GB2133682A - Multifunctional unit - Google Patents

Abstract

A multifunctional unit comprising the locking mechanism for locking an automobile safety belt, and controls such as push buttons for operating the seat positioning actuators. <IMAGE>

Description

SPECIFICATION Multifunctional unit This invention relates to a unit which combines several functions, namely a safety belt locking mechanism and the positioning controls for an automobile seat.

The use of electrical actuators and servomechanisms is becoming increasingly more widespread on current automobiles for operating the various adjustment and control systems present thereon, such as electrical window regulators, the windscreen wiper, headlamp wipers, electrically operated external mirrors, engine control centres, brake pad wear detectors, electrically adjustable seats, electrical door lock operation etc.

For each automatic device installed in an automobile, one or more controls are necessary for operating the actuatorwhich acts on said automatic device, and the proliferation of the various automatic devices has led in some cases to the creation of control panels comprising tens of controls, not all of which are easy to identify or are easy to operate by the user.

In addition, in the case of electrically adjustable front seats, a number of electric motors are used for effecting the adjustments and movements which the seat has to make. The number of controls necessary for the motor operation is obviously related to the number of movements which the various parts of the seat can make independently of each other, such as the movement of the back rest relative to the cushion, the movement of the head rest relative to the back rest, or the vertical, forward and rear movements of the seat relative to the automobile floor.

The object of the present invention is to solve the problem of immediate identification of the seat positioning controls, and to obtain easier operability of said controls by the user.

To this end we have provided a multifunctional unit comprising the locking mechanism for locking a safety belt, and characterised by further comprising at least the controls for operating the seat positioning actuators; in particular, said multifunctional unit is provided with an outer casing which incorporates the locking mechanism for locking the safety belt, and the pushbuttons for operating the seat positioning actuators; furthermore, said unit is disposed close to the cushion of an automobile front seat, in the characteristic position of the safety belt locking mechanism.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention are described hereinafter and illustrated on the figures of the accompanying drawings which show some non-limiting embodiments of the multifunctional unit according to the invention.

Figure 1 is a plan view from above of a unit according to the invention, showing the controls and the belt locking slot; Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1 on the arrow A; Figures 3 and 4 show a different arrangement of the controls; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a seat provided with a multifunctional unit.

In Figure 1,the reference numeral 10 indicates overall a multifunctional unit, 11 indicates a slot for locking a safety belt, not shown, 12 indicates a pushbutton for releasing the belt, 13 indicates an outer casing, and 14 indicates an upper wall of said outer casing 13. Said upper wall 14 supports electrical control pushbuttons 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20, which carry printed symbols corresponding to the various seat movements.

In the present case, the actuators for the movements of the various seat parts are constituted by mechanisms driven by reversible electric motors able to rotate clockwise and anti-clockwise. Again in the present case there are provided three motors, one for operating the back rest, a second motor for the vertical movements of the seat, and a third for the longitudinal movements.

The pushbuttons 15 and 16 control the back rest inclination, the pushbuttons 17 and 18 control the actuatorforthe longitudinal seat movements, and the pushbuttons 19 and 20 control the actuator for the vertical movement.

The pushbuttons are double in order to enable the movements to be made in one direction or in the opposite direction.

In Figure 2, which shows a side view of the multifunctional unit of Figure 1 on the arrow A, the visible details carry the same reference numerals as in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a possible modification of Figure 1 in which the control pushbuttons 15, 16, 17, 18,19 and 20 are located differently on an upper wall 21 of an outer casing 22.

Figure 4 is a further embodiment in which double rocker switches, indicated by 30, 31 and 32, are used, and are disposed in accordance with a certain preferred scheme on an upper wall 33 of an outer casing 34, the reference numeral 11 again indicating the slot for locking the safety belt, and 12 the pushbutton for releasing the safety belt.

In Figure 5, the reference numeral 40 indicates an automobile front seat, to the support and slide guide of which there is pivoted, by way of an arm 41, a multifunctional unit 10 which is therefore in an easily accessible position which is comfortable for use by the seat occupant.

1. A multifunctional unit comprising the locking mechanism for locking an automobile safety belt, characterised by further comprising at least the controls for operating the seat positioning actuators.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1, provided with an outer casing incorporating the locking mechanism for locking the safety belt, and the pushbuttons for operating the actuators.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 1, provided with an outer casing incorporating the locking mechanism for locking the safety belt, and the rocker switches for operating the actuators.

4. A unit as claimed in claim 1, characterised by

**WARNING** end of DESC field may overlap start of CLMS **.

Claims (4)

**WARNING** start of CLMS field may overlap end of DESC **. SPECIFICATION Multifunctional unit This invention relates to a unit which combines several functions, namely a safety belt locking mechanism and the positioning controls for an automobile seat. The use of electrical actuators and servomechanisms is becoming increasingly more widespread on current automobiles for operating the various adjustment and control systems present thereon, such as electrical window regulators, the windscreen wiper, headlamp wipers, electrically operated external mirrors, engine control centres, brake pad wear detectors, electrically adjustable seats, electrical door lock operation etc. For each automatic device installed in an automobile, one or more controls are necessary for operating the actuatorwhich acts on said automatic device, and the proliferation of the various automatic devices has led in some cases to the creation of control panels comprising tens of controls, not all of which are easy to identify or are easy to operate by the user. In addition, in the case of electrically adjustable front seats, a number of electric motors are used for effecting the adjustments and movements which the seat has to make. The number of controls necessary for the motor operation is obviously related to the number of movements which the various parts of the seat can make independently of each other, such as the movement of the back rest relative to the cushion, the movement of the head rest relative to the back rest, or the vertical, forward and rear movements of the seat relative to the automobile floor. The object of the present invention is to solve the problem of immediate identification of the seat positioning controls, and to obtain easier operability of said controls by the user. To this end we have provided a multifunctional unit comprising the locking mechanism for locking a safety belt, and characterised by further comprising at least the controls for operating the seat positioning actuators; in particular, said multifunctional unit is provided with an outer casing which incorporates the locking mechanism for locking the safety belt, and the pushbuttons for operating the seat positioning actuators; furthermore, said unit is disposed close to the cushion of an automobile front seat, in the characteristic position of the safety belt locking mechanism. Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention are described hereinafter and illustrated on the figures of the accompanying drawings which show some non-limiting embodiments of the multifunctional unit according to the invention. Figure 1 is a plan view from above of a unit according to the invention, showing the controls and the belt locking slot; Figure 2 is a side elevation of Figure 1 on the arrow A; Figures 3 and 4 show a different arrangement of the controls; and Figure 5 is a perspective view of a seat provided with a multifunctional unit. In Figure 1,the reference numeral 10 indicates overall a multifunctional unit, 11 indicates a slot for locking a safety belt, not shown, 12 indicates a pushbutton for releasing the belt, 13 indicates an outer casing, and 14 indicates an upper wall of said outer casing 13. Said upper wall 14 supports electrical control pushbuttons 15, 16, 17, 18, 19 and 20, which carry printed symbols corresponding to the various seat movements. In the present case, the actuators for the movements of the various seat parts are constituted by mechanisms driven by reversible electric motors able to rotate clockwise and anti-clockwise. Again in the present case there are provided three motors, one for operating the back rest, a second motor for the vertical movements of the seat, and a third for the longitudinal movements. The pushbuttons 15 and 16 control the back rest inclination, the pushbuttons 17 and 18 control the actuatorforthe longitudinal seat movements, and the pushbuttons 19 and 20 control the actuator for the vertical movement. The pushbuttons are double in order to enable the movements to be made in one direction or in the opposite direction. In Figure 2, which shows a side view of the multifunctional unit of Figure 1 on the arrow A, the visible details carry the same reference numerals as in Figure 1. Figure 3 is a possible modification of Figure 1 in which the control pushbuttons 15, 16, 17, 18,19 and 20 are located differently on an upper wall 21 of an outer casing 22. Figure 4 is a further embodiment in which double rocker switches, indicated by 30, 31 and 32, are used, and are disposed in accordance with a certain preferred scheme on an upper wall 33 of an outer casing 34, the reference numeral 11 again indicating the slot for locking the safety belt, and 12 the pushbutton for releasing the safety belt. In Figure 5, the reference numeral 40 indicates an automobile front seat, to the support and slide guide of which there is pivoted, by way of an arm 41, a multifunctional unit 10 which is therefore in an easily accessible position which is comfortable for use by the seat occupant. CLAIMS

1. A multifunctional unit comprising the locking mechanism for locking an automobile safety belt, characterised by further comprising at least the controls for operating the seat positioning actuators.

2. A unit as claimed in claim 1, provided with an outer casing incorporating the locking mechanism for locking the safety belt, and the pushbuttons for operating the actuators.

3. A unit as claimed in claim 1, provided with an outer casing incorporating the locking mechanism for locking the safety belt, and the rocker switches for operating the actuators.

4. A unit as claimed in claim 1, characterised by being disposed in proximity to the automobile front seat.