Vehicle seat and passenger's weight measurement device for vehicle seat

• US 7,793,557 B2
• Filed: 07/29/2005
• Issued: 09/14/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company), TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company), TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Kenji, Endo, Shigeru, Yamazaki, Tatsuya, Nishide, Harutomi
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US11/632,715
• Publication Number:
  US 20080079296A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,873 Days
• Field of Search: 73862381-862391, 738/18, 737/60
• US Class Current: 73/862.381
• 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 2/0034 in, under or on the seat cover
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0732 Attachment of seat frame to the slide, e.g. eyelets
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4263 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/90 Details or parts not otherwise provided for
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/42 Strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/30 Signal processing of sensor data
• 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

The submarine phenomenon can be prevented and the accuracy of a passenger'"'"'s weight measurement is improved.

A vehicle seat 1 comprises a pair of fixed lower rails 3 fixed on the floor of a passenger compartment, a pair of movable upper rails 4 which are engaged with the fixed lower rails 3 so as to be slidable in a front-and-rear direction with respect to each of the fixed lower rails 3, a sub frame 110 which is disposed at an upper side of the movable upper rails 4, load sensors 50, 60, 70, and 80 which lie between the sub frame 110 and the movable upper rails 4, brackets 8 and 9 which are disposed so as to erect them on each of the movable upper rails 4, and a submarine pipe 11 which is crossed between the brackets 8 and 9. The submarine pipe 11 is disposed to be slidable in a left-and-right direction with respect to the right bracket 9.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat adapted to hold buttocks of a passenger during a collision of the vehicle, comprising:

a cushion having a seating face;

left and right load sensors disposed under the seating face of the cushion that measure a weight of the passenger sitting on the cushion;

a seat cushion frame supporting the cushion;

right and left movable rails extending in a front-and-rear direction of the vehicle under the seat cushion frame and each having an upper surface, the left load sensor disposed between the seat cushion frame and the left movable rail, the right load sensor disposed between the seat cushion frame and the right movable rail;

a left mounting unit disposed on the upper surface of the left movable rail under the seating face of the cushion;

a right mounting unit disposed on the upper surface of the right movable rail under the seating face of the cushion; and

a bridging member provided between the left mounting unit and the right mounting unit and disposed at least at one mounting unit of the left mounting unit and the right mounting unit so as to be slidable in a left-and-right direction with respect to the at least one mounting unit, the bridging member being adapted to hold the buttocks of the passenger during the collision of the vehicle.

2. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein a mounting hole is formed on the at least one mounting unit to penetrate in the left-and-right direction and the bridging member is inserted into the mounting hole so as to be slidable in the left-and-right direction with respect to the at least one mounting unit.

3. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sectional area of the bridging member is larger than an area of the mounting hole at a position apart from the at least one mounting unit towards an end of the bridging member from the mounting hole.

4. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bridging member is a pipe member and an end of the crossing member flares out.

5. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the bridging member is fixed to the other mounting unit of the left mounting unit and the right mounting unit, and is slidable in a left-and-right direction with respect to the one mounting unit of the left mounting unit and the right mounting unit.

6. A passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device for a vehicle seat adapted to hold buttocks of a passenger during a collision of the vehicle, comprising:

a cushion,

left and right fixed rails, fixable to the vehicle,

left and right movable rails movable in a front-and-rear direction on the left and right fixed rails, respectively;

a cushion frame having a front end and a rear end, supporting the cushion and disposed at an upper side of the movable rails;

one load sensor disposed between one movable rail of the right and left movable rails and the cushion frame;

another load sensor disposed between the other movable rail of the left and right movable rails and the cushion frame; and

a bridging member provided between the left and right movable rails in between the front end of the cushion frame and the rear end of the cushion frame relative to a side surface of the cushion frame, the bridging member being adapted to hold the buttocks of the passenger sitting on the cushion during the collision of the vehicle.

7. The passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device for the vehicle seat as claimed in claim 6, wherein the one load sensor is fixed to the one movable rail and the another load sensor is disposed to be movable in a left-and-right direction with respect to the other movable rail.

8. The passenger'"'"'s weight management device as claimed in claim 6, wherein the bridging member is separated and provided apart from the cushion frame.

9. A passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device for a vehicle, comprising:

a cushion,

left and right fixed rails, fixable to the vehicle,

left and right movable members that are movable in a front-and-rear direction on the left and right fixed rails, respectively, the left movable member comprising a left movable rail and a left cushion frame and the right movable member comprising a right movable rail and a right cushion frame;

a front load sensor and a rear load sensor being disposed on one of the left and right movable members and between the one of the left and right movable rails and its corresponding cushion frame of at least one of the left and right movable members,

a bridging member provided between the left and right movable members in between a front end of the cushion frame and a rear end of the right and left cushion frames relative to a side surface of the right and left cushion frames, and

left and right connecting portions that connect front portions of the left and right movable members, at least one of the left and right connecting portions being at a position that is offset in from a center portion of the front load sensor in the front-and-rear direction, the at least one of the left and right connecting portions being disposed on the one of the left and right movable members that the front load sensor is disposed on.

10. The passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device as claimed in claim 9, wherein one connecting portion of the left and right connecting portions of the bridging member is disposed more rearwardly than the front load sensor, the one connecting portion being connected to one movable member in which at least the front load sensor is disposed.

11. The passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device as claimed in claim 9, wherein one connecting portion of the left and right connecting portions of the bridging member is disposed between the front load sensor and the rear load sensor, the one connecting portion being connected to the one of the left and right movable members on which the front load sensor and the rear load sensor are disposed.

12. The passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device as claimed in claim 9, wherein one connecting portion of the left and right connecting portions of the bridging member is disposed nearer to the front load sensor than to the rear load sensor, the one connecting portion being connected to the one of the left and right movable members on which at least the front load sensor and rear load sensor are disposed.

13. The passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least a part of the bridging member is a pipe member.

14. The passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device as claimed in claim 13, wherein a middle portion of the pipe member in the right-and-left direction is arranged more forwardly than one connecting portion of the left and right connecting portions of the bridging member.

15. The passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device as claimed in claim 9, wherein an upper surface of a middle portion of the bridging member in the right-and-left direction is arranged above at least a part of the front load sensor.

16. The passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device as claimed in claim 9, wherein one end of the bridging member is provided more rearwardly than a middle portion of the bridging member to avoid the front load sensor.

17. The passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device as claimed in claim 9, wherein a front portion of the cushion frames is covered with a pan frame and the bridging member is provided below the pan frame.

18. The passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device as claimed in claim 17, wherein an upward projecting portion projecting upwardly is provided in the pan frame and the bridging member is disposed below the upward projecting portion.

19. The passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device as claimed in claim 17, wherein an upward projecting portion projecting upwardly is provided near the bridging member in the pan frame, a front end of a spring extending in the front-and-rear direction is attached to the upward projecting portion and a rear end of the spring is attached to a connecting member that connects the right and left movable members behind the rear load sensor.

20. A passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device for a vehicle, comprising:

a cushion,

left and right fixed rails, fixable to the vehicle,

left and right movable members that are movable in a front-and-rear direction on the left and right fixed rails, the left movable member comprising a left movable rail and a left cushion frame and the right movable member comprising a right movable rail and a right cushion frame;

a front load sensor and a rear load sensor being disposed on one of the left and right movable members and between the one of the left and right movable rails and its corresponding cushion frame of at least one of the left and right movable members,

a bridging member provided between the left and right movable members in between a front end of the cushion frame and a rear end of the right and left cushion frames relative to a side surface of the right and left cushion frames, and

left and right connecting portions that connect front portions of the left and right movable members provided at left and right ends of the bridging member and at a position that is offset in from the front load sensor in the front-and-rear direction,

wherein one of the left and right connecting portions of the bridging member is disposed between the front load sensor and the rear load sensor, the one connecting portion being connected to the one of the left and right movable members on which the front load sensor and the rear load sensor are disposed,

wherein one connecting portion of the left and right connecting portions of the bridging member is disposed nearer to the front load sensor than to the rear load sensor, the one connecting portion being connected to the one of the left and right movable members on which at least the front load sensor and rear load sensor are disposed,

wherein at least a part of the bridging member is a pipe member, and

wherein a middle portion of the pipe member in the right-and-left direction is arranged more forwardly than one connecting portion of the left and right connecting portions of the bridging member.

21. A passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device for a vehicle, comprising:

a cushion,

left and right fixed rails, fixable to the vehicle,

left and right movable members that are movable in a front-and-rear direction on the left and right fixed rails, the left movable member comprising a left movable rail and a left cushion frame and the right movable member comprising a right movable rail and a right cushion frame;

a front load sensor and a rear load sensor being disposed on one of the left and right movable members and between the one of the left and right movable rails and its corresponding cushion frame of at least one of the left and right movable members,

a bridging member provided between the left and right movable members in between a front end of the cushion frame and a rear end of the right and left cushion frames relative to a side surface of the right and left cushion frames, and

left and right connecting portions that connect front portions of the left and right movable members provided at left and right ends of the bridging member and at a position that is offset in from the front load sensor in the front-and-rear direction,

wherein one of the left and right connecting portions of the bridging member is disposed between the front load sensor and the rear load sensor, the one connecting portion being connected to the one of the left and right movable members on which the front load sensor and the rear load sensor are disposed,

wherein one connecting portion of the left and right connecting portions of the bridging member is disposed nearer to the front load sensor than to the rear load sensor, the one connecting portion being connected to the one of the left and right movable members on which at least the front load sensor and rear load sensor are disposed,

wherein at least a part of the bridging member is a pipe member, and

wherein a middle portion of the pipe member in the right-and-left direction is arranged more forwardly than one connecting portion of the left and right connecting portions of the bridging member,

wherein an upper surface of a middle portion of the bridging member in the right-and-left direction is arranged above at least a part of the front load sensor, and

wherein the bridging member is bent so as td arrange one end of the bridging member more rearwardly than a middle portion of the bridging member to avoid the front load sensor.

22. A passenger'"'"'s weight measurement device for a vehicle, comprising:

a cushion,

left and right fixed rails, fixable to the vehicle,

left and right movable members that are movable in a front-and-rear direction on the left and right fixed rails, the left movable member comprising a left movable rail and a left cushion frame and the right movable member comprising a right movable rail and a right cushion frame;

a front load sensor and a rear load sensor being disposed on one of the left and right movable members and between the one of the left and right movable rails and its corresponding cushion frame of at least one of the left and right movable members,

a bridging member provided between the left and right movable members in between a front end of the cushion frame and a rear end of the right and left cushion frames relative to a side surface of the right and left cushion frames, and

left and right connecting portions that connect front portions of the left and right movable members provided at left and right ends of the bridging member and at a position that is offset in from the front load sensor in the front-and-rear direction,

wherein one of the left and right connecting portions of the bridging member is disposed between the front load sensor and the rear load sensor, the one connecting portion being connected to the one of the left and right movable members on which the front load sensor and the rear load sensor are disposed,

wherein one connecting portion of the left and right connecting portions of the bridging member is disposed nearer to the front load sensor than to the rear load sensor, the one connecting portion being connected to the one of the left and right movable members on which at least the front load sensor and rear load sensor are disposed,

wherein at least a part of the bridging member is a pipe member, and

wherein a middle portion of the pipe member in the right-and-left direction is arranged more forwardly than one connecting portion of the left and right connecting portions of the bridging member,

wherein an upper surface of a middle portion of the bridging member in the right-and-left direction is arranged above at least a part of the front load sensor, and

wherein the bridging member is bent so as to arrange one end of the bridging member more rearwardly than a middle portion of the bridging member to avoid the front load sensor,

wherein a front portion of the cushion frames is covered with a pan frame and the bridging member is provided below the pan frame,

wherein an upward projecting portion projecting upwardly is provided in the pan frame and the bridging member is disposed below the upward projecting portion, and

wherein an upward projecting portion projecting upwardly is provided near the bridging member in the pan frame, a front end of a spring extending in the front-and-rear direction is attached to the upward projecting portion and a rear end of the spring is attached to a connecting member that connects the right and left movable members behind the rear load sensor.