Seat position detecting device with positioning member

Details Seat position detecting device with positioning member Seat position detecting device with positioning member

2002-11-27

2004-08-10

Patidar, Jay (Department: 2862)

Electricity: measuring and testing

Magnetic

Displacement

C324S207200

Reexamination Certificate

active

06774625

ABSTRACT:

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is based on and claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 with respect to a Japanese Patent Application 2001-363414, filed on Nov. 28, 2001 and a Japanese Patent Application 2002-339678, filed on Nov. 22, 2002, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to a seat position detecting device. More particularly, this invention pertains to a seat position detecting device capable of detecting a vehicle seat position.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
There is a known seat position detecting device disclosed as a U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,529. With reference to
FIG. 4
, the disclosed seat position detecting device includes components such as a movable rail
128
attached to a seat, a stationary rail
130
fixedly attached to a floor section
132
, a seat position detecting unit
150
mounted to the stationary rail
130
, and a sensor flange
144
mounted to the movable rail
128
. The seat position detecting unit
150
is arranged to surround both side surfaces of a downturned leg
148
of the sensor flange
144
. A shift position indicating unit
116
is mounted to a vehicle with the seat as a unit after being mounted to the vehicle seat.
Meanwhile, there is a known rotation detecting sensor disclosed as a Japanese Published Application No. 2000-310646. With reference to
FIG. 5
, the rotation detecting sensor
200
includes a holder
205
formed by resin (PPS) insert molding integrally with a terminal
208
therein. The terminal
208
is made of a metal member such as a brass and possesses one vertically bent end. The holder
205
is integrally provided with a sensor
201
therein, which possesses electronic parts
204
, a magnet
203
for generating magnetic flux, a detecting element
202
provided with a Hall IC and the like. The sensor
201
is electrically connected to the terminal
208
and is further connected thereto by soldering or the like. The sensor
201
is separately positioned not to be in contact with a rotation member
230
possessing gears on an outer periphery thereof or slits radially defined in the outer periphery, whereby the sensor
201
can detect the rotation of the rotation member
230
without coming in contact therewith. More particularly, the detecting element
202
detects change of magnetic flux density in response to rotation of the rotation member
230
. In this case, the sensor
201
can be arranged only at one side of the rotation member
230
of which rotation is detected by the detecting element
202
with the Hall IC. Therefore, the disclosed rotation sensor
201
can be effectively down sized.
According to the seat position detecting device disclosed as the U.S. Pat. No. 6,053,529, there is a space for the sensor flange
144
to pass between a Hall effect element (not shown) and a magnet (not shown). When the sensor flange
144
is positioned between the Hall effect element and the magnet, the magnetic flux applied to the Hall effect element is decreased. Therefore, the position detecting unit
150
outputs an OFF signal in response to the decrease of the magnetic flux. In this case, it is necessary to keep a space to mount the position detecting unit
150
so as to surround the both side surfaces of the downturned leg
148
of the sensor flange
144
assembled to the vehicle seat.
According to the rotation detecting sensor disclosed as the Japanese Published Application No. 2000-310646, it is necessary to position the sensor
201
relative to the rotation member
230
with a gap for detecting the change of the magnetic flux density by the Hall element (a detecting member)
202
. Therefore, if the rotation detecting sensor is applied for the vehicle seat, the rotation detecting sensor may be assembled to the vehicle seat with various assemblies, wherein a desired gap between the sensor
201
and the rotation member (a detected member)
230
may not be able to be ensured.
The present invention therefore seeks to provide an improved seat position detecting device capable of maintaining a constant gap between the detected member and the detecting member.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
According to an aspect of the present invention, a seat position detecting device includes a stationary rail fixedly attached to a stationary part, a movable rail movable relative to the stationary rail, a case mounted to one of the stationary rail and the movable rail and housing a position detecting member for detecting a position of the one relative to the other of the stationary rail and the movable rail, and a positioning member formed with the case and extending in a direction of a detected member so as to determine a relative position between the case and the detected member. The positioning member is removable from the case after positioning the case relative to the detected member.
In this case, the position detecting member can be effectively mounted to the one of the stationary rail and the movable rail while the case and the detected member are in contact with each other. The positioning member can be removed from the case after the position detecting member was mounted to the one. Therefore, a constant gap can be defined between the case housing the position detecting member and the detected member. In this case, even when the movable rail is slidably moved relative to the stationary rail, the detected member can be prevented from coming in contact with the case. Further, the gap between the case and the detected member can be maintained. The detected member can be a position indicating member equipped to the other of the stationary rail and the movable rail. Alternatively, the other of the stationary rail and the movable rail can be used as the detected member.
According to another aspect of the present invention, the positioning member is made of a resin material. Therefore, the positioning member can be easily removed from the case.
According to further aspect of the present invention, the case and the positioning member are integrally formed with a resin material. Therefore, the positioning member can be formed with the case.
According to still further aspect of the present invention, the position of the case relative to either the stationary rail or the movable rail can be adjusted by means of an elongated hole and a pin or a screw. Therefore, the gap between the case and the detected member can be easily adjusted.


REFERENCES:
patent: 5670873 (1997-09-01), Onishi et al.
patent: 5698909 (1997-12-01), Miyazawa
patent: 5747987 (1998-05-01), Smith
patent: 5751129 (1998-05-01), Vergin
patent: 5967549 (1999-10-01), Allen et al.
patent: 6053529 (2000-04-01), Frusti et al.
patent: 6055877 (2000-05-01), Welterlin et al.
patent: 6275026 (2001-08-01), Becker
patent: 6588710 (2003-07-01), Taylor
patent: 6593735 (2003-07-01), Becker
patent: 2000-310646 (2000-11-01), None

Affiliated with

Also associated with

Rating

Seat position detecting device with positioning member does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.

If you have personal experience with Seat position detecting device with positioning member, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Seat position detecting device with positioning member will most certainly appreciate the feedback.

Rate now

Comments { 0 }

Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-3359852