EP0257538B2 - Switching arrangement in motor vehicles - Google Patents

Description

The invention relates to a switching arrangement according to the preamble of patent claim 1.

Such switching arrangements are common in motor vehicles. With the help of the control units, equipment components, which are, for example, electrically adjustable seats, window regulators or sliding / lifting roofs, are moved into their positions of use that can be individually preset by the respective vehicle user or user-independent end lengths. At an arbitrary command, several actuators of one piece of equipment or similar pieces of equipment are moved simultaneously. For example, at the push of a button, the driver's seat can be adjusted at the same time with regard to the backrest angle and seat height, the inside and outside rearview mirror and the headrest.

Problems can arise particularly when safety-critical situations arise during the movement of the equipment components. This is the case, for example, if the sunroof and the windows are moved into their closed position at the same time and there is a risk of being trapped by a person in or on the motor vehicle. In this case, it is necessary in conventional switching arrangements to actuate the associated switch in the corresponding manner. However, finding the right switch is often difficult. Switches for other actuators are often operated. This causes panic for the vehicle user or increases the existing one.

From EP 0 128 075 A1 it is known to switch off a single motor, which automatically transfers an equipment component of a motor vehicle into an end position, with the aid of a separate switch if necessary. It is then possible to switch the motor on again using another switch.

From DE 32 26 597 A1 a control device for a plurality of servomotors of a motor vehicle is known, with which a first or second group of motors can be alternately selected with the aid of a group selector switch and switched on or off together. A safety device that is also effective and that, for example, switches off a motor individually, is not provided.

In vehicles from Audi, a memory seat adjustment was used before the filing date, in which it is possible to move several pieces of equipment together into a pre-programmed individual position using a memory button. If another memory button is pressed while the components are being set, the adjustment process that was initiated is interrupted. In addition, switches are provided with which the equipment components can be individually adjusted. If such a switch is actuated during the said collective adjustment process, this has no effect on this adjustment process.

The invention has for its object to provide a switching arrangement of the type mentioned that the equipment components shut down easily and safely when necessary.

The invention solves this problem by the characterizing features of patent claim 1.

In contrast to the known switching arrangement, it is now no longer necessary to find the correct switch and operate it in the correct way. The actuation of any of the switches switches off all control units belonging to the respective functional group and thus shuts down the equipment components. This not only avoids panic among vehicle users, it also opens up the possibility of triggering the automatic movements without taking a closer look. Due to the safety provided by the possible simplified shutdown of the equipment components, the vehicle user also has a feeling of safety with regard to the triggering of the automatic movement processes.

An improvement of the invention consists in switching off the equipment components immediately when one of the switches is actuated. In contrast to the possible further movement of the equipment component up to a safe distance from the end position when this switch is actuated, this opens up the possibility of also stopping the Control equipment components in a targeted manner. In this way, the desired intermediate positions of the equipment components can also be easily achieved.

A further embodiment of the invention consists in leaving the switched-off plug element in this state for a delay time. This makes it possible to eliminate any critical condition that may exist without the risk of the actuator being switched on again unintentionally.

However, the actuator can also be switched on again during the delay time by means of the associated switch. This makes it possible to consciously move the equipment component again before the delay time has elapsed and, for example, to move the equipment component in the opposite direction.

In the drawing, an embodiment of the invention is shown.

The single figure shows schematically the basic structure of the switching arrangement according to the invention.

Several actuating components, for example in the form of an electrically adjustable window 2, a door 1 and an electrically adjustable sliding roof 3 for a roof opening 4 of the motor vehicle, are assigned electrical actuators in the form of electric motors 5 and 6, respectively. With the aid of a manually operable switch 7 and 8, the electric motors 5 and 6 can be switched on and move the window 2 or the sunroof 3 in the open or closed position. For the sake of clarity, only the circuitry structure for the movement of the electric motors 5 and 6 in the closed position is shown.

Instead of the individual adjustability of the window lifter 2 or the sunroof 3, there is the possibility, at an arbitrary command, of moving all of the associated equipment components into a predetermined position. For windows and sunroofs as a group of related equipment components, this is, for example, their closed position. In the case of an electrically adjustable seat, this is the adjustment of the seat, the backrest and the headrest in preselected positions of use.

This common adjustment of related equipment components takes place with the aid of a central switch 9, with which control units belonging to the equipment components are controlled together. The control units in turn automatically carry out the movement of the associated equipment component into the end position. For this purpose, the control unit 10 or 10 'for the electric motor 5 or 6 consists, for example, of a flip-flop 11 or 11' with a downstream target / actual comparator 12 or 12 'which switches the electric motor 5 or 6. This is additionally provided with a rotary position transmitter 13 or 13 ', the output signal of which is a measure of the position of the window 2 or the sliding roof 3 and which is attributed to the comparator 12 or 12'.

If the flip-flop 11 or 11 'is triggered by the switch 9, it drives the comparator 12 or 12' until it receives an output signal from the Receivers 13 or 13 ', which corresponds to the closed position of the window 2 or the sunroof 3.

If the movement of several similar components is triggered by the central switch 9, critical states can occur during this movement. For example, there may be a danger that a person or an object may get into the closing opening between the door 1 and the window 2 during the automatic movement sequence. In this case, according to the invention, there should be the possibility of all electric motors, i.e. in the example shown, the electric motors 5 and 6 are stopped simultaneously and suddenly. To do this, it is sufficient to switch one of the manual switches, i.e. to press switch 7 or 8 here. These are connected at their output to reset inputs of the rocker elements 11 or 11 '. If one of the switches 7 and 8 is actuated, the rocker members 11 and 11 'are suddenly returned to the original state and the electric motors 5 and 6 are stopped. An existing critical condition can then be easily removed.

Even when the electric motor 5 is then switched off, it is possible to actuate the equipment components individually. This is done with the help of the individual switches, here switches 7 and 8, which continue to be effective.

In addition, a delay element 14 can be arranged in the current path between the reset inputs R of the flip-flops 11 and 11 'and the switches 2 and 8, which takes effect when the flip-flops are reset and the electric motors can be switched on again with the help of the central switch 9 for excludes a predetermined delay time. This gives enough time to remove the critical condition.

Claims (4)

1. A switching arrangement in motor vehicles, comprising electric positioning elements (5, 6) associated with components (1 - 4) of the equipment and each having an individual manually-operated switch (7, 8) and a control unit (10, 10') which switches the respective positioning element (5, 6) for automatically shifting the components to an end position after being tripped, characterised in that, when any switch (7, 8) is actuated during the switched-on time of the associated positioning element (5, 6), a control unit (10 or 10') switches off its positioning element even before the component (2, 4) reaches the end position.
2. A switching arrangement according to claim 1, characterised in that the control unit switches off its positioning elements immediately the switch is actuated.
3. A switching arrangement according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the positioning element is switched off for a delay time.
4. A switching arrangement according to claim 3, characterised in that the positioning element can be switched on by the associated switch (7, 8) during the delay time.

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