CA1178358A - Optimum angle adjusting apparatus for vehicle equipments - Google Patents
Optimum angle adjusting apparatus for vehicle equipmentsInfo
- Publication number
- CA1178358A CA1178358A CA000386396A CA386396A CA1178358A CA 1178358 A CA1178358 A CA 1178358A CA 000386396 A CA000386396 A CA 000386396A CA 386396 A CA386396 A CA 386396A CA 1178358 A CA1178358 A CA 1178358A
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- driver
- optimum
- vehicle
- seat
- adjustment
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Abstract
ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE:
An automatic angle adjusting apparatus for adjusting vehicle equipments to be adjusted to optimum angular positions to a driver such as a fender mirror, an inner mirror, blowing ports of an air conditioner, a speaker and a meter is disclosed.
Amounts of adjustment of vehicle seat parts are detected by amount of adjustment detectors and the optimum angles of the vehicle equipments, a height of the driver or an eye position of the driver are calculated based on the detection signals to automatically adjust the vehicle equipments to the optimum angular position. When the height or the eye position of the driver is calculated, the optimum angles are further calculated based on the calculated height or eye position.
An automatic angle adjusting apparatus for adjusting vehicle equipments to be adjusted to optimum angular positions to a driver such as a fender mirror, an inner mirror, blowing ports of an air conditioner, a speaker and a meter is disclosed.
Amounts of adjustment of vehicle seat parts are detected by amount of adjustment detectors and the optimum angles of the vehicle equipments, a height of the driver or an eye position of the driver are calculated based on the detection signals to automatically adjust the vehicle equipments to the optimum angular position. When the height or the eye position of the driver is calculated, the optimum angles are further calculated based on the calculated height or eye position.
Description
3~
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
_ 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optimum angle adjusting apparatus for vehicle equipments which are to be adjusted to proper angle positions to a driver and pas-sengers of a vehicle, such as fender mirrors, inner mirror, air conditioner, speakers and meters.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
_ 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an optimum angle adjusting apparatus for vehicle equipments which are to be adjusted to proper angle positions to a driver and pas-sengers of a vehicle, such as fender mirrors, inner mirror, air conditioner, speakers and meters.
2. Description of the Prior Art The vehicle is equipped with the vehicle equipments which are to be adjusted to proper angle positions to the driver and passengers of the vehiclej as shown in Fig. 1, in which a driver seat 2 is equipped in a compartment and meters 4 are arranged in a dashboard in front of the seat 2.
An air conditioner 6 is equipped under the dashboard, an inner mirror 8 is equipped between the seat 2 and the dashboard, and speakers 9 and 11 of a car stereophoni¢ reproducing system are arranged behind the seat 2. A right fender mirror 10 and a left fender mirror 12 are equipped on a food of an external body.
Such vehicle equipments must be adjusted to proper angle positions to the driver or passengers from the stand-points of safe driving and comfortable condition. For example, the inner mirror 8~ the right fender mirror 10 and the left fender mirror 12 are necessary to assure a view field behind the vehicle when it runs, and unless those equipments are adjusted to the proper angle positions to the driver, the backward view field is not attained and this may lead to a serious accident. If blowing ports of the air conditioner 6 and sound emittin~ planes of the speakers 9 and 11 are not adjusted to the proper angle positions to the driver, the driver is compelled to drive the car under an uncomfortable condition.
~'7~35~
Those vehicle equipments are constructed to allow the angle adjustment either directly or by remote control manipulation. However, those vehicle equipments are normally adjusted to the proper angle positions after the driver has sit on the seat and adjusted the positions of seat parts such as a seat cushlon, a seat back and a head rest. Accordlngly, the adjustment of the angle positions of those equipments is very troublesome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTI~N
__ .
In accordance with thè present inventlon, in order to overcome the above problems, it has been taken into consideration that there is a close relation between the amounts of adjustments of the seat parts or an eye position and physical features of the driver, and the proper angle positions of the vehicle equipments.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for automatically adjusting at least one of the vehicle equipments to an optimum angle position by storing at least one basic formula for determining a relation between a particular one of the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts and an optimum angle position of one of the vehlcle equipments and correcting the basic formula in accordance with the amount of adjustment of the seat part.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for automatically adjusting at least one of the vehicle equipments to an optimum angle position by storing the optimum an~le positions of the vehicle equip-ments for a height of a driver and at least one basic formula for determining a relation between a particular one of the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts and the height of the driver, and correcting the basic formula in accordance with the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts.
An air conditioner 6 is equipped under the dashboard, an inner mirror 8 is equipped between the seat 2 and the dashboard, and speakers 9 and 11 of a car stereophoni¢ reproducing system are arranged behind the seat 2. A right fender mirror 10 and a left fender mirror 12 are equipped on a food of an external body.
Such vehicle equipments must be adjusted to proper angle positions to the driver or passengers from the stand-points of safe driving and comfortable condition. For example, the inner mirror 8~ the right fender mirror 10 and the left fender mirror 12 are necessary to assure a view field behind the vehicle when it runs, and unless those equipments are adjusted to the proper angle positions to the driver, the backward view field is not attained and this may lead to a serious accident. If blowing ports of the air conditioner 6 and sound emittin~ planes of the speakers 9 and 11 are not adjusted to the proper angle positions to the driver, the driver is compelled to drive the car under an uncomfortable condition.
~'7~35~
Those vehicle equipments are constructed to allow the angle adjustment either directly or by remote control manipulation. However, those vehicle equipments are normally adjusted to the proper angle positions after the driver has sit on the seat and adjusted the positions of seat parts such as a seat cushlon, a seat back and a head rest. Accordlngly, the adjustment of the angle positions of those equipments is very troublesome.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTI~N
__ .
In accordance with thè present inventlon, in order to overcome the above problems, it has been taken into consideration that there is a close relation between the amounts of adjustments of the seat parts or an eye position and physical features of the driver, and the proper angle positions of the vehicle equipments.
It is a first object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for automatically adjusting at least one of the vehicle equipments to an optimum angle position by storing at least one basic formula for determining a relation between a particular one of the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts and an optimum angle position of one of the vehlcle equipments and correcting the basic formula in accordance with the amount of adjustment of the seat part.
It is a second object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for automatically adjusting at least one of the vehicle equipments to an optimum angle position by storing the optimum an~le positions of the vehicle equip-ments for a height of a driver and at least one basic formula for determining a relation between a particular one of the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts and the height of the driver, and correcting the basic formula in accordance with the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts.
3~
It is a third object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for automatically adjusting at least one of the vehicle equipments to an optimum angle position by calculating an eye position of the driver based on the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts.
In order to achieve the above objects, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, the present optimum angle adjusting apparatus for the vehicle equipments comprises an amoun-t of adjustment detector for detecting the amounts of adjustment of -the seat parts from respective reference positions -to produce a plurality of amount of adjustment signals, a processing circuit which stores at least one basic formula for determining a relation between a particular one of the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts and an optimum angle position of one of the vehicle equipments .which are to be adjusted to the optimum angle positions -to the driver or passengers and corrects the basic formula in accordance with the amount of adjustment signals to calculate the optimum angle position of a-t least one vehicle equipment, and a driver for driving at least one vehicle equipment to the optimum angle position based on the output of the processing circuit.
`In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, the present optimum angle adjusting apparatus for the vehicle equipments comprises an amount of adjust-ment detector for detecting the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts from the respective reference positions to produce a plurality of amount of adjustment signals, a processing circuit which stores at least one basic formula for determining a relation between a particular one of the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts and a height of the driver and an optimum angle position, for the height of the driver, of one of the vehicle equipments which are to be adjusted ~ _ ;`
~: - 3 -.. . ~ .
.
7~3~
to the optimum angle positions to the driver, corrects the basic formula based on the amount of adjustment signals to calculate the height of the driver and calculates the optimum angle position of the at least one vehicle equipment based on the calculated height of the driver, and a driver for driving the at least one vehicle equipment to the opti-mum angle position based on the output of the processing circuit.
In accordance with a third aspect of thè present invention, the present optimum àngle adjusting apparatus for the veh~cle equipments comprises an amount of adjustment detector for detecting the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts from the respective reference positions to produce a plurality of amount of adjustment signals, a processing cir-cuit for calculating an eye level of a driver based on the signals from the amount of adjustment detector and a driver for driving at least one of the vehicle equipments to an optimum angle position based on the output of the processing circuit.
According to those features of the present invention, the vehicle equipments which are to be adjusted to optimum angle positions to the driver, such as meters, blowing ports of air conditioner, fender mirrors, inner mirror and back mirror can be automatically adjusted to the optimum angle positions without manual manipulation by the driver.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above mentioned features and objects of the present invention will become more apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with.the accompanying drawings, wherein like referenced numerals denote like elements, and in which:
7~3~
Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a conventlonal car, Fig. 2 shows a dlagrqm for explalnlng embodiments of the present in~ention, Fig. 3 illustrates a mechanism for displacing a seat forward and backward, Fig. 4 illustrates displacements of seat parts, Fig, 5 shows an external vlew of a mechanlsm for displacing an anguIar position of a fender mirror, Figs. 6 to 9 illustrate major parts of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5, Fig. 10 shows a flow chart for illustrating an operation of a first embodiment, Fig, 11 shows a flow chart for illustrating an operation of a second embodiment, Fig. 12 illustrates a process to calculate an eye position of a driver from the displacements of the seat in a third embodiment, Figs. 13 and 14 show a movable range of the eye position of the driver, Flgs. 15 and 16 show graphs indicating relations between the eye position of the driver and the angular displacement of the fender mirror, and Fig, 17 shows a Elow chart for illustrating an operation of the third embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the accompanying drawings, a first embodiment is explalned in detail. In the following description, an example of adjustinq a right fender mirror to an optimum angular position using a basic formula for determining a relation between a forward/backward displacement of a seat and the optimum angular position of the right fender mirror is explained. As shown in Fig. 2, the present 3~
embodiment includes a microcomputer 14 which functions as a processing unit. Connected to the microcomputer 14 are seat control switches 16 which comprise a seat forward/backward movement switch 16A, a seat backward tilt switch 16B, a head rest upward/downward movement switch 16C and a head rest tilt switch 16D, each of which includes a pair of stationary contacts and a movable contact. Thus, when the movable contact of the seat forward/backward movement switch 16A, for example, is connected to one of the stationary contacts, the seat continues to mo~e forward during the contact period of the switch, and when the movable contact is connected to the other stationary contact, the seat continuously moves backward during the contact period of the switch.
In this manner, the seat 2 is displaced to any of various positions by the actuations of the seat control switches 16 through the seat forward/backward movement, the seat back tilt, the head rest upward/downward movement and the head rest tilt so that an optimum driving position is attained as shown in Fig. 2, the displacements of the seat are detected by seat displacement detector 18 which comprises a seat forward/backward displacement detector 18A, a seat back tilt displacement det~ctor 18B, a head rest upward/downward displacement detector 18C and a head rest tilt displacement detector 18D, which are all of similar construction. Each of the detectors includes a photosensor 22 which detects a count corresponding to the number of revolutions of a reversible motor 20 for the seat forward/backward movement, seat back tilt, head rest upward/downward movement or head rest tilt.
Referring to Fig. 3, a seat forward/backward movement mechanism has a pair of parallel upper rails 24A and 24B fixed to a bottom of the seat 2 and mounted on a pair of lower rails 26A and 26B fixed to a floor of a car body. The 3~3 rotation of the reversible motor 20 is transmitted to a worm gear 28A fixed to the one upper rail 24A, thence to a worm gear 28B fixed to the other upper rail 24B, through a torque cable 30. The worm gears 2~A and 28B engage with slide screws 32A and'32B, respectively, which are fixed to the upper rails 24A and 24B, respectively. Accordingly, the slide screws 32A and 32B move with the upper rails 24A
and 24B by the rotation of the motor 20 which is driven by the actuation of the seat forward/backward movement switch 16A so that the seat 2 fixed to the upper'rails 24A
and 24B is moved in the direction ~ shown in Fig. 3.
A photo-lnterrupter 34B which rotates wlth-the motor 20 is arranged. The photo-interrupter 34B comprises - a circular plate whlch is rotated by a gear engaged with an output shaft of the motor 20 and has a light transmitting aperture 34A at a portion of the plate. ~ light emitting element 22A and a photo-sensing element 22B are arranged on the opposite sldes of the photo-interrupter 34B. The light emitting element 22A, the photo-sensing element 22B
and the photo-interrupter'34B form a photo-sensor which detects the number of revolutions of the photo-interrupter 34B rotated as the motor 20 rotates by sensing a light ' emitted from the light emittin~ element 22B and transmitted through the light transmitting aperture 34A of the photo-interrupter 34B, by the photo-sensing element 22A.
A seat back tilting mechanism, a head rest upward/downward movement mechanism and a heat rest tilting mechanism of the seat 2 are similarly driven by respective 'motors and photo-sensors detect the counts corresponding ' to the numbers of revolutions of the motors. Accordingly/
by counting the numbers of puIses from the seat forward/backward displacement detector 18A,''the seat back tilt displacement ~a~'7~3;~
detector 18B, the head rest upward/downward displacement detector 18C and the head res~ tilt displacement detector 18D, a forward/backward displacement kl of the seat cushion 2C from a reference position, a reclining angle k2 represented by a tilt of the seat back 2~ relative to a horizontal line, a head rest upward/downward displacement k3 represented by a distance between the upper end of the seat back and the lower end of the head rest 2B, and a forward/backward tilt displacement k4 of the head rest 2B, shown in Fig. 4, are detected and the detected signa~s are supplied to the micro-computer 14.
The following basic formulas (1) and (2) for a standard op~imum angle ~1 of the right fender mirror 10 relative to a normal direction and a standard optimum angle ~2 relative to a horizontal direction, represented by the seat forward/backward displacement kl are stored in a read-only memory (ROM).
~1 = akl + b O~.~.. (1) ~2 = mkl + n ................ (2) where a, b, m and n are variables for determining correction amounts when the seat position is adjusted forward/backward, the reclining-angle is adjusted, the head rest position is adjusted upward/downward~ and the head rest tilt angle is adjusted.
Assuming that the correction amounts are al, bl, m and nl when the seat is adjus*ed forward/backward, the basic formulas are corrected as follows:
~11 alkl + bl ............... (3) 321 mlkl + nl ............... (~) When the seat is adjusted forward/backward and the reclining angle is also adjusted, the basic formulas are corrected as follows:
~12 (al + a2)k1 ~ bl ~ b2 ..................... (5) ~22 (ml ~ m2)k2 ~ nl ~ ~2 ..................... (6) where a2, b2, m2 and n2 are correction amounts for the reclining angle adjustment.
~ imilarly, when the head rest is further adjusted upward/downward in addition to the above adjustments, the basic formulas are corrected as shown by formulas (7) and (8), and when the head rest is further adjusted forward/backward, that is, when all of the seat parts are adjusted, the basic formulas are corrected as shown by formulas (9) and (10).
= (al ~ a~ ~ a3)kl + bl + b2 3 23 ( 1 + m2 + m3)k2 + nl + n2 + n3 ................. ~8) { 14 1 2 + ~3 + a4)kl + bl + b2 + b3 + b (9) ~ = (m + m2 + m3 -~ m4)k2 + nl + n2 3 4 Where a3, b3, m3 and n3 are correction amounts when the head rest is adjusted upward/downward, and a4, b4, m4 and n4 are correction amounts when the head rest is adjusted forward/backward.
~In this mannerr the basic formulas (1) and (2) are corrected in accordance with the adjustments of the seat parts to determine the relation between the sea~ forward/backward displacement kl and the optimum angle of the right fender mirror. While the basic formulas for the right fender mirror have been explained, the optimum angle of the left fender mirror, the optimum angle of the inner mirror, the optimum angle of the meter, the optimum angle of the blowing ports of the air conditioner and the optimum angle of the speaker can be expressed by similar basic formulas. While the basic formulas for determining the optimum angles of the vehicle equipments have been explained using the seat forward/backward displacement kl, they may be similarly expressed by the reclining angle k2, the head rest upward/downward displacement _g _ .
3~3 k3 or the head rest tllt displacement k4.
Based on the corrected basic formulas, the micro-computer 14 calculates the optimum angles ~1 and ~2 of the right fender mirror, and a drive signal is fed to a right fender mirror driver. The driver may be constructed as shown in Figs. 5 to 9. Referring to Flg. 5, a reversible motor 26 is mounted on the back of the mirror 24 and the rotation of the motor 26 is transmitted to gears 30A and 30s through a reduction gear mechanism 28. As shown in Fig. 6, the gears 30A and 30B each has an axially extending cylindrical member 32 in which a pivot screw 34 is inserted. The cylindrical member 32 has a hole 31 at a portion thereof and an action gear 36 mounted in the hole 31 and threadedly engaged with the pivot screw 34 is arranged with the movement thereof along the axial direction of the pivot screw 34 being inhibited.
Thus, as the gears 30A and 30B rotate, the pivot screw 34 moves axially forward or backward.
Referring to Fig. 7, a fixing point 40 is arranged at a center on the back of the mirror 24 and a fixing pivot 38 is to fit to the fixing point 40. On the left of the fixing point 40, a horizontal force point 42 is arranged, and a vertical force point 44 is arranged below the fixing point 40. The end of the pivot screw 34 in the gear 30A is fitted to the horizontal force point 42 and the end of the pivot screw 34 in the gear 30B is also fitted thereto. ~s shown in Fig. 8, the rotation of the motor 26 transmitted through the reduction gear 28 is further transmitted to the gear 30A or 30B by a change gear 46~ which, as shown in Fig. 9, is axially moved forward or bac~ward by the energization or deenergization of a solenoid 48. For example, the change gear 28 is engaged with the gear 30A by a biasing force of a coil spring 50 inserted in the shaft of the change gear 28, and when the solenoid 48 is energized, the change gear 28 is engaged with the gear 33 by the movement of the change gear 2~ which is against the biasing force of the coil spring 50.
Accordingly/ by energizing or deenergizing the solenoid 48 based on the drive signals from the microcomputer 14 which are produced in accordance with the displacements of the position and the angle of the seat 2, and driving the motor 26 for a predetermined time period, the mirror 24 is rotated around the fixing point 40 as the pivot screw 34 advances or retracts so that the horizontal angle ~1 and the vertical angle ~2 are set and the mirror 24 is adjusted to the optimum angular position to the driver.
When the vertical angle and the horizontal angle of the mirror 24 are changed, the angular displacements are sequentially detected by receiving the signals sent from a vertical angle sensor 47 and a horizontal angle sensor 49 by a multiplexor 57 as shown in Fig. 2 and the detected signal is A/D-converted by an A/D converted 58 and the microcomputer 14 controls the displacements of the mirror 24.
The angle displacement mechanism for the right fender mirror 10 can also be manually driven. The selection of manual/automatic operation is efected by an automatic/manual selection switch 52. When the automatic/manual selection switch 52 is switched to the manual position, the microcomputer 14 is switched to a manual operation status. A selection signal for the drive mechanism is applied to the microcomputer 14 by a selection switch 54 which comprises a movable terminal 54A and five stationary terminals 54B, 54C, 54D, 54E and 54F.
The stationary termlnals 54B, 54C~ 54D, 54E and 59F allow the angular displacements for the meters 4, the blowing ports of the air conditioner 6, the inner mirror 8, the right 3~
fender mirror 10 and the left fender mirror 12, respectively.
For example, after the movable terminal 54A of the selection switch 54 has been connected to the stationary terminal 54s to allow the anguIar displacement of the right fender mirror 10, a vertical-horizontal selection switch 56 is actuated to displace the rlght fender mirror 10 to the selected angular position. The vertical-horizontal selection switch 56 comprises a movable terminal 56A and four stationary terminals 56B, 56C, 56D and 56E. By connecting the movable terminal 56A to the stationary terminal 56B, 56C, 56D or 56E, the right fender mirror 10 is anguIarly displaced upward, downward, leftward or rightward, respectlvely.
The meter 4, the blowing ports of the air conditioner 6 and the left fender mirror 12 selected by the selection switch 54 may be angularly displaced by the subsequent actuation of the switch 56.
The positions of the meter 4, the blowing ports of the air conditioner 6 r the inner mirror 8, the right fender mirror 10 and the left fender mirror 12 after the respective angular displacing mechanism have been driven by the manual operations are stored in a memory in the microcomputer 14, and the correction amounts are calculated based on the driven positions of the an~uIar displacing mechanism for th0 meter
It is a third object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for automatically adjusting at least one of the vehicle equipments to an optimum angle position by calculating an eye position of the driver based on the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts.
In order to achieve the above objects, in accordance with a first aspect of the present invention, the present optimum angle adjusting apparatus for the vehicle equipments comprises an amoun-t of adjustment detector for detecting the amounts of adjustment of -the seat parts from respective reference positions -to produce a plurality of amount of adjustment signals, a processing circuit which stores at least one basic formula for determining a relation between a particular one of the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts and an optimum angle position of one of the vehicle equipments .which are to be adjusted to the optimum angle positions -to the driver or passengers and corrects the basic formula in accordance with the amount of adjustment signals to calculate the optimum angle position of a-t least one vehicle equipment, and a driver for driving at least one vehicle equipment to the optimum angle position based on the output of the processing circuit.
`In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, the present optimum angle adjusting apparatus for the vehicle equipments comprises an amount of adjust-ment detector for detecting the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts from the respective reference positions to produce a plurality of amount of adjustment signals, a processing circuit which stores at least one basic formula for determining a relation between a particular one of the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts and a height of the driver and an optimum angle position, for the height of the driver, of one of the vehicle equipments which are to be adjusted ~ _ ;`
~: - 3 -.. . ~ .
.
7~3~
to the optimum angle positions to the driver, corrects the basic formula based on the amount of adjustment signals to calculate the height of the driver and calculates the optimum angle position of the at least one vehicle equipment based on the calculated height of the driver, and a driver for driving the at least one vehicle equipment to the opti-mum angle position based on the output of the processing circuit.
In accordance with a third aspect of thè present invention, the present optimum àngle adjusting apparatus for the veh~cle equipments comprises an amount of adjustment detector for detecting the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts from the respective reference positions to produce a plurality of amount of adjustment signals, a processing cir-cuit for calculating an eye level of a driver based on the signals from the amount of adjustment detector and a driver for driving at least one of the vehicle equipments to an optimum angle position based on the output of the processing circuit.
According to those features of the present invention, the vehicle equipments which are to be adjusted to optimum angle positions to the driver, such as meters, blowing ports of air conditioner, fender mirrors, inner mirror and back mirror can be automatically adjusted to the optimum angle positions without manual manipulation by the driver.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The above mentioned features and objects of the present invention will become more apparent by reference to the following description taken in conjunction with.the accompanying drawings, wherein like referenced numerals denote like elements, and in which:
7~3~
Fig. 1 shows a plan view of a conventlonal car, Fig. 2 shows a dlagrqm for explalnlng embodiments of the present in~ention, Fig. 3 illustrates a mechanism for displacing a seat forward and backward, Fig. 4 illustrates displacements of seat parts, Fig, 5 shows an external vlew of a mechanlsm for displacing an anguIar position of a fender mirror, Figs. 6 to 9 illustrate major parts of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5, Fig. 10 shows a flow chart for illustrating an operation of a first embodiment, Fig, 11 shows a flow chart for illustrating an operation of a second embodiment, Fig. 12 illustrates a process to calculate an eye position of a driver from the displacements of the seat in a third embodiment, Figs. 13 and 14 show a movable range of the eye position of the driver, Flgs. 15 and 16 show graphs indicating relations between the eye position of the driver and the angular displacement of the fender mirror, and Fig, 17 shows a Elow chart for illustrating an operation of the third embodiment.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Referring to the accompanying drawings, a first embodiment is explalned in detail. In the following description, an example of adjustinq a right fender mirror to an optimum angular position using a basic formula for determining a relation between a forward/backward displacement of a seat and the optimum angular position of the right fender mirror is explained. As shown in Fig. 2, the present 3~
embodiment includes a microcomputer 14 which functions as a processing unit. Connected to the microcomputer 14 are seat control switches 16 which comprise a seat forward/backward movement switch 16A, a seat backward tilt switch 16B, a head rest upward/downward movement switch 16C and a head rest tilt switch 16D, each of which includes a pair of stationary contacts and a movable contact. Thus, when the movable contact of the seat forward/backward movement switch 16A, for example, is connected to one of the stationary contacts, the seat continues to mo~e forward during the contact period of the switch, and when the movable contact is connected to the other stationary contact, the seat continuously moves backward during the contact period of the switch.
In this manner, the seat 2 is displaced to any of various positions by the actuations of the seat control switches 16 through the seat forward/backward movement, the seat back tilt, the head rest upward/downward movement and the head rest tilt so that an optimum driving position is attained as shown in Fig. 2, the displacements of the seat are detected by seat displacement detector 18 which comprises a seat forward/backward displacement detector 18A, a seat back tilt displacement det~ctor 18B, a head rest upward/downward displacement detector 18C and a head rest tilt displacement detector 18D, which are all of similar construction. Each of the detectors includes a photosensor 22 which detects a count corresponding to the number of revolutions of a reversible motor 20 for the seat forward/backward movement, seat back tilt, head rest upward/downward movement or head rest tilt.
Referring to Fig. 3, a seat forward/backward movement mechanism has a pair of parallel upper rails 24A and 24B fixed to a bottom of the seat 2 and mounted on a pair of lower rails 26A and 26B fixed to a floor of a car body. The 3~3 rotation of the reversible motor 20 is transmitted to a worm gear 28A fixed to the one upper rail 24A, thence to a worm gear 28B fixed to the other upper rail 24B, through a torque cable 30. The worm gears 2~A and 28B engage with slide screws 32A and'32B, respectively, which are fixed to the upper rails 24A and 24B, respectively. Accordingly, the slide screws 32A and 32B move with the upper rails 24A
and 24B by the rotation of the motor 20 which is driven by the actuation of the seat forward/backward movement switch 16A so that the seat 2 fixed to the upper'rails 24A
and 24B is moved in the direction ~ shown in Fig. 3.
A photo-lnterrupter 34B which rotates wlth-the motor 20 is arranged. The photo-interrupter 34B comprises - a circular plate whlch is rotated by a gear engaged with an output shaft of the motor 20 and has a light transmitting aperture 34A at a portion of the plate. ~ light emitting element 22A and a photo-sensing element 22B are arranged on the opposite sldes of the photo-interrupter 34B. The light emitting element 22A, the photo-sensing element 22B
and the photo-interrupter'34B form a photo-sensor which detects the number of revolutions of the photo-interrupter 34B rotated as the motor 20 rotates by sensing a light ' emitted from the light emittin~ element 22B and transmitted through the light transmitting aperture 34A of the photo-interrupter 34B, by the photo-sensing element 22A.
A seat back tilting mechanism, a head rest upward/downward movement mechanism and a heat rest tilting mechanism of the seat 2 are similarly driven by respective 'motors and photo-sensors detect the counts corresponding ' to the numbers of revolutions of the motors. Accordingly/
by counting the numbers of puIses from the seat forward/backward displacement detector 18A,''the seat back tilt displacement ~a~'7~3;~
detector 18B, the head rest upward/downward displacement detector 18C and the head res~ tilt displacement detector 18D, a forward/backward displacement kl of the seat cushion 2C from a reference position, a reclining angle k2 represented by a tilt of the seat back 2~ relative to a horizontal line, a head rest upward/downward displacement k3 represented by a distance between the upper end of the seat back and the lower end of the head rest 2B, and a forward/backward tilt displacement k4 of the head rest 2B, shown in Fig. 4, are detected and the detected signa~s are supplied to the micro-computer 14.
The following basic formulas (1) and (2) for a standard op~imum angle ~1 of the right fender mirror 10 relative to a normal direction and a standard optimum angle ~2 relative to a horizontal direction, represented by the seat forward/backward displacement kl are stored in a read-only memory (ROM).
~1 = akl + b O~.~.. (1) ~2 = mkl + n ................ (2) where a, b, m and n are variables for determining correction amounts when the seat position is adjusted forward/backward, the reclining-angle is adjusted, the head rest position is adjusted upward/downward~ and the head rest tilt angle is adjusted.
Assuming that the correction amounts are al, bl, m and nl when the seat is adjus*ed forward/backward, the basic formulas are corrected as follows:
~11 alkl + bl ............... (3) 321 mlkl + nl ............... (~) When the seat is adjusted forward/backward and the reclining angle is also adjusted, the basic formulas are corrected as follows:
~12 (al + a2)k1 ~ bl ~ b2 ..................... (5) ~22 (ml ~ m2)k2 ~ nl ~ ~2 ..................... (6) where a2, b2, m2 and n2 are correction amounts for the reclining angle adjustment.
~ imilarly, when the head rest is further adjusted upward/downward in addition to the above adjustments, the basic formulas are corrected as shown by formulas (7) and (8), and when the head rest is further adjusted forward/backward, that is, when all of the seat parts are adjusted, the basic formulas are corrected as shown by formulas (9) and (10).
= (al ~ a~ ~ a3)kl + bl + b2 3 23 ( 1 + m2 + m3)k2 + nl + n2 + n3 ................. ~8) { 14 1 2 + ~3 + a4)kl + bl + b2 + b3 + b (9) ~ = (m + m2 + m3 -~ m4)k2 + nl + n2 3 4 Where a3, b3, m3 and n3 are correction amounts when the head rest is adjusted upward/downward, and a4, b4, m4 and n4 are correction amounts when the head rest is adjusted forward/backward.
~In this mannerr the basic formulas (1) and (2) are corrected in accordance with the adjustments of the seat parts to determine the relation between the sea~ forward/backward displacement kl and the optimum angle of the right fender mirror. While the basic formulas for the right fender mirror have been explained, the optimum angle of the left fender mirror, the optimum angle of the inner mirror, the optimum angle of the meter, the optimum angle of the blowing ports of the air conditioner and the optimum angle of the speaker can be expressed by similar basic formulas. While the basic formulas for determining the optimum angles of the vehicle equipments have been explained using the seat forward/backward displacement kl, they may be similarly expressed by the reclining angle k2, the head rest upward/downward displacement _g _ .
3~3 k3 or the head rest tllt displacement k4.
Based on the corrected basic formulas, the micro-computer 14 calculates the optimum angles ~1 and ~2 of the right fender mirror, and a drive signal is fed to a right fender mirror driver. The driver may be constructed as shown in Figs. 5 to 9. Referring to Flg. 5, a reversible motor 26 is mounted on the back of the mirror 24 and the rotation of the motor 26 is transmitted to gears 30A and 30s through a reduction gear mechanism 28. As shown in Fig. 6, the gears 30A and 30B each has an axially extending cylindrical member 32 in which a pivot screw 34 is inserted. The cylindrical member 32 has a hole 31 at a portion thereof and an action gear 36 mounted in the hole 31 and threadedly engaged with the pivot screw 34 is arranged with the movement thereof along the axial direction of the pivot screw 34 being inhibited.
Thus, as the gears 30A and 30B rotate, the pivot screw 34 moves axially forward or backward.
Referring to Fig. 7, a fixing point 40 is arranged at a center on the back of the mirror 24 and a fixing pivot 38 is to fit to the fixing point 40. On the left of the fixing point 40, a horizontal force point 42 is arranged, and a vertical force point 44 is arranged below the fixing point 40. The end of the pivot screw 34 in the gear 30A is fitted to the horizontal force point 42 and the end of the pivot screw 34 in the gear 30B is also fitted thereto. ~s shown in Fig. 8, the rotation of the motor 26 transmitted through the reduction gear 28 is further transmitted to the gear 30A or 30B by a change gear 46~ which, as shown in Fig. 9, is axially moved forward or bac~ward by the energization or deenergization of a solenoid 48. For example, the change gear 28 is engaged with the gear 30A by a biasing force of a coil spring 50 inserted in the shaft of the change gear 28, and when the solenoid 48 is energized, the change gear 28 is engaged with the gear 33 by the movement of the change gear 2~ which is against the biasing force of the coil spring 50.
Accordingly/ by energizing or deenergizing the solenoid 48 based on the drive signals from the microcomputer 14 which are produced in accordance with the displacements of the position and the angle of the seat 2, and driving the motor 26 for a predetermined time period, the mirror 24 is rotated around the fixing point 40 as the pivot screw 34 advances or retracts so that the horizontal angle ~1 and the vertical angle ~2 are set and the mirror 24 is adjusted to the optimum angular position to the driver.
When the vertical angle and the horizontal angle of the mirror 24 are changed, the angular displacements are sequentially detected by receiving the signals sent from a vertical angle sensor 47 and a horizontal angle sensor 49 by a multiplexor 57 as shown in Fig. 2 and the detected signal is A/D-converted by an A/D converted 58 and the microcomputer 14 controls the displacements of the mirror 24.
The angle displacement mechanism for the right fender mirror 10 can also be manually driven. The selection of manual/automatic operation is efected by an automatic/manual selection switch 52. When the automatic/manual selection switch 52 is switched to the manual position, the microcomputer 14 is switched to a manual operation status. A selection signal for the drive mechanism is applied to the microcomputer 14 by a selection switch 54 which comprises a movable terminal 54A and five stationary terminals 54B, 54C, 54D, 54E and 54F.
The stationary termlnals 54B, 54C~ 54D, 54E and 59F allow the angular displacements for the meters 4, the blowing ports of the air conditioner 6, the inner mirror 8, the right 3~
fender mirror 10 and the left fender mirror 12, respectively.
For example, after the movable terminal 54A of the selection switch 54 has been connected to the stationary terminal 54s to allow the anguIar displacement of the right fender mirror 10, a vertical-horizontal selection switch 56 is actuated to displace the rlght fender mirror 10 to the selected angular position. The vertical-horizontal selection switch 56 comprises a movable terminal 56A and four stationary terminals 56B, 56C, 56D and 56E. By connecting the movable terminal 56A to the stationary terminal 56B, 56C, 56D or 56E, the right fender mirror 10 is anguIarly displaced upward, downward, leftward or rightward, respectlvely.
The meter 4, the blowing ports of the air conditioner 6 and the left fender mirror 12 selected by the selection switch 54 may be angularly displaced by the subsequent actuation of the switch 56.
The positions of the meter 4, the blowing ports of the air conditioner 6 r the inner mirror 8, the right fender mirror 10 and the left fender mirror 12 after the respective angular displacing mechanism have been driven by the manual operations are stored in a memory in the microcomputer 14, and the correction amounts are calculated based on the driven positions of the an~uIar displacing mechanism for th0 meter
4, the blowing ports of the air conditioner 6, etc. calculated by the displacements of the seat 2, and the correction amounts are stored in another memory. The correction amounts are necessary because the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts and the sitting condition of the driver do not always conform to each other depending on the physical features of the driver.
By actuating a correction switch, the correction amounts are stored in a random access memory ~RAM) of the microcomputer numeral 61 denotes a correction amount reset switch for -~2-~7~
resetting the correction amounts.
When the angular displacement of the right fender mirror 10 is to be subsequently adjusted automatically by `~ the automatic operation, the correction amounts stored in ; the memory are used to drive the angular displacing mechanism of the right fender mirror 10 to the optimum angular position to the driver. When the angular displacing mechanism is to be automatically drlven in accordance with the correctlon amounts, the correction swltch 59 for allowing the microcomputer 14 to calculate the correction àmounts is actuated. A memory access selection switch 60 for allowing the activation of the seat forward/backward movement mechanism in accordance with the calculated correction amounts can also be actuated.
The microcomputer 14 is programmed to operate in accordance with a flow chart shown in Fig. 10. When the manual position is selected by the automatic/manual selection ? switch 52, the actuations of the seat control switch 54 and the fender mirror control switches are identified, and based on the identification~ the back mirror, etc. are adjusted ~0 to the selected angular positions by driving the motors.
On the other hand, when the automatic position is selected by the automatic/manual selection switch 52, the optimum angles are calculated based on the basic formulas.
If the memory access selection switch 60 is on at this time, the optimum angles are calcualted with the correction amounts stored in the memory bein~ taken into consideration. There-after, the angle of the fender mirror is calculated and the fender mirror is anguIarly displaced by the motor contained therein. The positions of the angularly displaced right fender mirror are sequentially detected by the vertical angle sensor 47 and the horizontal angle sensor 49 shown in ~ Fig. 2 and the equality thereof to the calculated angles is ; -13-.
3~i~
determined. The angular displacement of the right fender mirror is continued until the equality is detected. When the positions of the right fender mirror detected by the vertical angle sensor 47 and the horizontal angle sensor 49 coincide with the calculated angles, the motor for driving the right fender mirror is stopped.
The operation of the present embodiment thus constructed is now explained.
When the driver sits on the seat 2, the driver dis-places the seat 2 to the optimum position to the driver byactuating the seat control switches 16 such as seat forward/backward movement switch 16A and seat back tilt switch 16B. If the automatic/manual sèlection switch 52 is switched to the manual position~-the driver actuates the selection switch 54 to select the right fender mirror and then adjusts the right fender mirror to the optimum angular position to the driver by actuating the vertical/horizontal selection switch 56.
On the other hand, when the driver switches the automatic/manual selection switch 52 to the automatic position, an initial set routine such as reset of the RAM of the microcomputer is carried out as shown in Fig. 10. Then, the on-off condition of the seat switch 21 (Fig. 2) for detecting if the driver is sitting or not is checked, and if the seat switch is on, amount of adjustment signals indicative of the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts are read in. When the seat cushion, the seat back or the head rest has been adjusted, the basic formulas (1) and (2) are corrected to the formulas (3) (4? ~ (5) (6?~ (7) (8) or (9) (10) and the optimum angles ~1 and ~2 of the fender mirror are calculated based on the final formulas. Then, it is determined if the correction amounts are stored in the RAM, and if they are 35~
stored the correction amounts ~1 and ~1 are added to the op-timum angles ~l and 32' respectively. If the correction switch 59 is further actuated, the corrected optimum angles 91 + ~1 and 92 + ~l are further corrected and the corrected angles are stored in the RAM. If the correction reset switch 61 ls actuated, the corrected optimum angles are reset to the original angles ~1 and ~2 and the correction amounts stored in the RAM are cleared. The optimum a~gles or the corrected optimum angles thus calculated are converted to a fender mirror drive signal which is fed to thè driver to automatically drive the fender mirror to the optimum angular position.
In the illustrated embodiment, the basic formulas for the right fender mirror are stored in the ROM. By ~toring a plurality of basic formulas for the respective vehicle equipments, the angular positions of the other vehicle equipments such as the inner mirror, the speaker and the blowing ports of the air conditioner can be automatically adjusted in a similar manner.
A second embodiment of the present invention is now explained. Like the previous first embodiment, the present embodiment comprises the seat driver driven by the actuation of the seat control switches, the seat displacement detectors, the vehicle equipment drivers, the processing circuit and the vehicle equipment displacement detectors. Only the difference resides in the basic formulas used. In the present embodiment, the following basic formula represented by the height H of the driver and the seat forward/backward displacement Kl.
- H = akl ~ b .............................. (ll) where a and b are the same variables as those used in the basic formulas (l) and (2) described above and they are determined by the constants al, a2, a3, a4 and the constants bl, b2, b3, b4.
~7~3~i~
' .
The basic formula (11) is stored in the ROM which further stores the optimum angle of one of the vehicle equipments (e.g.the right fender mirror) which corresponds to the height o~ the driver.
Referring to Fig. 11, the operation of the present embodiment is now explained. When the automatic/manual selection switch 52 is switched to the automatic position, the initial set routine such as reset of the RAM of the - microcomputer 14 starts and the on-off çondition of the seat switch 21 for detecting if the driver is sitting on the seat or not is checked. If the seat switch is on, the amount of adjustment signals indicative of the amounts of adjustment for the seat parts are read in. In the seat cushion, the seat back or the head rest has been adjusted, the basic formula (11) is corrected to thefollowing formula (12), (13?, (14) or (15).
Hl = alkl + bl ..... (12) H2 (al + a2)kl + bl ~ b2 ..... (13) ( 1 + a2 + a3)kl + bl ~b2 + b3 ..... (14) H4 = (al + a2 + a3 + a4)kl + bl 2 3 4 ..... (15) Based on the finally corrected formula, the height of the driver is calcuIated, and the optimum angle of the right fender mirror is read out based on the calculated height in accordance with the prestored optimum angle of the right fender mirror for the height. Then, it is de termed if the correction amounts are stored in the RAM, and if they are stored~ the correction amounts ~1 and ~1 are i added to the optlmum angles ~1 and ~2~ respectively. If the correction switch 59 is further actuated, the corrected optimum angles ~1 + ~1 and a2 + ~1 are further corrected and the corrected angles are stored in the RAM. If the cor rection reset switch 61 is actuated, the corrected optimum 3~
angles are reset to the original angles ~l and ~2 and the correction amounts stored in the RAM are cleared. The optimum angles or the corrected optimum angles thus calculated are converted to a fender mirror drive signal which is fed to the driver to automatically drive the fender mirror to the optimum angular position.
While the optimum agnles of the right fender mirror for the height are stored ln the illustrated embodiment, the other vehicle equipments can be simultaneously adjusted automatically by storing a numbèr of optimum angles of the vehicle equipments for the height such as the optimum angles of the left fender mirror for the height and the optimum angles of the inner mirror for the height. The basic formula may use the relation between the height and the reclining angle k2, the relation between the height and a head rest upward/
downward displacement k3 or the relation between the height and the head rest forward/backward tilt displacement.
A third embodiment of the present inventi`on is now explained. Like the first and second embodiments, the present embodiment comprises the seat driver driven by the actuation of the seat control switches, the seat displacement detectors, the vehicle equipment drivers, the processing circuit and the vehicle equipment displacement detectors. Only the dif-ference resldes in that an eye position of the driver is calculated.
In the present embodiment, the numbers of pulses from the seat forward/backward displacement detector 18A, the seat back tilt displacement detector 18B, the head rest upward/downward displacement detector 18C and the head rest tilt displacement detector 18D are counted by the microcomputer 14, and the eye position of the driver sitting on the seat 2 is calculated based on those counts.
3~
.
Fig. 12 illustrates a method for calculating the eye position of the driver by the microcomputer. A distance X from a preselected origin (X0, Y0) under the seat 2 to the eye position of the driver as measured in the direction of the X-axis is represented by:
X = a ~ f - i where a is a distance along the X-axis from the origin (X0, Y0) to a support axis R of the seat back 2A, f is a distance along the X-axis from the support axis P of the seat back 2A to a crosspoint Q of a lengthwise extended line of the seat back 2A and a normai line thereto drawn from the eye position of the driver (X, Y). This distance is represented by (b~c) cos ~ where b is the length of the seat back 2A and c is the length from the upper end of the seat back 2A along the lengthwise extended line thereo~ to the crosspoint Q on the headrest 2B, and i is a since of the distance from the crosspoint Q to the eye position (X, Y) of the driver and it is represented by (e -~ d) sin ~, where d is the distance from the crosspoint Q to a head contact plane of the head rest 2B and e is the distance between a rear portion o~ the head of the driver and the eyes. The distance ,~ d from the crosspoint Q to the head contact plane of the head rest 2B is represented by c tan ~, where c is the length betwqen the upper end of the seat back 2A and the crosspoint ~ Q
A distance Y measured alonq the Y-axis from the origin (X0, Y0) to the eye position of the driver is represented by:
Y _ j = g = h where j is the distance along the Y-axis from the origin (X0, Y0) to the support axis P of the seat back 2A, g is the distance along the Y-axis from the support axis P of ~7~3~
the seat back 2A to the crosspoint Q, which distance is represented by (b + c) sin a, and i is a coslne of the distance from the crosspoint Q to the eye position (X, Y) of the driver and represented by (e + d) cos ~.
Thus~ by detecting the seat forward/backward displacement a by the seat forwardtbackward displacement detector 18A, the tilt angle ~ of the seat back 2A by the seat back tilt displacement detector 18s, the upward/downward displacement c of the head rest 2B by the head rest upward/down-ward displacement detector 18C ànd the tilt angle ~ of thehead rest 2s by the head rest tilt displacement detector 18D, the eye position (X~ Y) of the driver can be calculated by the microcomputer 14 based on the other constants b and e.
As the eye position of the driver is calculated by the microcomputer 14, drive signals for driving the meters 4, the blowing ports of the air conditioner 6, the lnner mirror 8, the right fender mirror 10 and the left fender mirror 12 to the optimum angular positlons to the driver are produced based on the calculated eye position and they are fed to the angular displacing mechanism of the meter 4, - the air conditioner 6 and the back mirrors.
Taking the fender mirror as an example and referring to Figs. 13 and 14, the solenoid 48 is energized or deenergized based on the drive signals sent from the microcomputer 14 in accordance with the X-direction and Y-direction displacements of the eye position of the driver resulting from the dis-placements of the position and the angle of the seat 2. By driving the motor 26 for a predetermined time period, the mirror 24 is rotated around the fixing point 40 to the horizontal angle 31 and the vertical angle 2 as the pivot screw 34 advances or retracts as shown in Figs. 15 and 16 so that the mirror 24 is angularly displaced to the optimum ~17i~
angular position to the driver.
In the present embodiment, the correction amounts are calculated and stored in the other memory.
The correction amounts are calculated to correct the eye position of the driver determined by the position and the angle of the seat 2 because the distance e rom the head contact point of the head rest 2s to the eyes shown in Fig 12 chan~es depending on the physical features of the driver.
The microcomputer 14 is programmed to operate in accordance with a flow chart shown in Fig. 17. When the manual position is selected by the automatic/manual selection switch 52, the actuation of the seat control switches 54 and the fender mirror con~rol switches are identified, and based on the identification, the fender mirror, etc. are driven to the selected angular positions by the motors. The cor-rection amount derived from a difference between the selected angle of the fender mirror and the angle calculated based on the position and the angle of the seat is stored in the memory by the actuation of the correction switch 58.
On the other hand, when the automatic position is selected by the automatic/manuàl selection switch 52, the eye position of the driver is calculated based on the position and the angle of the seat. If the memory access selection switch 60 is on, the eye position of the driver is calculated with the correction amount stored in the memory being taken into consideration. Then, the angles of the fender mirror are calculated based on the calculated eye position of the driver~ and the fender mirror is angularly displaced by the motor in accordance with the calculated angles. The positions of the angularly displaced fender mirror are sequentially detected by the vertical angle sensor ~7 and the horizontal ~L7~3S~3 angle sensor 49 shown in Fig. 2 and the equality to the calculated angles is checked. The fender mirror is angularly displaced until the equality is detected. When the positions of the fender mirror detected by the vertical angle sensor 47 and the horizontal angle sensor 49 coincide with the calculated angles, the motor for driving the fender mirror is stopped.
The operation of the present embodiment thus constructed is now explained.
When the driver sits on the seat, the driver actuates the seat control switch 16 such as the seat forward/backward movement switch 16A and the seat back tilt switch 16B to ' displace the seat 2 to the optimum position to the driver.
When the automatic/manual selection switch 52 is switched to the manual position, the driver selects one of the selection switches 54, and based on the selection the driver actuates the vertical/horizontal selection switch 56 to drive the meter 4, the blowing ports of the air conditioner 6, the inner mirror 8 r the right fender mirror 10 or the left fender mirror 12 to the optimum angular position to the driver.
When the driver switches the automa~ic/manual switch 52 to the automatic position and actuates the seat control switches such as the seat forward/backward movement switch 16A and the seat back tilt switch 16B, the seat 2 can be displaced to the optimum position to the driver. The seat displacement detectors 18 including the seat forward/backward displacement detector 18A and the seat back tilt displacement detector 18B detect the displacements of the seat 2 and the detected displacement signals are fed to the microcomputer 14. The microcomputer 14 calculates the eye position (X, Y) of the driver sitting on the seat 2 based on the detected signals to displace the meter 4, the blowing ports of the ~7~3~
air conditioner ~, the inner mirror 8, the right fender mirror 10 and the left fender mirror 12 to the optimum angular positions to the driver based on the calculated eye position.
If the automatic/manual selection swltch 52 is switched to the manual position and the correction switch 58 is on, the correction amount based on a difference between the eye positlon of the drlver calculated by the microcomputer 14 and an actual eye position of the driver is stored in the memory of the microcomputer 1~. When the driver turns on the memory access selection switch 60 and actuates the selection switch 54 to displace the seat 2, the microcomputer 14 calculates the eye position of the driver sitting on the seat 2 based on the detectèd signals from the seat displacement detector 18 and the correction amount so that the meter 4, the blowing ports of the air conditioner 6,the inner mirror 8, the right fender mirror 10 and the left fender mirror 12 are displaced to the optimum angular positions with the physical features of the respective drivers being taken into consideration.
In the illustrated embodiment, the meter, the blowing ports of the air conditioner and the fender mirrors are angularly displaced to follow the displacements of the position and the angle of the seat. It is not necessary to angularly displace all of those but at least one of those may be angularly displaced.
- In the illustrated embodiment, the meter, the blowing ports of the air conditioner and the fender mirrors are angularly displaced with the correction amount due to the physical features of the drivers being taken into consideration. However~ the means for calculating the cor-rea~ion amount is not always necessary to attain the advantages of the present invention.
3'~
rom the foregoing description~ it should be apparent to one skilled in the art that the above~described embodiment is but one of many possible specific embodiments which can represent the applications of the principles of the present invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements-can be readily devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
. -23-
By actuating a correction switch, the correction amounts are stored in a random access memory ~RAM) of the microcomputer numeral 61 denotes a correction amount reset switch for -~2-~7~
resetting the correction amounts.
When the angular displacement of the right fender mirror 10 is to be subsequently adjusted automatically by `~ the automatic operation, the correction amounts stored in ; the memory are used to drive the angular displacing mechanism of the right fender mirror 10 to the optimum angular position to the driver. When the angular displacing mechanism is to be automatically drlven in accordance with the correctlon amounts, the correction swltch 59 for allowing the microcomputer 14 to calculate the correction àmounts is actuated. A memory access selection switch 60 for allowing the activation of the seat forward/backward movement mechanism in accordance with the calculated correction amounts can also be actuated.
The microcomputer 14 is programmed to operate in accordance with a flow chart shown in Fig. 10. When the manual position is selected by the automatic/manual selection ? switch 52, the actuations of the seat control switch 54 and the fender mirror control switches are identified, and based on the identification~ the back mirror, etc. are adjusted ~0 to the selected angular positions by driving the motors.
On the other hand, when the automatic position is selected by the automatic/manual selection switch 52, the optimum angles are calculated based on the basic formulas.
If the memory access selection switch 60 is on at this time, the optimum angles are calcualted with the correction amounts stored in the memory bein~ taken into consideration. There-after, the angle of the fender mirror is calculated and the fender mirror is anguIarly displaced by the motor contained therein. The positions of the angularly displaced right fender mirror are sequentially detected by the vertical angle sensor 47 and the horizontal angle sensor 49 shown in ~ Fig. 2 and the equality thereof to the calculated angles is ; -13-.
3~i~
determined. The angular displacement of the right fender mirror is continued until the equality is detected. When the positions of the right fender mirror detected by the vertical angle sensor 47 and the horizontal angle sensor 49 coincide with the calculated angles, the motor for driving the right fender mirror is stopped.
The operation of the present embodiment thus constructed is now explained.
When the driver sits on the seat 2, the driver dis-places the seat 2 to the optimum position to the driver byactuating the seat control switches 16 such as seat forward/backward movement switch 16A and seat back tilt switch 16B. If the automatic/manual sèlection switch 52 is switched to the manual position~-the driver actuates the selection switch 54 to select the right fender mirror and then adjusts the right fender mirror to the optimum angular position to the driver by actuating the vertical/horizontal selection switch 56.
On the other hand, when the driver switches the automatic/manual selection switch 52 to the automatic position, an initial set routine such as reset of the RAM of the microcomputer is carried out as shown in Fig. 10. Then, the on-off condition of the seat switch 21 (Fig. 2) for detecting if the driver is sitting or not is checked, and if the seat switch is on, amount of adjustment signals indicative of the amounts of adjustment of the seat parts are read in. When the seat cushion, the seat back or the head rest has been adjusted, the basic formulas (1) and (2) are corrected to the formulas (3) (4? ~ (5) (6?~ (7) (8) or (9) (10) and the optimum angles ~1 and ~2 of the fender mirror are calculated based on the final formulas. Then, it is determined if the correction amounts are stored in the RAM, and if they are 35~
stored the correction amounts ~1 and ~1 are added to the op-timum angles ~l and 32' respectively. If the correction switch 59 is further actuated, the corrected optimum angles 91 + ~1 and 92 + ~l are further corrected and the corrected angles are stored in the RAM. If the correction reset switch 61 ls actuated, the corrected optimum angles are reset to the original angles ~1 and ~2 and the correction amounts stored in the RAM are cleared. The optimum a~gles or the corrected optimum angles thus calculated are converted to a fender mirror drive signal which is fed to thè driver to automatically drive the fender mirror to the optimum angular position.
In the illustrated embodiment, the basic formulas for the right fender mirror are stored in the ROM. By ~toring a plurality of basic formulas for the respective vehicle equipments, the angular positions of the other vehicle equipments such as the inner mirror, the speaker and the blowing ports of the air conditioner can be automatically adjusted in a similar manner.
A second embodiment of the present invention is now explained. Like the previous first embodiment, the present embodiment comprises the seat driver driven by the actuation of the seat control switches, the seat displacement detectors, the vehicle equipment drivers, the processing circuit and the vehicle equipment displacement detectors. Only the difference resides in the basic formulas used. In the present embodiment, the following basic formula represented by the height H of the driver and the seat forward/backward displacement Kl.
- H = akl ~ b .............................. (ll) where a and b are the same variables as those used in the basic formulas (l) and (2) described above and they are determined by the constants al, a2, a3, a4 and the constants bl, b2, b3, b4.
~7~3~i~
' .
The basic formula (11) is stored in the ROM which further stores the optimum angle of one of the vehicle equipments (e.g.the right fender mirror) which corresponds to the height o~ the driver.
Referring to Fig. 11, the operation of the present embodiment is now explained. When the automatic/manual selection switch 52 is switched to the automatic position, the initial set routine such as reset of the RAM of the - microcomputer 14 starts and the on-off çondition of the seat switch 21 for detecting if the driver is sitting on the seat or not is checked. If the seat switch is on, the amount of adjustment signals indicative of the amounts of adjustment for the seat parts are read in. In the seat cushion, the seat back or the head rest has been adjusted, the basic formula (11) is corrected to thefollowing formula (12), (13?, (14) or (15).
Hl = alkl + bl ..... (12) H2 (al + a2)kl + bl ~ b2 ..... (13) ( 1 + a2 + a3)kl + bl ~b2 + b3 ..... (14) H4 = (al + a2 + a3 + a4)kl + bl 2 3 4 ..... (15) Based on the finally corrected formula, the height of the driver is calcuIated, and the optimum angle of the right fender mirror is read out based on the calculated height in accordance with the prestored optimum angle of the right fender mirror for the height. Then, it is de termed if the correction amounts are stored in the RAM, and if they are stored~ the correction amounts ~1 and ~1 are i added to the optlmum angles ~1 and ~2~ respectively. If the correction switch 59 is further actuated, the corrected optimum angles ~1 + ~1 and a2 + ~1 are further corrected and the corrected angles are stored in the RAM. If the cor rection reset switch 61 is actuated, the corrected optimum 3~
angles are reset to the original angles ~l and ~2 and the correction amounts stored in the RAM are cleared. The optimum angles or the corrected optimum angles thus calculated are converted to a fender mirror drive signal which is fed to the driver to automatically drive the fender mirror to the optimum angular position.
While the optimum agnles of the right fender mirror for the height are stored ln the illustrated embodiment, the other vehicle equipments can be simultaneously adjusted automatically by storing a numbèr of optimum angles of the vehicle equipments for the height such as the optimum angles of the left fender mirror for the height and the optimum angles of the inner mirror for the height. The basic formula may use the relation between the height and the reclining angle k2, the relation between the height and a head rest upward/
downward displacement k3 or the relation between the height and the head rest forward/backward tilt displacement.
A third embodiment of the present inventi`on is now explained. Like the first and second embodiments, the present embodiment comprises the seat driver driven by the actuation of the seat control switches, the seat displacement detectors, the vehicle equipment drivers, the processing circuit and the vehicle equipment displacement detectors. Only the dif-ference resldes in that an eye position of the driver is calculated.
In the present embodiment, the numbers of pulses from the seat forward/backward displacement detector 18A, the seat back tilt displacement detector 18B, the head rest upward/downward displacement detector 18C and the head rest tilt displacement detector 18D are counted by the microcomputer 14, and the eye position of the driver sitting on the seat 2 is calculated based on those counts.
3~
.
Fig. 12 illustrates a method for calculating the eye position of the driver by the microcomputer. A distance X from a preselected origin (X0, Y0) under the seat 2 to the eye position of the driver as measured in the direction of the X-axis is represented by:
X = a ~ f - i where a is a distance along the X-axis from the origin (X0, Y0) to a support axis R of the seat back 2A, f is a distance along the X-axis from the support axis P of the seat back 2A to a crosspoint Q of a lengthwise extended line of the seat back 2A and a normai line thereto drawn from the eye position of the driver (X, Y). This distance is represented by (b~c) cos ~ where b is the length of the seat back 2A and c is the length from the upper end of the seat back 2A along the lengthwise extended line thereo~ to the crosspoint Q on the headrest 2B, and i is a since of the distance from the crosspoint Q to the eye position (X, Y) of the driver and it is represented by (e -~ d) sin ~, where d is the distance from the crosspoint Q to a head contact plane of the head rest 2B and e is the distance between a rear portion o~ the head of the driver and the eyes. The distance ,~ d from the crosspoint Q to the head contact plane of the head rest 2B is represented by c tan ~, where c is the length betwqen the upper end of the seat back 2A and the crosspoint ~ Q
A distance Y measured alonq the Y-axis from the origin (X0, Y0) to the eye position of the driver is represented by:
Y _ j = g = h where j is the distance along the Y-axis from the origin (X0, Y0) to the support axis P of the seat back 2A, g is the distance along the Y-axis from the support axis P of ~7~3~
the seat back 2A to the crosspoint Q, which distance is represented by (b + c) sin a, and i is a coslne of the distance from the crosspoint Q to the eye position (X, Y) of the driver and represented by (e + d) cos ~.
Thus~ by detecting the seat forward/backward displacement a by the seat forwardtbackward displacement detector 18A, the tilt angle ~ of the seat back 2A by the seat back tilt displacement detector 18s, the upward/downward displacement c of the head rest 2B by the head rest upward/down-ward displacement detector 18C ànd the tilt angle ~ of thehead rest 2s by the head rest tilt displacement detector 18D, the eye position (X~ Y) of the driver can be calculated by the microcomputer 14 based on the other constants b and e.
As the eye position of the driver is calculated by the microcomputer 14, drive signals for driving the meters 4, the blowing ports of the air conditioner 6, the lnner mirror 8, the right fender mirror 10 and the left fender mirror 12 to the optimum angular positlons to the driver are produced based on the calculated eye position and they are fed to the angular displacing mechanism of the meter 4, - the air conditioner 6 and the back mirrors.
Taking the fender mirror as an example and referring to Figs. 13 and 14, the solenoid 48 is energized or deenergized based on the drive signals sent from the microcomputer 14 in accordance with the X-direction and Y-direction displacements of the eye position of the driver resulting from the dis-placements of the position and the angle of the seat 2. By driving the motor 26 for a predetermined time period, the mirror 24 is rotated around the fixing point 40 to the horizontal angle 31 and the vertical angle 2 as the pivot screw 34 advances or retracts as shown in Figs. 15 and 16 so that the mirror 24 is angularly displaced to the optimum ~17i~
angular position to the driver.
In the present embodiment, the correction amounts are calculated and stored in the other memory.
The correction amounts are calculated to correct the eye position of the driver determined by the position and the angle of the seat 2 because the distance e rom the head contact point of the head rest 2s to the eyes shown in Fig 12 chan~es depending on the physical features of the driver.
The microcomputer 14 is programmed to operate in accordance with a flow chart shown in Fig. 17. When the manual position is selected by the automatic/manual selection switch 52, the actuation of the seat control switches 54 and the fender mirror con~rol switches are identified, and based on the identification, the fender mirror, etc. are driven to the selected angular positions by the motors. The cor-rection amount derived from a difference between the selected angle of the fender mirror and the angle calculated based on the position and the angle of the seat is stored in the memory by the actuation of the correction switch 58.
On the other hand, when the automatic position is selected by the automatic/manuàl selection switch 52, the eye position of the driver is calculated based on the position and the angle of the seat. If the memory access selection switch 60 is on, the eye position of the driver is calculated with the correction amount stored in the memory being taken into consideration. Then, the angles of the fender mirror are calculated based on the calculated eye position of the driver~ and the fender mirror is angularly displaced by the motor in accordance with the calculated angles. The positions of the angularly displaced fender mirror are sequentially detected by the vertical angle sensor ~7 and the horizontal ~L7~3S~3 angle sensor 49 shown in Fig. 2 and the equality to the calculated angles is checked. The fender mirror is angularly displaced until the equality is detected. When the positions of the fender mirror detected by the vertical angle sensor 47 and the horizontal angle sensor 49 coincide with the calculated angles, the motor for driving the fender mirror is stopped.
The operation of the present embodiment thus constructed is now explained.
When the driver sits on the seat, the driver actuates the seat control switch 16 such as the seat forward/backward movement switch 16A and the seat back tilt switch 16B to ' displace the seat 2 to the optimum position to the driver.
When the automatic/manual selection switch 52 is switched to the manual position, the driver selects one of the selection switches 54, and based on the selection the driver actuates the vertical/horizontal selection switch 56 to drive the meter 4, the blowing ports of the air conditioner 6, the inner mirror 8 r the right fender mirror 10 or the left fender mirror 12 to the optimum angular position to the driver.
When the driver switches the automa~ic/manual switch 52 to the automatic position and actuates the seat control switches such as the seat forward/backward movement switch 16A and the seat back tilt switch 16B, the seat 2 can be displaced to the optimum position to the driver. The seat displacement detectors 18 including the seat forward/backward displacement detector 18A and the seat back tilt displacement detector 18B detect the displacements of the seat 2 and the detected displacement signals are fed to the microcomputer 14. The microcomputer 14 calculates the eye position (X, Y) of the driver sitting on the seat 2 based on the detected signals to displace the meter 4, the blowing ports of the ~7~3~
air conditioner ~, the inner mirror 8, the right fender mirror 10 and the left fender mirror 12 to the optimum angular positions to the driver based on the calculated eye position.
If the automatic/manual selection swltch 52 is switched to the manual position and the correction switch 58 is on, the correction amount based on a difference between the eye positlon of the drlver calculated by the microcomputer 14 and an actual eye position of the driver is stored in the memory of the microcomputer 1~. When the driver turns on the memory access selection switch 60 and actuates the selection switch 54 to displace the seat 2, the microcomputer 14 calculates the eye position of the driver sitting on the seat 2 based on the detectèd signals from the seat displacement detector 18 and the correction amount so that the meter 4, the blowing ports of the air conditioner 6,the inner mirror 8, the right fender mirror 10 and the left fender mirror 12 are displaced to the optimum angular positions with the physical features of the respective drivers being taken into consideration.
In the illustrated embodiment, the meter, the blowing ports of the air conditioner and the fender mirrors are angularly displaced to follow the displacements of the position and the angle of the seat. It is not necessary to angularly displace all of those but at least one of those may be angularly displaced.
- In the illustrated embodiment, the meter, the blowing ports of the air conditioner and the fender mirrors are angularly displaced with the correction amount due to the physical features of the drivers being taken into consideration. However~ the means for calculating the cor-rea~ion amount is not always necessary to attain the advantages of the present invention.
3'~
rom the foregoing description~ it should be apparent to one skilled in the art that the above~described embodiment is but one of many possible specific embodiments which can represent the applications of the principles of the present invention. Numerous and varied other arrangements-can be readily devised by those skilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.
. -23-
Claims (8)
1. An optimum angle adjusting apparatus for vehicle equipments comprising:
amount of adjustment detecting means for detecting amounts of adjustment of vehicle seat parts from reference positions to produce a plurality of amount of adjustment signals;
processing means for storing at least one basic formula to determine a relation between a selected one of said amounts of adjustment and an optimum angle of one of said vehicle equipments to be adjusted to optimum angular positions to a driver and calculating an optimum angle of at least one vehicle equipment by correcting said basic formula in accordance with said amount of adjustment signals;
and drive means for driving said at least one vehicle equipment to the optimum angular position in accordance with the output of said processing means.
amount of adjustment detecting means for detecting amounts of adjustment of vehicle seat parts from reference positions to produce a plurality of amount of adjustment signals;
processing means for storing at least one basic formula to determine a relation between a selected one of said amounts of adjustment and an optimum angle of one of said vehicle equipments to be adjusted to optimum angular positions to a driver and calculating an optimum angle of at least one vehicle equipment by correcting said basic formula in accordance with said amount of adjustment signals;
and drive means for driving said at least one vehicle equipment to the optimum angular position in accordance with the output of said processing means.
2. An optimum angle adjusting apparatus for vehicle equipment comprising:
amount of adjustment detecting means for detecting amounts of adjustment of vehicle seat parts from reference positions to produce a plurality of amount of adjustment signals;
processing means for storing a basic formula to determine a relation between a selected one of said amounts of adjustment and a height of a driver and an optimum angle of one of said vehicle equipments to be adjusted to optimum angular positions to said driver to conform to the height of said driver, calculating the height of said driver by correcting said basic formula in accordance with said amount of adjustment signals and calculating an optimum angle of at least one vehicle equipment based on the calculated height of said driver; and drive means for driving said at least one vehicle equipment to the optimum angular position in accordance with the output of said processing means.
amount of adjustment detecting means for detecting amounts of adjustment of vehicle seat parts from reference positions to produce a plurality of amount of adjustment signals;
processing means for storing a basic formula to determine a relation between a selected one of said amounts of adjustment and a height of a driver and an optimum angle of one of said vehicle equipments to be adjusted to optimum angular positions to said driver to conform to the height of said driver, calculating the height of said driver by correcting said basic formula in accordance with said amount of adjustment signals and calculating an optimum angle of at least one vehicle equipment based on the calculated height of said driver; and drive means for driving said at least one vehicle equipment to the optimum angular position in accordance with the output of said processing means.
3. An optimum angle adjusting apparatus for vehicle equipments comprising:
amount of adjustment detecting means for detecting amounts of adjustment of vehicle seat parts from reference positions to produce a plurality of amount of adjustment signals;
processing means for calculating an eye position of a driver in accordance with said amount of adjustment signals;
and drive means for driving at least one of said vehicle equipments to an optimum angular position in accordance with the output of said processing means.
amount of adjustment detecting means for detecting amounts of adjustment of vehicle seat parts from reference positions to produce a plurality of amount of adjustment signals;
processing means for calculating an eye position of a driver in accordance with said amount of adjustment signals;
and drive means for driving at least one of said vehicle equipments to an optimum angular position in accordance with the output of said processing means.
4. An optimum angle adjusting apparatus for vehicle equipments according to Claim 1 or 2 wherein said basic formula is a function of a vehicle seat forward/backward displacement and the optimum angle of said one vehicle equipment to be adjusted to the optimum angular position to said driver.
An optimum angle adjusting apparatus for vehicle equipments according to Claim 1, 2 or 3 wherein said one vehicle equipment to be adjusted to the optimum angular position to the driver is selected from a fender mirror, an inner mirror, blowing ports of an air conditioner, a speaker and a meter.
6. An optimum angle adjusting apparatus for vehicle equipments according to claims 1 or 2, wherein said basic formula is a function of a vehicle seat forward/backward displacement and the optimum angle of said one vehicle equipment to be adjusted to the optimum angular position to said driver, and wherein said one vehicle equipment to be adjusted to the optimum angular position to said driver is selected from a fender mirror, an inner mirror, blowing ports of an air conditioner, a speaker and a meter.
7. An optimum angle adjusting apparatus for vehicle equipments according to claim 1 or 2 wherein said basic formula is corrected by at least one of a vehicle seat cushion forward/backward displacement, a seat back reclining angle, a head rest upward/downward displacement and a head rest forward/backward displacement.
8. An optimum angle adjusting apparatus for vehicle equipments according to claim 1, 2 or 3 further comprising:
a power seat having parts adapted to be automatically adjusted by said drive means; and a plurality of amount of adjustment detectors arranged in said parts of said power seat, said detectors each including a photo-interrupter and a light emitting element and a photo-sensing element arranged on the opposite sides of said photo-interrupter.
a power seat having parts adapted to be automatically adjusted by said drive means; and a plurality of amount of adjustment detectors arranged in said parts of said power seat, said detectors each including a photo-interrupter and a light emitting element and a photo-sensing element arranged on the opposite sides of said photo-interrupter.
Applications Claiming Priority (4)
| Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
|---|---|---|---|
| JP55-136893 | 1980-09-30 | ||
| JP55136893A JPS5760943A (en) | 1980-09-30 | 1980-09-30 | Automatic driving position selecting device |
| JP56-132,307 | 1981-08-24 | ||
| JP56132307A JPS5833546A (en) | 1981-08-24 | 1981-08-24 | Regulator for proper angle of car equipment |
Publications (1)
| Publication Number | Publication Date |
|---|---|
| CA1178358A true CA1178358A (en) | 1984-11-20 |
Family
ID=26466921
Family Applications (1)
| Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
|---|---|---|---|
| CA000386396A Expired CA1178358A (en) | 1980-09-30 | 1981-09-22 | Optimum angle adjusting apparatus for vehicle equipments |
Country Status (1)
| Country | Link |
|---|---|
| CA (1) | CA1178358A (en) |
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN116953504A (en) * | 2023-05-15 | 2023-10-27 | 赛力斯集团股份有限公司 | Detection circuit and equipment |
-
1981
- 1981-09-22 CA CA000386396A patent/CA1178358A/en not_active Expired
Cited By (1)
| Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CN116953504A (en) * | 2023-05-15 | 2023-10-27 | 赛力斯集团股份有限公司 | Detection circuit and equipment |
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