Electrical system

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-12049178-B2
Application number	US-202117185063-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Feb 25, 2021
Priority date	Feb 28, 2020
Publication date	Jul 30, 2024
Grant date	Jul 30, 2024

Abstract

An electrical system includes a movable component configured for selective connection with and selective removal from a mounting surface. The movable component may include a first electronic control unit (ECU), and an electromechanical interface configured for selectively locking the movable component with said mounting surface. The electrical system may include a second ECU configured to communicate with the first ECU, and/or a third ECU configured to detect a potential dynamic event via one or more sensors. The third ECU may be configured to provide dynamic event information to the second ECU. The second ECU may be configured to provide disable information corresponding to the dynamic event information to the movable component. The first ECU may be configured to lock the movable component with the mounting surface according to the disable information.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. An electrical system, comprising:
a movable component configured for selective connection with and selective removal from a mounting surface, the movable component including:
a first electronic control unit (ECU); and
an electromechanical interface configured for selectively locking the movable component relative to said mounting surface;

a second ECU configured to communicate with the first ECU; and
a third ECU configured to detect a potential dynamic event via one or more sensors;
wherein the third ECU is configured to provide dynamic event information to the first ECU and/or the second ECU; and
wherein at least one of:
the second ECU is configured to provide disable information, which corresponds to the dynamic event information, to the movable component; and
the first ECU is configured to lock the movable component with said mounting surface according to the disable information and/or the dynamic event information.

2. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the first ECU is configured to lock the movable component with said mounting surface and disable one or more electrical components of the movable component according to the disable information.

3. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein:
the movable component includes a movable component sensor configured to obtain movable component information;
the first ECU is configured to provide the movable component information to the second ECU; and
the second ECU is configured to make a safety device deployment determination according to the movable component information.

4. The electrical system of claim 3 , wherein:
the first ECU is configured to lock the movable component with said mounting surface according to the disable information; and
the second ECU is configured to make the safety device deployment determination based at least partially on a position in which the movable component is locked relative to said mounting surface via the first ECU.

5. The electrical system of claim 1 , including one or more additional movable components configured for selective connection with and for selective removal from said mounting surface;
wherein the movable component and the one or more additional movable components are configured to move along a track assembly of said mounting surface.

6. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the movable component is configured for connection with a track assembly of said mounting surface in a forward orientation and a rearward orientation.

7. The electrical system of claim 1 , wherein the electromechanical interface includes:
one or more anchors configured to lock the movable component with a track assembly connected to said mounting surface; and
an electrical connector configured to rotate into and out of electrical contact with a conductor of said track assembly.

8. A method of operating an electrical system, the method comprising:
detecting a potential dynamic event;
providing disable information to a movable component configured for connection with, removal from, and movement along a track assembly connected to a mounting surface;
locking the movable component relative to the mounting surface in response to the disable information;
providing activation information to the movable component;
after locking the movable component, activating a safety device associated with the movable component according to the activation information;
disconnecting a power source from the track assembly after activating the safety device;
determining whether the electrical system is in a safe condition;
providing enable information to the movable component if the electrical system is in the safe condition; and
connecting the power source with the track assembly if the electrical system is in the safe condition;
wherein the safety device includes one or more of an airbag, a seatbelt pretensioner, or a pyrotechnic device.

9. The method of claim 8 , including:
providing the disable information to a plurality of other movable components; and
locking the plurality of other movable components relative to the mounting surface in response to the disable information;
wherein the movable component and the plurality of other movable components comprise respective seats.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein providing the disable information to the movable component includes broadcasting the disable information via one or more antennas to the movable component and one or more other movable components.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein locking the movable component includes activating an electromechanical interface of the movable component to engage the track assembly and substantially prevent movement of the movable component relative to the mounting surface.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein:
the disable information corresponds to the potential dynamic event;
the mounting surface is a portion of a vehicle; and
the potential dynamic event includes a vehicle collision.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the disable information is provided to the movable component before the activation information is provided to the movable component.

14. The method of claim 8 , including disabling manual and automatic operation of the movable component when the movable component receives the disable information and/or until the movable component receives enable information.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein:
the movable component includes a seat having one or more electrical components; and
disabling manual and automatic operation includes disabling manual operation of the one or more electrical components.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the one or more electrical components include at least one of an electric motor, a heating element, a fluid bladder, and/or an air mover.

17. A vehicle electrical system, comprising:
a mounting surface;
a track assembly connected to the mounting surface and include a conductor;
a movable component configured for selective connection with, movement along and relative to, and selective vertical removal from the track assembly, the movable component including:
a seat;
a safety device including at least one of a seat belt pretensioner, an airbag, or a pyrotechnic device;
a first electronic control unit (ECU); and
an electromechanical interface configured for selectively locking the movable component relative to the track assembly;

a second ECU configured to communicate with the first ECU; and
a third ECU configured to detect a potential dynamic event via one or more sensors;
wherein the third ECU is configured to provide dynamic event information to the first ECU and/or the second ECU; and
at least one of:
the first ECU is configured to lock the movable component with said mounting surface according to information from the second ECU and/or the dynamic event information, or
the second ECU is configured to provide disable information, which corresponds to the dynamic event information, to the movable component.

18. The vehicle electrical system of claim 17 , wherein:
the first ECU is configured to lock the movable component with said mounting surface and disable one or more electrical components of the movable component according to the disable information;
the mounting surface comprises a vehicle floor;
the movable component includes a movable component sensor configured to obtain movable component information;
the first ECU is configured to provide the movable component information to the second ECU;
the second ECU is configured to make a safety device deployment

Assignees

• Lear Corp

Inventors

• Jones Jeffrey A
• Moulin Antoine
• Ricart Raúl
• Ferré Fàbregas Antoni
• Fernández Bañares Jose Gabriel

Classifications

• B60N2/002 Primary

  Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon (detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266) · CPC title

• B60N2/02246

  Electric motors therefor · CPC title

• B60N2/976

  massaging systems · CPC title

• B60N2/665

  using inflatable bladders · CPC title

• B60N2/5621

  by air · CPC title