Occupant weight detecting device

• US 20090051198A1
• Filed: 08/21/2008
• Published: 02/26/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ethicon Endo-Surgery LLC (Johnson & Johnson)
• Original Assignee: NTN Corporation
• Inventors: Ishikawa, Tomomi, Ozaki, Takayoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,841,439 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/217.200
• 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 occupant weight detecting device detects the weight of an occupant setting on a vehicle seat assembly and includes a pivot support mechanism for supporting the vehicle seat assembly for pivotal movement about a horizontally extending shaft relative to a seat fixing portion in a vehicle; an elastic force applying mechanism for applying a biasing force to the vehicle seat assembly to enable the latter to pivot an angle, proportional to a load imposed on the vehicle seat assembly, relative to the seat fixing portion; a pivot angle detecting mechanism for detecting an angle of pivot of the vehicle seat assembly relative to the seat fixing portion; and a pivot restricting mechanism for defining a pivotal range over which the vehicle seat assembly can pivot relative to the seat fixing portion.

Claims

1. An occupant weight detecting device for detecting the weight of an occupant sitting on a vehicle seat assembly, which device comprises:

a pivot support mechanism for supporting the vehicle seat assembly for pivotal movement about a horizontally extending shaft relative to a seat fixing portion in a vehicle;

an elastic force applying mechanism for applying a biasing force to the vehicle seat assembly to enable the latter to pivot an angle, proportional to a load imposed on the vehicle seat assembly, relative to the seat fixing portion;

a pivot angle detecting mechanism for detecting an angle of pivot of the vehicle seat assembly relative to the seat fixing portion; and

a pivot restricting mechanism for defining a pivotal range over which the vehicle seat assembly can pivot.

2. The occupant weight detecting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivot support mechanism comprises a member on a side of the seat fixing portion, a member on a side of the vehicle seat assembly and a bearing assembly interposed therebetween so as to couple both of said members with each other.

3. The occupant weight detecting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pivot angle detecting mechanism includes a magnetic sensor unit.

4. The occupant weight detecting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an output from the pivot angle detecting mechanism is adapted to be supplied to a control unit for controlling an extent, to which an air bag is deployed, based on a result of detection achieved by the pivot angle detecting mechanism.

5. The occupant weight detecting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an output from the pivot angle detecting mechanism is adapted to be supplied to a control unit for controlling a position of a steering wheel in one or both of vertical and forward or rearward directions, based on a result of detection achieved by the pivot angle detecting mechanism.

6. The occupant weight detecting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an output from the pivot angle detecting mechanism is adapted to be supplied to a control unit for controlling a position of the vehicle seat assembly in a forward or rearward direction, based on a result of detection achieved by the pivot angle detecting mechanism.

7. The occupant weight detecting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an output from the pivot angle detecting mechanism is adapted to be supplied to a control unit for controlling a position of a seat back of the vehicle seat assembly in a forward or rearward direction, based on a result of detection achieved by the pivot angle detecting mechanism.

8. The occupant weight detecting device as claimed in claim 1, wherein an output from the pivot angle detecting mechanism is adapted to be supplied to a control unit for controlling a position of a head rest of the vehicle seat assembly in a forward or rearward direction, based on a result of detection achieved by the pivot angle detecting mechanism.

9. A vehicle seat assembly which comprises:

a seat cushion of a generally rectangular shape having four corners and supported on a seat fixing portion of an automotive vehicle at the four corners through an occupant weight detecting device as defined in claim 1.