Vehicle Seat Position Control Under Cabin Space Constraints
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle seat adjustment systems in heavy-duty vehicles face challenges in adjusting seat positions to avoid negative interactions with cabin walls and consoles due to space restrictions, with recline and fore-aft positions often being independent and difficult to manage in tight environments.
Innovation Solution
An electronically controlled seat adjustment system that integrates detectors to determine seat positions and limits or adjusts these positions based on movement factors, using actuators to ensure compatibility with cabin constraints, allowing for automatic seat positioning based on fore-aft, recline, and swivel movements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the seat is allowed to fully recline or slide in known automotive seats, then the seat adjustment range is maximized, but the seat may collide with cabin walls and consoles in tight work vehicle environments
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustment of seat position limits based on the current recline angle. As the seat reclines, the system automatically reduces the available fore-aft travel distance, and vice versa. This dynamic coupling ensures the seat remains within safe boundaries throughout its range of motion, preventing collisions with cabin walls and consoles while maximizing usable adjustment range.
Solution Approach 2:
The system uses detectors to continuously monitor the current fore-aft position and recline angle of the seat. Based on this feedback, the controller calculates appropriate movement factors that define safe travel limits in each direction. This closed-loop feedback mechanism allows real-time adjustment of position constraints, enabling full adaptability without collision risks.
2Ease of operation
If independent control of fore-aft and recline positions is maintained, then control simplicity is preserved, but difficulty in managing seat position in tight environments increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the control of fore-aft and recline positions by implementing interdependent adjustment limits. The system combines what were previously independent controls into a unified system where the available range of one parameter depends on the current value of the other. This merging maintains operational simplicity for the user while automatically managing the complexity of position coordination to prevent collisions.
3Ease of operation
If automatic seat positioning system is implemented, then operator comfort is enhanced through intelligent adjustment, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system provides self-service automatic positioning by using detectors to monitor current seat position and automatically calculating appropriate movement factors and travel limits. The controller autonomously adjusts the available range of motion based on real-time seat configuration, eliminating the need for manual intervention or complex user programming while enhancing operator comfort through intelligent, adaptive positioning.
Data Source
AI summary
A system for controlling the position of a vehicle seat is disclosed. The system includes in network communication, an input device, a detection system, at least one controller, and at least one controllable device. The detection system measures a current value of at least one of the recline, fore-aft, or swivel position of the seat. The input device communicates to the controllers a desired value for at least one of these seat positions. The controller compares the measured value to a limiting value and the desired value and calculates a movement factor value. The movement factor value determines the communication between the controller and the controllable device. If the movement factor value falls into a range where the seat can be moved to the desired value, the controller signals the at least one controllable device to control the adjustment of at least one of the recline position, the fore-aft position, or the swivel position to the desired value. However, if the movement factor value falls outside a range where the seat can be moved to the desired value, the controller signals the at least one controllable device to limit the adjustment of the at least one of the recline position, the fore-aft position, or the swivel of the position.