Seating detector

• US 20050057026A1
• Filed: 09/16/2004
• Published: 03/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Hattori, Katsu, Maeda, Toshiro, Yamamoto, Yukihiro, Satta, Hiroki
• Application Number:
  US10/941,924
• Publication Number:
  US 20050057026A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01546 using belt buckle sensors

Abstract

A seating detector comprises a plurality of load sensors provided at a seat for detecting partial loads applied to the seat, a total load calculating means for calculating a total load by summing up the partial loads detected by the load sensors, an occupant determining means for determining an occupant of the seat based on an comparison between the total load calculated by the total load calculating means and at least one of thresholds, a detecting means for detecting fastened/unfastened conditions of the seat belt, a judging means for judging whether or not the total load is in a predetermined range when it is detected by the detecting means that the unfastened condition of the seat belt is switched to the fastened condition, a determination maintaining means for maintaining a determination of the occupant of the seat as a child restraint system when it is judged that the total load is in the predetermined range.

Claims

1. A seating detector, comprising:

a plurality of load sensors provided at a seat for detecting partial loads applied to the seat;

a total load calculating means for calculating a total load by summing up the partial loads detected by the load sensors;

an occupant determining means for determining an occupant of the seat based on an comparison between the total load calculated by the total load calculating means and at least one of thresholds;

a detecting means for detecting fastened/unfastened conditions of the seat belt;

a judging means for judging whether or not the total load is in a predetermined range when it is detected by the detecting means that the unfastened condition of the seat belt is switched to the fastened condition, and

a determination maintaining means for maintaining a determination of the occupant of the seat as a child restraint system when it is judged that the total load is in the predetermined range.

2. A seating detector according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of load sensors is provided at a seating surface of the seat to be defined by a two-dimensional array including rows and columns for detecting a partial pressure applied to the seating surface as the partial load.

4. A seating detector according to claim 1, wherein a determination releasing means is provided for releasing the maintained determination of the occupant of the seat as the child restraint system when it is detected by the detecting means that the fastened condition of the seat belt is switched to the unfastened condition.

5. A seating detector according to claim 2, wherein a determination releasing means is provided for releasing the maintained determination of the occupant of the seat as the child restraint system when it is detected by the detecting means that the fastened condition of the seat belt is switched to the unfastened condition.

7. A seating detector according to claim 1, a prohibiting means is provided for prohibiting an actuation of an air bag when the determination of the occupant of the seat as the child restraint system is maintained by the determination maintaining means.

8. A seating detector according to claim 2, a prohibiting means is provided for prohibiting an actuation of an air bag when the determination of the occupant of the seat as the child restraint system is maintained by the determination maintaining means.

10. A seating detector according to claim 4, a prohibiting means is provided for prohibiting an actuation of an air bag when the determination of the occupant of the seat as the child restraint system is maintained by the determination maintaining means.

11. A seating detector according to claim 1, wherein seven types of conditions of the seat are determined;

a condition in which the buckle of the seat belt is fastened, a condition in which the buckle of the seat belt is unfastened, a condition in which the seat is occupied by an adult of large size, a condition in which the seat is occupied by an adult of small size, a condition when the seat is occupied by a child, a condition in which the seat is occupied by the child restraint system and a condition in which no load is applied to the seat.

12. A seating detector according to claim 2, wherein seven types of conditions of the seat are determined;

a condition in which the buckle of the seat belt is fastened, a condition in which the buckle of the seat belt is unfastened, a condition in which the seat is occupied by an adult of large size, a condition in which the seat is occupied by an adult of small size, a condition when the seat is occupied by a child, a condition in which the seat is occupied by the child restraint system and a condition in which no load is applied to the seat.

14. A seating detector according to claim 4, wherein seven types of conditions of the seat are determined;

a condition in which the buckle of the seat belt is fastened, a condition in which the buckle of the seat belt is unfastened, a condition in which the seat is occupied by an adult of large size, a condition in which the seat is occupied by an adult of small size, a condition when the seat is occupied by a child, a condition in which the seat is occupied by the child restraint system and a condition in which no load is applied to the seat.

15. A seating detector according to claim 5, wherein seven types of conditions of the seat are determined;

a condition in which the buckle of the seat belt is fastened, a condition in which the buckle of the seat belt is unfastened, a condition in which the seat is occupied by an adult of large size, a condition in which the seat is occupied by an adult of small size, a condition when the seat is occupied by a child, a condition in which the seat is occupied by the child restraint system and a condition in which no load is applied to the seat.

3. A seating detector, comprising:

a plurality of cells provided at a seating surface of a seat to be defined by a two-dimensional array including rows and columns for detecting partial loads applied to the seating surface of the seat;

a calculating means for calculating a number of the cells being “

on”

which indicating the number of the cells whose partial pressure exceeds a predetermined pressure;

an occupant determining means for determining an occupant of the seat based on an comparison between the number of the cells being “

on”

calculated by the calculating means and at least one of thresholds;

a detecting means for detecting fastened/unfastened conditions of the seat belt;

a judging means for judging whether or not the number of the cells being “

on”

is in a predetermined range when it is detected by the detecting means that the unfastened condition of the seat belt is switched to the fastened condition, and

a determination maintaining means for maintaining a determination of the occupant of the seat as a child restraint system when it is judged that the number of the cells being “

on”

is in the predetermined range.

6. A seating detector according to claim 3, wherein a determination releasing means is provided for releasing the maintained determination of the occupant of the seat as the child restraint system when it is detected by the detecting means that the fastened condition of the seat belt is switched to the unfastened condition.

9. A seating detector according to claim 3, a prohibiting means is provided for prohibiting an actuation of an air bag when the determination of the occupant of the seat as the child restraint system is maintained by the determination maintaining means.

13. A seating detector according to claim 3, wherein seven types of conditions of the seat are determined;

a condition in which the buckle of the seat belt is fastened, a condition in which the buckle of the seat belt is unfastened, a condition in which the seat is occupied by an adult of large size, a condition in which the seat is occupied by an adult of small size, a condition when the seat is occupied by a child, a condition in which the seat is occupied by the child restraint system and a condition in which no load is applied to the seat.