PASSENGER'S WEIGHT MEASUREMENT DEVICE FOR VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20110108330A1
• Filed: 01/20/2011
• Published: 05/12/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: ENDO, Shigeru, Sato, Kenji
• Granted Patent: US 8,905,179 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 177/136
• 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 2/0732 Attachment of seat frame to the slide, e.g. eyelets
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4263 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/68 Seat frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/686 Panel like structures
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0152 using strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/30 Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/08 for incorporation in vehicles
• 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: G01L 5/00 Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a load sensor for measuring a load applied from an occupant and a seat cushion frame, wherein the seat cushion frame comprises right and left side frames extending in a front-and-rear direction, the load sensor is attached to the seat cushion frame, and a concave portion is formed in at least one of the right and left side frames at a position opposite to the load sensor.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat comprising:

a load sensor for measuring a load applied from an occupant; and

a seat cushion frame,

wherein the seat cushion frame comprises right and left side frames extending in a front-and-rear direction,

the load sensor is attached to the seat cushion frame, and

a concave portion is formed in at least one of the right and left side frames at a position opposite to the load sensor.

2. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the concave portion is an upwardly-raised portion in which a lower portion of the one of the right and left side frames is raised upwardly.

3. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein a flange portion extending in a right-and-left direction is formed in a lower portion of the upwardly-raised portion as a single member with the upwardly-raised portion.

4. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a part of the load sensor and the concave portion are disposed on a same horizontal plane.

5. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rod portion projecting in an up-and-down direction is provided on the load sensor and the concave portion is disposed on a plane which is perpendicular to the front-and-rear direction and which includes a shaft line of the rod portion.

6. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the concave portion is longer in the front-and-rear direction than the load sensor.

7. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the concave portion is longer in the front-and-rear direction than a main body of the load sensor.

8. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 7, wherein a connector is attached to the main body of the load sensor, and the concave portion is provided at a position opposite to the connector.

9. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the concave portion is a deformed portion which is formed by deforming the one of the right and left side frames in a direction away from the load sensor.

10. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rod portion projecting in an up-and-down direction is provided on the load sensor,

a connector is provided on the load sensor, and

wherein the load sensor and the concave portion are arranged so that a rotation trajectory of an end portion of the connector, which is made by rotating the connector around a shaft line of the rod portion, passes under the concave portion.

38. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 9, wherein in the deformed portion, a first surface of the one of the right and left side frames is deformed toward an outside of the vehicle seat more than a second surface of the one of the right and left side frames, the first surface facing toward the load sensor and a connecting member for connecting between the right and left side frames being connected to the second surface that is arranged more rearwardly than the load sensor.

11. A vehicle seat comprising:

a load sensor for measuring a load applied from an occupant; and

a seat cushion frame,

wherein the seat cushion frame comprises right and left side frames extending in a front-and-rear direction,

an upper portion of the load sensor is attached to an inner side of at least one of the right and left side frames via a bracket member, and

a concave portion is formed in the one of the right and left side frames at a position opposite to the load sensor.

12. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the concave portion is an upwardly-raised portion in which a lower portion of the one of the right and left side frames is raised upwardly.

13. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 12, wherein a flange portion extending in a right-and-left direction is formed in a lower portion of the upwardly-raised portion as a single member with the upwardly-raised portion.

14. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least a part of the load sensor and the concave portion are disposed on a same horizontal plane.

15. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein a rod portion projecting in an up-and-down direction is provided on the load sensor and the concave portion is disposed on a plane which is perpendicular to the front-and-rear direction and which includes a shaft line of the rod portion.

16. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the concave portion is longer in the front-and-rear direction than the load sensor.

17. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the concave portion is longer in the front-and-rear direction than a main body of the load sensor.

18. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein a connector is attached to the main body of the load sensor, and the concave portion is provided at a position opposite to the connector.

19. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the concave portion is a deformed portion which is formed by deforming the one of the right and left side frames in a direction away from the load sensor.

20. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein a rod portion projecting in an up-and-down direction is provided on the load sensor,

a connector is provided on the load sensor, and

wherein the load sensor and the concave portion are arranged so that a rotation trajectory of an end portion of the connector, which is made by rotating the connector around a shaft line of the rod portion, passes under the concave portion.

21. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the concave portion is provided at a position at which at least a part of the load sensor is seen from outside of the one of the right and left side frames via the concave portion.

22. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, further comprising:

fixed rail members which are fixable to a vehicle below the side frames;

movable rail members which are movable in the front-and-rear direction on the fixed rail members; and

a load sensor lower portion attachment portion for attaching a lower portion of the load sensor,

wherein the load sensor lower portion attachment portion is provided at a lower position than the concave portion.

39. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 19, wherein in the deformed portion, a first surface of the one of the right and left side frames is deformed toward an outside of the vehicle seat more than a second surface of the one of the right and left side frames, the first surface facing toward the load sensor and a connecting member for connecting between the right and left side frames being connected to the second surface that is arranged more rearwardly than the load sensor.

23. A vehicle seat comprising:

a load sensor for measuring a load applied from an occupant; and

a seat cushion frame,

wherein the seat cushion frame comprises right and left side frames extending in a front-and-rear direction,

the load sensor is attached to a front portion of at least one of the right and left side frames,

an upwardly-raised portion in which a lower portion of the one of the right and left side frames is raised upwardly is formed in the one of the right and left side frames at a position opposite to the load sensor, and

a flange portion extending in a right-and-left direction is formed on a lower portion of the upwardly-raised portion.

24. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 23, wherein at least a part of the load sensor and the upwardly-raised portion are disposed on a same horizontal plane.

25. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 23, wherein a rod portion projecting in an up-and-down direction is provided on the load sensor and the upwardly-raised portion is disposed on a plane which is perpendicular to the front-and-rear direction and which includes a shaft line of the rod portion.

26. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 23, wherein the upwardly-raised portion is longer in the front-and-rear direction than the load sensor.

27. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 23, wherein the upwardly-raised portion is longer in the front-and-rear direction than a main body of the load sensor.

28. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 24, wherein a connector is attached to the main body of the load sensor, and the upwardly-raised portion is provided at a position opposite to the connector.

29. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 23, wherein a rod portion projecting in an up-and-down direction is provided on the load sensor,

a connector is provided on the load sensor, and

wherein the load sensor and the upwardly-raised portion are arranged so that a rotation trajectory of an end portion of the connector, which is made by rotating the connector around a shaft line of the rod portion, passes under the upwardly-raised portion.

30. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 23, wherein a bracket member is attached to an inner surface of the one of the right and left side frames,

an upper portion of the load sensor is attached to the bracket member, and

the flange portion extends to an inside of the vehicle seat.

31. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 23, wherein the one of the right and left side frames comprises a narrow portion in which a front portion of the one of the right and left side frames is narrowed.

32. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 23, wherein the one of the right and left side frames comprises a narrow portion in which a width in an up-and-down direction of a front end portion of the one of the right and left side frames decreases toward a front side of the one of the right and left side frames.

33. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 31, wherein the flange portion extending in the right-and-left direction is formed on an upper end portion and a lower end portion of the narrow portion as a single member with the one of the right and left side frames.

34. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 23, wherein a bracket member is attached to an inner surface of the one of the right and left side frames,

an upper portion of the load sensor is attached to the bracket member,

the flange portion extends to an inside of the vehicle seat,

the one of the right and left side frames comprises a narrow portion in which a front portion of the one of the right and left side frames is narrowed, and

the narrow portion is provided at a position at which at least a part of the load sensor is seen from outside of the one of the right and left side frames through a space formed under the upwardly-raised portion.

35. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 31, wherein the load sensor is disposed more rearwardly than a front end portion of the narrow portion.

36. A vehicle seat comprising:

a load sensor for measuring a load applied from an occupant; and

a seat cushion frame,

wherein the seat cushion frame comprises right and left side frames extending in a front-and-rear direction,

a bracket member is attached to an inner surface of the one of the right and left side frames,

an upper portion of the load sensor is attached to the bracket member,

a connector is provided on the load sensor,

an upwardly-raised portion in which a lower portion of the one of the right and left side frames is raised upwardly, is formed, and

the upwardly-raised portion is provided at a position opposite to the connector.

37. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 36, further comprising:

fixed rail members which are fixable to a vehicle below the side frames;

movable rail members which are movable in the front-and-rear direction on the fixed rail members; and

a load sensor lower portion attachment portion for attaching a lower portion of the load sensor,

wherein the connector is provided at a lower position than the upwardly-raised portion and at a higher position than the load sensor lower portion attachment portion.