Biological object detector, vehicle seat occupancy detector, and seat belt non-wearing warning system

• US 10,220,812 B2
• Filed: 07/24/2017
• Issued: 03/05/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Saitou, Keita, Shiraishi, Yoshihiko, Yazaki, Yoshitaro, Tanaka, Yasuhiro, Miyagawa, Eijirou, Shimizu, Motoki, Harada, Toshikazu, Sakaida, Atusi, Taniguchi, Toshihisa, Gouko, Norio
• Primary Examiner(s): Fan, Hongmin
• Application Number:
  US15/657,358
• Publication Number:
  US 20170320463A1
• Time in Patent Office: 589 Days
• CPC Class Codes: 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4808 Sensing means arrangements therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 17/00 Measuring quantity of heat measuring temperature by calorimetry G01K3/00 - G01K11/00; specially adapted for measuring thermal properties of materials, e.g. specific heat, heat of combustion G01N
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 17/20 across a radiating surface, combined with ascertainment of the heat transmission coefficient materials therefor G01K17/08
• CPC Class Codes: G01K 2205/00 Application of thermometers in motors, e.g. of a vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: G01V 9/005 by thermal methods, e.g. after generation of heat by chemical reactions

Abstract

A heat flux sensor is installed in such a way that heat flux emanating from a biological object present at a predetermined position is detectable. It is determined whether or not a biological object is present at the predetermined position by comparing sensing results of the heat flux sensor with determination criteria. The determination criteria is preset according to heat flux that can be sensed when a biological object is present at the predetermined position. When the sensing results of the heat flux sensor satisfy the determination criteria, in other words, when the heat flux sensed by the heat flux sensor is the heat flux emanating from a biological object, it is determined that a biological object is present at the predetermined position. Consequently, it is possible to realize accurate detection of a biological object.

Claims

1. A seat belt non-wearing warning system comprising:

a vehicle seat occupancy detector including a heat flux sensor installed in a place in a vehicle seat where heat flux emanating from an occupant seated on the vehicle seat is detectable, and a seat occupancy determining means for determining whether or not an occupant is seated on the vehicle seat;

a seat belt wearing determining means for determining, when it is determined by the seat occupancy determining means of the vehicle seat occupancy detector that an occupant is seated on the vehicle seat, whether or not the occupant is wearing a seat belt; and

a warning means for warning, when it is determined by the seat belt wearing determining means that the occupant is not wearing the seat belt, the occupant of the non-wearing of the seat belt,

wherein

the heat flux sensor of the vehicle seat occupancy detector has a structure in which a plurality of first and second via holes are formed in an insulating base member made of a thermoplastic resin so as to penetrate the insulating base member in a thickness direction thereof, first and second connecting members formed of different metals are respectively embedded in the first and second via holes, and the first and second connecting members are alternately connected in series,

at least one of the metals forming the first and second connecting members is a sintered alloy obtained by sintering a plurality of metal atoms in a state of maintaining a crystal structure of the metal atoms, and

the seat occupancy determining means of the vehicle seat occupancy detector determines whether or not an occupant is seated on the vehicle seat by comparing sensing results of the heat flux sensor with determination criteria, the determination criteria being preset according to heat flux that can be sensed when an occupant is seated on the vehicle seat.

2. The seat belt non-wearing warning system as set forth in claim 1, wherein the sintered alloy is obtained by solid-phase sintering a plurality of metal atoms in a state of maintaining a crystal structure of the metal atoms.

3. The seat belt non-wearing warning system as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a seat belt buckle switch configured to output a switch signal indicative of whether or not the seat belt is worn, wherein the seat belt wearing determining means determines whether or not the occupant is wearing the seat belt based on the switch signal outputted from the seat belt buckle switch.