Seatbelt minder

• US 20070235243A1
• Filed: 04/07/2006
• Published: 10/11/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 04/07/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Kennedy, Karl, Young, Oliver, Ricard, Christopher, Nathan, John, Wegrzyn, Rob
• Application Number:
  US11/400,477
• Publication Number:
  US 20070235243A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/273
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01197 Warning devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01544 detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment

Abstract

A vehicle seat sensing system is provided for detecting a presence of an unrestrained vehicle occupant on a vehicle seat cushion. A plurality of sensor assemblies are in spaced relation to one another and disposed adjacent a lower surface of said vehicle seat cushion. Each of the plurality of sensor assemblies variably sense a displacement of the vehicle seat cushion. A summing circuit disposed in proximity to the plurality of sensor assemblies is provided for summing sensed signals from the plurality of sensor assemblies. The summing circuit provides a summed output signal indicative of a presence of a vehicle occupant. The summed output signal is output exterior of the vehicle seat for determining whether the vehicle occupant is seated on the vehicle seat cushion.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat sensing system for detecting a presence of an unrestrained vehicle occupant on a vehicle seat cushion comprising:

a plurality of sensor assemblies in spaced relation to one another and disposed adjacent a lower surface of said vehicle seat cushion, wherein each of said plurality of sensor assemblies variably sense a displacement of said vehicle seat cushion; and

a summing circuit disposed in proximity to said plurality of sensor assemblies for summing sensed signals from said plurality of sensor assemblies, said summing circuit providing a summed output signal indicative of a presence of a vehicle occupant; and

wherein said summed output signal is output exterior of said vehicle seat for determining whether said vehicle occupant is seated on said vehicle seat cushion.

2. The vehicle seat sensing system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of sensor assemblies are arranged in a mat sensor array assembly.

3. The vehicle seat sensing system of claim 2 wherein said summing circuit is disposed on said mat sensor array assembly.

4. The vehicle seat sensing system of claim 3 wherein said mat sensor array assembly is a flex circuit.

5. The vehicle seat sensing system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of sensor assemblies comprise hall effect sensors.

6. The vehicle seat sensing system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of sensor assemblies comprise proportional sensors.

7. The safety restraint alert system of claim 1 wherein said summed output signal is adapted to be processed by a occupant sensing system.

8. The vehicle seat sensing system of claim 1 wherein said summed output signal is adapted to be output to an occupant sensing system for detecting an unrestrained vehicle occupant seated on said vehicle seat cushion.

9. The vehicle seat sensing system of claim 1 wherein said summed output signal is adapted to be used for detecting an unrestrained vehicle occupant seated on said vehicle seat cushion.

10. The vehicle seat sensing system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of sensor assemblies sense a respective region of said vehicle seat cushion.

11. The vehicle seat sensing system of claim 1 wherein said plurality of sensor assemblies sense respective regions of said vehicle seat cushion.

12. The vehicle seat sensing system of claim 1 wherein said summed output signal is a summed voltage signal.

13. The vehicle seat sensing system of claim 1 wherein said summed output signal is a resistance signal.

14. A method for detecting an unrestrained vehicle occupant seated on a vehicle seat cushion of a vehicle, said method comprising the steps of:

providing a plurality of sensor assemblies in spaced relation to one another disposed adjacent a lower surface of said vehicle seat cushion, each of said plurality of sensor assemblies output a sensed signal for variably sensing a displacement of a respective region of said vehicle seat cushion;

summing each sensed output signal from said plurality of sensor assemblies;

outputting a summed output signal exterior to said vehicle seat to be used for determining said presence of said vehicle occupant.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein outputting said summed output signal is adapted to be used for detecting an unrestrained vehicle occupant.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein said sensors comprise hall effect sensors.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein said step of determining whether said vehicle occupant is unrestrained includes determining if a seat belt harness is unsecured.

18. The method of claim 14 wherein determining whether a vehicle occupant is seated on said vehicle seat cushion in response to said summed output signal includes determining whether said summed output signal is greater than a predetermined threshold.

19. The method of claim 14 wherein said plurality of sensor assemblies each sense a proportional displacement of said vehicle seat cushion.

20. The method of claim 14 wherein said summed output signal is converted to a resistance value.