PASSENGER'S WEIGHT MEASUREMENT DEVICE FOR VEHICLE SEAT

• US 20110259652A1
• Filed: 07/01/2011
• Published: 10/27/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: ISHIMA, Shinya, ENDO, Shigeru, Sato, Kenji, TAKAYASU, Wataru
• Granted Patent: US 8,822,849 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 177/136
• 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 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• 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 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• 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 19/08 for incorporation in vehicles
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 177/09 Scale bearings
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 411/946 Spring-seated

Abstract

An upper rail is movable in a rear and front direction with respect to a lower rail fixed to a vehicle floor. A load sensor is fixed to an upper surface of the upper rail, and a rectangular frame is attached onto the load sensor. A rod of the load sensor penetrates a web of the rectangular frame, a washer and a spring holder, and a coil spring is wound around the rod. A bush is fitted to an edge of a hole of the washer, and a step is formed between an upper surface of the washer and the bush. A nut is screwed to the rod and tightens a bottom of a cup portion of the spring holder. The coil spring is sandwiched between the spring holder and the web and is compressed, and an end portion of the coil spring engages with the step.

Claims

1. (canceled)

2. A vehicle seat, comprising:

right and left movable members, wherein the right movable member comprises at least a right upper rail and a right side frame and the left movable member comprises at least a left upper rail and a left side frame, provided on corresponding right and left lower rails that are fixable to a vehicle floor, so as to be movable in a rear-and-front direction;

at least one load sensor being attached at an inner side of one of the right and left movable members above the one of the right and left upper rails; and

a load sensor attachment portion that is provided at the inner side of the one of the right and left movable members, the load sensor attachment portion having a U-shape in cross-sectional view including an inner flange and an outer flange,

wherein the at least one load sensor is disposed more toward an outside of the vehicle seat than the inner flange of the load sensor attachment portion.

3. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one load sensor is attached above a front portion of the one of the right and left upper rails, wherein a connector extends rearwardly from the load sensor that is attached above the one of the right and left upper rails, and

a rear end portion of the connector is provided at a position farther apart from a shaft center of a rod that is extended from the at least one load sensor than an outer peripheral part of the corresponding load sensor attachment portion of the one of the right and left movable members.

4. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one load sensor is attached above a rear portion of one of the right and left upper rails, wherein a connector extends frontwardly from the load sensor that is provided on the rear portion of the one of the right and left upper rails, and

a front end portion of the connector is provided at a position farther apart from a shaft center of a rod that is extended from the at least one load sensor than an outer peripheral part of the corresponding load sensor attachment portion of the one of the right and left movable members.

5. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one load sensor is attached on a front portion of one of the right and left upper rails, wherein the load sensor provided on the front portion of the one of the right and left upper rails comprises a front portion connector that extends rearwardly from such load sensor, and

wherein an additional load sensor is attached on a rear portion of the one of the right and left upper rails, and wherein the additional load sensor provided on the rear portion of the one of the right and left upper rails comprises a rear portion connector extending frontwardly from such load sensor.

6. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein a plate member that is a separate member from the one of the right and left upper rails is provided to fix the at least one load sensor above the one of the right and left upper rails.

7. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 6, wherein a plurality of holes are formed in the plate member for fixing the plate member to the one of the right and left upper rails, and

the plurality of holes are arranged in the rear-and-front direction on the one of the right and left upper rails.

8. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 6, wherein each load sensor is directly attached to each plate member.

9. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the load sensor attachment portion is provided on a front portion of the one of the right and left movable members, and the vehicle seat further comprises a connecting member for connecting between a front side of the right side frame and a front side of the left side frame and,

wherein the connecting member is provided at a position that is different from a position of a connector of the at least one load sensor in a vertical direction.

10. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one end portion of the connecting member is narrower in the rear-and-front direction than the load sensor attachment portion, the one end portion that is narrower being connected with one of the right and left side frame and being provided at a higher position than a surface to which the load sensor is attached.

11. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 3, wherein the load sensor attachment portion is provided on a front portion of the one of the right and left movable members, and the vehicle seat further comprises a connecting member for connecting between a front side of the right side frame and a front side of the left side frame,

wherein at least a part of the connecting member is provided in front of the rear end portion of the connector.

12. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least one end portion of the connecting member is narrower in the rear-and-front direction than the load sensor attachment portion, the one end portion that is narrower being connected with one of the right and left side frames and being provided above the connector.

13. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 4, wherein a load sensor attachment portion is provided on a rear portion of one of the right and left side frames, and the vehicle seat further comprises a connecting member for connecting between a rear side of the right side frame and a rear side of the left side frame,

wherein the connecting member is provided behind the front end portion of the connector.

14. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the load sensor attachment portion comprises a projecting wall projecting upwardly, and

the projecting wall is provided so as to face to a holder for an elastic member.

15. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the load sensor attachment portion comprises a projecting wall projecting upwardly, and

the connector is disposed below the projecting wall.

16. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the load sensor attachment portion comprises a projecting wall projecting upwardly,

wherein the part of the connector that is provided at a position apart from the shaft center of the rod of the load sensor is an end portion of the connector,

the connector is disposed below the projecting wall, and

the end portion of the connector extends in a rear direction or in a front direction more than the projecting wall.

17. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein a rear portion part of a front load sensor attachment portion comprises the projecting wall projecting upwardly, the front load sensor attachment portion being provided at a front portion of one of the right and left side frames,

wherein the end portion of the connector that is provided at a position apart from the shaft center of the rod of the load sensor is a rear end portion of the connector, and

the rear end portion of the connector extends in a rear direction more than the projecting wall.

18. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein a front portion part of a rear load sensor attachment portion comprises the projecting wall projecting upwardly, the rear load sensor attachment portion being provided at a rear portion of one of the right and left side frames,

wherein the end portion of the connector is a front end portion of the connector, and

the front end portion of the connector extends in a front direction more than the projecting wall.

19. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2,

wherein a front load sensor attachment portion is provided on a front side of one of the right and left side frames and a connecting member is provided so as to connect between a front portion of the one of the right and left side frames having the front load sensor attachment portion and the other of the right and left side frames.

20. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least one end of a connecting member for connecting the right side frame to the left side frame is provided on a position that is shifted from the rod of the load sensor in the rear-and-front direction.

21. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein a rear load sensor attachment portion is provided on a rear side of one of the right and left side frames, a connecting member is provided so as to connect between a rear portion of the one of the right and left side frames having the rear load sensor attachment portion and the other of the right and left side frames, and an end portion of the connector is forwardly extended toward a position in which the connecting member does not exist, the rear portion of the one of the right and left side frames being rearward of the rear load sensor attachment portion.

22. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein an upward projecting wall projecting upwardly is provided on the load sensor attachment portion so as to face the a rod that is extended from the load sensor.

23. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein a projecting wall projecting in a vertical direction parallel to a shaft of a rod extended from the load sensor is provided on the load sensor attachment portion and the projecting wall is disposed across the load sensor attachment portion from the connector.

24. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein an upward projecting wall projecting upwardly is provided on the load sensor attachment portion, a connector of the load sensor is disposed below the projecting wall and the projecting wall is disposed across the load sensor attachment portion from the connector.

25. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein a position regulating portion capable of regulating a radial position of an elastic member provided between a holder for the elastic member and one of the right and left side frames is provided unitedly with the holder between a rod that is extended from the load sensor and the elastic member.

26. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 25, wherein the position regulating portion is provided so as to overlap a nut screwed to the rod from above the holder for the elastic member, as viewed from a direction along a shaft line of the rod.

27. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the right and left side frames and the load sensor attachment portion are separate members from each other.

28. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 9, wherein at least one end portion of the connecting member is narrower in the rear-and-front direction than the load sensor, the one end portion of the connecting member that is narrower being connected with the one of the right and left side frames and being provided above the connector.

29. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the load sensor attachment portion is provided on a front portion of one of the right and left side frames, and the vehicle seat further comprises a connecting member for connecting between the front portion of the one of the right and left side frames and a front side of the other of the right and left side frames,

wherein at least one end portion of the connecting member is provided so as to be shifted from a rod extended from the load sensor in the rear-and-front direction, the one end portion being connected with the one of the right and left side frames and being provided above a connector of the load sensor.

30. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the load sensor attachment portion comprises a projecting wall projecting upwardly, and

the projecting wall is provided so as to face to a nut screwed along a rod that is extended from the load sensor.

31. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the load sensor attachment portion is provided on a front portion of one of the right and left side frames, and the vehicle seat further comprises a connecting member for connecting between a front side of the right side frame and the left side frame, and

wherein the connecting member is shifted from the rod of the load sensor in the rear-and-front direction.

32. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein at least a part of the load sensor is provided at a position farther from a shaft center of a rod extended from the load sensor than an outer peripheral part of the load sensor attachment portion.

33. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein, in a space for disposing an elastic member between one of the right and left side frames and a holder for the elastic member, a space enlarged portion that is enlarged in a direction of a shaft line of a rod that is extended from the load sensor is formed, and at least a part of the elastic member is disposed in the space enlarged portion.

34. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein a connector of the load sensor is disposed more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than an inner end of a main body of the load sensor.

35. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein an inner end of an upper rail of the one of the right and left movable members to which the at least one load sensor is attached is disposed more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inner end of the load sensor attachment portion.

36. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein an inner end of a load sensor main body of the at least one load sensor is disposed more toward the outside of the vehicle seat than the inner end of the upper rail of the one of the right and left movable members to which the at least one load sensor is attached.

37. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one load sensor is attached at the inner side of one of the right and left movable members above the one of the right and left upper rails so that at least a sensing portion of the load sensor is disposed above the one of the right and left upper rails.

38. A vehicle seat, comprising:

right and left movable members, wherein the right movable member comprises at least a right upper rail and a right side frame and the left movable member comprises at least a left upper rail and a left side frame, provided on right and left lower rails that are fixable to a vehicle floor, so as to be movable in a rear-and-front direction;

a plurality of load sensors, at least one of the load sensors being attached at an inner side of one of the right and left movable members above each of a front portion and a rear portion of at least one of the right and left upper rails; and

a load sensor attachment portion that is provided at the inner side of the one of the right and left movable members, the load sensor attachment portion having a U-shape in cross-sectional view including an inner flange and an outer flange,

wherein the at least one of the load sensors is disposed more toward an outside of the vehicle seat than the inner flange of the load sensor attachment portion.

39. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 38, wherein at least a part of the load sensor is provided at a position farther from a shaft center of a rod that is extended from the load sensor than an outer peripheral part of the corresponding load sensor attachment portion.

40. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 38, wherein, in a space for disposing an elastic member between one of the right and left side frames and a holder for the elastic member, a space enlarged portion that is enlarged in the direction of a shaft line of a rod that is extended from the load sensor is formed, and at least a part of the elastic member is disposed in the space enlarged portion.

41. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 38, wherein the at least one of the load sensors is attached at the inner side of one of the right and left movable members above the one of the right and left upper rails so that at least a sensing portion of the at least one of the load sensors is disposed above the one of the right and left upper rails.