Vehicular child seat detection system

• US 6,561,543 B1
• Filed: 12/28/1998
• Issued: 05/13/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Fujimoto, Osamu, Hamada, Makoto
• Primary Examiner(s): Morris, Lesley D.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SHRIVER II, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US09/220,803
• Time in Patent Office: 1,597 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/734, 701/45
• US Class Current: 280/735
• 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 2/268 detecting or alerting means responsive to the installation of the child seats in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2893 coupled to the seat sub-frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0152 using strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01566 Devices for warning or indicating mode of inhibition

Abstract

A child seat (CRS) laid on a seat cushion of a front passenger seat is provided with a pair of left and right fixture attachments, which are spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in the direction of the width of the child seat. The fixture attachments extend rearwards from the child seat. Each of these fixture attachments is provided with a lock bar, which can be detachably coupled to a fixture bar hanging across rear portions of left and right seat cushion frames. Furthermore, there is provided a child seat detector that detects whether or not the child seat has been mounted based on movements of the lock bars resulting from coupling of the fixture attachments to the fixture bar.

Claims

1. A vehicular child seat detection system, comprising:

a fixture bar to which fixture attachments extending from a child seat in a fore-to-aft direction thereof are detachably coupled, said fixture attachments being integrally attached to a vehicular seat and spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance in a direction of a width of said child seat; and

child seat detection means for detecting whether or not the child seat has been mounted, wherein

said fixture attachments are provided with latches allowing said child seat to be fastened to or released from said vehicular seat, and

said child seat detection means detects whether or not said child seat has been mounted, based on detection of the rotation of at least one latch of said latches to said fixture attachment so that said at least one latch is in a locked position.

2. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 1, wherein

said fixture attachments are provided with groove portions in which said fixture bar is accommodated when said fixture attachments are coupled to said fixture bar, and

in coupling said child seat to said vehicular seat, said latches reduce an opening width of said groove portions so as to prevent said fixture bar from falling off said groove portions.

3. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 1, wherein

said child seat detection means is set opposed to at least one of the left and right fixture attachments for the child seat, and

said child seat detection means is composed of:

a base body attached to said fixture bar;

moving means accommodated in said base body, pressed toward said fixture bar by urging means, and caused to move away from said fixture bar by at least one of said latches; and

a switch activated due to a movement of said moving means.

4. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 3, wherein said moving means is composed of a slider movably accommodated in the base body attached to said fixture bar.

5. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 4, wherein said slider has an inclined plane for engagement with at least one of said latches.

6. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 1, wherein

said fixture bar hangs across left and right seat frames of said vehicular seat.

7. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 6, wherein

said child seat detection means is composed of:

a rod parallel to said fixture bar and longer than the distance between said fixture attachments; and

a switch disposed substantially at a central portion of said rod and activated when a distance between said fixture bar and said rod becomes equal to or greater than a predetermined value due to said latches, and

in securely fastening said child seat to said vehicular seat, said latches cause said rod to move away from said fixture bar.

8. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 7, wherein

said switch is interposed between said fixture attachments spaced apart from each other by the predetermined distance in the direction of the width of said child seat.

9. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 6, wherein

said child seat detection means is composed of:

a rod disposed parallel to said fixture bar and passing through engaging portions of said fixture attachments;

coupling means for coupling said rod to said fixture bar; and

strain measurement means attached to said rod.

10. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 1, wherein:

said child seat detection means is set opposed to at least one of the left and right fixture attachments for the child seat; and

said child seat detection means is composed of;

a striker attached to said fixture bar;

moving means pressed toward said striker by urging means and caused to move away from said striker by said latches; and

a switch activated due to a movement of at least one of said moving means.

11. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 10, wherein said moving means is composed of a slider movably accommodated in the base body attached to said striker.

12. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 11, wherein said slider has an inclined plane for engagement with at least one of said latches.

13. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 1, further comprising:

an indicator indicating, based on a result detected by said child seat detection means, whether or not the child seat has been mounted.

14. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 13, wherein

said indicator is divided into a plurality of display portions,

said child seat detection means detects a plurality of mounting states of said child seat, based on movements of at least one of said latches, and

contents to be displayed on said display portions are changed in accordance with said plurality of mounting states.

15. The vehicular child seat detection system according to claim 1, further comprising:

air bag control means for controlling deployment of an air bag depending on whether or not the child seat has been mounted, based on a result detected by said child seat detection means.

16. A vehicular child seat detection system, comprising:

fixture attachments extending from a child seat in a fore-to-aft direction thereof, spaced apart from each other by a predetermined distance, and provided with latches allowing said child seat to be fastened to or released from a vehicular seat;

a fixture bar to which said fixture attachments are detachably coupled, said fixture bar being integrally attached to said vehicular seat; and

child seat detection means for detecting whether or not said child seat has been mounted, based on detection of the rotation of at least one latch of said latches to said fixture attachment so that said at least one latch is in a locked position.