining mechanism 20, and the reclining mechanism 20 is locked.

[0053] 5 is a circuit diagram showing a schematic configuration of the control unit 42 formed on the substrate 44. The motor 46 is electrically connected to the substrate 44, and an operation switch 66A and an operation switch 66B serving as a first operation switch and a second operation switch are also electrically connected to the substrate 44.

[0054] As shown in FIG. 1 , the operation switches 66A, 66B are disposed, for example, on the side of the seat cushion 14 of the vehicle seat 10. Momentary switches are used as the operation switches 66A, 66B, and the operation switches 66A, 66B close (turn on) their contacts when operated (for example, pressed) by an occupant, and open (turn off) their contacts when the pressing operation is released. Note that the operation switches 66A, 66B may be disposed in any position that can be easily operated by an occupant seated in the vehicle seat 10, and are not limited to being disposed on the side of the seat cushion 14, but may be disposed in various positions such as the shoulder portion of the seat back 16 (for example, the shoulder portion on the inner side in the vehicle width direction). Furthermore, the operation switches 66A, 66B may be disposed in any position that can be easily operated by an occupant seated in the vehicle seat 10.

[0055] The control unit 42 is also provided with a plurality of limit switches (four limit switches 68A, 68B, 68C, and 68D in this embodiment) as detection means for detecting the rotational position (rotational position) of the pulley 48. The limit switches 68A to 68D can be of a contact type in which the contact portion is pressed to move an internal plunger and switch the contact (from open to closed, or from closed to open).

[0056] The limit switches 68A to 68D are arranged on the surface of the substrate 44 facing the pulley 48, and are attached to the substrate 44 with their contact portions (not shown) facing the pulley 48. Furthermore, of the limit switches 68A to 68D, the limit switches 68C and 68D are arranged on the inner peripheral side of the pulley 48 (the shaft 58B side), and the limit switches 68A and 68B are arranged radially outward of the pulley 48 than the limit switches 68C and 68D.

[0057] A recess 70 is formed on the upper surface of the pulley 48 to turn off the limit switches 68A to 68D (keep the contact portions out of contact), and a protrusion 72 is formed protruding from the recess 70 to a predetermined height so as to turn on each of the limit switches 68A to 68D at a predetermined timing. In this embodiment, the protrusion 72 functions as a detected part, and the protrusion 72 has a flat protruding surface and an inclined surface formed on the recess 70 side so that the contact portions of the limit switches 68A to 68D can slide smoothly.

[0058] The recessed portion 70 and the protruding portion 72 are formed so that when the pulley 48 is in the initial position, each of the limit switches 68A to 68D is turned off.

[0059] The protrusion 72 also includes a substantially semicircular protrusion 72A that faces the limit switches 68C and 68D, and a protrusion 72B that extends radially outward from the protrusion 72A of the pulley 48 and faces the limit switches 68A and 68B.

[0060] The protrusion 72A is formed so that the limit switch 68C can detect whether the rotational position of the pulley 48 rotated in the forward direction has reached the initial position (locked position), and the limit switch 68D can detect whether the rotational position of the pulley 48 rotated in the reverse direction has reached the initial position.

[0061] The protrusion 72B is formed so that the limit switch 68B can detect whether the rotational position of the pulley 48 rotated in the forward direction has reached a position corresponding to the unlocked position of the slide mechanism 18, and the limit switch 68A can detect whether the rotational position of the pulley 48 rotated in the reverse direction has reached a position corresponding to the unlocked position of the reclining mechanism 20.

[0062] 5, the control unit 42 is operated by a 12V DC power supply supplied from the vehicle's DC power supply to the circuit board 44. Note that the control unit 42 is not limited to a configuration in which each electric element (electrical component) operates on a 12V power supply, and electric elements operating on a 5V power supply or the like may be used. In this case, the 12V voltage can be converted to a 5V voltage for use, which allows the circuit board 44 and the control unit 42 to be made smaller than when electric elements operating on a 12V power supply are used.

[0063] The control unit 42 is provided with a voltage conversion circuit 74, which converts the voltage (12V) input from the 12V power supply line 76A into a 5V power supply voltage and outputs it to the 5V power supply line 76B. As a result, the control unit 42 operates using the 12V power supply line 76A and the 5V power supply line 76B.

[0064] Operation switches 66A and 66B are connected to the circuit board 44, and the operation switches 66A and 66B each switch between a 12V power supply (VB) side and a ground (GND) side. Thus, when one of the operation switches 66A and 66B is operated (turned on), a voltage of 12V is applied to the circuit board 44.

[0065] The substrate 44 is provided with a pair of relays 78A, 78B and a pair of MOSFETs 80A, 80B. The operation switch 66A is connected to one contact of the relay 78A, and the drain D of the MOSFET 80A is connected to the other contact of the relay 78A. The source S of the MOSFET 80A is connected to the 12V power supply line 76A. Similarly, the operation switch 66B is connected to one contact of the relay 78B, and the drain D of the MOSFET 80B is connected to the other contact of the relay 78B. The source S of the MOSFET 80B is connected to the 12V power supply line 76A.

[0066] Furthermore, the motor 46 is connected between the drain D of the MOSFET 80A and the drain D of the MOSFET 80B. As a result, the 12V drive power supply is switched on / off and the polarity of the voltage applied when it is turned on is switched to the motor 46 according to the operation states of the operation switches 66A and 66B and the operating states of the MOSFETs 80A and 80B, and the motor 46 is switched between stopping, forward rotation, and reverse rotation.

[0067] Furthermore, the control unit 42 is provided with a comparator 82A, a latch circuit (SR latch circuit) 84A, an inverter 86A, a switch circuit 88A using a transistor, and a step-down circuit 90 that converts a voltage of 12 V to a voltage of 5 V on the MOSFET 80A side. Furthermore, limit switches 68A and 68C are connected to the MOSFET 80A side.

[0068] A limit switch 68C is connected to the positive terminal of the comparator 82A, and an operation switch 66B is connected to the negative terminal via a step-down circuit 90. A limit switch 68C is connected to an S (set) terminal of the latch circuit 84A via an inverter 86A, and a limit switch 68A is connected to an R (reset) terminal. An output terminal Q of the latch circuit 84A is connected to a coil 92A of the relay 78A.

[0069] The switch circuit 88A uses, for example, an npn-type transistor, with the collector C of the transistor connected to the 12 V power supply line 76A (not shown, but a voltage corresponding to the voltage of the coil 92A of the relay 78A, or a 5 V power supply line 76B) and the emitter E connected to the coil 92A of the relay 78A. The base B of the transistor is connected to the output terminal Q of the latch circuit 84A.

[0070] As a result, switch circuit 88A turns off when the output of output terminal Q of latch circuit 84A is at a low level, turning off relay 78A (contact open).Furthermore, switch circuit 88A turns on when the output of output terminal Q of latch circuit 84A is at a high level, turning on relay 78A (contact closed).

[0071] Similarly, the control unit 42 is provided, on the MOSFET 80B side, with a comparator 82B, a latch circuit (SR latch circuit) 84B, an inverter 86B, a switch circuit 88B using a transistor, and a step-down circuit 90. Also, limit switches 68B and 68D are connected to the MOSFET 80B side.

[0072] A limit switch 68D is connected to a positive terminal of the comparator 82B, and an operation switch 66A is connected to a negative terminal via a step-down circuit 90. A limit switch 68D is connected to an S (set) terminal of the latch circuit 84B via an inverter 86B, and a limit switch 68B is connected to an R (reset) terminal. An output terminal Q of the latch circuit 84B is connected to a coil 92B of the relay 78B.

[0073] Switch circuit 88B turns off when the output of output terminal Q of latch circuit 84B is at a low level, turning off relay 78B (contact open).Furthermore, switch circuit 88B turns on when the output of output terminal Q of latch circuit 84B is at a high level, turning on relay 78B (contact closed).

[0074] As the operation of this embodiment, the operation of the operation control device 30 will be described below with reference to FIGS. The vehicle seat 10 is provided with a slide mechanism 18 and a reclining mechanism 20, with the slide mechanism 18 connected to an operation control device 30 via a first operating wire 26, and the reclining mechanism 20 connected to the operation control device 30 via a second operating wire 28.

[0075] The slide mechanism 18 is unlocked when the first actuation wire 26 is pulled (axially moved toward the operation control device 30), and is placed in a locked state when the first actuation wire 26 is pushed (pushed back, loosened) (axially moved toward the slide mechanism 18), and the locked state is maintained. Similarly, the reclining mechanism 20 is unlocked when the second actuation wire 28 is pulled (axially moved toward the operation control device 30), and is placed in a locked state when the second actuation wire 28 is pushed, and the locked state is maintained.

[0076] The operation control device 30 locks / unlocks the slide mechanism 18 and the reclining mechanism 20 by controlling the movement of the first operating wire 26 and the second operating wire 28 in response to the operation of the operating switch 66A of the slide mechanism 18 and the operating switch 66B of the reclining mechanism 20 provided on the vehicle seat 10.

[0077] In the operation control device 30, the first operating wire 26 and the second operating wire 28 are connected to a pulley 48 rotated by a motor 46, and the rotation of the pulley 48 causes the first operating wire 26 and the second operating wire 28 to move axially in the unlocking direction and the locking direction, respectively.

[0078] The operation control device 30 is provided with limit switches 68A to 68D facing the pulley 48, and the pulley 48 is formed with a recess 70 and a protrusion 72 (72A, 72B) at positions corresponding to the limit switches 68A to 68D. As a result, in the operation control device 30, the limit switches 68A to 68D are turned on / off in accordance with the rotation (rotation position) of the pulley 48. The control unit 42 rotates the motor 46 in accordance with the operation of the operation switches 66A, 66B and the on / off of the limit switches 68A to 68D.

[0079] Figures 6(A) to 6(C) show, in plan views, the rotational state of the pulley 48 when the operation switch 66A for the slide mechanism 18 is operated, and Figures 7(A) to 7(C) show, in plan views, the rotational state of the pulley 48 when the operation switch 66B for the reclining mechanism 20 is operated. Note that Figures 6(A) and 7(A) show the initial position of the pulley 48, Figures 6(B) and 7(B) show the pulley 48 midway through its rotation, and Figures 6(C) and 7(C) show the pulley 48 in a state where it has rotated to the unlocked position.

[0080] Furthermore, Fig. 8 shows timing charts corresponding to Fig. 6(A) to Fig. 6(C), and Fig. 9 shows timing charts corresponding to Fig. 7(A) to Fig. 7(C). Note that in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, operation switches 66A, 66B and limit switches 68A, 68B, 68C, and 68D are represented as SW-A, SW-B, LS-A, LS-B, LS-C, and LS-D, respectively. Also, in Fig. 8 and Fig. 9, MOSFETs 80A, 80B, latch circuits 84A, 84B, and pulley 48 are represented as MOSFET-A, MOSFET-B, latch circuit A, latch circuit B, and pulley, respectively.

[0081] 6(A), 7(A), 8, and 9, when the pulley 48 is in the initial position, the limit switches 68A to 68D face the recessed portion 70 of the pulley 48, and the limit switches 68A to 68D are turned off. Therefore, when the operation switches 66A and 66B are turned off (GND side), the motor 46 is stopped.

[0082] Here, when the operation switch 66A for the slide mechanism 18 is turned on, a voltage of 12V is applied to the motor 46, with the operation switch 66A side being the positive polarity, since the operation switch 66B is turned off.

[0083] That is, because the limit switches 68A to 68D are off, the output terminals Q of the latch circuits 84A and 84B each go to a high level, causing the switch circuits 88A and 88B to turn on the relays 78A and 78B. This causes the motor 46 to operate so as to rotate the pulley 48 in the forward direction (rotation in the direction of the arrow CW). As a result, the forward-rotating pulley 48 pulls the first actuation wire 26 connected to the slide mechanism 18, thereby unlocking the slide mechanism 18.

[0084] 6(B), when pulley 48 starts to rotate in the forward direction, protrusion 72A of pulley 48 turns on limit switch 68D. At this time, latch circuit 84B maintains a high-level output, so that motor 46 continues to be driven. Furthermore, when pulley 48 rotates in the forward direction from the initial position, second actuation wire 28 is pushed toward reclining mechanism 20, but because reclining mechanism 20 is in the locked state, reclining mechanism 20 remains locked.

[0085] As the pulley 48 continues to rotate in the forward direction, the limit switch 68B comes into contact with the protrusion 72B and turns on (see FIG. 6C). When the limit switch 68B turns on, the latch circuit 84B is reset, and as the latch circuit 84B is reset, the switch circuit 88B turns off, and the relay 78B turns off.

[0086] This disconnects the motor 46 from the ground side and stops the motor 46. Stopping the motor 46 stops the rotation of the pulley 48, and the first operating wire 26 is held in an unlocked state.

[0087] On the other hand, when the sliding of the seat cushion 14 is completed and the operation switch 66A is turned off, the negative side of the comparator 82B becomes low level. At this time, the limit switch 68D is turned on, so the output of the comparator 82B becomes high level. This activates the MOSFET 80B, and a voltage of the opposite polarity to that when the operation switch 66A is turned on is applied to the motor 46.

[0088] This causes the motor 46 to operate to rotate the pulley 48 in the reverse direction, which in turn moves the first actuating wire 26 in the pushing direction. The slide mechanism 18 is locked when the first actuating wire 26 is pushed by the pulley 48. When the reversely rotating pulley 48 reaches its initial position, the limit switch 68D moves away from the protrusion 72A and turns off. At this time, the operation switches 66A and 66B are turned off, which stops the motor 46 and stops the reverse rotation of the pulley 48, holding the pulley 48 in its initial position. The reverse rotation of the pulley 48 also pulls the second actuating wire 28, but because the pulley 48 does not move beyond its initial position, the reclining mechanism 20 is not unlocked.

[0089] On the other hand, when the operation switch 66B for the reclining mechanism 20 is turned on, a voltage of 12V is applied to the motor 46, with the operation switch 66B side being the positive polarity, since the operation switch 66A is turned off.

[0090] That is, because limit switches 68A-68D are off, output terminals Q of latch circuits 84A and 84B each go high, causing switch circuits 88A and 88B to turn on relays 78A and 78B. As a result, motor 46 operates to rotate pulley 48 in the reverse direction (CCW direction), and the reverse-rotating pulley 48 pulls second actuation wire 28 connected to reclining mechanism 20. This unlocks reclining mechanism 20, allowing seat back 16 to be reclined.

[0091] Furthermore, when the pulley 48 starts to rotate in the reverse direction, the protrusion 72A of the pulley 48 comes into contact with the limit switch 68C, turning on the limit switch 68C (see FIG. 7(B)). At this time, the latch circuit 84A maintains a high-level output, so that the motor 46 continues to be driven. Furthermore, because the pulley 48 is rotating in the reverse direction from the initial position, the slide mechanism 18 remains locked.

[0092] As the pulley 48 continues to rotate in the reverse direction, the limit switch 68A comes into contact with the protrusion 72B and turns on (see FIG. 7C). When the limit switch 68A turns on, the latch circuit 84A is reset, the switch circuit 88A turns off, and the relay 78A turns off. This disconnects the motor 46 from the ground side and stops the motor 46.

[0093] Thereafter, when the operation switch 66B is turned off, the negative side of the comparator 82A goes low. At this time, the limit switch 68C is on, so the output of the comparator 82A goes high. This activates the MOSFET 80A, applying a voltage of the opposite polarity to that when the operation switch 66B is on to the motor 46, causing the motor 46 to operate to rotate the pulley 48 in the forward direction, and the pulley 48 moves the second actuating wire 28 in the pushing direction.

[0094] The reclining mechanism 20 is locked when the second actuation wire 28 is pressed by the pulley 48. When the pulley 48, which is rotating in the forward direction, reaches its initial position, the limit switch 68C separates from the protrusion 72A and turns off. At this time, the operation switches 66A and 66B are turned off, stopping the motor 46 and holding the pulley 48 in its initial position. Furthermore, the forward rotation of the pulley 48 pulls the first actuation wire 26, but because the pulley 48 does not move beyond its initial position, the slide mechanism 18 remains locked.

[0095] In this way, in the operation control device 30, the motor 46 is driven to rotate the pulley 48 in the forward direction, rotating it from the initial position to a position where the slide mechanism 18 is unlocked. This ensures that the slide mechanism 18 is unlocked. Also, in the operation control device 30, the motor 46 drives the pulley 48, which has rotated to the position where the slide mechanism 18 is unlocked, to return it to the initial position. This pushes the first actuating wire 26, causing the pulley 48 to reach the initial position, thereby locking the slide mechanism 18.

[0096] In addition, in the operation control device 30, the reclining mechanism 20 can be unlocked by rotating the pulley 48 in the reverse direction from the initial position, and the reversely rotated pulley 48 can be rotated in the forward direction to return to the initial position, thereby locking the unlocked reclining mechanism 20.

[0097] In this way, in the operation control device 30, when the operation switch 66A is turned on, the pulley 48 is rotated from the initial position to a position where the slide mechanism 18 is unlocked, and when the operation switch 66A that was turned on is turned off, the pulley 48 is returned to the initial position. Also, in the operation control device 30, when the operation switch 66B is turned on, the pulley 48 is rotated from the initial position to a position where the reclining mechanism 20 is unlocked, and when the operation switch 66B that was turned on is turned off, the pulley 48 is returned to the initial position.

[0098] As a result, the operation control device 30 can use one motor 46 to unlock / lock each of the slide mechanism 18 and the reclining mechanism 20. In this case, because the operation control device 30 uses one motor 46, the configuration for unlocking / locking each of the slide mechanism 18 and the reclining mechanism 20 can be simplified.

[0099] To unlock and lock the slide mechanism 18 and the reclining mechanism 20, multiple actuators and biasing means can be used. However, using multiple actuators and biasing means complicates the structure and increases the number of parts. Furthermore, if the actuator for unlocking and the actuator for locking are different, the load on each actuator increases, resulting in a larger device.

[0100] In contrast, the operation control device 30 uses a single motor 46, which prevents an increase in the number of parts, simplifies the configuration, and allows for a more compact device. Moreover, the motor 46 is only subjected to a load that pulls the first actuating wire 26 or the second actuating wire 28 in the unlocking direction via the pulley 48, so there is no need to increase the driving force of the motor 46, and the device can be made even more compact.

[0101] Furthermore, in the operation control device 30, the control unit 42 can unlock / lock the seat cushion 14 and the seat back 16 of the vehicle seat 10, making it easy to change the seating position. Furthermore, the operation control device 30 uses forward and reverse rotation of the pulley 48, so the space required for unlocking / locking can be narrowed, allowing for a compact design.

[0102] Furthermore, the operation control device 30 uses the limit switches 68A to 68D to detect the rotational position of the pulley 48, which makes it easy to detect the rotational position of the pulley 48. Furthermore, since the pulley 48 is formed with the protrusions 72A and 72B, the control unit 42 can accurately detect the rotational position of the pulley 48 using the limit switches 68A to 68D and drive the motor 46.

[0103] In the above-described embodiment, the sliding mechanism 18 of the seat cushion 14 and the reclining mechanism 20 of the seat back 16 in the vehicle seat 10 have been described as examples. However, the first seat element (first element) and the second seat element (second element) are not limited to different displacement elements, and a single displacement element may be applied. For example, the first displacement mechanism may be capable of displacing the displacement element up and down, and the second displacement mechanism may be capable of displacing the displacement element to one side in the horizontal direction. For example, the first displacement mechanism and the second displacement mechanism may be a combination of the sliding mechanism 18 of the seat cushion 14 and a lift mechanism that can move the seat cushion 14 up and down. Furthermore, the first displacement mechanism and the second displacement mechanism may be equipped with the sliding mechanism 18, the reclining mechanism 20, the lift mechanism, the tilt mechanism that rotates the seat, the ottoman mechanism that supports the calves of a passenger seated in the seat, a lumbar support function that supports the back of the passenger, etc.

[0104] In addition, in this embodiment, the pulley 48 that rotates in a circular shape has been described as an example of the actuating member. However, the actuating member may have other rotatable shapes, such as a rod shape. Furthermore, the actuation of the actuating member is not limited to rotational movement, and may be reciprocal movement in one direction. [Explanation of symbols]

[0105] 10 Vehicle seats 14 Seat cushion (one of the first element and the second element) 16 Seat back (the other of the first element and the second element) 18 Slide mechanism (one of the first displacement mechanism and the second displacement mechanism) 20 Reclining mechanism (the other of the first displacement mechanism and the second displacement mechanism) 26 First operating wire (first transmission member) 28 Second operating wire (second transmission member) 30 Operation control device 42 Control unit (operation control means) 46 Motor (actuator) 48 Pulley (operating member) 66A, 66B Operation switches (first and second operation switches) 68A~68D Limit switch (detection means) 72 (72A, 72B) Protruding part (detected part)

Claims

1. a first transmission member connected to a first displacement mechanism that performs locking to restrict displacement of the first element and unlocking to allow displacement, and that is moved in a locking direction and an unlocking direction of the first displacement mechanism; a second transmission member connected to a second displacement mechanism that performs locking to limit displacement of the second element and unlocking to allow displacement, and that is moved in a locking direction and an unlocking direction of the second displacement mechanism; an actuating member that is circular and rotates about an axis of rotation, and that moves the first transmission member in an unlocking direction of the first displacement mechanism when rotated in a first direction from an initial position, moves the first transmission member in a locking direction of the first displacement mechanism when rotated in a second direction opposite to the first direction toward the initial position, moves the second transmission member in the unlocking direction of the second displacement mechanism when rotated in the second direction from the initial position, and moves the second transmission member in the locking direction of the second displacement mechanism when rotated in the first direction toward the initial position; an actuator for rotating the operating member in the first direction and the second direction; a detecting means including a first detecting means facing the actuating member at a position radially inward from an outer periphery of the actuating member, for detecting the initial position of the actuating member; an operation control means for detecting, by the first detection means, that the operating member has reached the initial position when controlling the operation of the actuator to rotate the operating member in the first direction and the second direction; An operation control device including:

2. a first operation switch that is operated when unlocking the first displacement mechanism, and a second operation switch that is operated when unlocking the second displacement mechanism, 2. The operation control device according to claim 1, wherein, when the actuator is operated, the operation control means operates the operating member to rotate in the first direction from the initial position when the first operation switch is turned on, operates the operating member to rotate in the second direction toward the initial position when the first operation switch is turned off from the on operation, operates the operating member to rotate in the second direction from the initial position when the second operation switch is turned on, and operates the operating member to rotate in the first direction toward the initial position when the second operation switch is turned off from the on operation.

3. An operation control device as described in claim 1 or claim 2, wherein the detection means faces the operating member radially inward from the outer periphery of the operating member and radially outward from the first detection means, and includes second detection means for detecting each of a movement position corresponding to unlocking of the first displacement mechanism of the operating member and a movement position corresponding to unlocking of the second displacement mechanism of the operating member.

4. 4. The operation control device according to claim 3, wherein the actuating member is formed with a detectable portion that enables the detection means to detect each of the initial position, a movement position of the actuating member corresponding to unlocking of the first displacement mechanism, and a movement position of the actuating member corresponding to unlocking of the second displacement mechanism.

5. An operation control device described in any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the first element and the second element are a first seat element and a second seat element, respectively, that can change the seating posture of a seated occupant by displacing the first element and the second element.

Images