A movable or removable seat for a motor vehicle

• US 20070102999A1
• Filed: 05/07/2004
• Published: 05/10/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 05/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Darraba, Roger
• Granted Patent: US 8,010,255 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 307/10.100
• 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 2/0224 Non-manual adjustments, e.g. with electrical operation
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0264 characterised by the type of electrical connection, e.g. wiring, plugs or USB
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01088 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01265 Seat belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01546 using belt buckle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01548 sensing the amount of belt winded on retractor
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/204 by influencing the mutual induction between two or more coils G01D5/22 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/48 using wave or particle radiation means G01D5/26 takes precedence

Abstract

A movable or removable seat for a motor vehicle is disclosed which preferably takes the form of a re-movable vehicle seat (1). The removable seat incorporates a first inductor (17) which forms part of an inductive coupling between the removable seat and a second inductor (21) which is mounted on the motor vehicle. The first inductor forms part of a resonant circuit which incorporates at least one capacitor. The resonant frequency of the resonant circuit is variable in response to a sensed parameter such as, for example, the position of a head-rest of the seat, the inclination of the back-rest of the seat and such like. A central unit (23) generates a square wave which excites the resonant circuit. A signal is transmitted from the resonant circuit to the central unit (23) which analyses the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit.

Claims

1. A sensor circuit for a removable seat for a motor vehicle, comprising the seat incorporates a first inductor to form part of an inductive coupling between the first inductor and a second inductor mounted on the motor vehicle, the first inductor forming part of a resonant circuit mounted to the seat which incorporates at least one capacitor, the resonant frequency of the resonant circuit being variable in response to a sensed parameter, and a signal processing circuit for detecting between resonance conditions of the resonant circuit based on response to the sensed parameter.

2. A sensor circuit according to claim 1 wherein the sensed parameter is the position of a height adjustable belt deflector.

3. A sensor circuit according to claim 1 wherein the sensor parameter is the position of a head-rests of the seat.

4. A sensor circuit according to claim 1 wherein the sensed parameter is the inclination of a back-rests of the seat.

5. A sensor circuit according to claim 1 wherein the sensed parameter is the condition of part of a seat-belt system.

6. A sensor circuit according to claim 5 wherein the sensed parameter is a condition of a seat-belt retractor.

7. A sensor circuit according to claim 5 wherein the sensed parameter is the condition of a safety-belt buckle.

8. A sensor circuit according to claim 1 wherein the sensed parameter is weight applied to a seat cushion of the seats.

9. A sensor circuit claim 1 wherein the resonant circuit includes at least one capacitor associated with a switch to switch the capacitor in and out of the resonant circuit.

10. A seat according to claim 9 wherein the resonant circuit incorporating a plurality of capacitors each with a respective switch to enable the capacitors to be switched individually in and out of the resonant circuit and wherein the respective switches responsive to one of a plurality of sensed parameters.

11. A sensor circuit according to claim 1 wherein the resonant circuit is a passive circuit which does not include an electrical power supply carried by the seat.

12. A sensor circuit according to claim 1 wherein the seat is provided in combination with the vehicle, the vehicle being provided with the second inductor to co-operate with the first inductor to form a contactless-transmission, the second inductor being connected with a signal generator to generate an exciting signal to excite the resonant circuit and to analyse signals from the resonant circuit.

13. A sensor circuit according to claim 12 wherein the resonant circuit has two resonant frequencies depending upon the condition of a switch, and the signal generator is configured to generate a signal such that the resonant circuit has resonant frequencies which are odd harmonics of the base frequency of the generated signal.

14. A sensor circuit according to claim 12 wherein the signal generator is adapted to generate a plurality of separate signals, each signal having a different frequency which is a possible resonant frequency of the resonant circuit.

15. A sensor circuit according to claim 12 wherein the signal generator is configured to generate successive signals of different possible resonant frequencies.

16. A sensor circuit according to claim 12 wherein the signal generator is configured to generate a signal during one period of time and analyse a signal during a succeeding period of time.

17. A sensor circuit according to claim 12 wherein the signal generator is configured to generate a signal and analyse a signal simultaneously.

18. A sensor circuit according to claim 16 wherein the signal processing circuit is configured to take an average of the analysed signals, and compare the phase of the average with the phase of the signal generated by the signal generator.