Vehicle seat having a device for vehicle seat occupancy detection

• US 8,256,842 B2
• Filed: 04/23/2009
• Issued: 09/04/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 04/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Grammer AG (Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts Co.,Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Grammer AG (Ningbo Jifeng Auto Parts Co.,Ltd.)
• Inventors: Himmelhuber, Frank, Kolb, Jens
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): GABLER, PHILIP F
• Application Number:
  US12/429,023
• Publication Number:
  US 20090267392A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,230 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.3, 297/344.12, 297/344.15, 297/344.16, 248/550
• US Class Current: 297/344.16
• 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 2/502 attached to the base of the seat B60N2/504 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/505 Adjustable suspension including height adjustment
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/508 Scissors-like structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/525 using gas
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 25/04 operating on the propulsion system, e.g. engine or drive motor

Abstract

The invention relates to a vehicle seat having a device for vehicle seat occupancy detection, wherein a base frame which can be adjusted in the height direction of the vehicle seat and which is composed of at least two scissors arms which are connected to one another is arranged between a seat part of the vehicle seat and a vehicle body part, wherein the base frame can be adjusted in the height direction by means of at least one gas spring, wherein the gas spring is connected to a pressure sensor, by means of which an exceeding of a predefinable pressure threshold value can be detected upon a transition of the vehicle seat from an unoccupied state to a state occupied by a minimum weight due to a change in pressure within the gas spring which is brought about as a result of the transition.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat having a device for vehicle seat occupancy detection, comprising:

a base frame arranged between a seat part of the vehicle seat and a vehicle body part and configured for adjustment in the height direction of the vehicle seat, the base frame having at least two scissors arms connected to one another;

at least one gas spring configured to adjust the vehicle seat in the height direction;

a pressure sensor connected to the gas spring, wherein the pressure sensor is configured to detect an exceeding of a predefinable pressure threshold value upon a transition of the vehicle seat from an unoccupied state to a state occupied by a minimum weight due to a change in pressure within the gas spring brought about as a result of the transition;

a supply and discharge control element configured to set a pretensioned spring pressure within the gas spring below the pressure threshold value in an unoccupied state of the vehicle seat; and

a height control unit,

wherein the supply and discharge control element is configured to supply or discharge gas to or from the gas spring using the height control unit in order to set the pretensioned spring pressure below the pressure threshold value as a function of the detected height position,

wherein the pressure threshold value corresponds at most to the downward-acting weight pressure due to the minimum weight and counteracts the minimum weight.

2. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, further comprising:

a detector connected to the height control unit and attached to at least one of the scissors arms, the detector configured to detect the current height position of the scissors arm.

3. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, wherein the pressure sensor further comprises a control current circuit for controlling a seat occupancy detection signal, the control current circuit having at least one pressure switch connected to the pressure sensor.

4. The vehicle seat according to claim 1, further comprising a time control unit for setting a predefinable time duration over which the pretensioned spring pressure below the pressure threshold value must exist in order to activate the vehicle seat occupancy detection.