Seat weight measuring apparatus

• US 6,840,119 B2
• Filed: 02/03/2003
• Issued: 01/11/2005
• 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
• Application Number:
  US10/356,521
• Publication Number:
  US 20030110869A1
• Time in Patent Office: 708 Days
• Field of Search: 738/623.91, 738/625.3
• US Class Current: 73/862.53
• 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 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0027 for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's body part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0031 mounted on the frame
• 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 method of determining the load on a vehicle seat comprising the steps of:

providing a first load sensor proximate to a lap belt buckle;

providing a second load sensor remote from the lap belt buckle;

measuring the output of the load sensors;

comparing the output of the first load sensor to a predetermined value; and

determining the load on the vehicle seat without utilizing the output of the second load sensor when the output of the first load sensor is less than the predetermined value.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the load on the vehicle seat includes essentially doubling the output of the first load sensor when the output of the first load sensor is less than a predetermined value.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of determining the load on the vehicle seat utilizes the output of both the first and second sensors when the output of the first load sensor is greater than a predetermined value.

4. A method of determining the load on a vehicle seat comprising the steps of:

providing a first load sensor proximate to a lap belt buckle;

providing a second load sensor remote to the lap belt buckle;

measuring the output of the load sensors;

comparing the output of the first load sensor to a predetermined value;

determining that a child seat or child is mounted on the vehicle seat when the output of the first load sensor is less than the predetermined value;

determining the load on the vehicle seat by essentially doubling the output of the first load sensor and ignoring the output of the second load sensor when a child seat or child is determined to be present in the vehicle seat.