Passenger weight measuring apparatus

• US 20020154020A1
• Filed: 03/25/2002
• Published: 10/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/23/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Aoki, Koji, Fujimoto, Osamu, Sakai, Morio, Sumi, Chiaki
• Granted Patent: US 6,922,152 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/667
• 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: B60N 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0031 mounted on the frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0035 characterised by the sensor data transmission, e.g. wired connections or wireless transmitters therefor; characterised by the sensor data processing, e.g. seat sensor signal amplification or electric circuits for providing seat sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/42 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/30 Signal processing of sensor data
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01122 Prevention of malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0152 using strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4142 for controlling activation of safety devices, e.g. airbag systems electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents B60R21/015

Abstract

In a passenger weight measuring apparatus, each of bend parts of front and rear brackets for supporting a seat to a vehicle main body side becomes bent and deformed in response to the load applied by the weight of the passenger sit in the seat. A load sensor on each the bend part detects the load based on the bend deformation and outputs a voltage signal of magnitude responsive to the load to a signal processor. The processor generates a load detection signal clamped in the voltage range corresponding to a preset passenger weight load range from the voltage signal and outputs the load detection signal to an output terminal. When the detected load is a collision load set in a load region out of the load range, the processor outputs an abnormal load detection signal different from the load detection signal to the same output terminal.

Claims

1. A passenger weight measuring apparatus comprising:

a load detector for detecting the distortion deformation amount of a load deformation body to which a load based on the weight of a passenger is applied, the load deformation body becoming elastically deformed according to the distortion deformation amount responsive to the magnitude of the applied load, to generate and output a load detection signal corresponding to the load from the distortion deformation amount; and

an abnormal load detector for outputting an abnormal load detection signal in a state in which the abnormal load detection signal is distinguishable from the load detection signal when an abnormal load set in a load region out of a preset passenger weight load detection range for the load is applied to the load deformation body.

2. The passenger weight measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the abnormal load detection signal comprises a signal that is distinguishable from the load detection signal;

and

wherein the abnormal load detector outputs the abnormal load detection signal to an output terminal to which the load detector outputs the load detection signal.

3. The passenger weight measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein the abnormal load detector comprises:

a comparison determination circuit for determining whether or not the load detection signal is out of a signal range corresponding to the passenger weight load detection range by comparing the load detection signal with a preset reference signal, to output a determination signal corresponding to the determination result; and

an output circuit being responsive to the determination signal for outputting the load detection signal to the output terminal when the load detection signal is within the signal range and outputting the abnormal load detection signal to the output terminal when the load detection signal is out of the signal range.

4. The passenger weight measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the output circuit comprises a switching element for performing switching operation in response to the determination signal and when the load detection signal is out of the signal range, the switching element outputs one of a power supply potential signal and a ground potential signal to the output terminal as the abnormal load detection signal.

5. The passenger weight measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 2, further comprising a clamp circuit for clamping the load detection signal output by the load detector in the signal range corresponding to the passenger weight load detection range,

wherein the abnormal load detector outputs the abnormal load detection signal as a signal out of the signal range.

6. The passenger weight measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 1, wherein the load deformation body comprises a support member for supporting a seat in which a passenger sits to a vehicle main body side, and

wherein the load detector comprises a resistor strain gauge placed on the support member.

10. The passenger weight measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the output circuit comprises a switching element for performing switching operation in response to the determination signal and if the load is in the abnormal load range, the switching element outputs a power supply potential signal or a ground potential signal to the output terminal as the abnormal load detection signal.

11. The passenger weight measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 10 wherein the abnormal load detector further comprises a clamp circuit for placing a load between the passenger weight load range and the abnormal load range in a load detection signal range.

12. The passenger weight measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 11 wherein the load deformation body comprises a support member for supporting a seat in which a passenger sits to a vehicle main body side, and

wherein the load detector is a resistor strain gauge placed on the support member.

7. A passenger weight measuring apparatus comprising:

a load deformation body being distorted and deformed upon application of a load thereto;

a load detector for detecting the load from the distortion deformation amount occurring on the load deformation body; and

an abnormal load detector for setting a passenger weight load range for the load from the load detector, outputting a first load detection signal responsive to the load if the load from the load detector is in the passenger weight load range, outputting a second load detection signal provided by clamping the first load detection signal when a positive load of a predetermined load from the upper limit value of the passenger weight load range is detected or when a negative load of a predetermined load from the lower limit value of the passenger weight load range is detected, and outputting a third load detection signal which becomes a power supply potential signal or a ground potential signal when any other load is detected.

8. A passenger weight measuring apparatus comprising:

a load deformation body being distorted and deformed upon application of a load thereto;

a load detector for detecting the load from the distortion deformation amount occurring on the load deformation body; and

an abnormal load detector for setting for the load a passenger weight load range assumed to be a passenger weight load and an abnormal load range in which a positive load out of the upper limit value of the passenger weight load by a predetermined load is detected or a negative load out of the lower limit value of the passenger weight load by a predetermined load is detected, and outputting to an output terminal an abnormal load detection signal different from a load detection signal changing with the distortion deformation amount in the passenger weight load range if a load in the abnormal load range is detected.

9. The passenger weight measuring apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the abnormal load detector comprises:

a comparison determination circuit for comparing the load from the distortion deformation amount with a reference signal to output a determination signal if the load is determined to be in the abnormal load range; and

an output circuit for outputting the abnormal load detection signal to the output terminal if the load is in the abnormal load range.