HEAD REST DEVICE FOR VEHICLE

• US 20090096468A1
• Filed: 11/10/2006
• Published: 04/16/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 11/17/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Boshoku Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Iyoda, Motomi, Aoki, Koji, Hirota, Koichi, Tsuruta, Manabu, Okawa, Tatsuhiro, Matsubayashi, Kiyoka, Akaike, Fumitoshi
• Granted Patent: US 7,986,151 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 324/681
• 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 2/0028 of a body part, e.g. of an arm or a leg
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/003 characterised by the sensor mounting location in or on the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/865 providing a fore-and-aft movement with respect to the occupant's head
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/12 Capacitive; Electric field
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/10 using a database

Abstract

When moving a head rest front portion in a full-open position direction, an ECU determines that the head rest front portion comes close to an occupant head portion on the basis of a detection result of an electrostatic capacitance sensor so as to stop the head rest front portion, and determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion on the basis of an absolute capacitance change with respect to a reference electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor. Alternatively, the ECU determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion on the basis of a change amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor.

Claims

1. :

A head rest device for a vehicle comprising;

a head rest rear portion supported to a seat back;

a head rest front portion movable forward and backward between a full-close position which is close to the head rest rear portion, and a full-open position which is away from the head rest rear portion;

a drive means moving the head rest front portion;

an electrostatic capacitance sensor provided in the head rest front portion and structured such that an electrostatic capacitance is changed in accordance with a fluctuation of the distance with respect to the occupant head portion; and

a control means controlling the drive means and determining an approach between the head rest front portion and the occupant head portion on the basis of a detection result of the electrostatic capacitance sensor so as to stop the head rest front portion at a time of moving the head rest front portion in the full-open position direction,

wherein the control means sets an electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor at a predetermined timing to a reference electrostatic capacitance value which is changeable in correspondence to the timing, and determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion on the basis of an absolute capacitance change with respect to the reference electrostatic capacitance value.

2. :

The head rest device for the vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control means is structured such as to set an electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor at a time of starting the movement of the head rest front portion in the full-open position direction to the reference electrostatic capacitance value, and determine that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion at a time when an increasing amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor with respect to the reference electrostatic capacitance value becomes equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value.

3. :

The head rest device for the vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head rest device is provided with a unlock detecting means detecting an unlock of a door of the vehicle, and the control means sets an electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor at a time of detecting the unlock of the door of the vehicle by the unlock detecting means to the reference electrostatic capacitance value, and determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion at a time when an increasing amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor with respect to the reference electrostatic capacitance value becomes equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value.

4. :

The head rest device for the vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head rest device is provided with a door open detecting means detecting a door open of the vehicle, and the control means sets an electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor at a time of detecting the door open of the vehicle by the door open detecting means to the reference electrostatic capacitance value, and determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion at a time when an increasing amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor with respect to the reference electrostatic capacitance value becomes equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value.

5. :

The head rest device for the vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head rest device is provided with an ignition-on detecting means detecting an ignition-on of the vehicle, and the control means sets a minimum value of an electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor after detecting the ignition-on by the ignition-on detecting means to the reference electrostatic capacitance value, and determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion at a time when an increasing amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor with respect to the reference electrostatic capacitance value becomes equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value.

6. :

The head rest device for the vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head rest device is provided with an occupant detecting means detecting whether or not the occupant sits on a seat, and the control means sets an electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor at a time when the occupant is not detected by the occupant detecting means to the reference electrostatic capacitance value, and determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion at a time when an increasing amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor with respect to the reference electrostatic capacitance value becomes equal to or more than a predetermined threshold value.

7. :

The head rest device for the vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the head rest device is provided with a contact detecting means detecting a contact of the occupant head portion with the head rest front portion, and the control means sets an electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor at a time when the occupant head portion comes into contact by the contact detecting means to the reference electrostatic capacitance value, and determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion at a time when a decreasing amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor with respect to the reference electrostatic capacitance value becomes within a predetermined threshold value.

19. :

The head rest device for the vehicle as claimed in claim 1, wherein the control means is provided with an electrostatic capacitance sensor circuit determining an electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor, a memory storing the reference electrostatic capacitance value, and a central processing unit determining that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion on the basis of an absolute capacitance change with respect to the reference electrostatic capacitance value stored in the memory.

8-18. -18. (canceled)

20. :

A head rest device for a vehicle comprising;

a head rest rear portion supported to a seat back;

a head rest front portion movable forward and backward between a full-close position which is close to the head rest rear portion, and a full-open position which is away from the head rest rear portion;

a drive means moving the head rest front portion;

an electrostatic capacitance sensor provided in the head rest front portion and structured such that an electrostatic capacitance is changed in accordance with a fluctuation of the distance with respect to the occupant head portion; and

a control means controlling the drive means and determining an approach between the head rest front portion and the occupant head portion on the basis of a detection result of the electrostatic capacitance sensor so as to stop the head rest front portion at a time of moving the head rest front portion in the full-open position direction,

wherein the control means determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion on the basis of a change amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor,

wherein the control means is structured such as to detect that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion at a time when the change amount of the electrostatic capacitance value per unit time of the electrostatic capacitance sensor gets over a predetermined threshold value on the basis of an actuating speed of the drive means.

21. :

A head rest device for a vehicle comprising;

a head rest rear portion supported to a seat back;

a head rest front portion movable forward and backward between a full-close position which is close to the head rest rear portion, and a full-open position which is away from the head rest rear portion;

a drive means moving the head rest front portion;

an electrostatic capacitance sensor provided in the head rest front portion and structured such that an electrostatic capacitance is changed in accordance with a fluctuation of the distance with respect to the occupant head portion; and

a control means controlling the drive means and determining an approach between the head rest front portion and the occupant head portion on the basis of a detection result of the electrostatic capacitance sensor so as to stop the head rest front portion at a time of moving the head rest front portion in the full-open position direction,

wherein the control means determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion on the basis of a change amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor,

wherein the drive means is provided with a mechanical stroke detecting means detecting a mechanical stroke of the head rest front portion, and the control means determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion at a time when a change amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor per a predetermined interval detected by the mechanical stroke detecting means gets over a predetermined threshold value.

22. :

A head rest device for a vehicle comprising;

a head rest rear portion supported to a seat back;

a head rest front portion movable forward and backward between a full-close position which is close to the head rest rear portion, and a full-open position which is away from the head rest rear portion;

a drive means moving the head rest front portion;

an electrostatic capacitance sensor provided in the head rest front portion and structured such that an electrostatic capacitance is changed in accordance with a fluctuation of the distance with respect to the occupant head portion; and

a control means controlling the drive means and determining an approach between the head rest front portion and the occupant head portion on the basis of a detection result of the electrostatic capacitance sensor so as to stop the head rest front portion at a time of moving the head rest front portion in the full-open position direction,

wherein the control means determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion on the basis of a change amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor,

wherein the control means determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion at a time when a ratio of change amounts of the electrostatic capacitance value per unit time of the electrostatic capacitance sensor at a plurality of different times gets over a predetermined threshold value.

23. :

A head rest device for a vehicle comprising;

a head rest rear portion supported to a seat back;

a head rest front portion movable forward and backward between a full-close position which is close to the head rest rear portion, and a full-open position which is away from the head rest rear portion;

a drive means moving the head rest front portion;

an electrostatic capacitance sensor provided in the head rest front portion and structured such that an electrostatic capacitance is changed in accordance with a fluctuation of the distance with respect to the occupant head portion; and

a control means controlling the drive means and determining an approach between the head rest front portion and the occupant head portion on the basis of a detection result of the electrostatic capacitance sensor so as to stop the head rest front portion at a time of moving the head rest front portion in the full-open position direction,

wherein the control means determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion on the basis of an absolute capacitance change with respect to a reference electrostatic capacitance value which is set by an electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor at a predetermined timing and is changeable in accordance with the timing, and a change amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor.

24. :

The head rest device for the vehicle as claimed in claim 23, wherein the control means determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion in the case of determining that any one of an approach determination on the basis of the absolute capacitance change and an approach determination on the basis of the change amount of the electrostatic capacitance value is faster than the other.

25. :

The head rest device for the vehicle as claimed in claim 24, wherein it is determined that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion in the case of determining that any one of them comes close fastest.

26. :

The head rest device for the vehicle as claimed in claim 23, wherein the control means is provided with an electrostatic capacitance sensor circuit determining an electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor, a memory storing the reference electrostatic capacitance value and a predetermined threshold value used for determining the approach between the head rest front portion and the occupant head portion, and a central processing unit determining that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion, and the central processing unit determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion, by using an approach determination on the basis of an absolute capacitance change with respect to the reference electrostatic capacitance value stored in the memory, and an approach determination on the basis of the threshold value and the change amount of the electrostatic capacitance value.

27. :

The head rest device for the vehicle as claimed in claim 26, wherein the central processing unit determined that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion, in the case of determining that one of the approach determination on the basis of the absolute capacitance change and the approach determination on the basis of the threshold value and the change amount of the electrostatic capacitance value approaches faster than the other.

28. :

A head rest device for a vehicle comprising;

a head rest rear portion supported to a seat back;

a head rest front portion movable forward and backward between a full-close position which is close to the head rest rear portion, and a full-open position which is away from the head rest rear portion;

a drive means moving the head rest front portion;

an electrostatic capacitance sensor provided in the head rest front portion and structured such that an electrostatic capacitance is changed in accordance with a fluctuation of the distance with respect to the occupant head portion; and

a control means controlling the drive means and determining an approach between the head rest front portion and the occupant head portion on the basis of a detection result of the electrostatic capacitance sensor so as to stop the head rest front portion at a time of moving the head rest front portion in the full-open position direction,

wherein the control means determines that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion on the basis of a change amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor,

wherein the control means is provided with an electrostatic capacitance sensor circuit determining an electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor, a memory storing a threshold value used for determining the approach between the head rest front portion and the occupant head portion, and a central processing unit determining that the head rest front portion comes close to the occupant head portion on the basis of the threshold value stored in the memory and a change amount of the electrostatic capacitance value of the electrostatic capacitance sensor.