Member position detection apparatus not affected by external magnetic field

• US 7,521,924 B2
• Filed: 04/19/2004
• Issued: 04/21/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 05/07/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Okumura, Hirofumi, Tokunaga, Ichiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Aurora; Reena
• Application Number:
  US10/828,130
• Publication Number:
  US 20040196029A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,828 Days
• Field of Search: 324/207.11, 324/207.2, 324/207.24, 324/207.26, 324/207.15, 324/207.21, 324/207.22, 324/228, 324/251, 280/735
• US Class Current: 324/207.24
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0252 with relations between different adjustments, e.g. height of headrest following longitudinal position of seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors for adapting the seat or seat part, e.g. to the position of an occupant
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 5/145 influenced by the relative movement between the Hall device and magnetic fields see G01R33/06

Abstract

An object of the present invention is to provide a member position detecting apparatus having a high degree of freedom for design and layout of a seat rail, capable of suppressing accumulation of dust and eliminating influence of an external magnetic field. A member position detecting apparatus 1 has a function of detecting whether a metallic seat rail (a moving member) 3 guided by a metallic stationary rail 2 has reached a front end position (a predetermined position) P on the stationary rail 2. The openings of the stationary rail 2 and the seat rail 3 face each other and the end portions thereof are folded and engaged with each other. The stationary rail 2 is disposed on the floor of a vehicle, and a planar magnet 5 is provided at a front end portion thereof. The seat rail 3 is fixed on a lower portion of the vehicle seat, and a magnetic sensor 7 is provided to face the magnet 5 at the front end portion of the seat rail.

Claims

1. A member position detecting apparatus for detecting that a metallic moving member guided by a metallic stationary rail has reached a predetermined position of the stationary rail,

wherein one of a magnet and a magnetic sensor is disposed at a position corresponding to the predetermined position of the stationary rail,

wherein the other of the magnet and the magnetic sensor is disposed at a position of the moving member facing the stationary rail,

wherein the magnet is disposed on an inner side of the stationary rail, and the magnetic sensor is disposed on an inner side of the moving member,

wherein a central region of a facing plane of the magnet faces the magnetic sensor, and a magnetic polarity is different at both sides of the central region, and the magnetic polarity of a rear surface of the magnet is different from the magnetic polarity of the facing plane facing the magnetic sensor,

wherein the magnet and the magnetic sensor are surrounded by the metallic stationary rail and the metallic moving member,

wherein the magnet is provided on one end portion of the stationary rail, and another end portion of the stationary rail does not have the magnet, and

wherein a border of the different magnetic polarities of the facing plane of the magnet is parallel to the movement of the magnetic sensor disposed on the metallic moving member.

2. The member position detecting apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein openings of the stationary rail and the moving member face each other and end portions thereof are folded and engaged with each other, and

wherein the magnet and the magnetic sensor are disposed inside the openings.

3. The member position detecting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a vehicle seat is fixed on the moving member.

4. A member position detecting apparatus for detecting that a metallic moving member guided by a metallic stationary rail has reached a predetermined position of the stationary rail, the apparatus comprising:

a magnet disposed on an inner side of the stationary rail at a position corresponding to the predetermined position of the stationary rail; and

a magnetic sensor disposed on an inner side of the moving member so as to face the inner side of the stationary rail,

wherein the magnet includes a facing plane facing the inner side of the moving member, the facing plane includes;

a central region having a first magnetic polarity; and

side regions provided on both sides of the central region, the side regions having a second magnetic polarity opposite to the first magnetic polarity,

and wherein the central region of the magnet faces the magnetic sensor when the metallic moving member reaches the predetermined position, and a border between the central region and each side region is parallel to a direction of the movement of the magnetic sensor.

5. The member position detecting apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the magnet and the magnetic sensor are enclosed by the metallic stationary rail and the metallic moving member such that the magnet and the magnetic sensor are shielded from external magnetic fields.

6. The member position detecting apparatus according to claim 4,

wherein the magnetic sensor outputs a control signal when the metallic moving member reaches the predetermined position, the control signal controlling inflation of an air bag of a vehicle.

7. The member position detecting apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the magnet further includes a rear surface provided on an opposite side of the facing plane, the rear surface including:

a rear central region having the second magnetic polarity; and

rear side regions provided on both sides of the rear central region, the rear side regions having the first magnetic polarity.