Motor vehicle seat with integrated occupation detector

• US 6,412,357 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2001
• Issued: 07/02/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SA (Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SARL
• Inventors: Billen, Karl
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US09/805,945
• Publication Number:
  US 20010011482A1
• Time in Patent Office: 474 Days
• Field of Search: 738/923.91, 738/624.51, 738/624.71, 738/626.27, 738/626.36, 738/626.37
• US Class Current: 73/862.637
• 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 2/0031 mounted on the frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/42 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/2218 the supports being of the column type, e.g. cylindric, adapted for measuring a force along a single direction

Abstract

A motor vehicle seat with integrated occupation detector is featured having an upper frame, which supports seat upholstery or a seat shell, and a lower frame, which is secured in the vehicle, and mechanical mounting elements to support the upper frame in the lower frame. The mounting elements are designed in such a way that they are deformed elastically under the weight of a seat user, the occupation detector comprising at least one measuring pick-up, which measures the elastic deformation of the mounting elements.

Claims

1. Motor vehicle seat with integrated occupation detector, comprising

an upper frame, said upper frame supporting a seat upholstery or a seat shell, and a lower frame, said lower frame being secured in the motor vehicle,

at least one mechanical mounting element to support the upper frame in the lower frame and to introduce a weight force from the upper frame into the lower frame, said mounting element being designed so as to deform elastically under the weight of a seat user, said elastic deformation causing a vertical displacement between the upper frame and the lower frame, and

at least one measuring sensor for measuring an elastic deformation of said mounting element, said measuring sensor comprising a switching element, said switching element measuring the vertical displacement between the upper frame and the lower frame as the exceeding of a predetermined threshold value.

2. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein said switching element comprises several switching points, a predetermined threshold value being assigned to each switching point.

3. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein said measuring sensor comprises several switching elements, a predetermined threshold value being assigned to reach switching element.

4. Motor vehicle seat with integrated occupation detector, comprising an upper frame, said upper frame supporting a seat upholstery or a seat shell, and a lower frame, said lower frame being secured in the motor vehicle,

at least one mechanical mounting element to support the upper frame in the lower frame and to introduce a weight force from the upper frame into the lower frame, said mounting element being designed so as to deform elastically under the weight of a seat user, and

at least one measuring sensor for measuring an elastic deformation of said mounting element,

wherein said mounting element is designed as a stirrup having a first and a second arm, wherein a free end of said first arm is securely connected to a first one of said upper frame and said lower frame, and a free end of the second arm forms a support for a second one of said upper frame and said lower frame, and wherein said stirrup is designed in such a way that an opening width of the stirrup changes elastically under the weight of a seat user.

5. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein said free end of the second arm is separated from said first arm by a gap, said opening width of this gap being dimensioned in such a way that the support rests on the first arm before plastic deformation of the stirrup takes place.

6. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 5, wherein said first and second arms are designed in such a way that they exhibit essentially the same bending deformation in the event of vertical loading of the support.

7. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein said measuring sensor comprises a strain gauge, said strain gauge being mounted on said stirrup in such a way that said strain gauge directly measures a deformation of said stirrup.

8. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein said measuring sensor comprises a displacement sensor, said displacement sensor for measuring a vertical displacement between said first arm of said stirrup and said second arm of said stirrup.

9. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein said measuring sensor comprises a switching element, said switching element measuring the change of the opening width of the stirrup as the exceeding of a predetermined threshold value.

10. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 9, wherein said switching element comprises several switching points, a predetermined threshold value being assigned to each switching point.

11. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 9, comprising several switching elements, a predetermined threshold value being assigned to each switching element.

12. Motor vehicle seat with integrated occupation detector, comprising an upper frame, said upper frame supporting a seat upholstery or a seat shell, and a lower frame, said lower frame being secured in the motor vehicle,

at least one mechanical mounting element to support the upper frame in the lower frame and to introduce a weight force from the upper frame into the lower frame, said mounting element being designed so as to deform elastically under the weight of a seat user, and

at least one measuring sensor for measuring an elastic deformation of said mounting element,

wherein said mounting element comprises a shaft, said shaft being securely connected to a first one of said upper frame and said lower frame, and a head, said head being arranged as an axial extension of the shaft, wherein said head forms a first shoulder area and wherein a gap extends from the first shoulder area into the head in such a way that a cantilevered arm is formed, said cantilevered arm having a free end forming a support for a second one of said upper frame and said lower frame, an opening width of said gap changing elastically under the weight of a seat user.

13. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 12, wherein said head comprises a horizontal transverse hole, said transversal hole causing a flexible stirrup element to be formed at an end of said head, said flexible stirrup element connecting the cantilevered arm to an arm which is in turn connected rigidly to the shaft.

14. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 13, wherein the head comprises horizontal oblong holes at a rear end, said gap terminating in one of these oblong holes, and wherein the oblong holes are arranged in such a way that the support undergoes a parallel displacement under the weight of a seat user.

15. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 12, wherein said head is offset in relation to the shaft.

16. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 12, wherein said measuring sensor comprises a strain gauge, said strain gauge being mounted on said head of said mounting element in such a way that said strain gauge directly measures a deformation of said head.

17. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 12, wherein said measuring sensor comprises a displacement sensor, said displacement sensor for measuring a vertical displacement of said free end of said cantilevered arm.

18. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 12, wherein said measuring sensor comprises a switching element, said switching element measuring the change of the opening width of said gap as the exceeding of a predetermined threshold value.

19. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 18, wherein said switching element comprises several switching points, a predetermined threshold value being assigned to leach switching point.

20. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 18, comprising several switching elements, a predetermined threshold value being assigned to each switching element.

21. Motor vehicle seat with integrated occupation detector, comprising

an upper frame, said upper frame supporting a seat upholstery or a seat shell, and a lower frame, said lower frame being secured in the motor vehicle,

at least one mechanical mounting element to support the upper frame in the lower frame and to introduce a weight force from the upper frame into the lower frame, said mounting element being designed so as to deform elastically under the weight of a seat user, and

at least one measuring sensor for measuring an elastic deformation of said mounting element,

wherein said mounting element comprises a journal and journal bearing, the journal being securely connected to a first one of said upper and lower frame, the journal bearing being securely connected to a second one of said upper and lower frame and a resilient means being arranged between the journal and the journal bearing.

22. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 21, wherein the journal bearing comprises a vertical guide slot for the journal.

23. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 22, wherein said journal is blocked against axial displacement in the journal bearing.

24. Motor vehicle seat according claim 21, wherein said resilient means comprises a saddle-shaped spring element, said saddle-shaped spring element forming a support for a cylindrical end of the journal.

25. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 21, wherein said measuring sensor comprises a strain gauge, said strain gauge being mounted on said resilient means of said mounting element in such a way that said strain gauge directly measures a deformation of said resilient means.

26. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 21, wherein said measuring sensor comprises a displacement sensor, said displacement sensor for measuring a vertical displacement of journal with respect to said journal bearing.

27. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 21, wherein said measuring sensor comprises a switching element, said switching element measuring the vertical displacement of the journal with respect to said journal bearing as the exceeding of a predetermined threshold value.

28. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 27, wherein said switching element comprises several switching points, a predetermined threshold value being assigned to each switching point.

29. Motor vehicle seat according to claim 27, comprising several switching elements, a predetermined threshold value being assigned to each switching element.