Seat status detecting device

• US 7,400,947 B2
• Filed: 07/20/2004
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/22/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Aisin Seiki Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Endo, Hirofumi, Nagura, Mikihito, Kojima, Yasuhiro, Koga, Yoshitaka, Tagawa, Satoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/894,119
• Publication Number:
  US 20050021207A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,456 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/1
• 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 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts

Abstract

A seat status detecting device includes a seat status detecting device includes a seat slide portion provided at a seat, a magnetic sensor provided at the seat slide portion for detecting a seat status, and a protective cover assembled to the magnetic sensor for surrounding the magnetic sensor.

Claims

1. A seat status detecting device comprising:

a seat slide portion provided at a seat;

a magnetic sensor provided at the seat slide portion for detecting a seat status by way of a steel plate, the magnetic sensor comprising a first magnet, a second magnet, and a detection element, the detection element being arranged at a portion between the first magnet and the second magnet for detecting a change in the balance of magnetic force between the first and second magnets;

a protective cover assembled onto the magnetic sensor for surrounding the magnetic sensor, the protective cover including a first wall portion provided above the magnetic sensor while keeping a first predetermined distance therefrom and a second wall portion provided on a side of the magnetic sensor while keeping a second predetermined distance therefrom and extending downwardly relative to the magnetic sensor for surrounding the magnetic sensor, the protective cover preventing foreign objects from deteriorating performance of the magnetic sensor;

wherein when the seat slide portion moves in a predetermined direction, the first magnet is arranged close to the steel plate that is positioned opposite to the detection element.

2. A seat status detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the protective cover includes an engaging portion engaging with an outer face of the magnetic sensor, and is held to the magnetic sensor after being elastically deformed by being pressed against the outer face of the magnetic sensor and then returned to an original shape of the protective cover by the engaging portion engaging with the outer face of the magnetic sensor.

3. A seat status detecting device according to claim 2, wherein the protective cover includes an engaging hook being inserted into a gap formed between the seat slide portion and the magnetic sensor, and being pressed against the seat slide portion and the magnetic sensor.

4. A seat status detecting device according to claim 3, wherein the magnetic sensor has a symmetrical structure for being assembled to one side or the other side of the seat slide portion, and the protective cover has a symmetrical structure for being assembled to the magnetic sensor assembled to the one side or the other side of the seat slide portion.

5. A seat status detecting device according to claim 4, wherein the magnetic sensor includes a pair of positioning pins, one of which is inserted into the one side or the other side of the seat slide portion so that a position of the magnetic sensor relative to the seat slide portion is determined, and the other one of which, not inserted into the seat slide portion, is inserted into an engaging bore formed on the protective cover.

6. A seat status detecting device according to claim 5, wherein the second wall portion includes a first concave portion downwardly extending from a lower side of the engaging bore and including a guide face outwardly and downwardly inclining with which the positioning pin is in contact, and a second concave portion connected to the first concave portion and downwardly extending therefrom.

7. A seat status detecting device according to claim 3, wherein the engaging hook includes an arm portion extending substantially in parallel with the second wall portion, and a hook portion extending and bending from an end portion of the arm portion in an obliquely outward direction towards the seat slide portion.

8. A seat status detecting device comprising:

a seat slide portion provided at a seat;

a magnetic sensor provided at the seat slide portion for detecting a seat status;

a protective cover assembled to the magnetic sensor for surrounding the magnetic sensor;

the protective cover including a first wall portion provided above the magnetic sensor with keeping a first predetermined distance therefrom and a second wall portion provided on a side of the magnetic sensor with keeping a second predetermined distance therefrom and extending downwardly relative to the magnetic sensor for surrounding the magnetic sensor;

the protective cover including an engaging portion engaging with an outer face of the magnetic sensor, and is held to the magnetic sensor after being elastically deformed by being pressed against the outer face of the magnetic sensor and then returned to an original shape of the protective cover by the engaging portion engaging with the outer face of the magnetic sensor; and

the protective cover including an engaging hook being inserted into a gap formed between the seat slide portion and the magnetic sensor, and being pressed against the seat slide portion and the magnetic sensor.