CHILD SEAT SENSOR

• US 20090201163A1
• Filed: 09/30/2005
• Published: 08/13/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SA (Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SA (Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group Company Limited)
• Inventors: Decoster, Yves, Orlewski, Pierre
• Application Number:
  US11/576,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20090201163A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/667
• 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 2/28 Seats readily mountable on, and dismountable from, existing seats or other parts of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0154 in combination with seat heating
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems

Abstract

A child seat sensor (10) comprises at least one antenna structure (22, 24, 26) to be integrated into a vehicle seat (26). The at least one antenna structure (22, 24, 26) comprises at least one antenna wire for emitting and/or receiving an electromagnetic field, which may be influenced by the presence and/or the orientation of a child seat. According to an important aspect of the invention, the child seat sensor (10) comprises a fixing element (28) for fixing the antenna structure (22, 24, 26) to a portion of the seat (16). The fixing element (28) is arranged together with the antenna wire on an individual carrier material (30) in such a way, that the antenna structure (22, 24, 26) is fixable to the seat portion (16) by activation of the fixing element (28).

Claims

1. A child seat presence and orientation sensor comprising

at least one antenna structure to be integrated into a vehicle seat, said at least one antenna structure comprising at least one antenna wire arranged as a loop for emitting and/or receiving an electromagnetic field, and

a fixing element for fixing said antenna structure to a portion of said seat, said fixing element being arranged together with said antenna wire on an individual carrier material in such a way, that said antenna structure is fixable to said seat portion by activation of said fixing element.

2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixing element comprises a double-sided adhesive layer and wherein said antenna wire is sandwiched between said carrier material and said double-sided adhesive layer.

3. The device as claimed in claim 2, wherein said double-sided adhesive layer comprises a protecting film on an outer surface which faces away from said carrier material.

4. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixing element comprises a thermo-activatable adhesive.

5. The device as claimed in claim 4, wherein said fixing element comprises an electrical circuit in heat transfer relationship with said thermo-activatable adhesive.

6. The device as claimed in claim 5, wherein said antenna is part of said electrical circuit.

7. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixing element comprises pressure sensitive positioning adhesives.

8. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carrier material comprises a woven material.

9. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixing element comprises a continuous layer of an adhesive of a group comprising thermo-activatable adhesive, glue, hotmelt or resin.

10. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said portion of said seat comprises a seat cover and/or a seat cushion.

11. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said fixing element comprises locally arranged spots of an adhesive of a group comprising thermo-activatable adhesive, glue, hotmelt or resin.

12. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carrier material comprises a non-woven material

13. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carrier material comprises a polymer material.

14. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein said carrier material comprises a foam material.

15. A child seat presence and orientation sensor comprising

at least one antenna structure to be integrated into a vehicle seat, said at least one antenna structure comprising at least one antenna wire arranged as a loop for emitting and/or receiving an electromagnetic field, and

a fixing element for fixing said antenna stricture to a portion of said seat, said fixing element being arranged together with said antenna wire on an individual carrier material in such a way, that said antenna structure is fixable to said seat portion by activation of said fixing element, wherein

said fixing element comprises a thermo-activatable adhesive and an electrical circuit in heat transfer relationship with said thermo-activatable adhesive.

16. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said antenna is part of said electrical circuit.

17. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said carrier material comprises a woven material.

18. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said carrier material comprises a non-woven material.

19. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said carrier material comprises a polymer material.

20. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said carrier material comprises a foam material.

21. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said fixing element comprises a continuous layer of an adhesive of a group comprising thermo-activatable adhesive, glue, hotmelt or resin.

22. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said fixing element comprises locally arranged spots of an adhesive of a group comprising thermo-activatable adhesive, glue, hotmelt or resin.

23. The device as claimed in claim 15, wherein said portion of said seat comprises a seat cover and/or a seat cushion.