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

• US 8,567,264 B2
• Filed: 11/21/2012
• Issued: 10/29/2013
• 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:
  US13/683,770
• Publication Number:
  US 20130076088A1
• Time in Patent Office: 342 Days
• Field of Search: 737/60, 738/623.81, 738/623.91, 73862041-862046
• 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 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 disposed at a seat cushion frame;

left and right fixed rail members that are attachable to a vehicle;

left and right movable rail members that are movable with respect to the left and right fixed rail members;

left and right side frame members that are disposed above the left and right movable rail members; and

a submarine inhibition member that is disposed substantially between the left and right movable rail members, wherein

the submarine inhibition member is disposed more upward than the left and right movable rail members,

the load sensor is disposed at at least one of the left and right movable rail members,

a main body of the load sensor is disposed between at least one of the left and right side frame members and the at least one of the left and right movable rail members,

the load sensor is disposed near at least one end section of the submarine inhibition member, and

the load sensor comprises a connector that extends from the main body of the load sensor in a substantially rearward direction along the at least one of the left and right moveable rail members.

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

at least one end section of the submarine inhibition member at the load sensor side is formed of a pipe member, and

an end section of the pipe member is connected to the at least one of the left and right moveable rail members via at least one other member.

3. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the connector is disposed between the at least one of the left and right side frame members and the at least one of the left and right movable rail members.

4. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one of the left and right side frame members, the load sensor and the connector are disposed on a same vertical plane that passes through a front section and a rear section of the at least one of the left and right movable rail members.

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

inside extending flange sections are present in the left and right side frame members, and

the load sensor and the connector are disposed below at least one of the inside facing flange sections.

6. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one of the inside extending flange sections, the load sensor and the connector are disposed on a same vertical plane that passes through a front section and a back section of the at least one of the left and right movable rail members.

7. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the submarine inhibition member and at least part of the load sensor are disposed on a same vertical plane that is orthogonal to the at least one of the left and right movable rail members.

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

at least a part of the submarine inhibition member is formed of a pipe member that extends in a substantially right-left direction, and

an end of the connector is disposed more rearward than a front end of an end section of the pipe member.

9. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the submarine inhibition member is disposed more rearward than a front end of a fastening member that fastens the load sensor to the at least one of the left and right movable rail members.

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

at least a part of the submarine inhibition member is formed of a pipe member that extends in a substantially right-left direction,

an end of the connector is disposed more rearward than an axis of an end section of the pipe member, and

a front end of a fastening member that fastens the load sensor to the at least one of the left and right movable rail members is disposed more frontward than the axis of the pipe member.

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

at least a part of the submarine inhibition member is formed of a pipe member which extends in a substantially right-left direction, and

an axis of the pipe member is disposed more rearward than an axis of a rod section of the load sensor.

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

a second load sensor is disposed more rearward than the load sensor, and

a connector of the second load sensor extends from a main body of the second load sensor in a substantially frontward direction.

11. A vehicle seat, comprising:

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

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

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

a submarine inhibition member that is disposed substantially between the left and right movable members, wherein

the left and right movable members comprise;

i) left and right movable rails disposed on the left and right fixed rails, and ii) left and right side frame members disposed above the left and right movable rails,

the submarine inhibition member is connected to the left and right movable members and is disposed more upward than the left and right movable rails,

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

a main body of the load sensor is disposed between at least one of the left and right side frame members and the at least one of the left and right movable rails,

the load sensor is disposed near at least one end section of the submarine inhibition member, and

the load sensor comprises a connector that extends from the main body of the load sensor in a substantially rearward direction along the at least one of the left and right movable rails.

12. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the connector is disposed between the at least one of the left and right side frame members and the at least one of the left and right movable rails.

13. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the at least one of the left and right side frame members, the load sensor and the connector are disposed on a same vertical plane that passes through a front section and a rear section of the at least one of the left and right movable rails.

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

inside extending flange sections are present in the left and right side frame members, and

the load sensor and the connector are disposed below at least one of the inside extending flange sections.

15. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 14, wherein the inside extending flange section, the load sensor and the connector are disposed on a same vertical plane that passes through a front section and a back section of the at least one of the left and right movable rails.

16. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the submarine inhibition member and at least part of the load sensor are disposed on a same vertical plane that is orthogonal to the at least one of the left and right movable rails.

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

at least a part of the submarine inhibition member is formed of a pipe member that extends in a substantially right-left direction, and

an end of the connector is disposed more rearward than a front end of an end section of the pipe member.

18. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein the submarine inhibition member is disposed more rearward than a front end of a fastening member that fastens the load sensor to the at least one of the left and right movable rails.

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

at least a part of the submarine inhibition member is formed of a pipe member that extends in a substantially right-left direction,

an end of the connector is disposed more rearward than an axis of an end section of the pipe member, and

a front end of a fastening member that fastens the load sensor to the at least one of the left and right movable rails is disposed more frontward than the axis of the pipe member.

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

at least one end section of the submarine inhibition member at the load sensor side is formed of a pipe member, and

an end section of the pipe member is connected to the at least one of the left and right moveable rails through at least a bracket member.

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

at least a part of the submarine inhibition member is formed of a pipe member that extends in a substantially right-left direction, and

an axis of the pipe member is disposed more rearward than an axis of a rod section of the load sensor.

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

a main body of a rear side load sensor is disposed between a rear section of the at least one of the left and right side frame members and a rear section of the at least one of the left and right movable rails, and

a connector of the rear side load sensor extends from the main body of the rear side load sensor in a substantially frontward direction.

21. A vehicle seat, comprising:

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

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

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

a submarine inhibition member that is disposed substantially between the left and right movable members, wherein

the left and right movable members comprise;

i) left and right movable rails that are disposed on the left and right fixed rails, and ii) left and right side frame members that are disposed above the left and right movable rails,

the submarine inhibition member is connected to the left and right movable members and is disposed more upward than the left and right movable rails,

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

a main body of the load sensor is disposed between a front section of at least one of the left and right side frame members and a front section of the at least one of the left and right movable rails,

the load sensor comprises a connector that extends from the main body of the load sensor in a substantially rearward direction along the at least one of the left and right movable rails,

at least a part of the submarine inhibition member is formed of a pipe member that extends in a substantially right-left direction,

an end of the connector is disposed more rearward than a front end of an end section of the pipe member, and

the end section of the pipe member at the load sensor side and at least part of the load sensor are disposed on a same vertical plane that is orthogonal to the at least one of the left and right movable rails.

22. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 21, wherein

the connector is disposed between the at least one of the left and right side frame members and the at least one of the left and right movable rails, and

the at least one of the left and right side frame members, the load sensor and the connector are disposed on a same vertical plane that passes through a front section and a rear section of the at least one of the left and right movable rails.

23. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 21, wherein

inside extending flange sections are present in the left and right side frame members,

the main body of the load sensor and the connector are disposed below at least one of the inside extending flange sections, and

the at least one of the inside extending flange sections, the load sensor and the connector are disposed on a same vertical plane that passes through a front section and a back section of the at least one of the left and right movable rails.

24. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 21, wherein

the end of the connector is disposed more rearward than an axis of an end section of the pipe member, and

a front end of a fastening member that fastens the load sensor to the at least one of the left and right movable rails is disposed more frontward than the axis of the pipe member.

27. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 21, wherein an axis of the pipe member is disposed more rearward than an axis of a rod section of the load sensor.

30. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 21, wherein

a second load sensor is disposed more rearward than the load sensor, and

a connector of the second load sensor extends from a main body of the second load sensor in a substantially frontward direction.