Seat having capacitive coupling sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9975452-B2
Application number	US-201414916672-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 5, 2014
Priority date	Sep 5, 2013
Publication date	May 22, 2018
Grant date	May 22, 2018

Abstract

A seat configured so that the accuracy of detection of each sensor provided in the seat to detect the body potential of a seated occupant can be improved without degrading the sense and comfort of the seat. A seat includes a trim cover having a contact surface for a seated occupant, and sensors arranged opposite to the contact surface and configured to detect the body potential of the seated occupant. Each sensor is a capacitive coupling sensor configured to detect the body potential through the trim cover. Moreover, a portion of the seat facing each sensor includes a dielectric configured to increase the dielectric constant of such a portion.

First claim

The invention claimed is:

1. A seat comprising:
a cover member having a contact surface for a seated occupant; and
a capacitive coupling sensor disposed opposite to the contact surface and configured to detect through the cover member, when the seated occupant is seated, a body potential of the seated occupant, and to output a signal corresponding to the body potential, and
wherein an application agent is applied onto at least part of a surface of the sensor facing the cover member to form an application agent layer, and contains a dielectric to increase a dielectric constant of the application agent layer.

2. The seat according to claim 1 , wherein the dielectric is titanium oxide or barium titanate.

3. The seat according to claim 1 , wherein the seat is mounted on a vehicle.

4. The seat according to claim 1 , further comprising a head supporting portion which supports a head of the seated occupant;
wherein the application agent layer is located below the head supporting portion.

5. The seat according to claim 1 , further comprising a pad material covered by the cover member;
wherein the sensor is arranged between the cover member and the pad material, and
the application agent layer is arranged at a position closer to the cover member than the pad material.

6. A seat comprising:
a cover member having a contact surface for a seated occupant; and
a capacitive coupling sensor disposed opposite to the contact surface and configured to detect through the cover member, when the seated occupant is seated, a body potential of the seated occupant, and to output a signal corresponding to the body potential, and
wherein the cover member comprises:
a covering material forming the contact surface, and
a wadding material attached to a surface of the covering material opposite to the contact surface; and

a dielectric to increase a dielectric constant of the wadding material is contained in at least part of a portion of the wadding material facing the sensor.

7. The seat according to claim 6 , wherein the wadding material comprises a foam material formed with air bubbles communicating with each other.

8. The seat according to claim 6 , wherein
the sensor is a sheet sensor, and
an outer edge of the sensor is located on an inside of an outer edge of the wadding material.

9. The seat according to claim 6 , wherein
the sensor comprises a plurality of arranged sensors, and
the wadding material faces at least two of the sensors, and is continuously provided.

10. The seat according to claim 6 , wherein the dielectric is titanium oxide or barium titanate.

11. The seat according to claim 6 , wherein the seat is mounted on a vehicle.

12. The seat according to claim 6 , further comprising a head supporting portion which supports a head of the seated occupant;
wherein the wadding material is located below the head supporting portion.

13. The seat according to claim 6 , further comprising a pad material covered by the cover member;
wherein the sensor is arranged between the cover member and the pad material, and
the wadding material is arranged at a position closer to the cover member than the pad material.

14. A seat comprising:
a cover member having a contact surface for a seated occupant; and
a capacitive coupling sensor disposed opposite to the contact surface and configured to detect through the cover member, when the seated occupant is seated, a body potential of the seated occupant, and to output a signal corresponding to the body potential, and
wherein an attachment member containing a dielectric to increase a dielectric constant of the attachment member is attached to at least part of a portion of the cover member facing the sensor.

15. The seat according to claim 14 , wherein
at least one cutout is provided in an outer edge of the attachment member, the cutout extending inward from the outer edge.

16. The seat according to claim 14 , wherein
the sensor is a sheet sensor, and
an outer edge of the sensor is located on inside of an outer edge of the attachment member.

17. The seat according to claim 14 , wherein the dielectric is titanium oxide or barium titanate.

18. The seat according to claim 14 , wherein the seat is mounted on a vehicle.

19. The seat according to claim 14 , further comprising a head supporting portion which supports a head of the seated occupant;
wherein the attachment member is located below the head supporting portion.

20. The seat according to claim 14 , further comprising a pad material covered by the cover member;
wherein the sensor is arranged between the cover member and the pad material, and
the attachment member is arranged at a position closer to the cover member than the pad material.

Assignees

• Ts Tech Co Ltd

Inventors

• Sugiyama Shinji

Classifications

• A61B2562/125

  characterised by the manufacture of electrodes · CPC title

• B60N2/58

  Seat coverings · CPC title

• A61B5/6893 Primary

  Cars · CPC title

• A61B2562/0214

  Capacitive electrodes · CPC title

• A61B5/04085

  Human Necessities · mapped topic