# US 2013/0154328 A1 · Vehicle seat device

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- Number: US 2013/0154328 A1
- Document ID: US20130154328A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/820,633
- Filed: 2011-10-26
- Published: 2013-06-20
- Earliest claimed: 2010-10-29
- Assignees: Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
- Inventors: Toshiro Maeda; Hiroki Kino
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20130154328A1

## CPC

- B60N 2/16: height-adjustable
- B60N 2/002: {Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon (detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266)}
- B60N 2/02246: {Electric motors therefor}
- B60N 2/0244: {with logic circuits}
- B60N 2/0278: {using sensors external to the seat for measurements in relation to the seat adjustment, e.g. for identifying the presence of obstacles or the appropriateness of the occupants position}
- B60N 2/0256: {Arrangements for facilitating the occupant to get in or out of the vehicle, e.g. stowing a seat forward}
- B60N 2210/12: Capacitive; Electric field
- B60N: SEATS SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR VEHICLES; VEHICLE PASSENGER ACCOMMODATION NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR

## Abstract

A vehicle seat device including a drive device, a control unit, and seating detection unit. The drive device is configured to move a seat cushion having a seat surface on which a vehicle occupant is seated in a vertical direction. The control unit controls the drive device. The seating detection unit detects a seating action of the vehicle occupant on the seat cushion. The control unit controls the drive device to move the seat cushion downward when the seating detection unit detects the seating action of the occupant.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A vehicle seat device comprising:
a drive device configured to move a seat cushion in a vertical direction, wherein the seat cushion includes a seat surface on which a vehicle occupant is seated;
a control unit that controls the drive device;
a seating detection unit that detects a seating action of the vehicle occupant on the seat cushion,
wherein the control unit controls the drive device to move the seat cushion downward when the seating detection unit detects the seating action of the occupant.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The vehicle seat device according to claim 1, further comprising a vehicle entering detection unit that detects a vehicle entering intention of the vehicle occupant,
wherein the control unit sets the seating detection unit in a detection enabling state after the vehicle entering detection unit detects the vehicle entering intention of the vehicle occupant.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The vehicle seat device according to claim 2, wherein
the seat cushion is movable in the vertical direction within a predetermined movable range; and
when the vehicle entering detection unit detects the vehicle entering intention, the control unit determines, before moving the seat cushion downward, whether or not the seat cushion is located in a preset upper area in the movable range, the control unit controls the drive device to move the seat cushion upward when having determined that the seat cushion is not in the upper area, and the control unit waits as it is until detecting the seating action of the vehicle occupant when having determined that the seat cushion is in the upper area.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The vehicle seat device according to claim 3, wherein
the control unit is configured to move the seat cushion downward by a specified stroke amount based on a detection of the seating action; and
the control unit controls the drive device to move the seat cushion upward by the specified stroke amount when having determined that the seat cushion is not in the upper area and moving the seat cushion upward.

### Claim 5 (depends on 3)

The vehicle seat device according to claim 3, wherein the control unit controls the drive device to move the seat cushion downward by a specified stroke amount based on a detection of the seating action when having determined that the seat cushion is in the upper area and then move the seat cushion upward by the specified stroke amount.

### Claim 6 (depends on 4)

The vehicle seat device according to claim 4, wherein the specified stroke amount is preset to a distance required to reduce a seating impact received by the vehicle occupant.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The vehicle seat device according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle entering detection unit includes a door courtesy switch.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The vehicle seat device according to claim 1, wherein the seating detection unit includes a capacitive sensor.