Alarm device for child seat

Abstract

To solve the problem that the existence of a child cannot be detected after an ignition is turned off in a conventional child seat alarm device.SOLUTION: A child seat (1) mounted on a vehicle (V), a seating detection unit (2) for detecting whether a child (K) is seated on the child seat (1), and an alarm generation unit (3) for generating an alarm are provided, and a function of preventing the child (K) from being left behind in the vehicle (V) is enhanced by generating an alarm when a door is locked in a state where the child (K) is seated on the child seat (1) by maintaining a vehicle power supply for a certain time after an ignition is turned off.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a warning device for a child car seat used in a child car seat for use in a vehicle. [Background technology]

[0002] A conventional child car seat alarm device is described, for example, in Patent Document 1. Patent Document 1 describes a child car seat alarm device in which, when a child is in the child car seat, a drive unit is operated to convert a trigger structure from an OFF state to an ON state, activating a detection mechanism, and when the detection mechanism detects that the states of both the alarm mechanism and the detection mechanism satisfy a preset condition, the alarm mechanism outputs an alarm signal to issue an alarm. In this way, the child car seat alarm device alerts the user to whether or not there is a child in the vehicle, thereby preventing situations such as leaving a child in the vehicle. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-86624 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] However, the above-mentioned conventional child seat alarm device has a problem in that it is unable to detect the presence of a child after the ignition is turned off because it is powered by the vehicle.

[0005] The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-mentioned conventional situation, and aims to provide a child car seat warning device that can improve the function of preventing children from being left behind in a vehicle by maintaining the vehicle power supply for a certain period of time after the ignition is turned off, so that an alarm will sound if the door is locked with a child seated in the child car seat. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The child car seat alarm device of the present invention includes a child car seat installed in a vehicle, an occupancy detection unit that detects whether a child is seated in the child car seat, and an alarm generation unit that generates an alarm. The child car seat alarm device maintains the vehicle power supply for a predetermined time when the vehicle ignition is turned off, and sends an alarm generation command to the alarm generation unit when the occupancy detection unit detects a child seated in the child car seat when the vehicle doors are locked. [Effects of the Invention]

[0007] The child seat alarm device of the present invention maintains the vehicle power supply for a certain period of time after the ignition is turned off, so that if the doors are locked even though a child is seated in the child seat, an alarm is sounded, notifying the driver that there is a child in the vehicle and improving the vehicle's ability to prevent children from being left behind. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0008] [Figure 1] 1A and 1B are diagrams showing a first embodiment of a child seat alarm device according to the present invention, each showing an explanatory diagram (A) of the state when the vehicle is stopped, an explanatory diagram (B) of the state after the ignition is turned off, an explanatory diagram (C) of the state when a child has dismounted from the vehicle, and an explanatory diagram (D) of the state when the alarm is activated. [Figure 2] 4 is a flowchart illustrating a control process of the control device. [Figure 3] 4 is a time chart showing the operating states of each device. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0009] First Embodiment The child seat warning device (hereinafter abbreviated as "warning device") shown in Figure 1(A) comprises a child seat (CRS) 1 mounted on a vehicle V, a seating detection unit 2 that detects whether a child K is seated in the child seat 1, and an alarm generation unit 3 (3A to 3C) that issues an alarm, as well as a control device 4 that controls the mounted equipment of the vehicle V, and in the illustrated example, a front door opening / closing detection unit 5 that detects the opening / closing, locking and unlocking of the front door DR.

[0010] The vehicle V in the illustrated example is equipped with left and right front seats FS, FS, and a rear seat RS, with the driver M seated in the right front seat FS. The vehicle V also has a child seat 1 fixed to the left side of the rear seat RS, in which a child K sits. The seating detection unit 2 is built into the child seat 1 and is a sensor that is activated when the child K sits in it.

[0011] Various devices can be used as the alarm generating unit 3, and in the illustrated example, it is a hazard lamp 3A, a horn 3B, and a portable device 3C of the driver M. The portable device 3C may be, for example, a portable buzzer, but is preferably one that is likely to be carried around, such as a vehicle key (remote control key) with a built-in buzzer or a smartphone.

[0012] The control device 4 is a so-called computer, and a known in-vehicle computer or the like can be used. This control device 4 has the function of maintaining the vehicle power supply (ACC) for a predetermined time when the ignition of the vehicle V is turned off, and sending an alarm generation command to the alarm generation unit 3 (3A to 3C) if the seating detection unit 2 detects that a child K is seated when the front door DR of the vehicle V is locked. The time for which the vehicle power supply is maintained is, for example, 65 seconds.

[0013] In addition, as a more preferred embodiment, the above-mentioned alarm device is equipped with a rear door opening / closing detection unit 6 that detects the opening and closing of the rear door RR of the vehicle V, and if the control device 4 maintains the vehicle power supply for a predetermined time and then locks the front door DR, and the seating detection unit 2 detects that the child K is seated, but the rear door opening / closing detection unit 6 does not detect opening or closing, it has the function of activating the alarm generation unit 3, assuming that the child K has not been let out of the vehicle.

[0014] In other words, even if the seating detection unit 2 detects that the child K is seated, if the rear door opening / closing detection unit 6 detects opening or closing at the time the front door DR is locked after maintaining the vehicle power supply for a predetermined time, the control device 4 will assume that the child K has exited the vehicle and will deactivate the alarm generation unit 3.

[0015] Furthermore, in a more preferred embodiment, the above-mentioned warning device has a function in which the control device 4 turns off the vehicle power supply (ACC) when the rear door opening / closing detection unit 6 detects opening or closing at the time the ignition of the vehicle V is turned off.

[0016] Furthermore, in a more preferred embodiment, the above-mentioned warning device has a function in which the control device 4 turns off the vehicle power supply (ACC) after the ignition of the vehicle V is turned off if the seating detection unit 2 does not detect that a child K is seated.

[0017] Furthermore, in a more preferred embodiment, the above-described warning device includes a display unit 7 that displays map information and vehicle information in the vehicle V, and the display unit 7 has a function of displaying the detection result of the seating detection unit 2 when the vehicle power supply (ACC) is ON. The display unit 7 is typically a car navigation device that can be connected to or communicate with the control device 4.

[0018] 2, in the alarm device having the above configuration, when the control device 4 turns off the ignition in step S1, it maintains the vehicle power supply (ACC) for a predetermined time, and in step S2, it checks the open / closed state of the front door DR based on a signal from the front door detection unit 5. Thereafter, in step S3, it checks whether or not a child K is seated in the child seat 1 based on a signal from the seating detection unit 2.

[0019] When it is confirmed in step S4 that the child K is seated (present), if it is confirmed in step S5 that the front door DR is locked before the predetermined time has elapsed, the process proceeds to step S6 and an alert is issued.

[0020] Furthermore, if it is confirmed in step S4 that the child K is seated (present), after a predetermined time has elapsed, it is confirmed in step S7 whether the rear door RR is open or closed, and if it is not confirmed that the door is open or closed (None), it proceeds to step S8 and confirms that the front door DR is locked, and then it proceeds to step S6 and issues an alert (Alert). On the other hand, if it is confirmed in step S7 that the rear door RR is open or closed (Yes), it proceeds to step S9 and the alert is not activated (No Alert).

[0021] Furthermore, if it is confirmed in step S10 that the child K is not seated (Absent), and if it is confirmed in the next step S11 that the front door DR is locked, the process proceeds to step S9 and the alarm is not activated (No Alert).

[0022] That is, as shown in Fig. 1(A), the above-mentioned alarm device maintains the vehicle power supply (ACC) for a predetermined time when the vehicle V is stopped and the ignition is turned off. During this time, the alarm device does not activate the alarm unit 3 when the driver M gets out of the vehicle as shown in Fig. 1(B), opens the rear door RR to let the child K in the child seat 1 out of the vehicle as shown in Fig. 1(C), and then locks the front door DR and rear door RR.

[0023] The left side of Fig. 3 is a time chart showing the case where the front door DR is locked and the child K is dismounted while the vehicle power supply (ACC) is maintained for a predetermined time by turning off the ignition. In Fig. 3, IVI stands for In-Vehicle Infotainment, CRS stands for the seating detection unit 2 of the child seat 1, and the meter display stands for indicator lights that show, for example, whether or not a child is seated.

[0024] Here, the above-mentioned alarm device locks the front door DR while maintaining the vehicle power supply (ACC) for a predetermined time, and if the child K has not yet finished getting out of the vehicle, the control device 4 sends an alarm generation command to the alarm generation unit 3 (3A to 3C), as shown in the alarm (alarm A) on the left side of Fig. 3. As a result, the alarm device activates at least one of the alarm generation unit 3, i.e., the hazard lamp 3A, the horn 3B, and the portable device 3C of the driver M, as shown in Fig. 1(D), to notify the driver M of the presence of the child K in the vehicle.

[0025] 3 is a time chart for the case where the front door DR is not locked and the child K has not yet exited the vehicle after the vehicle power supply (ACC) has been maintained for a predetermined time by turning off the ignition. In this case, if the rear door opening / closing detection unit 6 detects an opening or closing, the alarm device presumes that the child K has exited the vehicle and deactivates the alarm generating unit 3.

[0026] The child seat alarm device having the above configuration keeps the vehicle power supply (ACC) on for a certain period of time after the ignition is turned off, so that it issues an alarm if the doors DR and RR are locked even though a child K is seated in the child seat 1, thereby notifying the driver that a child K is in the vehicle V and improving the function of preventing a child K from being left behind in the vehicle V.

[0027] Furthermore, in the above-described child seat alarm device, even if the seating detection unit 2 detects that a child K is seated, the control device 4 maintains the vehicle power supply for a predetermined time, and when the front door DR is locked, the rear door opening / closing detection unit 6 deactivates the alarm generating unit 3. In other words, even if the CRS shown in FIG. 3 has information confirming that a child K is seated, the alarm device deactivates the alarm if the rear door RR is opened or closed.

[0028] As a result, after the information from the seating detection unit 2 of the child seat 1 has not been updated, the child seat alarm device issues an alarm based on CRS information immediately before locking and information on the opening and closing of the rear door RR, as shown in Figure 3, thereby preventing false activation. Note that if there are no passengers, the driver M will usually get the child K out of the vehicle himself. If the above alarm device issues an alarm every time there is information about the child K being seated, it will give the driver M an annoyed impression, so the operation of the alarm generation unit 3 is controlled taking into account the driver M's actions of getting out of the vehicle.

[0029] Furthermore, the above-mentioned child seat alarm device has a function in which the control device 4 turns off the vehicle power supply if the rear door opening / closing detection unit 6 detects opening or closing at the time the ignition of the vehicle V is turned off. As a result, the alarm device recognizes that a person has gotten out of the rear door RR by detecting that the rear door RR is opening or closing, and thereafter, since there is no need to keep the vehicle power supply on for a predetermined period of time, the vehicle power supply is turned off to reduce battery consumption.

[0030] Furthermore, the above-mentioned child seat warning device has a function in the control device 4 to turn off the vehicle power supply after turning off the ignition of the vehicle V if the seating detection unit 2 does not detect that a child K is seated, thereby further reducing battery consumption.

[0031] Furthermore, the above-mentioned child seat warning device is equipped with a display unit 7 that has the function of displaying the detection results of the seating detection unit 2 when the vehicle power is ON, thereby displaying the seating information of the child seat 1 on the screen of a car navigation device, etc., thereby providing a visual warning to the driver M, etc.

[0032] The details of the configuration of the child seat alarm device according to the present invention are not limited to the above-described embodiment, and can be modified as appropriate within the scope of the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0033] 1. Child seat 2. Seat detection unit 3. Alarm generation section 3A Hazard lamp (warning unit) 3B Horn (alarm generator) 3C Portable device (alarm generating section) 4. Control device 6 Rear door opening / closing detector 7 Display section DR Front Door RR rear door V vehicle

Claims

1. A child seat installed in a vehicle; a seating detection unit that detects whether a child is seated in the child car seat; an alarm generating unit that generates an alarm, A child seat alarm device characterized in that the vehicle power supply is maintained for a predetermined time when the ignition of the vehicle is turned off, and when the front door of the vehicle is locked, if the seat detection unit detects that a child is seated, an alarm generation command is sent to the alarm generation unit.

2. a rear door opening / closing detection unit that detects opening / closing of a rear door of the vehicle; The child seat alarm device of claim 1, wherein the alarm generating unit is activated when the front door is locked after the vehicle power supply is maintained for a predetermined time and the seating detection unit detects a child seated in the seat and the rear door opening / closing detection unit does not detect opening or closing.

3. 3. The child seat alarm device according to claim 2, wherein the vehicle power supply is turned off when the rear door open / close detector detects an open / close state of the rear door at the time the ignition of the vehicle is turned off.

4. 2. The child car seat warning device according to claim 1, wherein if the seating detection unit does not detect a child seated on the vehicle, the vehicle power supply is turned off after the ignition of the vehicle is turned off.

5. The vehicle is provided with a display unit that displays map information and vehicle information, 2. The child seat warning device according to claim 1, wherein the display unit has a function of displaying the detection result of the seating detection unit when the vehicle power supply is ON.

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