Seat having capacitive coupling sensor

• US 9,975,452 B2
• Filed: 09/05/2014
• Issued: 05/22/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 09/05/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Sugiyama, Shinji
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen, Vinh
• Application Number:
  US14/916,672
• Publication Number:
  US 20160200220A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,355 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/0214 Capacitive electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 2562/125 characterised by the manufacture of electrodes
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/02427 Details of sensor
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/0245 by using sensing means generating electric signals, i.e. ECG signals
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/18 for vehicle drivers or machine operators
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/282 Holders for multiple electrodes for introduction into the body A61B5/287
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/302 for capacitive or ionised electrodes, e.g. metal-oxide-semiconductor field-effect transistors [MOSFET]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/308 for electrocardiography [ECG]
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6893 Cars
• 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 2/58 Seat coverings

Abstract

A seat configured so that the accuracy of detection of each sensor provided in the seat to detect the body potential of a seated occupant can be improved without degrading the sense and comfort of the seat. A seat includes a trim cover having a contact surface for a seated occupant, and sensors arranged opposite to the contact surface and configured to detect the body potential of the seated occupant. Each sensor is a capacitive coupling sensor configured to detect the body potential through the trim cover. Moreover, a portion of the seat facing each sensor includes a dielectric configured to increase the dielectric constant of such a portion.

Claims

1. A seat comprising:

a cover member having a contact surface for a seated occupant; and

a capacitive coupling sensor disposed opposite to the contact surface and configured to detect through the cover member, when the seated occupant is seated, a body potential of the seated occupant, and to output a signal corresponding to the body potential, and

wherein an application agent is applied onto at least part of a surface of the sensor facing the cover member to form an application agent layer, and contains a dielectric to increase a dielectric constant of the application agent layer.

2. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the dielectric is titanium oxide or barium titanate.

3. The seat according to claim 1, wherein the seat is mounted on a vehicle.

4. The seat according to claim 1, further comprising a head supporting portion which supports a head of the seated occupant;

wherein the application agent layer is located below the head supporting portion.

5. The seat according to claim 1, further comprising a pad material covered by the cover member;

wherein the sensor is arranged between the cover member and the pad material, and

the application agent layer is arranged at a position closer to the cover member than the pad material.

6. A seat comprising:

a cover member having a contact surface for a seated occupant; and

a capacitive coupling sensor disposed opposite to the contact surface and configured to detect through the cover member, when the seated occupant is seated, a body potential of the seated occupant, and to output a signal corresponding to the body potential, and

wherein the cover member comprises;

a covering material forming the contact surface, and

a wadding material attached to a surface of the covering material opposite to the contact surface; and

a dielectric to increase a dielectric constant of the wadding material is contained in at least part of a portion of the wadding material facing the sensor.

7. The seat according to claim 6, wherein the wadding material comprises a foam material formed with air bubbles communicating with each other.

8. The seat according to claim 6, wherein

the sensor is a sheet sensor, and

an outer edge of the sensor is located on an inside of an outer edge of the wadding material.

9. The seat according to claim 6, wherein

the sensor comprises a plurality of arranged sensors, and

the wadding material faces at least two of the sensors, and is continuously provided.

10. The seat according to claim 6, wherein the dielectric is titanium oxide or barium titanate.

11. The seat according to claim 6, wherein the seat is mounted on a vehicle.

12. The seat according to claim 6, further comprising a head supporting portion which supports a head of the seated occupant;

wherein the wadding material is located below the head supporting portion.

13. The seat according to claim 6, further comprising a pad material covered by the cover member;

wherein the sensor is arranged between the cover member and the pad material, and

the wadding material is arranged at a position closer to the cover member than the pad material.

14. A seat comprising:

a cover member having a contact surface for a seated occupant; and

a capacitive coupling sensor disposed opposite to the contact surface and configured to detect through the cover member, when the seated occupant is seated, a body potential of the seated occupant, and to output a signal corresponding to the body potential, and

wherein an attachment member containing a dielectric to increase a dielectric constant of the attachment member is attached to at least part of a portion of the cover member facing the sensor.

15. The seat according to claim 14, wherein

at least one cutout is provided in an outer edge of the attachment member, the cutout extending inward from the outer edge.

16. The seat according to claim 14, wherein

the sensor is a sheet sensor, and

an outer edge of the sensor is located on inside of an outer edge of the attachment member.

17. The seat according to claim 14, wherein the dielectric is titanium oxide or barium titanate.

18. The seat according to claim 14, wherein the seat is mounted on a vehicle.

19. The seat according to claim 14, further comprising a head supporting portion which supports a head of the seated occupant;

wherein the attachment member is located below the head supporting portion.

20. The seat according to claim 14, further comprising a pad material covered by the cover member;

wherein the sensor is arranged between the cover member and the pad material, and

the attachment member is arranged at a position closer to the cover member than the pad material.