Method and system for controlling an actuator for a loading surface that is adjustably mounted on a motor vehicle body

Abstract

A method and a system are configured to control an actuator for imposing forces in an adjusting direction, in particular a vehicle longitudinal direction from a vehicle front towards a vehicle rear, onto a loading surface, such as a vehicle seat, which is adjustably mounted on a body of a motor vehicle. A collision-based event is anticipate or detected. An actuator is activated in response to detection of the collision-based event in order to activate an actuator-driven movement of the loading surface relative to the body in adjusting direction for influencing, and in particular decelerate a collision-based movement of the loading surface relative to the body against the adjusting direction.

Claims

1. A method for controlling an actuator via a controller in communication with a sensor and the actuator for imposing forces onto a loading surface in an adjusting direction from a first vehicle position to a second vehicle position, wherein the loading surface is adjustably-mounted in a vehicle body of a motor vehicle for movement in the adjusting direction, the method comprising: detecting a collision-based event associated with the vehicle body; and activating the actuator to generate an actuator-driven movement of the loading surface relative to the body in the adjusting direction to decelerate a collision-based movement of the loading surface relative to the body opposing the actuator-drive movement, wherein; the actuator-driven movement follows a preset profile to at least partially offset a movement of the loading surface arising from a rebound effect of the motor vehicle post the collision-based event.

2. The method according to claim 1, further comprising: detecting a state of collision of the motor vehicle; and releasing a fixing mechanism of the loading surface when a state of collision is detected.

3. The method according to claim 1 further comprising: detecting an imminent collision of the motor vehicle; and activating the actuator in order to accelerate the loading surface in adjusting direction when an imminent collision is detected.

4. The method according to claim 3 further comprising activating the actuator beyond a stationary state of the motor vehicle in the adjusting direction to decelerate a movement of the loading surface relative to the body.

5. The method according to claim 1 wherein the actuator is activated before the imminent collision.

6. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a permissible feed travel of the loading surface against the adjusting direction, and activating the actuator based on the determined permissible feed travel.

7. The method according to claim 6, further comprising determining the permissible feed travel of the loading surface before the collision-based movement of the loading surface relative to the body against the adjusting direction.

8. The method according to claim 6, further comprising determining the permissible feed travel of the loading surface during the collision-based movement of the loading surface relative to the body against the adjusting direction.

9. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a starting position of the loading surface, and activating the actuator is activated based on the determined starting position.

10. The method according to claim 1, further comprising determining a weight of a payload of the loading surface, and activating the actuator based on the determined payload weight.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein loading surface comprises a vehicle seat and the payload comprising an occupant weight.

12. The method according to claim 1, further comprising activating the actuator based on a predetermined acceleration.

13. A motor vehicle with a body, a loading surface in the form of a vehicle seat, which is adjustably mounted on the body in an adjusting direction, and an actuator configured to impose a force onto the loading surface in the adjusting direction according to the method of claim 1.

14. A computer program product with a program code which is stored on a non-transitory computer-readable medium, which when executed in a controller is configured to carry out the method according to claim 1.

15. A system for imposing forces in an adjusting direction onto a vehicle seat adjustably mounted on a body of a motor vehicle, the system comprising: a sensor configured to detect a collision-based event associated with the vehicle body; an actuator configured to generate an actuator-driven movement of the vehicle seat relative to the body in an adjusting direction; and a controller in communication with the sensor and the actuator, the controller configured to activate the actuator for decelerating a collision-based movement of the loading surface relative to the body against the adjusting direction in response to detection of a collision-based event, wherein; the actuator is caused to follow a preset profile to at least partially offset a movement of the loading surface arising from a rebound effect of the motor vehicle post the collision-based event.

16. The system according to claim 15 wherein the sensor is configured to detect a state of collision of the motor vehicle, and the system further comprises a fixing mechanism having a release, wherein the controller is configured to operate the release for permitting movement of the vehicle seat in the adjusting direction in response to a detected state of collision.

17. The system according to claim 15 wherein the sensor is configured to detect an imminent collision of the motor vehicle, and wherein the controller is configured to activate the actuator in order to accelerate the vehicle seat in adjusting direction before the imminent collision when an imminent collision is detected.

18. The system according to claim 15 further comprising a sensor configured to determine a permissible feed travel of the vehicle seat against the adjusting direction, wherein the controller is configured to activate the actuator based on the determined permissible feed travel.

19. The system according to claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to activate the actuator before a collision-based movement of the vehicle seat relative to the body against the adjusting direction.

20. The system according to claim 18, wherein the controller is configured to activate the actuator during a collision-based movement of the vehicle seat relative to the body against the adjusting direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements.

(2) FIG. 1 a motor vehicle with a system according to an embodiment of the present disclosure and

(3) FIG. 2 the sequence of a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(4) The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description.

(5) FIG. 1 shows a motor vehicle according to an embodiment of the present disclosure with a body 1, a front vehicle seat 2, which is adjustably mounted on the body 1 guided in rails in an adjusting device in the form of a vehicle longitudinal direction L from a vehicle front towards a vehicle rear (to the right in FIG. 1), a further rear vehicle seat 3, a controlled actuator 4 for imposing forces in the vehicle longitudinal or adjusting direction L on the front vehicle seat 2, and with a system having a means for activating the actuator 4 in the form of an electronic control unit (ECU) or simply a controller 5, which is signal-connected to the actuator 4 and in terms of program equipped to carry out a method described here. The front vehicle seat 2 which is adjustable in a rail-guided manner includes a securing means that is fixed on the vehicle seat, arranged on the vehicle seat 2 and moveable with the same relative to the body 1 in the form of a safety belt 11 for the releasable securing of an occupant.

(6) The system includes a sensor configured to determine a permissible resetting travel of the front vehicle seat 2 in vehicle longitudinal or adjusting direction, which includes an interior monitoring device 6 arranged on its back and/or a seat occupancy detection 7 of the rear, further vehicle seat 3, which is signal-connected to the ECU 5.

(7) The system includes a force measurement device 8 configured to determine an occupant weight of the front vehicle seat 2. The force measurement device 8 on the front vehicle seat 2 is signal-connected to the ECU 5. The system includes a radar detection device for the radar-based detecting of an imminent collision and for detecting an acceleration of the body 1, which is signal-connected to the ECU 5. The system measurement sensor 10 for determining a starting position of the front vehicle seat 2 before an acceleration of the vehicle seat 2 in vehicle longitudinal or adjusting direction L before an imminent collision, which is signal-connected to the ECU 5. In addition, the system includes a force or distance sensor 12 for determining a loading of an instrument panel (not shown) as a consequence of a contact with the vehicle occupant or a distance between instrument panel and vehicle occupant, which is signal-connected to the ECU 5.

(8) With reference to FIG. 2, a method according to an embodiment of the present disclosure is explained in the following, which the system, in particular its ECU 5, which in terms of program is equipped for this purpose, carries out.

(9) At block S10, an occupant weight of the front vehicle seat 2 is determined in particular before or when driving off. At block S20, a starting position and a permissible resetting travel of the front vehicle seat 2 are determined, in particular continuously or periodically. A radiation of the interior monitoring device 6 and dashed lines the vehicle seat 2 that is adjustable in vehicle longitudinal or adjusting direction L by the determined maximum permissible resetting travel is exemplarily shown for this purpose in FIG. 1.

(10) At block S30, an imminent collision of the vehicle is detected. For as long as no imminent collision is detected (S30: N), the method returns to block 20. If in block S30 an imminent collision of the motor vehicle is detected (S30: Y), a fixing 13 of the front vehicle seat 2 is released in a block S40 and the actuator 4 actuated in order to accelerate the front vehicle seat 2 in vehicle longitudinal or adjusting direction L to the right in FIG. 1.

(11) Here, the ECU 5 activates the actuator 4 based on the detected occupant weight, the determined permissible resetting travel and the determined time pending the collision in such a manner that at the time of the collision calculated in advance the absolute speed of the vehicle seat 2 is minimized as far as possible and/or the travelled resetting travel is maximized as far as possible without exceeding the permissible resetting travel, as is indicated in dashed lines in FIG. 1.

(12) The fixing 13 can for example include mechanical protrusions, which engage behind undercuts of the mounting of the front vehicle seat 2 and upon activation by the ECU 5 are retracted, pivoted in or dismantled or destroyed. Equally, the fixing 13 can for example include control valves, which upon activation by the ECU 5, are opened, in particular dismantled or destroyed.

(13) As soon as, a collision that has taken place is detected (S50: Y) based on the detected current acceleration, the ECU 5, at block S60, activates the actuator 4 based on the detected current and a preset maximum acceleration, of the detected occupant weight and of the detected starting position in order to decelerate a collision-related movement of the vehicle seat 2 against the vehicle longitudinal or travelling direction L relative to the body 1 on which it is mounted in a controlled manner. Here, the ECU 5 activates the actuator 4 beyond a collision-related stationary state of the motor vehicle, in particular even still during a subsequent positive acceleration of the body 1 in vehicle longitudinal or adjusting direction L in order to at least partially offset a rebound.

(14) The ECU 5 activates the actuator 4 in block S60 in such a manner that the vehicle seat 2 as a consequence of the collision does not overrun the determined starting position. Here, it activates the actuator 4 based on the detected occupant weight in such a manner that the collision-related forward movement of the vehicle seat 2 follows a preset profile, in particular a preset permissible acceleration is not exceeded. In a modification, the ECU 5 can also activate the actuator 4 in block S60 in such a manner that the vehicle seat 2 as a consequence of the collision overruns the determined starting position, in particular maximally by a preset travel.

(15) Additionally, the ECU 5 activates the actuator 4 in block S60 in such a manner that a loading detected by the sensor 12 does not exceed a preset permissible loading or a distance detected by the sensor 12 does not undershoot a preset permissible minimum distance. In the case that the loading detected by the sensor 12 exceeds the preset permissible loading or the distance detected by the sensor 12 undershoots the preset permissible minimum distance, the ECU 5 activates the actuator 4 in block S60 in such a manner that the same increases the force in adjusting direction in the front vehicle seat 2 to a maximum value. Because of this, a permissible feed travel against the adjusting direction L is determined in addition to the consideration of the starting position, which determines a permissible feed travel determined before the collision-related movement of the front vehicle seat 2 against the adjusting direction L even during the collision-related movement of the front vehicle seat 2 against the adjusting direction L and activates the actuator 4 based on this determined feed travel.

(16) Although in the preceding description exemplary embodiments were explained it is pointed out that a multitude of modifications is possible.

(17) Accordingly, the initial acceleration of the vehicle seat 2 in adjusting direction L before an imminent collision described with reference to block S40 can also be omitted and instead when a collision that is imminent or has taken place is detected, the fixing 13 be released and the actuator 4 controlled in the manner described with reference to block S60 in order to bring about a desired damping characteristic of the collision-related movement of the vehicle seat 2 with occupants secured therein by the safety belt 11.

(18) While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment, it being understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims and their legal equivalents.