Apparatus and method for determining impact on vehicle and apparatus for warning impact on vehicle

• US 8,328,276 B2
• Filed: 08/10/2010
• Issued: 12/11/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Inayoshi, Muneto, Enomoto, Akira, Fujii, Hiroyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US12/853,468
• Publication Number:
  US 20110043009A1
• Time in Patent Office: 854 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.1, 297/217.2, 280/735
• US Class Current: 297/217.2
• 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 2/0272 using sensors or detectors for detecting the position of seat parts
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling

Abstract

An apparatus for determining an impact on a vehicle includes: a load detecting portion attached to an end portion of a seat portion of a seat for the vehicle, and detecting a compressing-direction load, and a pulling-direction load; and an impact determining portion determining that the impact is applied on the vehicle in a case where the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a first predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a second predetermined value, is detected within a first predetermined time period, or in a case where the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a third predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a fourth predetermined value, is detected within a second predetermined time period.

Claims

1. An apparatus for determining an impact on a vehicle comprising:

a load detecting portion attached to an end portion of a seat portion of a seat for the vehicle that includes a seat back at a rear portion of the seat for the vehicle, and detecting a compressing-direction load, applied to the end portion of the seat portion toward a floor of the vehicle, and a pulling-direction load, applied to the end portion of the seat portion away from the floor of the vehicle; and

an impact determining portion determining that the impact is applied on the vehicle in a case where the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a first predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a second predetermined value, is detected within a first predetermined time period, at the end portion of the seat portion by means of the load detecting portion, or in a case where the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a third predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a fourth predetermined value, is detected within a second predetermined time period, at the end portion of the seat portion by means of the load detecting portion.

2. The apparatus for determining the impact on the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the load detecting portion is attached to the seat portion at at least one of a front end portion and a rear end portion of the seat for the vehicle.

3. The apparatus for determining the impact on the vehicle according to claim 2, wherein

the load detecting portion is attached to a left portion and a right portion of the seat portion, (OR:

the load detecting portion includes a left load detecting portion and a right load detecting portion attached to the seat portion at a left portion and a right portion of the seat for the vehicle, respectively and wherein

the impact determining portion determines that the impact is applied on the vehicle in a case where the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the first predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the second predetermined value, is detected within the first predetermined time period, by means of at least one of the left and right load detecting portions, which are respectively attached to the seat portion at the left portion and the right portion of the seat for the vehicle, or in a case where the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the third predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the fourth predetermined value, is detected within the second predetermined time period, by means of at least one of the left and right load detecting portions, which are respectively attached to the seat portion at the left portion and the right portion of the seat for the vehicle.

4. The apparatus for determining the impact on the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the load detecting portion is attached to the seat portion at the rear end portion of the seat for the vehicle.

5. The apparatus for determining the impact on the vehicle according to claim 4, wherein

the load detecting portion includes a left load detecting portion and a right load detecting portion attached to the seat portion at a left portion and a right portion of the seat for the vehicle, respectively and wherein

the impact determining portion determines that the impact is applied on the vehicle in a case where the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the first predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the second predetermined value, is detected within the first predetermined time period, by means of at least one of the left and right load detecting portions, which are respectively attached to the seat portion at the left portion and the right portion of the seat for the vehicle, or in a case where the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the third predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the fourth predetermined value, is detected within the second predetermined time period, by means of at least one of the left and right load detecting portions, which are respectively attached to the seat portion at the left portion and the right portion of the seat for the vehicle.

6. The apparatus for determining the impact on the vehicle according to claim 1, wherein

the load detecting portion includes a left load detecting portion and a right load detecting portion attached to the seat portion at a left portion and a right portion of the seat for the vehicle, respectively and wherein

the impact determining portion determines that the impact is applied on the vehicle in a case where the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the first predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the second predetermined value, is detected within the first predetermined time period, by means of at least one of the left and right load detecting portions, which are respectively attached to the seat portion at the left portion and the right portion of the seat for the vehicle, or in a case where the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the third predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the fourth predetermined value, is detected within the second predetermined time period, by means of at least one of the left and right load detecting portions, which are respectively attached to the seat portion at the left portion and the right portion of the seat for the vehicle.

7. An apparatus for warning an impact on a vehicle comprising:

an apparatus for determining the impact on the vehicle including

a load detecting portion attached to an end portion of a seat portion of a seat for a vehicle that includes a seat back at a rear portion of the seat for the vehicle, and detecting a compressing-direction load, applied to the end portion of the seat portion toward a floor of the vehicle, and a pulling-direction load, applied to the end portion of the seat portion away from the floor of the vehicle, and

an impact determining portion determining that the impact is applied on the vehicle in a case where the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a first predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a second predetermined value, is detected within a first predetermined time period, at the end portion of the seat portion by means of the load detecting portion, or in a case where the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a third predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a fourth predetermined value, is detected within a second predetermined time period, at the end portion of the seat portion by means of the load detecting portion; and

an impact warning portion warning a passenger of the vehicle that the impact is applied on the vehicle in a case where the apparatus for determining the impact on the vehicle determines that the impact is applied on the vehicle.

8. The apparatus for warning the impact on the vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the load detecting portion is attached to the seat portion at at least one of a front end portion and a rear end portion of the seat for the vehicle.

9. The apparatus for warning the impact on the vehicle according to claim 8, wherein

the load detecting portion includes a left load detecting portion and a right load detecting portion attached to the seat portion at a left portion and a right portion of the seat for the vehicle, respectively and wherein

the impact determining portion determines that the impact is applied on the vehicle in a case where the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the first predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the second predetermined value, is detected within the first predetermined time period, by means of at least one of the left and right load detecting portions, which are respectively attached to the seat portion at the left portion and the right portion of the seat for the vehicle, or in a case where the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the third predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the fourth predetermined value, is detected within the second predetermined time period, by means of at least one of the left and right load detecting portions, which are respectively attached to the seat portion at the left portion and the right portion of the seat for the vehicle.

10. The apparatus for warning the impact on the vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the load detecting portion is attached to the seat portion at the rear end portion of the seat for the vehicle.

11. The apparatus for warning the impact on the vehicle according to claim 10, wherein

the load detecting portion includes a left load detecting portion and a right load detecting portion attached to the seat portion at a left portion and a right portion of the seat for the vehicle, respectively and wherein

the impact determining portion determines that the impact is applied on the vehicle in a case where the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the first predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the second predetermined value, is detected within the first predetermined time period, by means of at least one of the left and right load detecting portions, which are respectively attached to the seat portion at the left portion and the right portion of the seat for the vehicle, or in a case where the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the third predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the fourth predetermined value, is detected within the second predetermined time period, by means of at least one of the left and right load detecting portions, which are respectively attached to the seat portion at the left portion and the right portion of the seat for the vehicle.

12. The apparatus for warning the impact on the vehicle according to claim 7, wherein

the load detecting portion includes a left load detecting portion and a right load detecting portion attached to the seat portion at a left portion and a right portion of the seat for the vehicle, respectively and wherein

the impact determining portion determines that the impact is applied on the vehicle in a case where the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the first predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the second predetermined value, is detected within the first predetermined time period, by means of at least one of the left and right load detecting portions, which are respectively attached to the seat portion at the left portion and the right portion of the seat for the vehicle, or in a case where the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the third predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than the fourth predetermined value, is detected within the second predetermined time period, by means of at least one of the left and right load detecting portions, which are respectively attached to the seat portion at the left portion and the right portion of the seat for the vehicle.

13. A method for determining an impact on a vehicle comprising:

detecting a compressing-direction load, applied to an end portion of a seat portion toward a floor of the vehicle, and a pulling-direction load, applied to the end portion of the seat portion away from the floor of the vehicle; and

determining that the impact is applied on the vehicle in a case where the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a first predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a second predetermined value, is detected within a first predetermined time period, at the end portion of the seat portion, or in a case where the pulling-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a third predetermined value, is detected and subsequently the compressing-direction load, which is equal to or larger than a fourth predetermined value, is detected within a second predetermined time period, at the end portion of the seat portion.