Seat weight measuring apparatus

• US 6,786,104 B1
• Filed: 11/03/2000
• Issued: 09/07/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1999
• 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): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US09/704,839
• Time in Patent Office: 1,404 Days
• Field of Search: 738/623.91, 738/624.51, 738/624.6, 738/624.72, 738/644.71, 738/624.73, 738/624.74, 738/626.1, 280/735, 180/273, 340/667, 177/136, 177/144, 177/154-158, 177/170, 177/171, 177/187, 177/256-259, 177/188, 701/45
• US Class Current: 73/862.472
• 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: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01542 detecting passenger motion
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• 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 weight measuring apparatus having advantages such as reduced production cost and assembling cost. The seat weight measuring apparatus comprises a seat frame for supporting the seat and a load sensor attached on the seat frame. The seat frame is provided with blocks respectively on the lower surfaces of the front ends of the left and right seat rails fixed thereon, and vehicle body mounting brackets are pivotally connected to the blocks. A load sensor is disposed under the front end of the load transmitting plate of the rear frame mounted on the rear ends of the seat rails. In the seat weight measuring apparatus in such a structure, the seat weight is supported at three points of; the pivotally connected portions at the front ends on the left and right sides and the load sensor at the rear center so as to be horizontal with respect to the floor of the vehicle body. Since there is provided a single load sensor, the production cost and the assembling/wiring cost are reduced in comparison with the related art.

Claims

1. A seat weight measuring apparatus, applied to a seat that is mounted to a vehicle body, for measuring the weight of a passenger sitting on the seat, comprising:

a load sensor, installed at a location at which the seat is mounted to the vehicle body, for measuring a part of a load applied to the seat;

wherein the seat is mounted to the vehicle body by a mounting structure that permits movement of the seat in response to the load applied to the seat so that another part of the load applied to the seat is not measured by the load sensor.

2. The seat weight measuring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the seat is positioned in seat rails that permit movement of the seat relative to the seat rails.

4. The seat weight measuring apparatus of claim 2, wherein the seat is resiliently connected to the seat rails.

5. A seat weight measuring apparatus as in claim 1, wherein the seat weight measuring apparatus comprises exactly one load sensor.

12. The seat weight measuring apparatus of claim 1, wherein the mounting structure includes a seat rail that is pivotally connected to the vehicle body.

13. The seat weight measuring apparatus of claim 12, wherein the mounting structure further comprises a second seat rail pivotally connected to the vehicle body.

3. A seat weight measuring apparatus, applied to a seat that is mounted to a vehicle body, for measuring the weight of a passenger sitting on the seat, comprising:

a load sensor, installed at one of left and right sides of a seat frame, for measuring a part of a load applied to the seat,

a restraining mechanism, connected to said seat frame, for limiting a force applied to said at least one load sensor, and

wherein the seat frame is mounted to the vehicle body by a mounting structure that permits movement of the other of said left and right sides of said seat frame relative to the vehicle body in response to the load applied to the seat so that another part of the load applied to the seat is not measured by the load sensor.

6. A seat weight measuring apparatus as in claim 3, wherein the seat weight measuring apparatus comprises exactly one load sensor.

7. A seat weight measuring apparatus for measuring the weight of a passenger in a vehicle having a body, comprising:

a seat having four sides;

at least one load sensor, installed at one of said sides, for measuring a part of a load applied to the seat, and

wherein the seat is mounted to the vehicle body by a mounting structure that permits movement of an opposing one of the sides of the seat in response to the load applied to the seat so that a part of the load applied to the seat is not measured by am the at least one load sensor.

8. A seat weight measuring apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said one of said sides is one of a left side and a right side and said opposing one of said sides is the other of the left side and the right side.

9. A seat weight measuring apparatus as in claim 7, wherein said one of said sides is one of a front side and a back side and said opposing one of said sides is the other of the front side and the back side.

10. A seat weight measuring apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the seat weight measuring apparatus comprises exactly one load sensor.

11. A seat weight measuring apparatus as in claim 7, wherein the seat weight measuring apparatus comprises exactly two load sensors installed at said one of said sides.