Passenger's weight measurement device for vehicle seat

• US 8,051,941 B2
• Filed: 09/29/2006
• Issued: 11/08/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Sato, Kenji, Takayasu, Wataru, Endo, Shigeru, Ishima, Shinya
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson; Randy W
• Application Number:
  US11/992,418
• Publication Number:
  US 20090139774A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,866 Days
• Field of Search: 738/56, 177/144, 177/DIG.9, 180/273, 280/735
• US Class Current: 180/273
• 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 4, and a rectangular frame 30 is attached onto the load sensor. A rod of the load sensor sequentially penetrates a web of the rectangular frame, a plain washer and a spring holder upward, and a coil spring is wound around the rod. A bush is fitted to an edge of a hole of the plain washer, and a step difference is formed between an upper surface of the plain washer and the bush. A nut is screwed to the rod, and the nut tightens a bottom of a cup portion of the spring holder. In such a way, 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 difference.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat, comprising:

right and left upper rails, 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 above one of the right and left upper rails; and

a frame member for the vehicle seat, the frame member being provided above the load sensors,

wherein for the at least one load sensor;

a rod is extended from the load sensor, and the rod penetrates the frame member and a holder for an elastic member, and is inserted into the elastic member,

the elastic member is provided between the holder for the elastic member and the frame member,

the holder for the elastic member comprises a position regulating portion capable of regulating a radial position of the elastic member,

the load sensor comprises a connector extending therefrom, and provided below a load sensor attachment portion of the frame member,

at least a part of the connector is provided at a position apart from a shaft center of the rod of the load sensor,

the elastic member, the holder for the elastic member and the frame member are disposed in a line parallel with the shaft line of the rod of the load sensor, and

wherein, in a space for disposing the elastic member between the frame member and the holder for the elastic member, a space enlarged portion that is enlarged in the direction of the shaft line of the rod of the load sensor is formed, and at least a past of the elastic member is disposed in the space enlarged portion.

2. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one load sensor is attached above a front portion of the one of the right and left upper rails, and wherein the connector extends rearwardly from the load sensor that is attached above the front portion of the one of the right and left upper rails, and

a rear end portion of the connector is provided at the position farther apart from the shaft center of the rod than the outer peripheral part of the corresponding load sensor attachment portion of the frame member.

3. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one load sensor is attached above a rear portion of one of the right and left upper rails, and wherein the 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 the position farther apart from the shaft center of the rod than the outer peripheral part of the corresponding load sensor attachment portion of the frame member.

4. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one load sensor is attached on a front portion of one of the right and left upper rails, and 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.

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

6. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 5, 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.

7. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 5, wherein the at least one load sensor is directly attached to the plate member.

8. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the load sensor attachment portion is provided on a front portion of the frame member, and the vehicle seat further comprises a connecting member for connecting between a front side of the frame member and a front side of another frame member and,

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

9. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 8, 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 the frame member and being provided at a higher position than a surface to which the load sensor is attached.

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

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

11. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 10, 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 the frame member and being provided above the connector.

12. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 3, wherein a load sensor attachment portion is provided on a rear portion of the frame member, and the vehicle seat further comprises a connecting member for connecting between a rear side of the frame member and a rear side of another frame member,

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

13. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the load sensor attachment portion of the frame member comprises a projecting wall projecting upwardly, and

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

14. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the load sensor attachment portion of the frame member comprises a projecting wall projecting upwardly, and

the connector is disposed below the projecting wall.

15. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the load sensor attachment portion of the frame member 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.

16. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rear portion part of a front load sensor attachment portion of the frame member comprises the projecting wall projecting upwardly, the front load sensor attachment portion being provided at a front portion of the frame member,

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.

17. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein a front portion part of a rear load sensor attachment portion of the frame member comprises the projecting wall projecting upwardly, the rear load sensor attachment portion being provided at a rear portion of the frame member,

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.

18. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1,

wherein a front load sensor attachment portion is provided on a front side of the frame member and a connecting member is provided so as to connect between a front portion of the frame member having the front load sensor attachment portion and another frame member.

19. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one end of a connecting member for connecting the frame member to another frame member is provided on a position that is shifted from the rod of the load sensor in the rear-and-front direction.

20. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein a rear load sensor attachment portion is provided on a rear side of the frame member, a connecting member is provided so as to connect between a rear portion of the frame member having the rear load sensor attachment portion and another frame member, 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 frame member being rearward of the rear load sensor attachment portion.

21. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein an upward projecting wall projecting upwardly is provided on the load sensor attachment portion of the frame member so as to face the rod of the load sensor.

22. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein a projecting wall projecting in a vertical direction parallel to the shaft of the rod is provided on the load sensor attachment portion of the frame member and the projecting wall is disposed across the load sensor attachment portion from the connector.

23. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein an upward projecting wall projecting upwardly is provided on the load sensor attachment portion of the frame member, the connector is disposed below the projecting wall and the projecting wall is disposed across the load sensor attachment portion from the connector.

24. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the position regulating portion is provided unitedly with the holder between the rod of the load sensor and the elastic member.

25. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least a part of the load sensor is provided at a position farther from the shaft center of the rod than an outer peripheral part of each of the load sensor attachment portion of the frame member.

26. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein:

the holder for the elastic member includes a first surface and a second surface being located at different levels in the direction of the shaft line of the rod,

an area between the first surface and the second surface of the holder for the elastic member forms the space enlarged portion, and at least a part of the elastic member is disposed in the space enlarged portion.

27. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 26, wherein at least a part of the area between the first surface and the second surface regulates a radial position of the elastic member.