Seat-weight sensor support for reducing physical effects

• US 7,427,720 B2
• Filed: 06/29/2006
• Issued: 09/23/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 06/30/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Kojima, Mikihito, Furukawa, Takashi, Kumakiri, Naotaka, Yoshifuku, Masashi, Yamazaki, Tatsuya, Nishide, Harutomi, Suzuki, Yoshitaka, Koyota, Nobuhiro, Takaya, Seiji
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson; Randy W
• Application Number:
  US11/427,558
• Publication Number:
  US 20070001832A1
• Time in Patent Office: 817 Days
• Field of Search: 738/626.21, 73862625-863639, 177/144, 177/211, 177/229, 180/273, 280/735
• US Class Current: 177/211
• 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 2/0031 mounted on the frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0152 using strain gauges
• 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

A seat-weight sensor includes a load cell having a load sensor arranged therein and a support for holding a support shaft of the load cell. The support includes a convex portion to hold the support shaft and a pair of flange portions arranged at both sides of the convex portion and fixed to a vehicle floor side. The support has a pair of slots arranged at a perimeter of the convex portion and for reducing a physical effect that the pair of flanges provides to the convex portion.

Claims

1. A seat-weight sensor for sensing a load of an occupant sitting on a seat, the seat-weight sensor being interposed between the seat and a vehicle floor, comprising:

a load cell having a load sensor arranged therein; and

a support that holds the load cell,

the support including a convex portion to hold the load cell and a pair of flange portions arranged at both sides of the convex portion and fixed to a vehicle floor side,

the support having a pair of slots arranged at a perimeter of the convex portion, the pair of slots reducing a physical effect that the pair of flange portions provides to the convex portion,

wherein the support includes a pair of side portions that extends from the convex portion to ends of the pair of flange portions, and wherein the pair of flange portions and the convex portions are separated by the pair of slots to form a discontinuity therebetween.

2. The seat-weight sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the physical effect includes a stress.

3. The seat-weight sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the physical effect includes a distortion.

4. The seat-weight sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the side portion includes a rib being protuberant at the side of the flange portion.

5. The seat-weight sensor as claimed in claim 4, wherein the rib is connected to the convex portion.

6. The seat-weight sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the pair of slots each comprise a first slot portion extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to a direction going from the convex portion to the ends of the pair of flange portions and a pair of second slot portions each turning from a terminal end of the first slot portion and extending in parallel to the direction going from the convex portion to the ends of the pair of flange portions so as to approach the corresponding second slot portion.

7. The seat-weight sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the seat-weight sensor is arranged in each of four corners of the seat.

8. The seat-weight sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the convex portion holds a support shaft of the load cell perpendicularly.

9. The seat-weight sensor as claimed in claim 1, wherein the load cell is fixed to a seat frame of the seat and the flange portion of the support is fixed to an upper slide rail.

10. A support for holding a load cell in a seat-weight sensor for sensing a load of an occupant sitting on a seat, the seat-weight sensor being interposed between the seat and a vehicle floor,

wherein, the support including a convex portion to hold the load cell and a pair of flange portions arranged at both sides of the convex portion and fixed to a vehicle floor side,

the support having a pair of slots arranged at a perimeter of the convex portion, the pair of slots reducing a physical effect that the pair of flange portions provides to the convex portion,

wherein the support includes a pair of side portions that extends from the convex portion to ends of the pair of flange portions, and wherein the pair of flange portions and the convex portions are separated by the pair of slots to form a discontinuity therebetween.

11. The support as claimed in claim 10, wherein the physical effect includes a stress.

12. The support as claimed in claim 10, wherein the physical effect includes a distortion.

13. The support as claimed in claim 10, wherein the side portion includes a rib being protuberant at the side of the flange portion.

14. The support as claimed in claim 13, wherein the rib is connected to the convex portion.

15. The support as claimed in claim 10, wherein the pair of slots each comprise a first slot portion extending in a direction substantially orthogonal to a direction going from the convex portion to the ends of the pair of flange portions and a pair of second slot portions each turning from a terminal end of the first slot portion and extending in parallel to the direction going from the convex portion to the ends of the pair of flange portions so as to approach the corresponding second slot portion.

16. The support as claimed in claim 10, wherein the convex portion holds a support shaft of the load cell perpendicularly.

17. The support as claimed in claim 10, wherein the flange portion of the support is fixed to an upper slide rail.