U.S. patent application number 11/946573 was filed with the patent office on 2008-05-29 for seat apparatus for vehicle.
This patent application is currently assigned to AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI KAISHA. Invention is credited to Koji Aoki, Koji Hattori, Soichiro Hozumi, Toshiro Maeda, Takashi Okada.
Application Number | 20080122272 11/946573 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 39326545 |
Filed Date | 2008-05-29 |
United States Patent
Application |
20080122272 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Aoki; Koji ; et al. |
May 29, 2008 |
SEAT APPARATUS FOR VEHICLE
Abstract
A seat apparatus for a vehicle including a side support portion
that is controlled to be opened and closed depending on a road
shape includes a position detecting portion for detecting a
position of the side support portion, a sensor provided at the side
support portion and detecting a physique of an occupant, a physique
detecting portion for detecting the physique of the occupant by
means of the sensor while the side support portion is in a full
open position, and an initial position determining portion for
determining an initial position of the side support portion
depending on the physique of the occupant detected by the physique
detecting portion.
Inventors: |
Aoki; Koji; (Nagoya-shi,
JP) ; Maeda; Toshiro; (Anjo-shi, JP) ; Hozumi;
Soichiro; (Nagoya-shi, JP) ; Okada; Takashi;
(Kariya-shi, JP) ; Hattori; Koji; (Toyota-shi,
JP) |
Correspondence
Address: |
OBLON, SPIVAK, MCCLELLAND MAIER & NEUSTADT, P.C.
1940 DUKE STREET
ALEXANDRIA
VA
22314
US
|
Assignee: |
AISIN SEIKI KABUSHIKI
KAISHA
Kariya-shi
JP
TOYOTA JIDOSHA KABUSHIKI KAISHA
TOYOTA-SHI
JP
|
Family ID: |
39326545 |
Appl. No.: |
11/946573 |
Filed: |
November 28, 2007 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
297/217.2 |
Current CPC
Class: |
B60N 2/986 20180201;
B60N 2/002 20130101; B60N 2/99 20180201; B60N 2002/026
20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
297/217.2 |
International
Class: |
A47C 31/12 20060101
A47C031/12 |
Foreign Application Data
Date |
Code |
Application Number |
Nov 28, 2006 |
JP |
2006-319614 |
Claims
1. A seat apparatus for a vehicle including a side support portion
that is controlled to be opened and closed depending on a road
shape, comprising: a position detecting portion for detecting a
position of the side support portion; a sensor provided at the side
support portion and detecting a physique of an occupant; a physique
detecting portion for detecting the physique of the occupant by
means of the sensor while the side support portion is in a full
open position; and an initial position determining portion for
determining an initial position of the side support portion
depending on the physique of the occupant detected by the physique
detecting portion.
2. A seat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is
equal to a capacitance sensor.
3. A seat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is
provided at a movable portion of the side support portion.
4. A seat apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the sensor is
provided at a movable portion of the side support portion.
5. A seat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the physique
detecting portion detects the physique of the occupant in a case
where the occupant fastens a seatbelt.
6. A seat apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the physique
detecting portion detects the physique of the occupant in a case
where the occupant fastens a seatbelt.
7. A seat apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the physique
detecting portion detects the physique of the occupant in a case
where the occupant fastens a seatbelt.
8. A seat apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the physique
detecting portion detects the physique of the occupant in a case
where the occupant fastens a seatbelt.
9. A seat apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the physique
detecting portion detects the physique of the occupant in a case
where a shift lever is shifted to a drive range.
10. A seat apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the physique
detecting portion detects the physique of the occupant in a case
where a shift lever is shifted to a drive range.
11. A seat apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the physique
detecting portion detects the physique of the occupant in a case
where a shift lever is shifted to a drive range.
12. A seat apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the physique
detecting portion detects the physique of the occupant in a case
where a shift lever is shifted to a drive range.
Description
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is based on and claims priority under 35
U.S.C. .sctn.119 to Japanese Patent Application No. 2006-319614,
filed on Nov. 28, 2006, the entire content of which is incorporated
herein by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
[0002] This invention generally relates to a seat apparatus for a
vehicle. More particularly, this invention pertains to a seat
apparatus for a vehicle that controls a side support portion
depending on a road shape.
BACKGROUND
[0003] A known seat apparatus for a vehicle is disclosed in
JP2590875B. The seat apparatus disclosed includes a capacitance
sensor for determining whether or not an occupant is seated on a
seat so as to perform an open and close control on a side support
portion. According to the seat apparatus disclosed, the capacitor
sensor is used only for determining presence or absence of an
occupant and is not used for changing, depending on the physique of
an occupant, a support position of the side support portion, i.e.,
a position where the upper body of an occupant is supported
thereby.
[0004] On the other hand, JP63-033849U discloses a seat apparatus
for a vehicle including a pressure sensor provided at a side
support portion for detecting the physique of an occupant. A
support position of the side support portion, i.e., a position
where the upper body of an occupant is supported thereby, can be
adjusted on the basis of a pressure value detected by the pressure
sensor. The support position of the side support portion can be
changed depending on the physique of an occupant.
[0005] According to the seat apparatus disclosed in JP63-033849U,
however, the side support portion should be brought to a closed
position at a time the physique of an occupant is being detected by
means of the pressure sensor, which may give an oppressive feeling
to the occupant. Further, the side support portion should be opened
or closed to obtain an appropriate position after the physique of
the occupant is detected with the side support portion in the
closed state, thereby requiring time.
[0006] Thus, a need exits for a seat apparatus for a vehicle which
is not susceptible to the drawback mentioned above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0007] According to an aspect of the present invention, a seat
apparatus for a vehicle including a side support portion that is
controlled to be opened and closed depending on a road shape
includes a position detecting portion for detecting a position of
the side support portion, a sensor provided at the side support
portion and detecting a physique of an occupant, a physique
detecting portion for detecting the physique of the occupant by
means of the sensor while the side support portion is in a full
open position, and an initial position determining portion for
determining an initial position of the side support portion
depending on the physique of the occupant detected by the physique
detecting portion.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0008] The foregoing and additional features and characteristics of
the present invention will become more apparent from the following
detailed description considered with reference to the accompanying
drawings, wherein:
[0009] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a seat apparatus for a
vehicle according to an embodiment of the present invention;
[0010] FIG. 2 is a plan view of the seat apparatus according to the
embodiment of the present invention;
[0011] FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a capacitance sensor
according to the embodiment of the present invention;
[0012] FIG. 4 is an electric connection diagram of the seat
apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention;
[0013] FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an output pulse of support
position sensors according to the embodiment of the present
invention;
[0014] FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an initial position
setting program according to the embodiment of the present
invention; and
[0015] FIGS. 7A and 7B are each diagram illustrating a relationship
between the number of pulses and an initial position according to
the embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0016] An embodiment of a seat apparatus for a vehicle (hereinafter
referred to as a seat apparatus) related to the present invention
will be described in accordance with the attached drawings. As
illustrated in FIG. 1, the seat apparatus includes a seat slide
device 10 and a seat 13. The seat slide device 10 includes, for
example, a pair of lower rails 11 and a pair of upper rails 12
supported by the lower rails 11 so as to be slidable thereon. The
lower rails 11 are fixed on a floor 90 so as to extend in a
front-rear direction of the vehicle. Specifically, the seat 13
includes a seat cushion 14 on which an occupant is seated, and a
seat back 15 that supports the occupant's back. Further, a right
side support portion 16 and a left side support portion 17 are
provided at right and left portions of the seat back 15,
respectively, for stabilizing a posture of the occupant by pressing
the upper body of the occupant on its sides. Additionally, as
illustrated in FIG. 1, a right motor 26 and a left motor 27 are
provided at right and left portions of a seat frame 18,
respectively. Each of the right and left motors 26 and 27 includes
a reduction mechanism. Furthermore, a right support frame 16a and a
left support frame 17a are adapted to be pivoted by means of the
right and left motors 26 and 27, respectively. Both right and left
support frames 16a and 17a are pivoted by both right and left
motors 26 and 27 being activated, and therefore the right and left
side support portions 16 and 17 are moved to be in an open
position, which is indicated with a solid line, and to be in a
closed position, which is indicated with a chain double-dashed line
illustrated in FIG. 2. Furthermore, as illustrated in FIG. 1, a
belt anchor 9 including a buckle 8 is fixed to a rear end portion
of one of the upper rails 12. The buckle 8 accommodates a seatbelt
sensor 22 that detects whether or not the seatbelt is fastened
(i.e., buckled). The right side support portion 16 and the left
side support portion 17 collectively serve as a side support
portion.
[0017] Specifically, each of the side support portions 16 and 17
includes a fixed portion and a movable portion. The respective
movable portions of the side support portions 16 and 17 are pivoted
in response to activation of the right and left motors 26 and 27,
respectively. Then, a right sensor electrode 24a and a left sensor
electrode 24b are arranged at the respective movable portions of
the side support portions 16 and 17 so as to form a part of a
capacitance sensor 24. Precisely, as illustrated in FIG. 3, the
capacitance sensor 24 is provided for measuring a capacitance
formed between the sensor electrodes 24a and 24b, and an occupant,
and a capacitance formed between the occupant and a sensor ground
24c connected to a chassis so as to detect the physique of the
occupant. The capacitance sensor 24 serves as a sensor.
[0018] FIG. 4 illustrates an electric connection diagram of the
seat apparatus. As illustrated in FIG. 4, the seat apparatus
includes a physique detection ECU 20 and a side support ECU 21. The
seatbelt sensor 22 and the capacitance sensor 24 are connected to
the physique detection ECU 20. The seatbelt sensor 22 detects
whether or not the seatbelt is fastened, (i.e., buckled) and then
outputs a signal indicating the detection result, i.e., seatbelt
status signal, to the physique detection ECU 20. In addition, the
capacitance sensor 24 measures the physique of an occupant as
mentioned above.
[0019] The right motor 26, the left motor 27, a right position
sensor 28, and a left position sensor 29 are all connected to the
side support ECU 21. The side support ECU 21 outputs driving
signals to both the right and left motors 26 and 27, and inputs
pulse signals serving as position signals from both the position
sensors 28 and 29. The side support ECU 21 and the physique
detection ECU 20 are connected to each other so that information
can be shared and transmitted therebetween.
[0020] As illustrated in FIG. 5, the right and left position
sensors 28 and 29 each output, for example, 0 to 300 pulses
depending on the position of the side support portions 16 and 17
within a range from a full closed position to a full open position.
The side support ECU 21 monitors and calculates the output pulses
from the position sensors 28 and 29 to thereby detect the position
of the side support portions 16 and 17.
[0021] A process for setting an initial position of the side
support portions 16 and 17 according to the aforementioned seat
apparatus will be explained below. A ROM in the physique detection
ECU 20 stores an initial position setting program as illustrated in
FIG. 6 conducted per predetermined time interval.
[0022] In the cases where the initial position setting program
illustrated in FIG. 6 is started, the physique detection ECU 20
obtains various information in step S10. Precisely, the physique
detection ECU 20 inputs a signal indicating whether or not the
seatbelt is fastened (i.e., seatbelt status signal) from the
seatbelt sensor 22 and position information of the side support
portions 16 and 17 from the side support ECU 21. That is, at this
time, the side support ECU 21 is conducting a side support control
program (not shown) so as to obtain position information of the
side support portions 16 and 17 based on the pulse signals input
from the position sensors 28 and 29. Then, the physique detection
ECU 20 inputs the position information of the side support portions
16 and 17 from the side support ECU21. The step S10, the right
position sensor 28, and the left position sensor 29 collectively
serve as a position detecting portion.
[0023] In step S11, the physique detection ECU 20 determines
whether or not a trigger signal for the physique detection is
present. In the cases where the trigger signal is present (i.e.,
YES as indicated by "Y" in FIG. 6), a process in step S12 is then
performed. In the cases where the trigger signal is not present
(i.e., NO as indicated by "N" in FIG. 6), the execution of the
initial position setting program is terminated. As the trigger
signal, the seatbelt status signal from the seatbelt sensor 22 is
used. Only in the cases where the seatbelt is fastened for the
first time from a state where the seatbelt is not fastened, it is
determined that the trigger signal is present. Accordingly, in the
cases where the seatbelt is not fastened or the seatbelt is already
fastened, it is determined that the trigger signal is not present.
Alternatively, as the trigger signal for the physique detection, a
drive range switch signal of a shift lever may be used. That is, it
is determined that the trigger signal is present only when the
shift lever is shifted to the drive range for the first time after
the ignition switch is turned on.
[0024] In step S12, the physique detection ECU 20 determines
whether or not the side support portions 16 and 17 are in the full
open position. When it is determined that the side support portions
16 and 17 are in the full open position (i.e., YES), a process in
step S13 is then performed. On the other hand, when it is
determined that the side support portions 16 and 17 are not in the
open position (i.e., NO), the execution of the initial position
setting program is terminated. At this time, whether or not the
side support portions 16 and 17 are in the full open position is
determined through the position information of the side support
portions 16 and 17 input from the side support ECU 21 in the step
S10.
[0025] In step S13, the physique detection ECU 20 detects the
physique of an occupant by means of the capacitance sensor 24. In
step S14, the physique detection ECU 20 obtains initial position
information of the side support portions 16 and 17 based on the
detected physique by using a table prepared beforehand, and then
outputs that initial position information to the side support
ECU21. The physique detection ECU 20 terminates the initial
position setting program after executing the process in step S14.
At this time, according to the present embodiment, the initial
position information is obtained by means of the table prepared
beforehand. Alternatively, the initial position information may be
obtained by calculation. The initial position of the side support
portions 16 and 17 is defined to be on a slightly full open side of
a support position where the upper body of an occupant is pressed
from both sides so as to support and stabilize a sitting posture of
the occupant. That is, the initial position is defined to be a
position where the side support portions 16 and 17 can be
immediately activated to the support position. In addition, the
initial position information is equal to the number of pulses
outputted from the position sensors 28 and 29 while the side
support portions 16 and 17 are controlled to be closed from the
full open position to reach the initial position by the side
support ECU 21. The step S13 serves as a physique detecting
portion, and the step S14 serves as an initial position determining
portion.
[0026] Then, the side support ECU 21 outputs the driving signals to
the right and left motors 26 and 27 based on the initial position
information so that the side support portions 16 and 17 are
specified to be in the initial position. When a vehicle starts
driving, the side support portions 16 and 17 are controlled to be
opened and closed by the side support ECU 21 in response to the
lateral acceleration of the vehicle within a range between the
initial position and the support position.
[0027] Next, an application example of the initial position setting
program will be explained with reference to FIGS. 7A and 7B. FIG.
7A illustrates an example in which an occupant having obese
physique is seated while FIG. 7B illustrates an example in which an
occupant having slim physique is seated. In both examples
illustrated in FIGS. 7A and 7B, the support position where the
upper body of the occupant is pressed from both sides so as to
support a sitting posture of the occupant is defined to be a range
of 150 pulses that are outputted from the position sensors 28 and
29 as illustrated by arrows in FIGS. 7A and 7B. In addition, 30
pulses are defined between the initial position and one end of the
support position close to the full open position.
[0028] In the cases where the occupant sits down on the seat
cushion 14 and fastens the seatbelt, it is determined that the
trigger signal for the physique detection is present in the step
S11. Then, when the side support portions 16 and 17 are in the full
open position at that time, the physique of the occupant is
detected in the step S13. Further, in the step S14, the number of
pulses generated in response to the occupant's physique is obtained
as initial position information that is then input to the side
support ECU 21. The number of pulses as the initial position
information is sixty in the example illustrated in FIG. 7A or
ninety in the example illustrated in FIG. 7B.
[0029] Meanwhile, the side support ECU 21, which is executing the
side support control program, controls the side support portions 16
and 17 to be in the initial position based on the initial position
information input from the physique detection ECU 20. When the
vehicle starts driving, the side support portions 16 and 17 are
controlled to be opened and closed by the side support ECU 21 in
response to the lateral acceleration within the range between the
initial position and the support position.
[0030] According to the aforementioned seat apparatus, the initial
position of the side support portions 16 and 17 is determined in
the step S14 based on the physique of the occupant detected in the
step S13. On the basis of the initial position determined, the side
support portions 16 and 17 are controlled to be opened and closed
depending on a road shape. Further, in the step S13, the physique
of the occupant is detected while the side support portions 16 and
17 are in the full open state. That is, the side support portions
16 and 17 are not required to be closed at a time of detecting the
occupant's physique. Thus, according to the present seat apparatus,
the support position can be changed in response to difference in
the physique of an occupant. In addition, the physique of an
occupant can be detected within a short time period without adding
an oppressive feeling to the occupant.
[0031] In addition, according to the aforementioned seat apparatus,
the capacitance sensor 24, precisely, the sensor electrodes 24a and
24b, is provided at the movable portions of the side support
portions 16 and 17 to thereby appropriately detect the physique of
an occupant. Further, since the physique of an occupant is detected
at a time the occupant fastens the seatbelt, the physique
substantially same as that in the vehicle driving state can be
detected.
[0032] Further, according to the aforementioned embodiment, since
the capacitance sensor 24 is provided for the physique detection,
the physique of an occupant can be detected while the right and
left side support portions 16 and 17 are in the full open
position.
[0033] Furthermore, according to the aforementioned embodiment, the
capacitance sensor 24 is provided at a movable portion of the side
support portion 16 or 17.
[0034] Furthermore, according to the aforementioned embodiment, the
physique of the occupant is detected by the position sensors 28 and
29, and through the step S14 in a case where the occupant fastens a
seatbelt.
[0035] Furthermore, according to the aforementioned embodiment, the
physique of the occupant is detected by the position sensors 28 and
29, and through the step S14 in a case where a shift lever is
shifted to a drive range.
[0036] The principles, preferred embodiment and mode of operation
of the present invention have been described in the foregoing
specification. However, the invention which is intended to be
protected is not to be construed as limited to the particular
embodiments disclosed. Further, the embodiments described herein
are to be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive.
Variations and changes may be made by others, and equivalents
employed, without departing from the spirit of the present
invention. Accordingly, it is expressly intended that all such
variations, changes and equivalents which fall within the spirit
and scope of the present invention as defined in the claims, be
embraced thereby.
* * * * *