Vehicular Seats with Fluid-Containing Weight Sensing Sysem
First Claim
1. A system for measuring the weight of an occupant in a vehicle seat having a bottom portion and a back portion at an angle to the bottom portion and for controlling a safety restraint system responsive thereto, comprising:
- a bladder mounted within or beneath an upper surface of the bottom portion of the seat and supported by a base of the seat, said bladder being constructed from a flexible material and containing a fluid;
a pressure sensor operatively coupled to said bladder for generating a signal responsive to pressure of said fluid within said bladder caused by pressure applied to the upper surface of the seat; and
a processor coupled to said pressure sensor for determining the weight of the occupant from said signal and generating a control signal for controlling the safety restraint system responsive to said weight determination.
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Accused Products
Abstract
System for measuring the weight of an occupant in a vehicle seat having a bottom portion and a back portion at an angle to the bottom portion and for controlling a safety restraint system responsive thereto which includes a fluid-containing bladder mounted within or beneath an upper surface of the bottom portion of the seat and supported by a base of the seat, a pressure sensor operatively coupled to the bladder for generating a signal responsive to pressure of the fluid within the bladder caused by pressure applied to the upper surface of the seat, and a processor coupled to the pressure sensor for determining the weight of the occupant from the signal and generating a control signal for controlling the safety restraint system responsive to the weight determination. The weight of the occupant can be used to control components in the vehicle or the seat itself.
104 Citations
18 Claims
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1. A system for measuring the weight of an occupant in a vehicle seat having a bottom portion and a back portion at an angle to the bottom portion and for controlling a safety restraint system responsive thereto, comprising:
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a bladder mounted within or beneath an upper surface of the bottom portion of the seat and supported by a base of the seat, said bladder being constructed from a flexible material and containing a fluid;
a pressure sensor operatively coupled to said bladder for generating a signal responsive to pressure of said fluid within said bladder caused by pressure applied to the upper surface of the seat; and
a processor coupled to said pressure sensor for determining the weight of the occupant from said signal and generating a control signal for controlling the safety restraint system responsive to said weight determination. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A system for controlling a safety restraint system responsive to the weight on a vehicle seat having a bottom portion and a back portion at an angle to the bottom portion, comprising:
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a fluid containing means operatively coupled to the bottom portion of the seat for generating a pressure within the fluid responsive to the weight on the bottom portion of the vehicle seat;
a sensing means for sensing the pressure of said fluid; and
a control means for controlling the safety restraint system responsive to the pressure of said fluid as sensed by said sensing means. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A system for controlling a safety restraint system responsive to the weight on a vehicle seat, comprising:
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a fluid confinement operatively coupled to the vehicle seat whereby the pressure of said fluid is responsive to the weight on the vehicle seat;
a pressure sensor operatively coupled to said fluid confinement for generating a signal responsive to the pressure of said fluid; and
a signal processor operatively coupled to said pressure sensor for controlling the safety restraint system responsive to said signal. - View Dependent Claims (14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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Specification