Passenger's weight measurement device for vehicle seat

• US 9,140,587 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 09/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/30/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Endo, Shigeru, Sato, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W
• Application Number:
  US13/840,865
• Publication Number:
  US 20130205918A1
• Time in Patent Office: 921 Days
• Field of Search: 177/144, 177/136, 180/273, 280/735, 296 63- 69, 297/217.2
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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 2/0732 Attachment of seat frame to the slide, e.g. eyelets
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4263 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/68 Seat frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/686 Panel like structures
• 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 21/01512 Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0152 using strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 11/30 Supports specially adapted for an instrument; Supports specially adapted for a set of instruments
• 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: G01L 5/00 Apparatus for, or methods of, measuring force, work, mechanical power, or torque, specially adapted for specific purposes

Abstract

A vehicle seat includes a load sensor that is configured to measure a load applied from an occupant and a seat cushion frame that includes a right side frame and a left side frame. The load sensor is provided at a front part of one of the right and left side frames. A front end section of the one side frame more frontward than a shaft center of the rod of the load sensor includes a tapered-shape section. And an upper flange and a lower flange are formed at an upper edge and a lower edge of the tapered-shape section, respectively, the upper flange and the lower flange extending inward toward a center of the vehicle seat.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a load sensor configured to measure a load applied from an occupant, the load sensor having a main body and a rod extending from the main body in a direction substantially parallel to an up-down axis of the vehicle seat; and

a seat cushion frame comprising a right side frame and a left side frame, wherein

the load sensor is provided at a front part of one of the right and left side frames,

a front end section of the one side frame more frontward than a shaft center of the rod of the load sensor includes a tapered-shape section, and

an upper flange and a lower flange are formed at an upper edge and a lower edge of the tapered-shape section, respectively, the upper flange and the lower flange extending inward toward a center of the vehicle seat.

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

the load sensor is attached to the one side frame via a load sensor attachment bracket, and

the load sensor attachment bracket is attached to the one side frame at a position more rearward than a front edge of the tapered-shape section.

3. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein a front edge of the tapered-shape section is arranged more frontward than a front edge of the main body of the load sensor.

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

the load sensor is attached to the one side frame via a load sensor attachment bracket, and

a front edge of the tapered-shape section is arranged more frontward than a front edge of the load sensor attachment bracket.

18. A method of using a vehicle seat, the method comprising:

fixing the vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1 to a vehicle.

24. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein an up-down width of the tapered-shape section continuously changes from a point more frontward than the shaft center of the rod to a front terminal end of the one side frame.

26. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein top and bottom contours of the tapered-shape section both taper inward toward a longitudinal midline of the one side frame.

5. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a load sensor configured to measure a load applied from an occupant, the load sensor having a main body and a rod extending from the main body in a direction substantially parallel to an up-down axis of the vehicle seat; and

a seat cushion frame comprising a right side frame and a left side frame, wherein

the load sensor is provided at a front part of one of the right and left side frames,

a front end section of the one side frame more frontward than a shaft center of the rod of the load sensor includes a tapered-shape section,

a lower flange is formed at a lower edge of the tapered-shape section, and

the lower flange includes an inclination that is sloped upward as approaching a front edge of the tapered-shape section.

6. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 5, wherein at least a part of the main body of the load sensor is arranged below the inclination.

7. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a load sensor configured to measure a load applied from an occupant, the load sensor having a main body and a rod extending from the main body; and

a seat cushion frame comprising a right side frame and a left side frame, wherein

the load sensor is provided at one of the right and left side frames via a load sensor attachment bracket that is attached to the one side frame, the load sensor attachment bracket overlapping the load sensor in a direction parallel to an up-down axis of the vehicle seat,

an up-down width of the one side frame behind a shaft center of the rod of the load sensor is greater than an up-down width of a front edge of the one side frame,

a front end section of the one side frame more frontward than the shaft center of the rod of the load sensor includes a tapered-shape section, and

an upper flange and a lower flange are formed at an upper edge and a lower edge of the tapered-shape section, respectively, the upper flange and the lower flange extending inward toward a center of the vehicle seat.

8. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 7, wherein the load sensor attachment bracket is attached to the one side frame at a position more rearward than a front edge of the tapered-shape section, the load sensor being attached to the one side frame via the load sensor attachment bracket.

9. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 7, wherein a front edge of the tapered-shape section is arranged more frontward than a front edge of the main body of the load sensor.

10. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 7, wherein

a front edge of the tapered-shape section is arranged more frontward than a front edge of the load sensor attachment bracket via which the load sensor is attached to the one side frame.

13. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 7, further comprising a connecting flange that connects the upper flange and the lower flange at the front edge of the one side frame.

19. A method of using a vehicle seat, the method comprising:

fixing the vehicle seat as claimed in claim 7 to a vehicle.

25. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 7, wherein an up-down width of the one side frame continuously changes from a point more frontward than the shaft center of the rod to the front edge of the one side frame.

11. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a load sensor configured to measure a load applied from an occupant, the load sensor having a main body and a rod extending from the main body; and

a seat cushion frame comprising a right side frame and a left side frame, wherein

the load sensor is provided at one of the right and left side frames via a load sensor attachment bracket that is attached to the one side frame, the load sensor attachment bracket overlapping the load sensor in a direction parallel to an up-down axis of the vehicle seat,

an up-down width of the one side frame behind a shaft center of the rod of the load sensor is greater than an up-down width of a front edge of the one side frame,

a front end section of the one side frame more frontward than the shaft center of the rod of the load sensor includes a tapered-shape section,

a lower flange is formed at a lower edge of the tapered-shape section, and

the lower flange includes an inclination that is sloped upward as approaching a front edge of the tapered-shape section.

12. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein at least a part of the main body of the load sensor is arranged below the inclination.

14. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a load sensor configured to measure a load applied from an occupant, the load sensor having a main body and a rod extending from the main body; and

a seat cushion frame comprising a right side frame and a left side frame, wherein

the load sensor is provided at one of the right and left side frames via a load sensor attachment bracket that is attached to the one side frame, the load sensor attachment bracket overlapping the load sensor in a direction parallel to an up-down axis of the vehicle seat,

an up-down width of the one side frame behind a shaft center of the rod of the load sensor is greater than an up-down width of a front edge of the one side frame,

a front end section of the one side frame more frontward than the shaft center of the rod of the load sensor includes a tapered-shape section,

a lower flange is formed at a lower end section of the tapered-shape section, and

the lower flange includes an inclination that is sloped upward as approaching a front edge of the tapered-shape section.

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

the load sensor attachment bracket is attached to the one side frame at a position more rearward than the front end of the tapered-shape section, the load sensor being attached to the one side frame via the load sensor attachment bracket, and

the front edge of the tapered-shape section is arranged more frontward than a front edge of the main body of the load sensor.

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

an upper flange is formed at an upper edge of the tapered-shape section,

the upper flange and the lower flange extend inward toward a center of the vehicle seat, and

at least a part of the main body of the load sensor is arranged below the inclination.

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

a front edge of the tapered-shape section is arranged more frontward than a front edge of the main body of the load sensor, and

the front edge of the tapered-shape section is arranged more frontward than a front edge of the load sensor attachment bracket via which the load sensor is attached to the one side frame.

20. A method of using a vehicle seat, the method comprising:

fixing the vehicle seat as claimed in claim 14 to a vehicle.

21. A method of assembling a vehicle seat that comprises a seat cushion frame comprising a right side frame and a left side frame, the method comprising:

attaching a load sensor attachment bracket to one of the right and left side frames;

attaching, to the one side frame via the load sensor attachment bracket, a load sensor that (a) is configured to measure a load applied from an occupant of the vehicle seat, (b) has a main body, and (c) has a rod extending from the main body so that an up-down dimension of the one side frame behind a shaft center of the rod of the load sensor is greater than an up-down dimension of a front edge of the one side frame,

wherein the load sensor is attached so that the load sensor attachment bracket overlaps the load sensor in a direction parallel to an up-down axis of the vehicle seat.

22. The method as claimed in claim 21, wherein the load sensor is attached to a front part of the one side frame so that a front end section of the one side frame includes a tapered-shape section that is more frontward than a shaft center of the rod of the load sensor.

23. A method of assembling a vehicle seat that comprises a seat cushion frame comprising a right side frame and a left side frame, the method comprising:

attaching a load sensor attachment bracket to one of the right and left side frames;

attaching, to the one side frame via the load sensor attachment bracket, a load sensor that (a) is configured to measure a load applied from an occupant, (b) has a main body, and (c) has a rod extending from the main body so that (1) an up-down dimension of the one side frame behind a shaft center of the rod of the load sensor is greater than an up-down dimension of a front edge of the one side frame and (2) a front end section of the one side frame includes a tapered-shape section that is more frontward than the shaft center of the rod of the load sensor,

wherein the load sensor is attached so that the load sensor attachment bracket overlaps the load sensor in a direction parallel to an up-down axis of the vehicle seat, and

wherein a lower end section of the tapered-shape section has a lower flange that includes an inclination that is sloped upward as approaching a front edge of the tapered-shape section.