INTERNALLY TETHERED SEAT BLADDER FOR OCCUPANT WEIGHT ESTIMATION
First Claim
1. An elastomeric bladder disposed in a seat for occupant weight estimation, the bladder comprising:
- upper and lower sheets of elastomeric material peripherally welded to form a closed volume containing a bladder fluid; and
a plurality of elastomeric tethers coupling said upper and lower sheets within said peripheral weld, where said tethers are in a state of partial collapse when no occupant weight is applied to said seat, and where tethers in any given portion of said bladder;
(1) further collapse when occupant weight is applied to said seat and causes the bladder fluid to be displaced from said given portion of said bladder, and (2) extend to restrict separation of said upper and lower sheets when occupant weight is applied to said seat and causes the bladder fluid to collect in said given portion of said bladder.
5 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An elastomeric seat bladder for a vehicle occupant weight estimation system includes a plurality of elastomeric tethers defined by bands or sheets of elastomeric material coupling upper and lower layers of the bladder within a peripheral weld in order to reduce fluid pooling and distention or bulging of the bladder due to localized loading. The elastomeric tethers are spot or seam welded to upper and lower sheets of the bladder; they extend to limit distension where required, and otherwise partially or fully collapse to minimize vertical shunting of occupant weight through the bladder.
-
Citations
5 Claims
-
1. An elastomeric bladder disposed in a seat for occupant weight estimation, the bladder comprising:
-
upper and lower sheets of elastomeric material peripherally welded to form a closed volume containing a bladder fluid; and
a plurality of elastomeric tethers coupling said upper and lower sheets within said peripheral weld, where said tethers are in a state of partial collapse when no occupant weight is applied to said seat, and where tethers in any given portion of said bladder;
(1) further collapse when occupant weight is applied to said seat and causes the bladder fluid to be displaced from said given portion of said bladder, and (2) extend to restrict separation of said upper and lower sheets when occupant weight is applied to said seat and causes the bladder fluid to collect in said given portion of said bladder. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
-
Specification