Abstract:
An integrated operator cable-connector and base housing for an automotive shifter mechanism includes a generally cylindrical opening (56) in the base housing (14), an isolator (24) installed onto one end of a steel sleeve (50) compressed against one or more shoulders in the opening (56) and held therein with a cap snap fitted to a protrusion on the base housing (14). A swivel tube (40) has a head portion captured between facing partially spherical seats (38) formed on an end of the isolator (24) and an interior portion of the base housing (14) respectively, and a rod (28) laterally supported and slidable therein. The operator cable (12) has its case crimped into a protruding end of the sleeve (50) and its core wire passed through a plastic tubular insert in the sleeve, an opening in the end of the isolator, and the inside of the swivel tube to a rod to which it is attached to the rod (28) slidable in the swivel tube (40).
Abstract:
An electrically powered actuator mechanism for operating a vehicle parking brake including a reversible electrical motor having output gearing driving a sector gear. A wrapped spring clutch drivingly connects the sector gear to an intermediate operator cable wind up wheel. The intermediate cable is connected to the brake cable to set the brakes when the operator cable is wound up by energization of the motor in one direction, with a load sensor turning off the motor when a predetermined tension load is reached. Locking motor gearing holds the brake in the set condition. Reversal of the motor upwinds the cable to release the parking brake. A self adjusting feature is provided by a pretensioned clock spring creating a torsional bias on the wind up wheel tending to maintain a predetermined tension in the brake cable. A spring clutch is released by engagement of a release arm to allow the clock spring to adjust the wind up wheel. A cable operated manual release causes a release lever to engage the clutch spring release arm to allow the cable to release although the clock spring monitoring a minimum tension after release of the winding wheel.
Abstract:
A vehicle seat includes a seat movable along a path a motor for driving the seat on the path, a sensor generating a signal indicating movement of the seat on the path, and a controller operating the motor to move said seat along the path. The sensor is preferably a Hall-effect device or a potentiometer. The controller is in communication with the sensor to receive the signal and form a feed-back control loop. The controller accelerates the seat at a controlled rate of acceleration to a controlled constant speed and decelerates the seat from the constant speed at a controlled rate of deceleration. The controller controls the rate of acceleration of the seat at a stored predetermined rate of acceleration by adjusting operation of the motor to maintain the predetermined rate of acceleration. The controller controls the constant speed of the seat by determining an actual speed of the seat utilizing the feedback control loop, comparing the actual speed to a stored predetermined constant speed, and adjusting operation of the motor to maintain the actual speed substantially equal to the predetermined constant speed. The controller controls the rate of deceleration of the seat at a stored predetermined rate of deceleration by adjusting operation of the motor to maintain the predetermined rate of deceleration.
Abstract:
An adjustable control pedal for a motor vehicle includes an upper arm, a lower arm supported by the upper arm and operatively connected to the upper arm for selected movement relative to the upper arm, and a drive assembly operatively connected to the lower arm to selectively move the lower arm relative to the upper arm. The drive assembly includes a drive screw connected to one of the upper and lower pedal arms, a drive nut connected to the other of the upper and lower pedal arms and cooperating with the drive screw such that the drive nut travels along the drive screw upon rotation of the drive screw, and an electric motor operatively connected to the drive screw to selectively rotate the drive screw. A hall-effect sensor is located adjacent the drive screw and cooperates with a ring magnet rotatable with the drive screw to detect motion information, including distance and velocity information, upon rotation of the drive screw. A controller receives the motion information and activates the electric motor upon initialization of the controller to move the lower pedal arm in a first direction until a first mechanical stop is engaged and establish a home stop position and to move the lower pedal arm in the other direction until a second mechanical stop is engaged and establish a travel stop position. The controller then determines electronic limits of travel for the lower pedal arm based on the mechanical limits of travel to reduce engagement with the first and second mechanical stops during movement of the lower pedal arm. The controller also determines stall conditions of the lower pedal arm between the limits of travel based on the velocity information received during movement of the lower pedal arm to reduce injury or damage resulting from engagement with obstructions.
Abstract:
A vehicle seat assembly includes a seat back supported with respect to a seat bottom and is attached to the vehicle by a mounting assembly. The mounting assembly has an inboard track assembly (18) that are both mounted to a vehicle structure with the track assemblies being spaced apart from one another. Each track assembly (18, 20) includes a first track (30) and a second track (32) supported for movement relative to the first track. The seat bottom is supported on the second track for horizontal movement with the second track as seat position is adjusted. A single locking mechanism (28) is supported on one of the inboard track assemblies (18, 20). The locking mechanism (28) moveable between a locked position where the locking mechanism maintains the second track in a selected position relative to the first track and an unlocked position where the second track is moved with respect to the first track to a desired seat position. The mounting assembly further includes a manual actuator (22) for selectively moving the locking mechanism (28) between the locked and unlocked positions. A truss structure (36, 38) extends between the inboard (18) and outboard (20) track assemblies to provide structural support for the seat assembly.