Note: Descriptions are shown in the official language in which they were submitted.
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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.
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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.
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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 -
.. . ~ .
.
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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
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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
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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 _
.
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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,
--10--
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
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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
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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
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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
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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.
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' .
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
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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.
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.
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
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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
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~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
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~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
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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.
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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.
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