Deflection plate weight sensor for vehicle seat

• US 20050093277A1
• Filed: 11/04/2003
• Published: 05/05/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Schubert, Peter J.
• Granted Patent: US 7,143,658 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0152 using strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/33 Arrangements for non-electric triggering of inflation electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01

Abstract

The present invention involves a vehicle for passengers having a passenger safety system. The system has a crash sensor, a vehicle seat with a weight sensor assembly, an air bag and an air bag controller. The crash sensor is capable of providing a signal when the vehicle experiences an impact force of a predetermined magnitude. The vehicle seat is capable of supporting a vehicle occupant, with a seat frame member attached to a vehicle floor pan. The seat frame member has a rigid end and a resiliently flexible end, the resiliently flexible end able to resiliently deflect with respect to the vehicle floor pan upon experiencing a force due to the weight of the vehicle occupant. The sensor assembly has a cantilevered beam, a fulcrum, and a sensing device. The cantilevered beam has only one point of fixed attachment for connecting to the vehicle floor pan and the seat frame member, and is capable of resiliently deflecting upon experiencing a load force and capable of returning to its pre-load orientation after said load force is removed. The fulcrum is located beneath the free end of the cantilevered beam so as to prevent the beam from permanently deforming under extreme loading conditions. The sensing device is located beneath the cantilevered beam and is adapted to provide a signal when said beam is subjected to a load force of a predetermined magnitude. The airbag is suited to rapidly deploy and provide protection to the passengers when the vehicle experiences an impact force of a predetermined magnitude. The airbag controller is capable of interpreting signals from the crash sensor and sensing device to determine whether to deploy the airbag when the vehicle experiences an impact force of a predetermined magnitude.

Claims

1. A weight measuring sensor assembly for use in a vehicle having a vehicle seat capable of supporting a vehicle occupant, wherein the vehicle seat comprises a seat frame member attached to a vehicle floor pan, the seat frame member comprising a rigid end and a resiliently flexible end, the resiliently flexible end able to resiliently deflect with respect to the vehicle floor pan upon experiencing a force due to the weight of the vehicle occupant, said sensor assembly comprising:

a plate member, said plate member comprising a fixed first end, a body portion, and a second end, wherein said body portion is capable of resiliently deflecting upon experiencing a load force, and said body portion is further capable of returning to a pre-load orientation after said load force is removed, wherein said second end is movable relative to said fixed first end of said plate member and disposed at an angle relative to the floor pan, and said fixed first end is oriented generally horizontal relative to the floor pan, said fixed first end opposing said second end, and said second end being associated with the seat frame;

a fulcrum located beneath said second end of said plate member structured and arranged to prevent said second end from entering the plane defined by said fixed first end; and

a sensing device located beneath said body of said plate member, at a point between said fixed first end and said fulcrum, and adapted to provide a signal when said plate member is subjected to a load force of a predetermined magnitude.

2. The weight measuring sensor assembly of claim 1, further comprising a fastener, wherein said fixed first end of said plate member comprises an opening adapted to receive said fastener to secure said fixed first end to the rigid end of the seat frame member.

3. The weight measuring sensor assembly of claim 2, wherein said opening in said fixed first end of said plate member comprises one of a hole and a slot.

4. The weight measuring sensor assembly of claim 2, wherein said fastener comprises one of a pin, a rivet, a tab, and a threaded fastener.

5. The weight measuring sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein said fixed first end of said plate member is secured to one of said rigid end of said seat frame member and said vehicle floor pan with a weld.

6. The weight measuring sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein said plate member further comprises an indentation within which said sensing device is mounted.

7. The weight measuring sensor assembly of claim 6, wherein said sensing device is adhesively mounted into said indentation.

8. The weight measuring sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein said fulcrum is integrally formed in said second end of said plate member.

9. The weight measuring sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein said sensing device is a strain gauge.

10. The weight measuring sensor assembly of claim 1, wherein said sensing device is adapted to sense said plate member being strained during attachment of said fixed first end and measure an initial “

baseline”

force.

11. The weight measuring sensor assembly of claim 10, wherein said sensing device is adapted to sense a load force applied to said vehicle seat frame less than said “

baseline”

force.

12. The weight measuring sensor assembly of claim 10, wherein said sensing device is adapted to sense a load force applied to said vehicle seat frame greater than said “

baseline”

force.

13. A weight measuring sensor assembly for use in a vehicle having a vehicle seat capable of supporting a vehicle occupant, wherein the vehicle seat comprises a seat frame member attached to a vehicle floor pan, the seat frame member comprising a rigid end and a resiliently flexible end, the resiliently flexible end able to resiliently deflect with respect to the vehicle floor pan upon experiencing a force due to the weight of the vehicle occupant, said sensor assembly comprising:

a cantilevered beam having only one point of fixed attachment for connecting to said vehicle floor pan and said seat frame member, said cantilevered beam capable of resiliently deflecting upon experiencing a load force and capable of returning to its pre-load orientation after said load force is removed;

a fulcrum located beneath said free end of said cantilevered beam so as to prevent said beam from permanently deforming under extreme loading conditions; and

a sensing device located beneath said cantilevered beam and adapted to provide a signal when said beam is subjected to a load force of a predetermined magnitude.

14. A vehicle for passengers having a passenger safety system comprising:

a crash sensor, said sensor capable of providing a signal when the vehicle experiences an impact force of a predetermined magnitude;

a vehicle seat capable of supporting a vehicle occupant, wherein the vehicle seat comprises a seat frame member attached to a vehicle floor pan, the seat frame member comprising a rigid end and a resiliently flexible end, the resiliently flexible end able to resiliently deflect with respect to the vehicle floor pan upon experiencing a force due to the weight of the vehicle occupant;

a sensor assembly comprising;

a cantilevered beam having only one point of fixed attachment for connecting to said vehicle floor pan and said seat frame member, said cantilevered beam capable of resiliently deflecting upon experiencing a load force and capable of returning to its pre-load orientation after said load force is removed;

a fulcrum located beneath said free end of said cantilevered beam so as to prevent said beam from permanently deforming under extreme loading conditions; and

a sensing device located beneath said cantilevered beam and adapted to provide a signal when said beam is subjected to a load force of a predetermined magnitude;

an airbag, said airbag suited to rapidly deploy and provide protection to the passengers when the vehicle experiences an impact force of a predetermined magnitude; and

an airbag controller, said controller capable of interpreting said signals respectively provided by said crash sensor and said sensing device and determining whether to deploy said airbag when the vehicle experiences an impact force of a predetermined magnitude.