Seat apparatus for a vehicle

• US 7,559,249 B2
• Filed: 10/30/2007
• Issued: 07/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/31/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.), Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Akizuki, Kenichiro, Inayoshi, Muneto, Kawabata, Hideki, Nakano, Satohiko, Aoyama, Mutsuro, Izawa, Minoru
• Primary Examiner(s): Caputo; Lisa M
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROY, PUNAM P
• Application Number:
  US11/978,626
• Publication Number:
  US 20080156103A1
• Time in Patent Office: 623 Days
• Field of Search: 177/136, 737/81, 738/624.74
• US Class Current: 73/781
• 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: B60N 2/0035 characterised by the sensor data transmission, e.g. wired connections or wireless transmitters therefor; characterised by the sensor data processing, e.g. seat sensor signal amplification or electric circuits for providing seat sensor information
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/42 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/30 Signal processing of sensor data
• 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 apparatus for a vehicle has a load detecting device arranged between a floor-side fixing member adapted to be fixed to a floor of the vehicle and a seat-side fixing member adapted to be fixed to a seat for the vehicle and for measuring a load of an occupant seated on the seat. The load detecting device includes: a strain member; a connecting member vertically fixed to an intermediate portion of the strain member; strain gauges attached to a surface of the strain member; an upper bracket having a first and second fixed portions both fixed to the other surface of the strain member. The upper bracket further has an attachment portion connecting the first and second fixed portions and extending in a lateral direction of the seat; and an amplifier unit attached to a surface of the attachment portion of the upper bracket corresponding to the strain member so as to be coplanar with the strain member.

Claims

1. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a load detecting device arranged between a floor-side fixing member adapted to be fixed to a floor of the vehicle and a seat-side fixing member adapted to be fixed to a seat for the vehicle and for measuring a load of an occupant seated on the seat, the load detecting device comprising:

a strain member fixed at its both ends at a fixing surface provided at one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member with a predetermined distance from the fixing surface in a vertical direction of the seat;

a connecting member vertically fixed to an intermediate portion of the strain member and fixed to the other one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member;

strain gauges attached on a surface of the strain member;

an upper bracket having a first fixed portion and a second fixed portion both fixed to the other surface of the strain member at the both ends of the strain member, the upper bracket further having an attachment portion connecting the first and second fixed portions and extending in a lateral direction of the seat;

an amplifier unit attached to a surface of the attachment portion of the upper bracket corresponding to the strain member so as to be coplanar with the strain member;

a first lower bracket and a second lower bracket fixed, at the both ends of the strain member, to the fixing surface provided at the one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member, and each of the first and second lower brackets has a base portion having a height identical to the predetermined distance, a shaft portion protruding from the base portion, the shaft portion penetrating the both ends of the strain member and press-fitted into the first and second fixed portions of the upper bracket to be fixed thereto so that the strain member is interposed between the base portion and the shaft portion, and an attachment hole penetrating through the shaft portion and the base portion; and

wherein the fixing surface is provided at the floor-side fixing member and the strain member is fixed to the fixing surface of the floor-side fixing member via the first and second lower brackets, and the seat-side fixing member includes a connecting surface and the intermediate portion of the strain member is connected to the connecting surface of the seat-side fixing member via the connecting member.

2. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a load detecting device according to claim 1,

wherein the other surface of the strain member is an upper surface of the strain member and the first and second fixed portions of the upper bracket are fixed to the upper surface of the strain member at the both ends of the strain member, and the surface of the attachment portion of the upper bracket is a lower surface of the attachment portion of the upper bracket and the amplifier unit is attached to the lower surface of the attachment portion of the upper bracket.

3. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a load detecting device according to claim 1,

wherein the floor-side fixing member is an upper rail supported by a lower rail fixed to the floor so that the floor-side fixing member is movable in a longitudinal direction, and the seat-side fixing member is a seat frame supporting a seat cushion.

4. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a load detecting device according to claim 1,

wherein the load detecting device includes first, second, third and fourth load detecting devices respectively arranged at front-left, front-right, rear-right and rear-left portions of the seat, the first load detecting device arranged at the front-left portion of the seat is identical to the third load detecting device arranged at the rear-right portion of the seat, and the second load detecting device arranged at the front-right portion of the seat is identical to the fourth load detecting device arranged at the rear-left portion of the seat.

5. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a load detecting device according to claim 4,

wherein the amplifier unit includes first, second, third and fourth amplifier units of the first, second, third and fourth load detecting devices, respectively, and the first amplifier unit houses therein a first amplifier substrate and is provided with a first connector arranged at an inner side of the seat in the lateral direction and oriented to face a longitudinally rear portion of the seat, the second amplifier unit houses therein a second amplifier substrate and is provided with a second connector arranged at the inner side of the seat in the lateral direction and oriented to face the longitudinally rear portion of the seat, the third amplifier unit houses therein a third amplifier substrate and is provided with a third connector arranged at the inner side of the seat in the lateral direction and oriented to face a longitudinally front portion of the seat, and the fourth amplifier unit houses therein a fourth amplifier substrate and is provided with a fourth connector arranged at the inner side of the seat in the lateral direction and oriented to face a longitudinally front portion of the seat, whereby the first and third connectors face each other, and second and fourth connectors face each other.

6. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a load detecting device arranged between a floor-side fixing member adapted to be fixed to a floor of the vehicle and a seat-side fixing member adapted to be fixed to a seat for the vehicle and for measuring a load of an occupant seated on the seat, the load detecting device comprising:

a strain member fixed at its both ends at a fixing surface provided at one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member with a predetermined distance from the fixing surface in a vertical direction of the seat;

a connecting member vertically fixed to an intermediate portion of the strain member and fixed to the other one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member;

strain gauges attached on a surface of the strain member;

an upper bracket having a first fixed portion and a second fixed portion both fixed to the other surface of the strain member at the both ends of the strain member, the upper bracket further having an attachment portion connecting the first and second fixed portions and extending in a lateral direction of the seat;

an amplifier unit attached to a surface of the attachment portion of the upper bracket corresponding to the strain member so as to be coplanar with the strain member; and

wherein the other surface of the strain member is an upper surface of the strain member and the first and second fixed portions of the upper bracket are fixed to the upper surface of the strain member at the both ends of the strain member, and the surface of the attachment portion of the upper bracket is a lower surface of the attachment portion of the upper bracket and the amplifier unit is attached to the lower surface of the attachment portion of the upper bracket.

7. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a load detecting device according to claim 6,

wherein the floor-side fixing member is an upper rail supported by a lower rail fixed to the floor so that the floor-side fixing member is movable in forward and rearward directions, and the seat-side fixing member is a seat frame supporting a seat cushion.

8. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a load detecting device according to claim 6,

wherein the load detecting device includes first, second, third and fourth load detecting devices respectively arranged at front-left, front-right, rear-right and rear-left portions of the seat, the first load detecting device arranged at the front-left portion of the seat is identical to the third load detecting device arranged at the rear-right portion of the seat, and the second load detecting device arranged at the front-right portion of the seat is identical to the fourth load detecting device arranged at the rear-left portion of the seat.

9. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a load detecting device according to claim 8,

wherein the amplifier unit includes first, second, third and fourth amplifier units of the first, second, third and fourth load detecting devices, respectively, and the first amplifier unit houses therein a first amplifier substrate and is provided with a first connector arranged at an inner side of the seat in the lateral direction and oriented to face a longitudinally rear portion of the seat, the second amplifier unit houses therein a second amplifier substrate and is provided with a second connector arranged at the inner side of the seat in the lateral direction and oriented to face the longitudinally rear portion of the seat, the third amplifier unit houses therein a third amplifier substrate and is provided with a third connector arranged at the inner side of the seat in the lateral direction and oriented to face a longitudinally front portion of the seat, and the fourth amplifier unit houses therein a fourth amplifier substrate and is provided with a fourth connector arranged at the inner side of the seat in the lateral direction and oriented to face a longitudinally front portion of the seat, whereby the first and third connectors face each other, and second and fourth connectors face each other.

10. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a load detecting device arranged between a floor-side fixing member adapted to be fixed to a floor of the vehicle and a seat-side fixing member adapted to be fixed to a seat for the vehicle and for measuring a load of an occupant seated on the seat, the load detecting device comprising:

a strain member fixed at its both ends at a fixing surface provided at one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member with a predetermined distance from the fixing surface in a vertical direction of the seat;

a connecting member vertically fixed to an intermediate portion of the strain member and fixed to the other one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member;

strain gauges attached on a surface of the strain member;

an upper bracket having a first fixed portion and a second fixed portion both fixed to the other surface of the strain member at the both ends of the strain member, the upper bracket further having an attachment portion connecting the first and second fixed portions and extending in a lateral direction of the seat;

an amplifier unit attached to a surface of the attachment portion of the upper bracket corresponding to the strain member so as to be coplanar with the strain member;

a first lower bracket and a second lower bracket fixed, at the both ends of the strain member, to the fixing surface provided at the one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member, and each of the first and second lower brackets has a base portion having a height identical to the predetermined distance, a shaft portion protruding from the base portion, the shaft portion penetrating the both ends of the strain member and press-fitted into the first and second fixed portions of the upper bracket to be fixed thereto so that the strain member is interposed between the base portion and the shaft portion, and an attachment hole penetrating through the shaft portion and the base portion; and

wherein the floor-side fixing member is an upper rail supported by a lower rail fixed to the floor so that the floor-side fixing member is movable in forward and rearward directions, and the seat-side fixing member is a seat frame supporting a seat cushion.

11. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a load detecting device arranged between a floor-side fixing member adapted to be fixed to a floor of the vehicle and a seat-side fixing member adapted to be fixed to a seat for the vehicle and for measuring a load of an occupant seated on the seat, the load detecting device comprising:

a strain member fixed at its both ends at a fixing surface provided at one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member with a predetermined distance from the fixing surface in a vertical direction of the seat;

a connecting member vertically fixed to an intermediate portion of the strain member and fixed to the other one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member;

strain gauges attached on a surface of the strain member;

an upper bracket having a first fixed portion and a second fixed portion both fixed to the other surface of the strain member at the both ends of the strain member, the upper bracket further having an attachment portion connecting the first and second fixed portions and extending in a lateral direction of the seat;

an amplifier unit attached to a surface of the attachment portion of the upper bracket corresponding to the strain member so as to be coplanar with the strain member;

a first lower bracket and a second lower bracket fixed, at the both ends of the strain member, to the fixing surface provided at the one of the floor-side fixing member and the seat-side fixing member, and each of the first and second lower brackets has a base portion having a height identical to the predetermined distance, a shaft portion protruding from the base portion, the shaft portion penetrating the both ends of the strain member and press-fitted into the first and second fixed portions of the upper bracket to be fixed thereto so that the strain member is interposed between the base portion and the shaft portion, and an attachment hole penetrating through the shaft portion and the base portion; and

wherein the load detecting device includes first, second, third and fourth load detecting devices respectively arranged at front-left, front-right, rear-right and rear-left portions of the seat, the first load detecting device arranged at the front-left portion of the seat is identical to the third load detecting device arranged at the rear-right portion of the seat, and the second load detecting device arranged at the front-right portion of the seat is identical to the fourth load detecting device arranged at the rear-left portion of the seat, wherein the first load detecting device differs from the second load detecting device.

12. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a load detecting device according to claim 11,

wherein the amplifier unit includes first, second, third and fourth amplifier units of the first, second, third and fourth load detecting devices, respectively, and the first amplifier unit houses therein a first amplifier substrate and is provided with a first connector arranged at an inner side of the seat in the lateral direction and oriented to face a longitudinally rear portion of the seat, the second amplifier unit houses therein a second amplifier substrate and is provided with a second connector arranged at the inner side of the seat in the lateral direction and oriented to face the longitudinally rear portion of the seat, the third amplifier unit houses therein a third amplifier substrate and is provided with a third connector arranged at the inner side of the seat in the lateral direction and oriented to face a longitudinally front portion of the seat, and the fourth amplifier unit houses therein a fourth amplifier substrate and is provided with a fourth connector arranged at the inner side of the seat in the lateral direction and oriented to face a longitudinally front portion of the seat, whereby the first and third connectors face each other, and second and fourth connectors face each other.

13. A seat apparatus for a vehicle having a load detecting device for measuring a load of an occupant seated on a seat of the vehicle, the load detecting device being arranged between a first member and a second member, one of the first and second members being a floor-side fixing member adapted to be fixed to a floor of the vehicle and the other of the first and second members being a seat-side fixing member adapted to be fixed to the seat, the load detecting device comprising:

a strain member having ends which are both fixed relative to a fixing surface of the first member so that the strain member is spaced a predetermined distance from the fixing surface in a vertical direction of the seat, the strain member possessing oppositely facing first and second surfaces;

a connecting member vertically fixed to an intermediate portion of the strain member and fixed to the second member;

strain gauges attached to the first surface of the strain member;

an upper bracket having a first fixed portion fixed to the second surface of the strain member at one end of the strain member and a second fixed portion fixed to the second surface of the strain member at the other end of the strain member, the upper bracket further having an attachment portion connecting the first and second fixed portions and extending in a lateral direction of the seat;

an amplifier unit attached to an attachment surface of the attachment portion of the upper bracket; and

the strain member and the amplifier unit being located, in a vertical direction of the seat, between the fixing surface of the first member and the attachment surface of the attachment portion of the upper bracket.