OCCUPANT WEIGHT SENSOR

• US 20140338988A1
• Filed: 05/17/2013
• Published: 11/20/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/17/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sensata Technologies Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Original Assignee: Sensata Technologies Incorporated (Sensata Technologies Holding Plc)
• Inventors: Zwijze, Robert, Hatch, David
• Granted Patent: US 9,297,687 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 177/136
• 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 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 19/4142 for controlling activation of safety devices, e.g. airbag systems electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements in case of vehicle accidents B60R21/015
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 3/13 having piezoelectric or piezoresistive properties
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 3/1408 the supports being of the column type, e.g. cylindric
• CPC Class Codes: G01G 3/1414 Arrangements for correcting or for compensating for unwanted effects
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/2293 of the semi-conductor type semi-conductor devices controllable by variations of applied mechanical force H01L29/84

Abstract

In an embodiment, an apparatus may include a sense element having a first end and a second end; and a stud fitted inside the sense element. The stud may have a first end and a second end. The first end of the stud may be free floating with respect to the sense element. The second end of the stud may be attached to the second end of the sense element. The sense element may include one or more gauges. The gauges may sense strain on the sense element. The apparatus may include a ridge that may be used to provide overload protection of the apparatus. The ridge may be placed on the stud, the sense element, or the stud and sense element.

Claims

1. An apparatus comprising:

a sense element having a first end and a second end; and

a stud fitted within the sense element, the stud having a first end and a second end, the first end of the stud free floating with respect to the sense element, the second end of the stud being attached to the second end of the sense element.

2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second end of the stud is secured to the second end of the sense element using a spot weld.

3. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the second end of the stud second end of the stud is secured to the sense element using a fastener.

4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the fastener is a nut.

5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the stud includes a ridge at the first end of the stud.

6. The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising:

one or more gauges.

7. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more gauges are for sensing a strain on the sense element.

8. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more gauges is located on a beam portion of the sense element.

9. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more gauges is attached to the sense element using a glass bonding process.

10. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more gauges include a piezoresistive layer.

11. The apparatus of claim 10, wherein the piezoresistive layer is formed using an epitaxy process.

12. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more gauges include aluminum metallization.

13. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein a geometry of the one or more gauge is defined by deep reactive-ion etching (DRIE) process.

14. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein the one or more gauges include one or more resistive element that are part of a bridge circuit.

15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the bridge circuit is a full-bridge circuit.

16. The apparatus of claim 6, wherein one or more of the gauges are mono crystalline silicon gauges.