Seat load measuring device

• US 6,617,531 B1
• Filed: 09/20/2000
• Issued: 09/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Aoki, Hiroshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W.
• Application Number:
  US09/666,720
• Time in Patent Office: 1,084 Days
• Field of Search: 177/144, 177/170, 177/256, 177/DIG.9, 177/154, 180/273, 280/735
• US Class Current: 177/144
• 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 2/071 T-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0715 C or U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• 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

Abstract

To provide a seat load measuring device which is capable of reducing production cost and assembly cost and which makes it possible to measure the weight of the person on the seat more accurately. The device measures the load of a seat of a passenger vehicle (including the load of an object placed on the seat), wherein the load of the seat is received at three positions, the load being put together in a load cell and transmitted through a transmission mechanism, load measurement being performed by a load cell or a load measurement plate.

Claims

1. A seat load measuring device for measuring the load of a seat of a passenger vehicle, comprising a mechanism in which the load is received at three positions and combined in a single load cell and transmitted through a transmission mechanism, and the load measurement being performed by the load cell.

2. The seat load measuring device of claim 1, wherein the transmission mechanism includes a lever mechanism rotating around a horizontally oriented axis, receives the load of the seat at the force point portion of the lever mechanism and transmits the load to the load cell at the point of application, a deflection mechanism being provided between the rotation axis and the point of application.

3. The seat load measuring device of claim 2, wherein a play is provided which permits positional deviation of the point of application generated due to deflection of the lever in a joint portion of the point-of-application portion of the lever and the load cell.

4. The seat load measuring device of claim 2, wherein a vertical play is provided in the joint portion of the point-of-application portion of the lever and the load cell.

5. A seat load measuring device for measuring the load of a seat of a passenger vehicle, comprising a mechanism in which the load is received at three positions, the load being put together in a single load cell and transmitted through a transmission mechanism, and the load measurement being performed by the load cell;

further comprising a mechanism for preventing a load larger than a predetermined load from being transmitted to the load cell in the portion receiving the seat load.

6. A seat load measuring device for measuring the load of a seat of a passenger vehicle, comprising a mechanism in which the load of the seat is received at three positions, the load being transmitted to a load measurement plate to which a strain gauge is mounted through a transmission mechanism to perform the load measurement, the strain gauge being mounted to the load measurement plate such that the strain gauge is capable of independently measuring the load of at least one of the three positions.

7. The seat load measuring device of claim 6, wherein a single load measurement plate is incorporated into the device.

8. The seat load measuring device of claim 6, wherein the transmission mechanism includes a lever mechanism rotating around a horizontally oriented axis, receiving the load of the seat at the force point portion of the lever mechanism and transmitting the load to the load measurement plate at the point of application, a deflection mechanism being provided between the rotation axis and the point of application.

9. The seat load measuring device of claim 8, wherein a play which permits positional deviation of the point of application generated due to deflection of the lever is provided in the joint portion of the point-of-application portion of the lever and the load measurement plate.

10. The seat load measuring device of claim 8, wherein a vertical play is provided in a joint portion of the point-of-application portion of the lever and the load measurement plate.

11. A seat load measuring device for measuring the load of a seat of a passenger vehicle, comprising a mechanism in which the load of the seat is received at three positions, the load being transmitted to a load measurement plate to which a strain gauge is mounted through a transmission mechanism to perform the load measurement, the strain gauge being mounted to the load measurement plate such that the strain gauge is capable of independently measuring the load of at least one of the three positions;

wherein a mechanism for preventing a load larger than a predetermined load from being transmitted to the load measurement plate is provided in the portion receiving the seat load.