Occupant load detecting device of seat for vehicle

• US 20080098822A1
• Filed: 10/26/2007
• Published: 05/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Inayoshi, Muneto, Kawabata, Hideki, Sakamoto, Kazunori, Nakano, Satohiko, Aoyama, Mutsuro
• Granted Patent: US 7,490,523 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 73/781
• 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 2/0021 characterised by the type of sensor or measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/42 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• 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

An occupant load detecting device of a seat for a vehicle includes a strain member arranged between a floor-side fixing member and a seat-side fixing member and having a strain gauge, a connecting member fixed to the strain member and securely connected to one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member, a first supporting member relatively immovably fitted into a fixing hole and fixed to an attachment surface formed at the other one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member to support the strain member, a second supporting member fitted into an attachment hole and fixed to the attachment surface, and a bracket including first and second fixing portions and an amplifier case fixing portion continuous with the first and second fixing portions and extending at a side of the strain member in a lateral direction of the seat.

Claims

1. An occupant load detecting device of a seat for a vehicle, comprising:

a strain member arranged between a floor-side fixing member adapted to be fixedly mounted on a vehicle floor and a seat-side fixing member adapted to be fixedly attached to a vehicle seat and having a strain gauge;

a connecting member fixed to the strain member in a vertical direction of the seat and securely connected to one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member;

a first supporting member relatively immovably fitted into a fixing hole formed at one end portion of the strain member and fixed to an attachment surface formed at the other one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member to support the strain member with a predetermined distance from the attachment surface;

a second supporting member fitted into an attachment hole formed at the other end portion of the strain member and having a predetermined gap with the attachment hole, the second supporting member fixed to the attachment surface formed at the other one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member to support the strain member with the predetermined distance from the attachment surface; and

a bracket including a first fixing portion relatively immovably fixing the first supporting member at one end portion of the bracket and a second fixing portion relatively immovably fixing the second supporting member at the other end portion of the bracket, the bracket being formed with an amplifier case fixing portion continuous with the first fixing portion and the second fixing portion and extending at a side of the strain member in a lateral direction of the seat.

2. An occupant load detecting device of a seat for a vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the fixed supporting member includes a first base portion having a predetermined thickness corresponding to the predetermined distance, a first shaft portion protruding from the first base portion and relatively immovably fitted into the fixing hole of the strain member, an second shaft portion protruding from the first shaft portion and relatively immovably fitted into the first fixing portion formed at the bracket, and a first attachment hole surface defined at the fixed supporting member penetrating through the first base portion, the first shaft portion, and the second shaft portion of the fixed supporting member, and wherein

the fitted supporting member includes a second base portion having the predetermined thickness corresponding to the predetermined distance, a third shaft portion protruding from the second base portion and fitted into the attachment hole of the strain member with the predetermined gap, the third shaft portion relatively immovably fitted into the second fixing portion formed at the bracket, and a second attachment hole surface defied at the fitted supporting member penetrating through the second base portion and the third shaft portion of the fitted supporting member.