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

• US 8,342,038 B2
• Filed: 05/11/2011
• Issued: 01/01/2013
• 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: Endo, Shigeru, Sato, Kenji, Nishide, Harutomi, Yamazaki, Tatsuya
• Primary Examiner(s): Noori, Max
• Application Number:
  US13/105,483
• Publication Number:
  US 20110209924A1
• Time in Patent Office: 601 Days
• Field of Search: 738/623.81
• 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 2/0732 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: 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 includes a pair of fixed lower rails fixed on the floor of a passenger compartment, a pair of movable upper rails that are engaged with the fixed lower rails so as to be slidable in a front-and-rear direction with respect to each of the fixed lower rails, a sub frame which is disposed at an upper side of the movable upper rails, load sensors and that lie between the sub frame and the movable upper rails, brackets and which are disposed so as to erect them on each of the movable upper rails, and a submarine pipe 11 which is crossed between the brackets. The submarine pipe is disposed to be slidable in a left-and-right direction with respect to the right bracket.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a load sensor to measure a load of a passenger, the load sensor being provided at a seat cushion frame;

left and right fixed rails that are attachable to the vehicle;

left and right movable members that are movable with respect to the left and right fixed rails, respectively; and

a connecting member that is disposed between the left and right movable members,

wherein;

at least one of the left and right movable rails is provided with the load sensor,

an inward-biased portion that is biased toward an inside of the vehicle seat is formed at a load sensor side one of the left and right movable members, and

an end portion of the connecting member that is disposed at the load sensor side is supported by the inward-biased portion.

2. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the inward-biased portion is formed as a concave shape that is depressed toward the inside of the vehicle seat, and

the end portion of the connecting member is supported by the concave shape.

3. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion is disposed more toward the inside of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the one of the left and right movable members that supports the connecting member.

4. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a part of the load sensor is disposed more toward an outside of the vehicle seat than an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion.

5. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein a sensor supporting member that supports a rod portion that extends from the load sensor is disposed more toward an outside of the vehicle seat than an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion.

6. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the end portion of the connecting member that is disposed at the load sensor side extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion and is fixed to the inward-biased portion by welding.

7. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the inward-biased portion is formed as a concave shape that is depressed toward the inside of the vehicle seat,

the end portion of the connecting member is supported by the concave shape,

the end portion of the connecting member extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion and is fixed to the inward-biased portion by welding, and

a part of the end portion of the connecting member is disposed in the concave shape.

8. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the end portion of the connecting member extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

the end portion of the connecting member is disposed more toward the inside of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the one of the left and right movable members that support the connecting member.

9. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the end portion of the connecting member that is disposed at the load sensor side extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

a shaft line of the end portion of the connecting member that extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion deviates from a shaft line of a rod portion provided at the load sensor in a front-back direction of the vehicle seat.

10. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the end portion of the connecting member that is disposed at the load sensor side extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

a shaft line of the end portion of the connecting member that extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion is disposed behind a shaft line of a rod portion provided at the load sensor.

11. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein

an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion is disposed more toward the inside of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the one of the left and right movable members that support the connecting member,

the inward-biased portion is formed at the one of the left and right movable members via a stepped portion, and

the end portion of the connecting member is supported by the inward-biased portion at a position avoiding the stepped portion.

12. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein

an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion is disposed more toward an inside of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the one of the left and right movable members that support the connecting member, and

a stepped portion is formed between an upper portion of the one of the left and right movable members and the inward-biased portion, and

the end portion of the connecting member is supported by the inward-biased portion at a position avoiding the stepped portion.

13. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein

a supporting portion that supports the connecting member is provided at the one of the left and right movable members,

a first projecting portion that projects outward is provided at an upper part of the supporting portion and a second projecting portion that projects outward is provided behind the supporting portion.

14. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting member is formed of a pipe and a part of the pipe that is disposed at a load sensor side has a bent portion.

15. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 6, wherein

the connecting member is formed of a pipe and a bent portion is formed at an end portion of the pipe that is disposed at the load sensor side, and

the bent portion is disposed more toward an inside of the vehicle seat than a pipe insertion hole that is provided at the inward-biased portion.

16. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connecting member is formed of a pipe and a left portion and a right portion of the pipe are asymmetrical.

48. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein an end portion of a rod portion that extends from the load sensor is disposed more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion.

49. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein

the end portion of the connecting member extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

the end portion of the connecting member that extends outside is disposed more toward the inside of the vehicle seat than the end portion of a rod portion that extends from the load sensor.

50. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein

a threaded portion is formed at a rod portion that extends from the load sensor, and

at least a part of a nut portion that is engaged to the threaded portion is disposed more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion.

51. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein

a threaded portion is formed at a rod portion that extends from the load sensor,

the end portion of the connecting member extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

the end portion of the connecting member that extends outside is disposed more toward the inside of the vehicle seat than at least a part of a nut portion that is engaged to the threaded portion.

17. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a load sensor to measure a load of a passenger, the load sensor being provided at a seat cushion frame;

left and right fixed rails that are attachable to the vehicle;

left and right movable rails that are movable with respect to the left and right fixed rails, respectively;

left and right movable members that are respectively provided above the left and right movable rails and move along with the left and right movable rails;

a submarine inhibition pipe that is provided between the left and right movable members; and

a pipe supporting member that supports an end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe, wherein;

at least one of the left and right movable rails is provided with the load sensor,

an inward-biased portion that is biased toward an inside of the vehicle seat is formed at the pipe supporting member that is disposed at the load sensor side, and

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that is disposed at the load sensor side is supported by the inward-biased portion.

18. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein the inward-biased portion is formed as a concave shape that is depressed toward the inside of the vehicle seat and the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe is supported by the concave shape.

19. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion is disposed more inward of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the pipe supporting member that supports the submarine inhibition pipe.

20. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein at least a part of the load sensor is disposed more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion.

21. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein a sensor supporting member that supports a rod portion that extends from the load sensor is disposed more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion.

22. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that is disposed at the load sensor side projects more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion and is fixed to the inward-biased portion by welding.

23. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein

the inward-biased portion is formed as a concave shape that is depressed toward the inside of the vehicle seat,

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe is supported by the concave shape,

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion and is fixed to the inward-biased portion by welding, and

a part of the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe is disposed in the concave shape.

24. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe is disposed more toward the inside of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the pipe supporting member that supports the submarine inhibition pipe.

25. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that is disposed at the load sensor side extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

a shaft line of the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion deviates from a shaft line of a rod portion provided at the load sensor in a front-back direction of the vehicle seat.

26. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that is disposed at the load sensor side extends more toward an outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

a shaft line of the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion is disposed behind a shaft line of a rod portion provided at the load sensor.

27. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein

an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion is disposed more toward the inside of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the pipe supporting member that supports the submarine inhibition pipe, and

the inward-biased portion is formed at the pipe supporting member via a stepped portion, and

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe is supported by the inward-biased portion at a position avoiding the stepped portion.

28. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein

an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion is disposed more toward an inside of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the pipe supporting member that supports the submarine inhibition pipe,

a stepped portion is formed between an upper portion of the pipe supporting member and the inward-biased portion, and

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe is supported by the inward-biased portion at a position avoiding the stepped portion.

29. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 17, wherein

a supporting portion that supports the submarine inhibition pipe is provided at the pipe supporting member,

a first projecting portion that projects outward is provided at an upper part of the supporting portion and a second projecting portion that projects outward is provided behind the supporting portion.

30. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a load sensor to measure a load of a passenger, the load sensor being provided at a seat cushion frame;

left and right fixed rails that are attachable to the vehicle;

left and right movable rails that are movable with respect to the left and right fixed rails, respectively;

left and right movable members that are respectively provided above the left and right movable rails and move along with the left and right movable rails;

a submarine inhibition pipe that is provided between the left and right movable members; and

a pipe supporting member that supports an end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe, wherein;

a front load sensor and a back load sensor are respectively disposed at a front part and a back part of at least one of the left and right movable members,

an inward-biased portion that is biased toward an inside of the vehicle seat is formed at the pipe supporting member in a position closer to the front load sensor than the back load sensor, and

an end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that is disposed at the front load sensor side is supported by the inward-biased portion.

31. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein the inward-biased portion is formed as a concave shape that is depressed toward the inside of the vehicle seat and the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe is supported by the concave shape.

32. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion is disposed more toward the inside of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the pipe supporting member that supports the submarine inhibition pipe.

33. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein at least a part of the front load sensor is disposed more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion.

34. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein a sensor supporting member that supports a rod portion that extends from the load sensor is disposed more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the outer surface side of the inward-biased portion.

35. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that is disposed at the front load sensor side projects more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion and is fixed to the inward-biased portion by welding.

36. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein

the inward-biased portion is formed as a concave shape that is depressed toward the inside of the vehicle seat,

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe is supported by the concave shape,

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion and is fixed to the inward-biased portion by welding, and

a part of the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe is disposed in the concave shape.

37. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe is disposed more toward an inside of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the pipe supporting member that supports the submarine inhibition pipe.

38. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that is disposed at the front load sensor side extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

a shaft line of the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion deviates from a shaft line of a rod portion provided at the front load sensor in a front-back direction.

39. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that is disposed at the front load sensor side extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

a shaft line of the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion is disposed behind a shaft line of a rod portion provided at the front load sensor.

40. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein

an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion is disposed more toward an inside of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the pipe supporting member that supports the submarine inhibition pipe, and

the inward-biased portion is formed at the pipe supporting member via a stepped portion, and

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe is supported by the inward-biased portion at a position avoiding the stepped portion.

41. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein

an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion is disposed more toward an inside of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the pipe supporting member that supports the submarine inhibition pipe, and

a stepped portion is formed between an upper portion of the pipe supporting member and the inward-biased portion, and

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe is supported by the inward-biased portion at a position avoiding the stepped portion.

42. The vehicle scat as claimed in claim 30, wherein

a supporting portion that supports the submarine inhibition pipe is provided at the pipe supporting member,

a first projecting portion that projects outward is provided at an upper part of the supporting portion and a second projecting portion that projects outward is provided behind the supporting portion.

43. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein the connecting member is formed of a pipe and a bent portion is formed at a part of the pipe disposed at the load sensor side.

44. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein

the connecting member is formed of a pipe and a bent portion is formed at an end portion of the pipe disposed at the load sensor side of the pipe, and

the bent portion is disposed more toward the inside of the vehicle seat than a pipe insertion hole that is provided at the inward-biased portion.

45. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein the connecting member is formed of a pipe and a left portion and a right portion of the pipe are asymmetrical.

52. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein an end portion of a rod portion that extends from the load sensor is disposed more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion.

53. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein

the end potion of the submarine inhibition pipe extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat is disposed more toward the inside of the vehicle seat than an end portion of a rod portion that extends from the load sensor.

54. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein

a threaded portion is formed at a rod portion that extends from the load sensor, and

at least a part of a nut portion that is engaged to the threaded portion is disposed more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion.

55. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 30, wherein

a threaded portion is formed at a rod portion that extends from the load sensor,

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat is disposed more toward an inside of the vehicle seat than at least a part of a nut portion that is engaged to the threaded portion.

46. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a load sensor to measure a load of a passenger, the load sensor being provided at a seat cushion frame;

left and right fixed rails that are attachable to the vehicle;

left and right movable members that are movable with respect to the left and right fixed rails, respectively; and

a connecting member that is disposed between the left and right movable members,

wherein;

at least one of the left and right movable rails is provided with the load sensor,

an inward-biased portion that is biased toward an inside of the vehicle seat is formed at one of the left and right movable members that is disposed at the load sensor side,

an end of the connecting member that is disposed at the load sensor side is supported by the inward-biased portion,

at least a part of the load sensor is disposed more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the outer surface side of the inward-biased portion,

a sensor supporting member that supports a rod portion that extends from the load sensor is disposed more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the outer surface side of the inward-biased portion,

the end of the connecting member that is disposed at the load sensor side extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

a shaft line of the end of the connecting member that extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion is disposed behind a shaft line of a rod portion of the load sensor.

47. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a load sensor to measure a load of a passenger, the load sensor being provided at a seat cushion frame;

left and right fixed rails that are attachable to the vehicle;

left and right movable rails that are movable with respect to the left and right fixed rails, respectively;

left and right movable members that are respectively provided above the left and right movable rails and that move along with the left and right movable rails;

a submarine inhibition pipe that is provided between the left and right movable members; and

a pipe supporting member that supports an end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe,

wherein;

at least one of the left and right movable rails is provided with the load sensor,

an inward-biased portion that is biased more toward an inside of the vehicle seat is formed at the pipe supporting member that is disposed at the load sensor side,

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that is disposed at the load sensor side is supported by the inward-biased portion,

an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion is disposed more toward the inside of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the pipe supporting member that supports the submarine inhibition pipe,

the inward-biased portion is formed at the pipe supporting member via a stepped portion,

the end of the submarine inhibition pipe is supported by the inward-biased portion at a position avoiding the stepped portion,

the inward-biased portion includes a concave shape that is depressed toward the inside of the vehicle seat and the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe is supported by the concave shape,

an outer surface side of the inward-biased portion is disposed more toward an inside of the vehicle seat than a top surface side of the pipe supporting member that supports the submarine inhibition pipe,

the end of the submarine inhibition pipe extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion and is fixed to the inward-biased portion by welding,

a part of the end of the submarine inhibition pipe is disposed in the concave shape,

the load sensor includes a front load sensor and a back load sensor,

the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that is disposed at the front load sensor side extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion, and

a shaft line of the end portion of the submarine inhibition pipe that extends more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inward-biased portion deviates from a shaft line of a rod portion provided at the front load sensor in a front-back direction of the vehicle seat.