Communications: electrical – Condition responsive indicating system – Specific condition
Reexamination Certificate
2000-01-14
2002-03-12
Tweel, John (Department: 2632)
Communications: electrical
Condition responsive indicating system
Specific condition
C180S273000, C280S735000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06356200
ABSTRACT:
INCORPORATION BY REFERENCE
The disclosures of Japanese Patent Application Nos. HEI 11-8380 filed on Jan. 14, 1999, HEI 11-41255 filed on Feb. 19, 1999, HEI 11-116551 filed on Apr. 23, 1999, HEI 11-142247 filed on May 21, 1999, HEI 11-250770 filed on Sep. 3, 1999, HEI 11-266901 filed on Sep. 21, 1999 and 2000-003293 filed on Jan. 12, 1999 including the specifications, drawings and abstracts are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a sitting passenger detecting apparatus and a sitting passenger detecting method, and more particularly to a sitting passenger detecting apparatus which is applied to a seat disposed to be movable in the longitudinal direction on a floor of a vehicle, such as an automobile, and a sitting passenger detecting method.
2. Description of the Related Art
An example of a sitting passenger detecting apparatus disposed to be movable in the longitudinal direction on a floor of a vehicle, such as an automobile, has been disclosed in Japanese Patent application Laid-Open No. HEI 9-207638.
As shown in
FIG. 51
, the sitting passenger detecting apparatus incorporates load sensors
606
each of which is interposed between a seat joining portion
604
for joining a seat
600
to a floor
602
and a joining portion
602
A of the floor
602
. The number of the load sensors
606
is two which is the minimum number. The load sensors
606
are disposed at the two ends of a diagonal of the seat joining portions
604
which are usually provided for four portions. As a result, presence of a passenger on the seat
600
can reliably be detected regardless of the position of the passenger sitting on the seat
600
. Moreover, an excessively large number of the load sensors is not provided so as to avoid a complex structure and the cost increase.
The foregoing sitting passenger detecting apparatus incorporates the load sensor
606
provided for a portion for joining the seat joining portion
604
provided for a lower rail of a seat track
610
and the floor
602
to each other. Therefore, when the seat
600
has been moved rearwards along the seat track
610
and a seat back
600
A has been reclined rearwards, the load of the passenger resting against the seat back
600
A sometimes causes an upward load to be applied to the front seat joining portion
604
. As a result, the load sensor
606
provided for the front seat joining portion
604
cannot substantially measure the load. Hence it follows that the measuring accuracy cannot be improved.
When bolts
608
serving as clamping members are tightened strongly in order to increase the rigidity for supporting the seat
600
, an initial value (initial distortion) of the load sensor
606
of the above-mentioned sitting passenger detecting apparatus is enlarged excessively. As a result, the variation (varied distortion) of the load sensor
606
which is caused by the load which must be measured is reduced with respect to the initial value. Since the variation with respect to the initial value is reduced as described above, the measuring accuracy cannot be improved.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a sitting passenger detecting apparatus and a sitting passenger detecting method each of which is capable of improving an accuracy of measuring a load which is added to a seat.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a sitting passenger detecting apparatus comprising: connecting members structured to separate a seat rail and a seat cushion frame from each other and use a load which is added to the seat cushion frame to connect the seat rail and the seat cushion frame to each other such that relative displacement between the seat rail and the seat cushion frame is permitted; displacement detecting means for detecting displacement between the seat rail and the seat cushion frame; and weight calculating means for calculating the weight of a passenger sitting on the seat in accordance with a value detected by the displacement detecting means.
Therefore, when a passenger sits on the seat, the seat cushion frame is relatively moved with respect to the seat rail. The relative displacement is detected by the displacement detecting means. In accordance with a detected value, the weight calculating means calculates the weight of the sitting passenger. Therefore, if the seat is slid in the longitudinal direction, the relative position between the seat rail and the seat cushion frame is not changed. As a result, the load which is added to the seat can accurately be measured. Hence it follows that the accuracy of measuring the weight of the passenger sitting on the seat can be improved.
The sitting passenger detecting apparatus according to the first aspect incorporates the connecting member which is a bracket provided for at least the rear connecting portion of the front and rear connecting portions between the upper rail of the seat rails and the seat cushion frame. When a load is added to the seat cushion frame, the bracket is compressed and deformed downwards. The displacement detecting means is a sensor for detecting change in the distance from the seat rail to the seat cushion frame. The sensor may be disposed in parallel with the bracket at an offset position in a direction of the width of the seat.
When a passenger has sat on the seat, the load added to the seat cushion frame downwards compresses and deforms the bracket. Thus, the distance between the seat cushion frame and the bracket is shortened. Since the foregoing change is detected by the sensor, the accuracy of measuring the weight of the passenger sitting in the seat can be improved. If the upper rail and the seat cushion frame are firmly joined to each other, the foregoing state does not exert a great influence on the displacement of the sensor joining portion. As a result, the seat support rigidity can be increased without any deterioration in the measuring accuracy of the sensor. As a result, the comfort of the seat can be improved.
The foregoing sensor may comprise a thin plate which is distorted in accordance with change in the distance from the seat cushion frame and the upper rail; and a sensor body for detecting distortion of the thin plate.
As a result of employment of the foregoing structure, the thin plate is distorted when the distance between the seat cushion frame and the upper rail has been changed. The distortion is detected by the sensor body. Thus, the structure can be simplified.
The foregoing bracket is characterized by a bending portion which is elastically deformed in a downward direction owing to the load which is added to the seat when a passenger has sat in the seat.
As a result of employment of the foregoing structure, the load which is added to the seat after the passenger has sat in the seat elastically deforms the bending portion of the bracket. As a result, the distance between the seat cushion frame and the upper rail can be-changed, causing the structure to be simplified.
The connecting member may be a link for connecting the seat rail and the seat cushion frame to each other. The displacement detecting means may be a sensor for detecting the relative displacement between the link and the seat cushion frame occurring when the passenger has sat on the seat.
As a result, when the passenger has sat on the seat, relative displacement occurs between the link and the seat cushion frame. The sensor detects the relative displacement so that the weight of the passenger sitting on the seat is accurately measured.
A structure may be employed which incorporates the bracket which connects two pin-support points on the seat cushion frame to each other and to which the upper end of the link is connected. The sensor joined to the bracket measures the distortion of the bracket.
As a result, when the passenger has sat on the seat, the seat cushion frame is downwards pushed. Thus, the bracket is downwards deformed such that the connecting pin disposed at the upper end of the link serves as a steady poin
Fujimoto Osamu
Fukawatase Osamu
Hamada Makoto
Sekizuka Makoto
Toyota Jidosha & Kabushiki Kaisha
Tweel John
LandOfFree
Sitting passenger detecting apparatus and sitting passenger... does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Sitting passenger detecting apparatus and sitting passenger..., we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Sitting passenger detecting apparatus and sitting passenger... will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2818825