Seat pressure sensor unit

• US 6,371,552 B1
• Filed: 05/18/2000
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/18/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Narita, Masanori, Shibuya, Kouichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Friedman, Carl D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): DORSEY, DENNIS
• Application Number:
  US09/572,501
• Time in Patent Office: 698 Days
• Field of Search: 297/180.12, 297/180.1, 297/217.3, 340/667, 340/425.5, 340/562
• US Class Current: 297/180.12
• 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 2/0033 mounted on or in the foam cushion
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/40 Force or pressure sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0154 in combination with seat heating

Abstract

A seat pressure sensor unit of the present invention is provided at a portion receiving a pressure of a seat. The sensor unit comprises a sensor provided on a top face of a base cloth and a heater wire provided on the top face of the base cloth not so as to overlap the sensor.

Claims

1. A seat pressure sensor unit provided at a portion receiving a pressure of a seat, comprising:

a sensor provided on a top face of-a base cloth; and

a heater wire provided on the top face of the base cloth not so as to overlap the sensor.

2. A seat pressure sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein the heater wire is provided so as to have an equal distance from the sensor.

3. A seat pressure sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein the sensor has a lateral branch portion extending in a width direction of the seat or a longitudinal branch portion extending in a forward and backward direction of the seat and a pocket portion having an insertion mouth into which the lateral branch portion or the longitudinal branch portion is inserted so as to attach the sensor to the base cloth is further provided.

4. A seat pressure sensor unit according to claim 3, wherein the pocket portion is formed by overlaying an additional cloth on a portion corresponding to the lateral branch portion or the longitudinal branch portion of the base cloth and then sewing the additional cloth along both edge portions of the lateral branch portion or the longitudinal branch portion.

5. A seat pressure sensor unit according to claim 4, wherein a plurality of lateral branch portions extend in a direction in which the plurality of lateral branch portions depart from each other in the width direction of the seat, and pocket portions corresponding to the plurality of lateral branch portions are formed such that insertion mouths thereof oppose each other in the width direction.

6. A seat pressure sensor unit according to claim 2, wherein the sensor has a lateral branch portion extending in a width direction of the seat or a longitudinal branch portion extending in a forward and backward direction of the seat and a pocket portion having an insertion mouth into which the lateral branch portion or the longitudinal branch portion is inserted so as to attach the sensor to the base cloth is further provided.

7. A seat pressure sensor unit according to claim 6, wherein the pocket portion is formed by overlaying an additional cloth on a portion corresponding to the lateral branch portion or the longitudinal branch portion of the base cloth and then sewing the additional cloth along both edge portions of the lateral branch portion or the longitudinal branch portion.

8. A seat pressure sensor unit according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of lateral branch portions extend in a direction in which the plurality of lateral branch portions depart from each other in the width direction of the seat, and pocket portions corresponding to the plurality of lateral branch portions are formed such that insertion mouths thereof oppose each other in the width direction.

9. A seat pressure sensor unit according to claim 1, wherein the sensor has a lateral branch portion extending in a width direction of the seat or a longitudinal branch portion extending in a forward and backward direction of the seat, and a fixing portion capable of being attached to the base cloth is provided on a part of the lateral branch portion or the longitudinal branch portion.

10. A seat pressure sensor unit according to claim 9, wherein the sensor comprises cells and wiring installed on a flexible supporter, and the fixing portion is formed by extending a portion not including the cell and the wiring of the supporter.

11. A seat pressure sensor unit according to claim 2, wherein the sensor has a lateral branch portion extending in a width direction of the seat or a longitudinal branch portion extending in a forward and backward direction of the seat, and a fixing portion capable of being attached to the base cloth is provided on a part of the lateral branch portion or the longitudinal branch portion.

12. A seat pressure sensor unit according to claim 11, wherein the sensor comprises cells and wiring installed on a flexible supporter, and the fixing portion is formed by extending a portion not including the cell and the wiring of the supporter.

13. A seat pressure sensor unit provided at a portion receiving a pressure of a seat, comprising:

a pressure detecting means provided on a top face of a base cloth; and

a linear heating means provided on-the top face of the base cloth not so as to overlap the pressure detecting means.