FOAM SEAT SENSOR

• US 3,749,866 A
• Filed: 05/01/1972
• Issued: 07/31/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 05/01/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Michael George Tiazkun, Winfield Warren Loose
• Original Assignee: Michael George Tiazkun, Winfield Warren Loose
• Inventors: Loose, Winfield Warren, Tiazkun, Michael George
• Primary Examiner(s): Hohauser, Herman J.
• Application Number:
  US05/249,114
• Time in Patent Office: 456 Days
• Field of Search: 200/85R,85A,86 307/1SB 180/102 340/52E,272
• US Class Current: 200/85.00A
• 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 2/0033 mounted on or in the foam cushion
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/46 Electric switches
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4858 for sensing pressure on seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: H01H 35/003 Switches operated by other part of human body than hands push-button switches H01H13/16; slide switches H01H15/20; cord switches H01H17/10; other switches H01H19/16 and H01H21/26

Abstract

A planar, low profile switch assembly at each occupant position of a foam vehicle seat construction comprises upper and lower spaced, flexible conductive metal strips with a foam strip interposed between and separating the metal strips. Primary lances partially struck from the upper strip normally lie in the same plane as the upper strip proper but are flexed by seat occupation, the primary lances deflecting through openings in the foam strip to make contact with the lower metal strip. A plurality of longitudinally spaced secondary lances are carried at the free end of the primary lance for contact wiping and arc prevention, respectively.

Claims

1. A planar, low profile switch assembly operable by localized deformation by a human body sitting upon the same, said assembly comprising:

an upper flexible, resilient electrically conductive metal strip, a similar, lower, flexible, resilient, electrically conductive metal strip, a foam member interposed between said strips tending to maintain said strips in spaced, non-contact position in the absence of said human body, at lease one primary lance partially struck from said upper strip and normally lying in the same plane as the upper strip proper, but being relatively displaceable toward the other strip during forceable depressible distortion of said assembly, said foam member including an opening surrounding said primary lance to permit deflection of said lance within said foam member opening towards the strip and into contact therewith, and said primary lance including at least one other short, secondary lance formed within the same and projecting downwardly therefrom in the same direction as said primary lance deflection for initial contact with said lower metal strip.

2. The switch assembly as claimed in claim 1, wherein said secondary lances are two in number and are longitudinally spaced from each other and adjacent the free end of the primary lance, whereby, at least one of said secondary lances moves longitudinally during contact with said lower metal strip to effect a wiping action of the area of contact, and one of said secondary lances maintains contact with said lower metal strip during intermittent movement of said other contact away from said strip to prevent arcing between said metal strips at the contact interface.

3. The switch assembly as cLaimed in claim 1, wherein a second solid foam member overlies said upper metal strip, whereby compression of said switch assembly by said human body causes a localized portion of said second foam member, corresponding to the opening in the upper strip defined by the primary lance, to enter said opening and to depress the primary lance into contact with the lower metal strip and upon body removal, the resiliency of said primary lance forces the localized portion of the second foam member back through the opening and returns the primary lance to a coplanar position with respect to said upper metal strip.

4. The switch assembly as claimed in claim 2, wherein a second solid foam member overlies said metal strip, whereby compression by said body of said switch assembly causes a localized portion of said second foam member corresponding to the opening in the upper strip defined by the primary lance to enter said opening and depress the primary lance into contact with the lower metal strip and upon body removal, the resiliency of said primary lance forces the localized portion of the second foam member back through the opening and returns the primary lance to a coplanar position with respect to said upper metal strip.

5. In combination, a seat construction including a pad of foam material spanning the top of said seat, recesses within said foam pad at each possible occupant position, a planar low profile switch assembly carried within each recess and operatively responsive to localized occupancy of said seat, each switch assembly comprising:

an upper flexible, resilient, electrically conductive metal strip, a lower electrically conductive metal strip, a first foam strip interposed between said strips and tending to maintain said strips in spaced non-electrical contact position, at least one primary lance partially struck from said upper strip and normally lying in the same plane as the upper strip proper, but being relatively displaceable during seat occupancy at a given position towards said lower strip, and an opening formed within said first foam strip surrounding the opening defined by said primary lance and permitting deflection of said primary lance within said first foam strip opening into contact with said lower strip, and a second unbroken foam strip overlying said upper metal strip, whereby, occupancy of said seat at any one of said occupant positions causes a localized portion of said second foam strip corresponding to the opening in the upper metal strip to depress said primary lance into contact with said lower metal strip.

6. The foam seat assembly as claimed in claim 5, wherein said primary lance includes at least one short, secondary lance within said primary lance and projecting downwardly therefrom in the same direction as said primary lance deflection to effect initial contact with said lower metal strip.

7. The foam seat assembly as claimed in claim 6, wherein said secondary lances are two in number and longitudinally spaced from each other and positioned adjacent the free end of the primary lance and wherein said primary lance is struck out from said upper electrically conductive metal strip in a direction such that at least one of said secondary lances makes wiping contact with said lower electrically conductive metal strip during extending and retracing of said primary lance during occupancy so as to insure a clean electrical contact between said metal strips.