Load sensing device

• US 8,493,197 B2
• Filed: 03/30/2011
• Issued: 07/23/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2010
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Ito, Koji, Nakanishi, Ryota
• Primary Examiner(s): Lu, Shirley
• Application Number:
  US13/075,780
• Publication Number:
  US 20120025966A1
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 340/436, 340/988, 340/901, 701/45, 280/735, 280/730
• US Class Current: 340/436
• 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: 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

A load sensing device, which includes a load detecting device adapted to a seat and outputting a load signal in response to a strain generated at the load detecting device and which detects a load applied to the seat on the basis of the load signal, includes a determining device determining whether the seat is in an occupied state or in a vacant state based on a magnitude relationship between the load and a threshold value, a collision detecting device detecting a shock generated when a vehicle collides, an alarming device alarming that the shock is detected, and a memorizing device storing a diagnosis information indicating whether or not a zero-point adjustment of the load detecting device needs to be executed in response to a determination result of a state of the seat in the case where the shock is detected by the load detecting member.

Claims

1. A load sensing device, which includes a load detecting device adapted to a seat and outputting a load signal in response to a strain generated at the load detecting device and which detects a load applied to the seat on the basis of the load signal outputted from the load detecting device, the load sensing device comprising;

a determining means determining whether the seat is in an occupied state or in a vacant state on the basis of a magnitude relationship between the detected load and a threshold value;

a collision detecting means detecting a shock generated when a vehicle collides; and

a memorizing means storing therein a diagnosis information indicating a necessity of a zero-point adjustment of the load detecting device to be executed in a case where the seat is determined to be in the occupied state by the determining means when the shock is detected by the collision detecting means, and indicating that the zero-point adjustment does not need to be executed in a case where the seat is determined to be in the vacant state by the determining means when the shock is detected by the collision detecting means.

2. The load sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the threshold value includes a predetermined first threshold value (W1) and a predetermined second threshold value (W2), the predetermined first threshold value, which is used as a threshold for switching the determination result of the determining means from the occupied state to the vacant state of the seat, and the predetermined second threshold value, which is used as a threshold for switching the determination result of the determining means from the vacant state to the occupied state, are set to have different values from each other so that a switching of a seating state of the seat between the occupied state and the vacant state less frequently occurs.

3. The load sensing device according to claim 1 further comprising a delay means, which is configured so as to switch the determination result of the determining means between the occupied state and the vacant state of the seat in a case where the magnitude relationship between the detected load and the threshold value is continued for a predetermined time.

4. The load sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the collision detecting means detects the shock generated due to a collision of the vehicle on the basis of a shift of the load signal outputted from the load detecting member.

5. The load sensing device according to claim 2 further comprising a delay means, which is configured so as to switch the determination result of the determining means between the occupied state and the vacant state of the seat in a case where the magnitude relationship between the detected load and the threshold value is continued for a predetermined time.

6. The load sensing device according to claim 2, wherein the collision detecting means detects the shock generated due to a collision of the vehicle on the basis of a shift of the load signal outputted from the load detecting member.

7. The load sensing device according to claim 3, wherein the collision detecting means detects the shock generated due to a collision of the vehicle on the basis of a shift of the load signal outputted from the load detecting member.

15. The load sensing device according to claim 1, further comprising an alarming device alarming that the shock is detected by the collision detecting means.

16. The load sensing device according to claim 1, wherein the load sensing device is configured to be connectable to a testing instrument via a communication circuit, and wherein the diagnosis information is outputted to the testing instrument.

8. A seat load sensing device comprising;

determining means for determining whether a seat mounted of a vehicle is in an occupied state or in a vacant state on the basis of a comparison between a strain of the seat that is indicative of a load applied to the seat and a threshold value;

collision detecting means for detecting a shock generated upon collision of the vehicle with another structure; and

memorizing means for storing therein a diagnosis information indicating a necessity of a zero-point adjustment of the load detecting device to be executed in a case where the seat is determined to be in the occupied state by the determining means when the shock is detected by the collision detecting means, and indicating that the zero-point adjustment does not need to be executed in a case where the seat is determined to be in the vacant state by the determining means when the shock is detected by the collision detecting means.

9. The load sensing device according to claim 8, wherein the threshold value includes a predetermined first threshold value (W1) and a predetermined second threshold value (W2), the predetermined first threshold value, which is used as a threshold for switching the determination result of the determining means from the occupied state to the vacant state of the seat, and the predetermined second threshold value, which is used as a threshold for switching the determination result of the determining means from the vacant state to the occupied state, are set to have different values from each other so that a switching of a seating state of the seat between the occupied state and the vacant state less frequently occurs.

10. The load sensing device according to claim 8 further comprising a delay means, which is configured so as to switch the determination result of the determining means between the occupied state and the vacant state of the seat in a case where the magnitude relationship between the detected load and the threshold value is continued for a predetermined time.

11. The load sensing device according to claim 8, wherein the collision detecting means detects the shock generated caused by the collision of the vehicle on the basis of a shift of the load signal outputted from the load detecting member.

12. The load sensing device according to claim 9 further comprising delay means, which is configured so as to switch the determination result of the determining means between the occupied state and the vacant state of the seat in a case where the magnitude relationship between the detected load and the threshold value is continued for a predetermined time.

13. The load sensing device according to claim 9, wherein the collision detecting means detects the shock generated caused by the collision of the vehicle on the basis of a shift of the load signal outputted from the load detecting member.

14. The load sensing device according to claim 10, wherein the collision detecting means detects the shock generated caused by the a collision of the vehicle on the basis of a shift of the load signal outputted from the load detecting member.

17. The load sensing device according to claim 8, further comprising an alarming device alarming that the shock is detected by the collision detecting means.

18. The load sensing device according to claim 8, wherein the load sensing device is configured to be connectable to a testing instrument via a communication circuit, and wherein the diagnosis information is outputted to the testing instrument.