Seat position detection unit

• US 6,935,692 B2
• Filed: 08/22/2003
• Issued: 08/30/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 08/30/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Nishide, Harutomi, Isonaga, Kazutomo
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US10/646,186
• Publication Number:
  US 20040046433A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 297/344.11, 248/429, 248/430, 340/686.1, 340/686.6, 340/689
• US Class Current: 297/344.11
• 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 21/01554 Seat position sensors

Abstract

A seat position detection unit which has a movable member, a stationary member, an attaching member, a position sensor, and a detecting object.

In this seat position detection unit, the movable member is attached to a bottom of a seat and is put together with the stationary member so that the movable member is allowed to slide along the stationary member. The position sensor and the detecting object to be detected by the position sensor are provided to the stationary member and the movable member, separately. Here, the stationary member is attached to a floor through the attaching member.

One of the position sensor and the detecting object that is attached to the stationary member and the mounting member are provided as a single piece.

Claims

1. A seat position detection unit equipped with a slide mechanism that allows a seat to slide with respect to a floor, the seat position detection unit comprising:

a position sensor attached to one of a stationary member and a movable member that constitute the slide mechanism;

a detecting object, which is detected by the position sensor, and which is disposed at the other of the stationary member and the movable member; and

a mounting member adapted to mount the stationary member to the floor, wherein

one of the position sensor and the detecting object that is attached to the stationary member is fixed directly to the mounting member.

2. A seat position detection unit according to claim 1, wherein

the position sensor is attached to one of the stationary member and the movable member through a connection member, wherein

the connection member has a protector which protects the position sensor.

12. A seat position detection unit according to claim 1, wherein the mounting member fixed with one of the position sensor and the detecting object is provided as a single piece, and is attached to the stationary member with a single fastener.

13. A seat position detection unit according to claim 1, wherein the mounting member fixed to one of the position sensor and the detecting object is integrally formed to provide a single piece.

14. A seat position detection unit according to claim 1, wherein the position sensor includes a magnet and a magnet sensor, and the magnet is mounted so as to confront the magnet sensor in a parallel, spaced apart relationship, and wherein

a magnetic field between the magnet and the magnet sensor is interrupted by the detecting object when the detecting object is received in the space between the magnet and the magnet sensor.

15. A seat position detection unit according to claim 14, wherein:

the mounting member includes a mounting surface for securing the mounting member to the stationary member and a first flange extending at an oblique angle from the mounting member for securing the mounting member to the floor; and

the detecting object is a second flange extending normally from the mounting member and operatively cooperates with the position sensor to indicate seat position.

16. A seat position detection unit according to claim 1, wherein:

the mounting member includes a mounting surface for securing the mounting member to the stationary member and a first flange extending at an oblique angle from the mounting member for securing the mounting member to the floor; and

the detecting object is a second flange extending normally from the mounting member and operatively cooperates with the position sensor to indicate seat position.

3. A seat position detection unit equipped with a slide mechanism that allows a seat to slide with respect to a floor, the seat position detection unit comprising:

a position sensor attached to one of a stationary member and a movable member that constitute the slide mechanism;

a detecting object, which is detected by the position sensor, and which is disposed at the other of the stationary member and the movable member; and

a mounting member, adapted to mount the stationary member to the floor, wherein

one of the position sensor and the detecting object that is attached to the stationary member is united with the mounting member, and wherein

the position sensor is attached to the movable member through a connection member, which has a protector that protects the position sensor, and wherein

the detecting object is connected to the stationary member through the mounting member, and wherein

the surface of the connection member, the mounting member, and the detecting object are covered with a resin.

4. A seat position detection unit comprising:

a movable member, which is attached to a bottom of a seat so that the movable member is located along the fore-and-rear directions with respect to the seat;

a stationary member, which is put together with the movable member and allows the seat to slide along the stationary member;

a mounting member adapted to mount the stationary member to a floor;

a position sensor, which is attached to the movable member; and

a detecting object, which is detected by the position sensor, and is disposed at the stationary member,

wherein the detecting object and the mounting member are integrally formed to provide a single piece, and wherein

the position sensor detects the detecting object by measuring an interruption of a magnetic field caused by the detecting object.

5. A seat position detection unit according to claim 4, wherein the single piece is attached to the stationary member with a single fastener.

6. A seat position detection unit according to claim 4, wherein the position sensor includes a magnet and a magnet sensor, and the magnet is mounted so as to confront the magnet sensor in a parallel, spaced apart relationship, and wherein

a magnetic field between the magnet and the magnet sensor is interrupted by the detecting object when the detecting object is received in the space between the magnet and the magnet sensor.

7. A seat position detection unit according to claim 6, wherein:

the mounting member includes a mounting surface for securing the mounting member to the stationary member and a first flange extending at an oblique angle from the mounting member for securing the mounting member to the floor; and

the detecting object is a second flange extending normally from the mounting member and operatively cooperates with the position sensor to indicate seat position.

8. A seat position detection unit according to claim 4, wherein:

the mounting member includes a mounting surface for securing the mounting member to the stationary member and a first flange extending at an oblique angle from the mounting member for securing the mounting member to the floor; and

the detecting object is a second flange extending normally from the mounting member and operatively cooperates with the position sensor to indicate seat position.

9. A seat position detection unit according to claim 4, wherein

the position sensor is attached to the movable member through a connection member, and wherein

the connection member has a protector, which protects the position sensor.

10. A seat position detection unit according to claim 9, wherein

the stationary member is provided along a fore-and-rear directions of the seat, and wherein the seat position detection unit includes two of the mounting members,

a first mounting member that mounts the stationary member to the floor at a fore-side end of the stationary member, and

a second mounting member that mounts the stationary member to the floor at the rear-side end of the stationary member, and wherein

the first mounting member and the detecting object are integrally formed to provide the single piece.

11. A seat position detection unit comprising:

a movable member, which is attached to a bottom of a seat so that the movable member is located along the fore-and-rear directions with respect to the seat;

a stationary member, which is put together with the movable member and allows the seat to slide along the stationary member;

a mounting member adapted to mount the stationary member to a floor;

a position sensor, which is attached to the movable member; and

a detecting object, which is detected by the position sensor, and is disposed at the stationary member,

wherein the detecting object and the mounting member are provided as a single piece, and wherein

the position sensor is attached to the movable member through a connection member, and wherein

the connection member has a protector, which protects the position sensor, and wherein

the stationary member is provided along a fore-and-rear directions of the seat, and wherein the seat position detection unit includes two of the mounting members,

a first mounting member that mounts the stationary member to the floor at a fore-side end of the stationary member, and

a second mounting member that mounts the stationary member to the floor at the rear-side end of the stationary member, and wherein

the first mounting member and the detecting object are integrally formed to provide the single piece, and wherein

the surface of the mounting member and the connection member are covered with a resin.