JP2003227703A - Seat position detector - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a position detector which has superior mounting property and can be made compact and to improve flux density passing the position detector. <P>SOLUTION: This seat position detector is provided with a fixed rail 20 that is fixed onto the fitting surface, a movable rail 30 that is movable to the fixed rail, and a position detecting means 50 that is fitted to either of the fixed rail and movable rail to detect the position of the other of them, and a position detecting means 50 that is fitted to either of the fixed rail or movable rail to detect the position of the other of them. The position detecting means is comprised of a magnetoelectric conversion element 51, a magnet 52 and a yoke 53. The magnetoelectric conversion element and magnet, are arranged on one side of a member to be detected. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for detecting a position of a seat, and more particularly to a device for detecting a position of a seat for an automobile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a conventional seat position detecting device, one disclosed in US Pat. No. 6,535,529 (Patent Document 1) is known. This device is a movable rail fixed to the seat, a fixed rail fixed to the floor,
The position detecting means is attached to the fixed rail, and the sensor flange is attached to the movable rail. The position detecting means and the sensor flange are arranged outside the seat position detecting device. The seat position detecting device is mounted on the seat and then mounted on the vehicle.

However, if the position detecting means and the sensor flange are arranged outside the seat position detecting device,
Particularly, when the seat is mounted on the vehicle, the position detecting means and the sensor flange are likely to collide with the components arranged around the vehicle. The sensor is a component with low strength, and even a small collision with another component may cause damage to the sensor or deterioration of measurement accuracy. For this reason, it is necessary to handle it carefully, but since the seat is a heavy and large volume component, pay attention to the sensor (sensor flange) mounted below the seat when mounting on the vehicle. There are limits.

As a means for solving this, there is Japanese Patent Application No. 2001-209358 previously filed by the present applicant. This prevents the position detecting means 150 and the sensor flange from being damaged, as shown in FIG.
Is a seat position detecting device for improving the assembling property of the above to the movable rail 130. This device includes a fixed rail 120 fixedly attached to a floor mounting surface of a vehicle body, a movable rail 130 movable with respect to the fixed rail 120, and a position indicating means 160 provided at one predetermined position of the fixed rail 120. And the movable rail 1 of the position indicating means 160 attached to one of the movable rails 130.
Position detecting means 150 for detecting the position with respect to 30, and the position detecting means 150 is a magnetoelectric conversion element 15
1 (Hall element) and a magnet 152 that is opposed to the magnetoelectric conversion element 151 at a predetermined distance from each other, and the position indicating means 160 (sensor flange) is provided between the magnetoelectric conversion element 151 and the magnet 152. In the sheet position detecting device arranged so that it can be inserted through
A portion of the position indicator 50 through which the position indicating means 160 is inserted is disposed between the one and the other movable rails 130, and the movable rail 1 is arranged in a direction perpendicular to the mounting surface.
Seat position detection device 1 adapted to be attached to 30
02.

The sheet position detecting device 102 includes a magnet 15
By arranging the position indicating means 160 between 2 and the magnetoelectric conversion element 151 (Hall element), the position indicating means 160 shields or opens the magnetic force line generated by the magnet 152, and the magnetoelectric conversion element 151 senses it. Then, the ON-OFF signal is generated to detect the position of the sheet.

That is, the magnetoelectric conversion element 151 and the magnet 152
The magnetic circuit formed by the yoke and the yoke 153 is shielded or opened, and the sheet position is detected by detecting the change in the magnetic flux density passing through the region where the position detecting means is present.

Normally, the magnetoelectric conversion element 151 detects the strength of the magnetic field formed by the magnetic force of the magnet 152.

On the other hand, a position indicating means 160 is arranged at a predetermined position on the fixed rail 120. As described above, when the movable rail 130 moves and the position of the fixed rail 120 with respect to the movable rail 130 reaches a predetermined position, the position indicating means 160 opposes the magnetoelectric conversion element 151 of the position detection sensor 150 and the magnet 152. Placed in position.
At this time (the magnetoelectric conversion element 151 of the position detection sensor 150)
When the position indicating means 160 is located at a position where the magnet and the magnet face each other), the magnetoelectric conversion element 151W is emitted from the magnet 152.
The strength of the magnetic field line passing through P is changed by the position indicating means 160.

As a result, the magnetoelectric conversion element 151 detects a magnetic field strength different from the normal magnetic field strength. Due to the change in the strength of the magnetic field, the movable rail 130 moves to the fixed rail 1.
It can be determined whether it is in a predetermined position with respect to 20.

[0010]

[Patent Document 1] US Pat. No. 6,053,529

[0011]

In the above technique, as described above, the position detecting means 150 is the seat position detecting device 102.
The position indicating means 160 is arranged on the movable rail 130, and the position indicating means 160 is arranged on the fixed rail 120 of the seat position detecting device 102. As the seat moves in the longitudinal direction, the positions of the position detecting means 150 and the position indicating means 160 are increased. The seat position detecting device is capable of determining whether the movable rail 130 is at a predetermined position with respect to the fixed rail 120 due to a change in the relationship.

However, in the case of this configuration, when the seat position detecting device 102 is mounted, the magnet 152 and the magnetoelectric conversion element 1 are mounted.
A space for arranging the position indicating means 160 is needed between the position detecting means 150 and 51, and the space for moving the seat is large, so that the mountability of the position detecting means 150 is not necessarily good.

In the above technique, the magnet 152 and the magnetoelectric conversion element 151 are arranged so as to face each other with a predetermined distance therebetween.
The magnetoelectric conversion element 151 detects the strength of the magnetic field formed by the magnetic force of the magnet 152.

Further, a space for arranging the position indicating means 160 is required between the magnet 152 and the magnetoelectric conversion element 151, and since the magnet 152 and the magnetoelectric conversion element 151 are separated from each other, the magnetoelectric conversion element 151 is provided. The density of the magnetic flux that passes through is also low, and the magnetoelectric conversion element 151 may not be able to sufficiently sense the magnetic force from the magnet 152, so it cannot be said that the position detecting means 150 has high sensitivity.

The present invention has solved the above-mentioned problems, and the position detecting means has a good mountability, can be downsized, and has a high sensitivity by increasing the density of the magnetic flux passing through the position detecting means. The present invention provides a sheet position detecting device including the.

[0016]

To solve the above-mentioned problems, the technical means taken in the invention of claim 1 is a fixed rail fixedly mounted on a mounting surface and movable relative to the fixed rail. A movable rail and position detecting means attached to either the fixed rail or the movable rail and detecting the position relative to the other of the fixed rail or the movable rail. The position detecting means includes a magnetoelectric conversion element, a magnet and a yoke. The seat position detecting device is characterized in that the magnetoelectric conversion element and the magnet are arranged on one side of the member to be detected.

According to the above-mentioned means, the seat position detecting device has a good mountability of the magnetic force sensor, can be miniaturized, and has a high sensitivity by increasing the density of the magnetic flux passing through the magnetic force sensor.

The technical means taken in the invention of claim 2 in order to solve the above-mentioned problems is that in claim 1, the yoke is extended in the direction in which the magnetic lines of force of the magnets face.

According to the above-mentioned means, in addition to the effect of the first aspect, the magnetic lines of force formed by the magnet and the yoke are directed to the member to be detected, and an efficient magnetic circuit is formed.

[0020]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments according to the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. The present embodiment shows a case where the present invention is applied to a seat position detecting device for an automobile.
A first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is an overall view of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, the seat position detecting device 2 is arranged between the lower side of the seat body 1 and a floor (mounting surface) 3 of the vehicle. The seat position detecting device 2 is attached at one position on the left side or the right side of the seat body 1. Although this seat is illustrated as a manual type device, the configuration according to the present invention is not limited to the manual type device, and can be applied to a so-called power slide type electric device.

Fixed rail 20 of the seat position detecting device 2
2 has a substantially U-shaped cross section as shown in a cross section perpendicular to its longitudinal direction as shown in FIG. The upper ends of the substantially U-shaped vertical wall portions 23 are bent inward and hang downward to form hook-shaped engaging portions 24.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, in the longitudinal direction of the fixed rail 20, a front mounting bracket 41 is provided on the lower surface of the front end thereof, and a lower surface of the rear end thereof is provided on the lower surface of the rear end thereof.
A rear mounting bracket 42 is attached. The fixed rail 20 and the mounting brackets 41 and 42 are firmly coupled to the bottom flat surface portion 25 of the U-shaped fixed rail 20.

Each of the front and rear mounting brackets has a mounting portion (not shown) mounted on a fixed rail, and a leg portion,
The legs 41a and 42a are mounted on the floor 3 of the vehicle by bolts (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 2, the movable rail 30 has a first rail.
It is arranged inside the U-shape of the fixed rail 201 and has a reverse U-shape that opens downward. The lower ends of the vertical wall portions 33 on both sides of the cross-sectional shape are bent outward, and hook-shaped locked portions 34 that are coupled to the locking portions 24 of the first fixed rail 201 via shoes 38 are formed. Has been done. Further, the roller 39 is inserted between the lower end surface of the locked portion 34 and the bottom flat surface portion 25 of the first fixed rail 201, and the movable rail 30 can smoothly move back and forth with respect to the first fixed rail 201. It is said that.

The bottom flat surface portion 2 of the first fixed rail 201
A second fixed rail 202 is integrated around 5 with bolts or the like. The first fixed rail 201 and the second fixed rail 202 are collectively referred to as a fixed rail 20.

The member to be detected 60 is attached to the flange 202A having an L-shaped cross section, which faces the center of the second fixed rail 202.
(Position indicating means) is provided. This detected member 6
0 is composed of a magnetic material such as steel.

An upper vertical wall portion 36 is formed integrally with the movable rail 30 along the longitudinal direction, and front and rear brackets 82 and 83 are attached to the upper vertical wall portion 36. As shown in FIG. 1, a lower arm 81 functioning as a skeleton of the cushion 8 that is the seating surface of the seat 1 is disposed, and front and rear brackets 82 and 83 attached to the upper vertical wall portion 36 are provided. It is attached to the upper vertical wall portion 36 of the movable rail 30 via. This allows the lower arm 81 and the cushion 8 to move to the movable rail 3
It becomes possible to move in the front-back direction with respect to the fixed rail 20 together with 0.

Further, a fixed bracket 56 composed of a plate-shaped member that is horizontal toward the center of the seat 1 is attached to the upper vertical wall portion 36 formed integrally with the movable rail 30.

As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the position detecting sensor 50 (position detecting means) includes a Hall element 51 as a magnetoelectric conversion element, a magnet 52 arranged in parallel to face the Hall element 51, and a yoke. 53 and a connector 54 electrically connected to the hall element 51. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the Hall element 51 and the magnet 52 are arranged with a predetermined distance therebetween.

Further, the components of these position detecting sensors 50 (position detecting means) are arranged in a case 55 of a box and integrated.

With this structure, it is possible to obtain the effects of downsizing the position detecting sensor and improving mountability.

The case 55 is fixed by a fixing bracket 56. As shown in FIG. 2, the upper vertical wall portion 36 is fixed to one end of the fixing bracket 56 having an L-shaped cross section, and the case 55 is fixed to the other end thereof. A gap S is formed between the case 55 and the detected member 60.

Next, the operation of the above-mentioned seat position detecting device 2 will be described. The Hall element 51, which is a magnetoelectric conversion element of the seat position detecting device 2, takes out the strength of the magnetic field as an electric signal by using the Hall effect. The position detecting means 50 comprises a magnetoelectric conversion element 51, a magnet 52 and a yoke 53.

Normally, the magnetoelectric conversion element 51 detects the strength of the magnetic field formed by the magnetic force of the magnet 52.

A member to be detected (position indicating means) 60 is arranged at the above-described predetermined position of the fixed rail 20. As described above, when the movable rail 30 moves and the position of the fixed rail 20 with respect to the movable rail 30 reaches a predetermined position, one surface of the detected member 60 has the position detection sensor 5
The Hall element 51 of 0 and the magnet 52 are arranged. At this time (when the detected member 60 is located at the position where the Hall element 51 of the position detection sensor 50 and the magnet are arranged), the strength of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic force of the magnet 52 is changed by the detected member 60.

As described above, when the member to be changed 60 is close to the sosheet position detecting device 2, the magnetic force lines generated by the magnet 52 pass through the yoke 53 and the member 60 to be detected, so that the region where the magnetoelectric conversion element is present. The magnetic flux density passing through is increased.

As a result, the Hall element 51 detects a magnetic field strength different from the normal magnetic field strength. It is possible to determine whether or not the movable rail 30 is at a predetermined position with respect to the fixed rail 20 based on the change in the strength of the magnetic field.

In the present embodiment, the member to be detected 60 extends from the predetermined position in the longitudinal direction of the fixed rail 20 toward the front side of the vehicle, so that the movable rail 30 is positioned before the predetermined position. That is, it is possible to detect that the position of the seat 1 (cushion 8) is before the predetermined position. Such detection of the seat position is used, for example, in a vehicle equipped with an air bag when controlling so as to change the expansion amount of the air bag according to the seat position.

In the present embodiment, the structure in which the member to be detected 60 is provided on the fixed rail has been shown. However, when the fixed rail is made of a magnetic material, the fixed rail can be directly used as the member to be detected. . Further, the positional relationship between the fixed rail and the movable rail may be reversed, and a position detection sensor may be attached to the fixed rail to detect the movable rail.

FIG. 5 is a plan view seen from the direction A in FIG. The fixed bracket 56 fixed to the movable rail 30 reciprocates in the direction of the arrow, whereby the detected member 60 and the position detecting means 50 approach and separate from each other, and the change in the magnetic flux density passing through the area where the position detecting means exists. To detect the sheet position.

FIG. 6 is a graph showing the HI output and the LO output of the position detecting means 50 when the member to be detected 60 approaches and separates. This shows whether the sheet is in front of a predetermined position. Can detect if it is behind.

FIGS. 7, 8 and 9 show a second embodiment of the present invention,
It is a figure which shows a 3rd Example and a 4th Example. The second embodiment of FIG. 7 is different from the first embodiment in that the magnet 52 and the Hall element 51 are
The arrangement position of is reversed. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the distance between the magnet 52 and the detected member 60, and it is possible to increase the change in the magnetic flux density when the detected member 60 and the position detecting means 50 approach and separate from each other.

The third embodiment of FIG. 8 shows a U-shaped configuration in the first embodiment by forming two first extending portions extending in the magnetic force direction of the magnet of the yoke 53. It is a thing.
With this structure, the lines of magnetic force are directed toward the detected member 60 side, and the position detecting means 50 with high sensitivity is obtained.

In the fourth embodiment shown in FIG. 9, the magnet 52 is arranged around the yoke 53, and the hall element 5 is provided behind the yoke 53.
This is a structure in which 1 is provided. With this structure, with this configuration, the distance between the magnet 52 and the member to be detected 60 can be reduced, and the change in the magnetic flux density when the member to be detected 60 and the position detection means 50 approach or separate can be increased. it can.

[0046]

According to the present invention, the position detecting device has a good mountability, can be miniaturized, and has a high sensitivity in which the magnetic flux density passing through the position detecting means is increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an assembled state of a seat position detecting device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view of the seat position detecting device of the present invention, which is a cross-sectional view taken along the line PP of FIG.

3 is a perspective view of the position detecting means 50 of FIG.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the position detection sensor of FIG.

5 is a view from A in FIG. 4. FIG.

FIG. 6 is an output graph showing the HI output and the LO output of the position detecting means when the detected member is in the proximity and separation.

FIG. 7 is a diagram showing a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a diagram showing a third embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a diagram showing a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 10 is a view showing a sheet position detecting device which the applicant of the present invention has previously filed.

[Explanation of symbols]

2,102 Seat position detector 20,120 Fixed rail 30,130 movable rail 50,150 Position detection means 51,151 Hall element (magnetoelectric conversion element) 52,152 magnet 53,153 York 60 Detected member (position indicating means) 160 sensor flange (position indicating means)

   ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continued front page    (72) Inventor Takashi Suzuki             Aichi, 2-chome, Asahi-cho, Kariya city, Aichi prefecture             Within Seiki Co., Ltd. F-term (reference) 2F063 AA02 BA30 CA28 DA05 GA52                       ZA01                 3B088 CA15

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A fixed rail fixedly mounted on a mounting surface, a movable rail movable with respect to the fixed rail, and a fixed rail or the movable rail mounted on one of the fixed rail and the movable rail. A position detecting means for detecting a position with respect to the other of the movable rails is provided, and the position detecting means includes a magnetoelectric conversion element, a magnet and a yoke, and the magnetoelectric conversion element and the magnet are provided on one side with respect to the detected member. A seat position detection device, which is provided. 2. The seat position detecting device according to claim 1, wherein the yoke is extended in a direction in which a magnetic line of force of the magnet is oriented.