Vehicle seat comprising load sensor and side frame having a concave part

• US 9,156,384 B2
• Filed: 03/15/2013
• Issued: 10/13/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Original Assignee: TS Tech Company Limited
• Inventors: Takayasu, Wataru, Ishima, Shinya, Endo, Shigeru, Sato, Kenji
• Primary Examiner(s): Gibson, Randy W
• Application Number:
  US13/836,773
• Publication Number:
  US 20130200669A1
• Time in Patent Office: 942 Days
• Field of Search: 180/273, 280/735, 177/136, 177/144, 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 2/06 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

A vehicle seat includes a load sensor that is configured to measure a load applied from an occupant and that has a rod extending therefrom, a seat cushion frame that includes right and left side frames that extend along a front-rear axis, and a bracket member attaching the load sensor to at least one of the right and left side frames. A lower surface of the at least one side frame has a concave part opening downward. At least a part of the load sensor is lower than the concave part, and the load sensor is closer to a center of the vehicle seat than the concave part.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat, comprising:

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

a seat cushion frame comprising right and left side frames that extend along a front-rear axis; and

a bracket member attaching the load sensor to at least one of the right and left side frames, the bracket member being secured to a side of the at least one side frame that faces toward a center of the vehicle seat,

wherein

a lower surface of the at least one side frame has a concave part opening downward,

at least a part of the load sensor is lower than the concave part, and

the load sensor is closer to the center of the vehicle seat than the concave part.

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

a same horizontal plane intersects the concave part and the bracket member.

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

the load sensor includes a connector, and

the connector is lower than the concave part.

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

the bracket member includes a sectional U-shaped part, and

at least a part of the load sensor is in a space within the sectional U-shaped part.

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

the rod is in the space within the sectional U-shaped part.

6. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

lower rail members configured to be attached to a vehicle;

upper rail members that are slideable with respect to the lower rail members; and

first and second fastening units attaching the load sensor to at least one of the upper rail members,

wherein

the first fastening unit and the second fastening unit are lower than the concave part.

7. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, further comprising:

lower rail members configured to be attached to a vehicle;

upper rail members that are slideable with respect to the lower rail members; and

first and second fastening units attaching the load sensor to at least one of the upper rail members,

wherein

at least a part of the rod is between the first fastening unit and the second fastening unit, the first fastening unit and the second fastening unit being in tandem.

21. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a connecting member that connects rear parts of the right and left side frames, wherein

the load sensor includes a connector,

the rod is between the connecting member and a tip of the connector, and

a same vertical plane intersects the concave part and the rod.

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

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

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

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

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

the concave part slopes upward or downward in the forward or rear direction so as to open downward.

35. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 1, wherein the rod of the load sensor extends in a direction substantially parallel to an up-down axis of the vehicle seat.

8. A vehicle seat, comprising:

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

lower rail members configured to be attached to a vehicle;

upper rail members that are slideable with respect to the lower rail members;

a seat cushion frame comprising right and left side frames that extend along a front-rear axis; and

a bracket member attaching the load sensor to at least one of the right and left side frames, the bracket member being secured to a side of the at least one side frame that faces toward a center of the vehicle seat,

wherein

a lower surface of the at least one side frame has a curved concave part opening downward,

at least a part of the load sensor is lower than the curved concave part, and

the load sensor is closer to the center of the vehicle seat than the curved concave part.

9. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 8, wherein

a same horizontal plane intersects the curved concave part and the bracket member.

10. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 8, wherein

the load sensor includes a connector, and

the connector is lower than the curved concave part.

11. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 8, wherein

the bracket member includes a sectional U-shaped part, and

at least a part of the load sensor is in a space within the sectional U-shaped part.

12. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 11, wherein

the rod is in the space within the sectional U-shaped part.

13. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 8, wherein

first and second fastening units attach the load sensor to at least one of the upper rail members, and

the first fastening unit and the second fastening unit are lower than the curved concave part.

14. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 8, wherein

first and second fastening units attach the load sensor to at least one of the upper rail members, and

at least a part of the rod is between the first fastening unit and the second fastening unit, the first fastening unit and the second fastening unit being in tandem.

22. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 8, further comprising a connecting member that connects rear parts of the right and left side frames, wherein

the load sensor includes a connector,

the rod is between the connecting member and a tip of the connector, and

a same vertical plane intersects the curved concave part and the rod.

31. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 8, wherein

the curved concave part slopes upward or downward in the forward or rear direction so as to open downward.

36. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 8, wherein the rod of the load sensor extends in a direction substantially parallel to an up-down axis of the vehicle seat.

39. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 14, wherein the rod of the load sensor extends in a direction substantially parallel to an up-down axis of the vehicle seat.

15. A vehicle seat, comprising:

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

lower rail members configured to be attached to a vehicle;

upper rail members that are slideable with respect to the lower rail members;

a seat cushion frame comprising right and left side frames that extend along a front-rear axis; and

a bracket member attaching the load sensor to at least one of the right and left side frames, the bracket member being secured to a side of the at least one side frame that faces toward a center of the vehicle seat,

wherein

a lower surface of the at least one side frame has a concave part opening downward,

the load sensor is closer to the center of the vehicle seat than the concave part and an outer edge of the at least one side frame, and

a same horizontal plane intersects the load sensor and the concave part.

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

the load sensor includes a connector, and

the connector is lower than the concave part.

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

the bracket member includes a sectional U-shaped part, and

at least a part of the load sensor is in a space within the sectional U-shaped part.

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

the rod is in the space within the sectional U-shaped part.

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

first and second fastening members attach the load sensor to at least one of the upper rail members, and

the first fastening member and the second fastening member are lower than the concave part.

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

first and second fastening members attach the load sensor to at least one of the upper rail members, and

at least a part of the rod is between the first fastening member and the second fastening member, the first fastening member and the second fastening member being in tandem.

23. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 15, further comprising a connecting member that connects rear parts of the right and left side frames, wherein

the load sensor includes a connector,

the rod is between the connecting member and a tip of the connector, and

a same vertical plane intersects the concave part and the rod.

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

fixing the vehicle seat as claimed in claim 15 to the vehicle.

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

the concave part slopes upward or downward in the forward or rear direction so as to open downward.

37. The vehicle seat as claimed in claim 15, wherein the rod of the load sensor extends in a direction substantially parallel to an up-down axis of the vehicle seat.

27. A method of assembling a vehicle seat that comprises a seat cushion frame comprising right and left side frames that extend along a front-rear axis, the method comprising:

attaching, to at least one of the right and left side frames, by way of a bracket member secured to a side of the at least one side frame that faces toward a center of the vehicle seat, a load sensor that is configured to measure a load applied from an occupant of the vehicle seat and that has a rod extending therefrom so that at least a part of the load sensor is lower than a concave part opening downward of a lower surface of the at least one side frame and so that the load sensor is closer to the center of the vehicle seat than the concave part.

28. The method as claimed in claim 27, further comprising:

attaching upper rail members to lower rail members that are configured to be attached to a vehicle so that the upper rail members are slideable with respect to the lower rail members.

29. The method as claimed in claim 27, further comprising:

attaching upper rail members to lower rail members that are configured to be attached to a vehicle so that the upper rail members are slideable with respect to the lower rail members, wherein

the load sensor is attached to the at least one side frame so that (1) the load sensor is closer to the center of the vehicle seat than an outer edge of the at least one side frame and so that (2) a same horizontal plane intersects the load sensor and the concave part opening downward of the lower surface of the at least one side frame.

33. The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein

the concave part slopes upward or downward in the forward or rear direction so as to open downward.

38. The method as claimed in claim 27, wherein the load sensor is attached so that the rod of the load sensor extends in a direction substantially parallel to an up-down axis of the vehicle seat.

34. A vehicle seat, comprising:

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

a seat cushion frame comprising right and left side frames that extend along a front-rear axis; and

a bracket member attaching the load sensor to at least one of the right and left side frames, the bracket member being secured to a side of the at least one side frame that faces and a cutter of the vehicle seat,

wherein

a lower surface of the at least one side frame has a concave part that slopes upward or downward in the forward or rear direction so as to open downward, and

at least a part of the load sensor is lower than the concave part.