Seat Condition Detection Device, and Illumination Direction Adjustment Device for Vehicle Headlamp

• US 20080046152A1
• Filed: 08/23/2005
• Published: 02/21/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/27/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ohtake, Wataru, Kuwabara, Takeshi
• Application Number:
  US11/660,757
• Publication Number:
  US 20080046152A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/49
• 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: B60Q 1/10 due to vehicle inclination, e.g. due to load distribution
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 2300/22 Seat occupation
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 2213/01 with internal pressure of other switch sites
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 3/141 Cushion or mat switches

Abstract

A seat state detecting apparatus is provided with a sensor unit including a plurality of pressure sensitive switch units connected in parallel to each other. Each of the pressure sensitive switch units is switched to an on state or an off state in correspondence to a pressure. A plurality of pressure sensitive switch units are arranged in the seat in a dispersed manner. The seat state detecting apparatus determines a load applied to the seat on the basis of the on/off state of a plurality of pressure sensitive switch units. Each of the pressure sensitive switch units includes a plurality of pressure sensitive switches connected in series to each other. Accordingly, it is possible to improve a reliability for determining that a load applied onto a seat surpasses a predetermined value.

Claims

1-12. -12. (canceled)

13. An aiming adjusting apparatus of a vehicular headlamp comprising a seat state detecting apparatus, wherein said seat state detecting apparatus includes a sensor unit having a plurality of pressure sensitive switch units connected in parallel to each other, wherein each of the pressure sensitive switch units is switched to an on state or an off state in correspondence to a pressure, said plurality of pressure sensitive switch units are arranged in a seat in a dispersed manner, said seat state detecting apparatus determines a load applied to said seat on the basis of the on/off state of said plurality of pressure sensitive switch units, each of the pressure sensitive switch units includes a plurality of pressure sensitive switches connected in series to each other, and wherein said seat state detecting apparatus determines that the load applied to the seat surpasses a predetermined value on the basis of the on state of at least one pressure sensitive switch unit,

said aiming adjusting apparatus comprising an adjusting portion changing the aiming of the vehicular headlamp from a lower aim angle to an upper aim angle at a time when the load applied to said seat is determined to be over the predetermined value.

14. The aiming adjusting apparatus of a vehicular headlamp according to claim 13, wherein said seat state detecting apparatus determines that an occupant sits on the seat on the basis of the on state of at least one pressure sensitive switch unit.

15. The aiming adjusting apparatus of a vehicular headlamp according to claim 13 wherein said sensor unit includes:

first and second terminals connected a power source;

a first film provided with plural sets of first and second electrodes isolated to each other, each of said first electrodes being connected to said first terminal, and each of said second electrodes being connected to said second terminal;

a spacer having a plurality of openings respectively formed in correspondence to the electrodes; and

a second film lapped over said first film in such a manner as to hold said spacer therebetween, said second film being provided with plural sets of first counter electrodes and second counter electrodes, said first counter electrodes facing to the first electrodes through the opening portions of said spacer, said second counter electrodes facing to the second electrodes through said opening portions, and the first and second counter electrodes in each of the sets being short circuited with each other,

wherein each of the pressure sensitive switch units includes the set of said first and second electrodes and the set of the first and second counter electrodes.

16. The aiming adjusting apparatus of a vehicular headlamp according to claim 15, wherein said sensor unit is provided with a linear portion, a first branch portion, and a second branch portion, said linear portion being provided with a first end in which said first terminal and the second terminal are arranged, and a second end in an opposite side thereto, wherein said first branch portion and the second branch portion are branched from said linear portion in the second end of said linear portion so as to extend, and wherein the first branch portion and the second branch portion are provided with a plurality of pressure sensitive switch units in such a manner as to be lined up in an extending direction of the branch portions.

17. The aiming adjusting apparatus of a vehicular headlamp according to claim 16, wherein an interval of said first and second counter electrodes in each of the pressure sensitive switch units is smaller than an interval between the pressure sensitive switch units adjacent to each other.

18. The aiming adjusting apparatus of a vehicular headlamp according to claim 16, wherein the first and second counter electrodes in each of the pressure sensitive switch units provided in each of the branch portions are arranged in such a manner as to be lined up in the extending direction of the branch portion.

19. The aiming adjusting apparatus of a vehicular headlamp according to claim 16, wherein first and second counter electrodes in each of the pressure sensitive switch units provided in each of the branch portions are arranged in such a manner as to be lined up in a direction orthogonal to the extending direction of the branch portion.