Seat load measuring apparatus

• US 7,399,932 B2
• Filed: 03/23/2007
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 08/21/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kajiyama, Hiroshi, Kobata, Toshihiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson; Randy W
• Application Number:
  US11/727,129
• Publication Number:
  US 20070209451A1
• Time in Patent Office: 480 Days
• Field of Search: 180/273, 280/735, 177/136, 177/144, 177154-159, 177184-189, 439/34, 439/521, 738/620.41
• 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 2/0715 C or U-shaped
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0732 Attachment of seat frame to the slide, e.g. eyelets
• 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

A seat load measuring apparatus which can be effectively adopted to various kinds of motor vehicles without requiring various load sensors having cables of different lengths according to the kinds of motor vehicles, thereby providing improved installation, maintenance and manufacturing benefits. A seat load measuring apparatus may include a connector of a load sensor is a male connector having terminals projecting downwardly. The entry of the male connector faces the open bottom of a protector. On the other hand, a cable to be connected to an ECU is provided with a cable-side connector. The cable-side connector is composed of a female connector which is detachable relative to the male connector. Therefore, the load sensor and the cable are detachable from each other, thereby achieving the adaptability of the load sensor and the connector casing a relative to various kinds of motor vehicles.

Claims

1. A seat load measuring apparatus comprising:

a load sensor for detecting a load which is applied to a vehicle seat by an occupant sitting on said vehicle seat;

a base frame, upon which said load sensor is disposed, which is fixed to a seat bracket, having two side walls, connected to a vehicle floor;

a plurality of front-side and rear-side rail brackets which are disposed near the front and rear ends of said base frame, respectively; and

a stopper bolt tightly fitted to said base frame, loosely fitted into an elongate hole of said rear-side rail bracket and loosely fitted in circular holes formed in both side walls of said seat bracket, wherein the base frame and the seat bracket receive the load applied on said vehicle seat.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein when the load applied between said base frame and said plurality of rail brackets exceeds a predetermined value, said stopper bolt directly transmits the excessive load between said base frame and said seat bracket.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein a lower rail is fastened to said rear-side rail bracket with a front and rear rivet and slides in a longitudinal direction of the vehicle.

4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stopper bolt is provided at one end with a hexagon head, at the other end with a threaded portion, and at the middle with a smooth cylindrical surface.

5. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the stopper bolt is positioned on a center line between said front rivet and said rear rivet.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a plurality of arms which are disposed on a front portion and a rear portion of said base frame, respectively to extend in the longitudinal direction, wherein each of said plurality of arms is provided at its one end with a press portion for transmitting force to a plurality of strain gauges and at its other end with a connecting portion relative to each of said plurality of rail brackets.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein when the load applied between said base frame and said plurality of rail brackets exceeds a predetermined value, said stopper bolt directly transmits the excessive load between said base frame and said seat bracket not through said plurality of arms.

8. A seat load measuring apparatus comprising:

a load sensor for detecting a load which is applied to a vehicle seat by an occupant sitting on said vehicle seat;

a base frame, upon which said load sensor is disposed;

a lower rail fastened to said base frame via a seat bracket, having two side walls;

a plurality of front-side and rear-side rail brackets which are disposed near the front and rear ends of said base frame, respectively, wherein the rear-side rail bracket is fixed to a vehicle floor; and

a stopper bolt tightly fitted to said base frame, loosely fitted into an elongate hole of said rear-side rail bracket and loosely fitted in circular holes formed in both side walls of said seat bracket, wherein the base frame and the seat bracket receive the load applied on said vehicle seat.

9. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein when the load applied between said base frame and said plurality of rail brackets exceeds a predetermined value, said stopper bolt directly transmits the excessive load between said base frame and said seat bracket.

10. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the stopper bolt is provided at one end with a hexagon head, at the other end with a threaded portion, and at the middle with a smooth cylindrical surface.

11. The apparatus of claim 8, further comprising a plurality of arms which are disposed on a front portion and a rear portion of said base frame, respectively to extend in the longitudinal direction, wherein each of said plurality of arms is provided at its one end with a press portion for transmitting force to a plurality of strain gauges and at its other end with a connecting portion relative to each of said plurality of rail brackets.

12. The apparatus of claim 8, wherein when the load applied between said base frame and said plurality of rail brackets exceeds a predetermined value, said stopper bolt directly transmits the excessive load between said base frame and said seat bracket not through said plurality of arms.