Occupant sensing heat mat

• US 20090008377A1
• Filed: 07/05/2007
• Published: 01/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 07/05/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Original Assignee: Lear Corporation
• Inventors: Nathan, John F., Kennedy, Karl, Karumathil, Santosh, Maue, H. Winston
• Application Number:
  US11/825,210
• Publication Number:
  US 20090008377A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 219/217
• 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: B60N 2/5685 Resistance
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0153 using field detection presence sensors
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 1/0238 For seats
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/003 using serpentine layout
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/005 using multiple resistive elements or resistive zones isolated from each other
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/014 Heaters using resistive wires or cables not provided for in H05B3/54
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/017 Manufacturing methods or apparatus for heaters
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 2203/029 Heaters specially adapted for seat warmers
• CPC Class Codes: H05B 3/34 flexible, e.g. heating nets or webs

Abstract

A seat heating and occupant sensing assembly including a mat having a plurality of heat sources disposed therein. A power supply supplies power to the heat sources. The assembly further includes a controller in communication with a signal generator. The signal generator provides electric signals to the heat sources to form an electric field. The controller monitors one of the signals and electric field for recognizable characteristics for determining the presence of an occupant on the seat.

Claims

1. A seat heating and occupant sensing assembly comprising:

a mat;

a plurality of heat sources disposed within the mat;

a power supply supplying power to the heat sources;

a controller;

a signal generator in communication with the controller, the signal generator providing electric signals to the heat sources to form an electric field, and wherein the controller monitors one of the signals and electric field for recognizable characteristics for determining the presence of an occupant on the seat.

2. The assembly of claim 1 in which said mat includes zones.

3. The assembly of claim 2 in which said zones each contain a heat source.

4. The assembly of claim 1 in which said heat sources include a resistive electric grid.

5. The assembly of claim 4 in which said resistive electric grids have a heating density in a range of about 200 watts/m² to about 1200 watts/m².

6. The assembly of claim 4 in which said resistive electric grids use D.C. electrical power to provide heat.

7. The assembly of claim 1 in which said signal from said signal generator in a sinusoidal wave form.

8. The assembly of claim 1 in which said recognizable characteristics of said electric fields include field frequencies.

9. The assembly of claim 1 in which said electric fields are disturbed by the presence of a foreign object.

10. The assembly of claim 9 in which said disturbance causes said controller to notify other control systems.