LOAD DETECTING DEVICE FOR VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20080007100A1
• Filed: 06/20/2007
• Published: 01/10/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/23/2006
• 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: Inayoshi, Muneto, Izawa, Minoru, KAWABATA, Hideki, Akizuki, Kenichiro, Fujii, Hiroyuki, Ichihara, Kan
• Granted Patent: US 7,762,150 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/217.2
• 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

Abstract

A load detecting device for a vehicle seat includes a supporting base adapted to be mounted on a floor of the vehicle, a plurality of load sensors arranged along a forward and backward direction of a seat for the vehicle on the supporting base, the load sensors including a load input portion, a deflection portion deflecting by a load and a deflection gauge measuring an amount of deflection, the load sensors detecting the load based on the amount of deflection measured by the deflection gauge, a connecting member connecting the load input portions, a seat supporting member connected to the connecting member and adapted to support the seat for the vehicle, the seat supporting member transmitting load to the connecting member, and a stopper preventing deformation of the connecting member in a vertical direction of the seat when load which exceeding a predetermined value is applied to the connecting member.

Claims

1. A load detecting device for a vehicle seat comprising:

a supporting base adapted to be mounted on a floor of the vehicle;

a plurality of load sensors arranged along a forward and backward direction of a seat for the vehicle on the supporting base, each of the load sensors including;

a load input portion applied with load;

a deflection portion deflecting by a load transmitted from the load input portion; and

a deflection gauge measuring an amount of deflection generated at the deflection portion,

the load sensors detecting the load based on the amount of deflection measured by the deflection gauge;

a connecting member connecting the load input portions of the load sensors arranged along the forward and backward direction of the seat;

a seat supporting member connected to the connecting member and adapted to support the seat for the vehicle, the seat supporting member transmitting load applied to the seat to the connecting member; and

a stopper preventing deformation of the connecting member at least in a vertical direction of the seat when load exceeding a predetermined value is applied to the connecting member.

2. A load detecting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the stopper includes a protruding control member provided between the load sensor or the supporting base and the connecting member.

3. A load detecting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the stopper includes a protruding control member provided at the connecting member so as to prevent the deformation of the connecting member by contacting with one of the load sensor and the supporting base.

4. A load detecting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the stoppers are disposed at a front and at a rear of the load sensor in the forward and backward direction of the seat.

5. A load detecting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the stopper is disposed in the vicinity of a center between the load sensors arranged along the forward and backward direction of the seat.

6. A load detecting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the stopper includes a control member formed into a rib shape at a part of the connecting member.

7. A load detecting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the stopper includes a control member sandwiching the connecting member and the supporting base so as to control the deformation of the connecting member in a direction opposite to the supporting base.

8. A load detecting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 2, wherein the protruding control member is configured by an annular member interposed between the connecting member and the supporting base and controlling the deformation of the connecting member toward the supporting base, and the stopper includes another control member penetrating through the annular member and sandwiching the connecting member and the supporting base so as to control the deformation in a direction opposite to the supporting base.

9. A load detecting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein the protruding control member is configured by an annular member interposed between the connecting member and the supporting base and controlling the deformation of the connecting member toward the supporting base, and the stopper includes another control member penetrating through the annular member and sandwiching the connecting member and the supporting base so as to control the deformation in a direction opposite to the supporting base.

10. A load detecting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the supporting base has a lower rail adapted to be mounted on the floor of the vehicle and an upper rail slidably supported by the lower rail and having the load sensors mounted thereon, and the stopper includes a protruding control member provided between the load sensor or the upper rail and the connecting member.

11. A load detecting device for a vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the supporting base has a lower rail adapted to be mounted on the floor of the vehicle and an upper rail slidably supported by the lower rail and having the load sensors mounted thereon, and the stopper includes a control member sandwiching the connecting member and the upper rail.