Seat occupancy sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11731533-B2
Application number	US-202217970876-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 21, 2022
Priority date	Oct 6, 2017
Publication date	Aug 22, 2023
Grant date	Aug 22, 2023

Abstract

To provide a seat occupancy sensor capable of detecting that an occupant is seated on a seat, a seat occupancy sensor provided in a vehicle seat includes a pair of switch modules disposed in an occupant seating area of a seat cushion, wherein; each of the switch modules includes a first pressure-sensitive switch and a second pressure-sensitive switch that are disposed on a front part so as to be laterally spaced from each other and a third pressure-sensitive switch disposed on a rear part; each of the switch modules is configured to be turned on when at least one of the first pressure-sensitive switch and the second pressure-sensitive switch is on and the third pressure-sensitive switch is on; and the seat occupancy sensor is configured to be turned on when the switch modules are both on.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seat occupancy sensor provided in a vehicle seat, comprising
a first pressure-sensitive switch disposed of in an occupant seating area,
a pair of second pressure-sensitive switches disposed of in the occupant seating area to be spaced from the first pressure-sensitive in a laterally outer direction respectively, and
a pair of third pressure-sensitive switches disposed of in the occupant seating area to be spaced from the first pressure-sensitive switch and the second pressure-sensitive switch in a rear respectively, wherein:
a pair of the switch modules is configured to be disposed of in a laterally misaligned position,
one of the switch modules including the first pressure-sensitive switch, one of the second pressure-sensitive switches disposed on the left side of the other of the second pressure-sensitive switches, and the third pressure-sensitive switch disposed on the left side of the other of second pressure-sensitive switches, and
the other of the switch modules including the first pressure-sensitive switch, one of the second pressure-sensitive switches disposed on the right side of the other of the second pressure-sensitive switches, and the third pressure-sensitive switch disposed on the right side of the other of second pressure-sensitive switches; and wherein
each of the switch modules is configured to be turned on when at least one of the first pressure-sensitive switch and the second pressure-sensitive switch is on and the third pressure-sensitive switch is on; and
the seat occupancy sensor is configured to be turned on when the switch modules are both on.

2. The seat occupancy sensor according to claim 1 , wherein:
each of the first pressure-sensitive switch, the second pressure-sensitive switch, and the third pressure-sensitive switch is a switch configured to be conductive and turned on when a predetermined pressure is applied;
in each of the switch modules, the first pressure-sensitive switch and the second pressure-sensitive switch are electrically connected in parallel and the third pressure-sensitive switch is connected in series with the first pressure-sensitive switch and the second pressure switch that are connected in parallel.

3. The seat occupancy sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the third pressure-sensitive switch of each of the first switch module and the second switch module is disposed below a hip point set in the vehicle seat in side view.

4. The seat occupancy sensor according to claim 3 , wherein the third pressure-sensitive switch of the first switch module and the third pressure-sensitive switch of the second switch module are spaced from each other so as to be symmetrically arranged with respect to the hip point in top view.

5. The seat occupancy sensor according to claim 4 , further comprising a first additional pressure-sensitive switch provided to the right of the third switch module and a second additional pressure-sensitive switch provided to the left of the fourth switch module,
wherein the seat occupancy sensor is configured to be turned on regardless of a state of the third switch module and the fourth switch module when both the first additional pressure-sensitive switch and the second additional pressure-sensitive switch are on.

6. The seat occupancy sensor according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle seat constitutes a rear seat of a wheeled vehicle.

7. A seat occupancy sensor provided in a vehicle seat, comprising
a shared rear-side pressure-sensitive switch disposed of in an occupant seating area,
a second right rear-side pressure-sensitive switch disposed of on a right side of the shared rear-side pressure-sensitive switch in the occupant seating area,
a third right rear-side pressure-sensitive switch disposed of on a rear side of both the shared rear-side pressure-sensitive switch and the second right rear-side pressure-sensitive switch in the occupant seating area,
a second left rear-side pressure-sensitive switch disposed of on a left side of the shared rear-side pressure-sensitive switch in the occupant seating area, and
a third left rear-side pressure-sensitive switch disposed of on a rear side of both the shared rear-side pressure-sensitive switch and the second left rear-side pressure-sensitive switch in the occupant seating area; wherein
a first switch module is configured to be turned on when at least one of the shared rear-side pressure-sensitive switch and the second right rear-side pressure-sensitive switch is on and the third right rear-side pressure-sensitive switch is on;
a second switch module is configured to be turned on when at least one of the shared rear-side pressure-sensitive switch and the second left rear-side pressure-sensitive switch is on and the third left rear-side pressure-sensitive switch is on; and
the seat occupancy sensor is configured to be turned on when both the first switch module and the second switch module are both on.

8. The seat occupancy sensor according to claim 7 , comprising
a shared front-side pressure-sensitive switch disposed of in the occupant seating area,
a second right front-side pressure-sensitive switch disposed of on a right side of the shared front-side pressure-sensitive switch in the occupant seating area,
a third right front-side pressure-sensitive switch disposed of on a front side of both the shared front-side pressure-sensitive switch and the second right front-side pressure-sensitive switch in the occupant seating area,
a second left front-side pressure-sensitive switch disposed of on a left side of the shared front-side pressure-sensitive switch in the occupant seating area, and
a third left front-side pressure-sensitive switch disposed of on a front side of both the shared front-side pressure-sensitive switch and the second left front-side pressure-sensitive switch in the occupant seating area; wherein
a third switch module is configured to be turned on when at least one of the shared front-side pressure-sensitive switch and the second right front-side pressure-sensitive switch is on and the third right front-side pressure-sensitive switch is on;
a fourth switch module is configured to be turned on when at least one of the shared front-side pressure-sensitive switch and the second left front-side pressure-sensitive switch is on and the third left front-side pressure-sensitive switch is on; and
the seat occupancy sensor is configured to be turned on when both the first switch module and the second switch module are both on or when both the third switch module and the fourth switch module are both on.

Assignees

• Ts Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Ozawa Hidetoshi
• Sasaki Naohiro

Classifications

• H01H13/704 Primary

  characterised by the layers, e.g. by their material or structure (H01H13/703 takes precedence) · CPC title

• B60N2/271

  detecting or alerting means responsive to securing the child in the seat · CPC title

• B60N2210/46

  Electric switches · CPC title

• B60N2/003

  characterised by the sensor mounting location in or on the seat · CPC title

• B60N2/267

  alerting means responsive to presence or absence of children · CPC title