Capacitive sensor apparatus for passenger presence detection
First Claim
1. Sensor apparatus for detecting the presence of a passenger on a seat, comprising:
- first and second rigid planar force translation plates disposed in said seat;
joining means for joining said force translation plates in a manner that maintains them substantially parallel to each other while permitting movement of either force translation plate relative to the other in a direction perpendicular to said force translation plates;
a set of springs disposed between said first and second force translation plates for exerting a bias force that biases said first and second force translation plates apart in said perpendicular direction;
first and second conductor plates centrally affixed to inboard faces of said first and second force translation plates, respectively; and
a control circuit responsive to a gap capacitance between said first and second conductor plates for detecting the presence of said passenger when a weight of said passenger overcomes the bias force of said springs.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A capacitive sensor apparatus is disposed between the bottom cushion and frame of a seat. The sensor apparatus includes first and second mutually parallel rigid force translation plates biased apart by a set of springs, first and second conductor plates centrally affixed to inboard faces of the first and second force translation plates, and a control circuit responsive to the gap capacitance between the first and second conductor plates. The force translation plates are joined in a manner to maintain the conductor plates parallel to each other while permitting movement of either force translation plate relative to the other in a mutually perpendicular direction.
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Citations
8 Claims
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1. Sensor apparatus for detecting the presence of a passenger on a seat, comprising:
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first and second rigid planar force translation plates disposed in said seat; joining means for joining said force translation plates in a manner that maintains them substantially parallel to each other while permitting movement of either force translation plate relative to the other in a direction perpendicular to said force translation plates; a set of springs disposed between said first and second force translation plates for exerting a bias force that biases said first and second force translation plates apart in said perpendicular direction; first and second conductor plates centrally affixed to inboard faces of said first and second force translation plates, respectively; and a control circuit responsive to a gap capacitance between said first and second conductor plates for detecting the presence of said passenger when a weight of said passenger overcomes the bias force of said springs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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Specification