Vehicle seat air bladder pressure sensor
First Claim
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1. A vehicle seat surface air bladder type pressure sensor having an integrated inflation maintenance feature, comprising:
- an air bladder comprising at least a flexible upper membrane with a perimeter and defining a pressurized sensing volume below said upper membrane having a predetermined operating pressure, said membrane being subject to inherent, continual air leakage that potentially reduces said operating pressure;
a pressure reservoir adjacent to said membrane perimeter and having an internal supply pressure substantially higher than said operating pressure, said reservoir having a substantially lower inherent air leakage;
an air supply pump connected to said pressure reservoir so as to activate and re pressurize said reservoir when said reservoir pressure falls to a threshold pressure intermediate said supply pressure and said operating pressure; and
,at least one passive valve interconnecting said reservoir and sensing volume which opens to said reservoir when said bladder pressure falls below said operating pressure to admit higher pressure air from said reservoir and which closes when said operating pressure has been restored,whereby said sensing volume is kept continually pressurized from said reservoir by said valve, while said pump is activated only when said reservoir pressure falls to said threshold pressure.
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Abstract
An air bladder type pressure sensor for a vehicle seat includes an integral pressure reservoir and interconnecting valves to keep the sensor membrane automatically properly inflated. An air pump refills the reservoir intermittently, while the reservoir keeps the membrane pressurized continually.
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Citations
3 Claims
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1. A vehicle seat surface air bladder type pressure sensor having an integrated inflation maintenance feature, comprising:
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an air bladder comprising at least a flexible upper membrane with a perimeter and defining a pressurized sensing volume below said upper membrane having a predetermined operating pressure, said membrane being subject to inherent, continual air leakage that potentially reduces said operating pressure; a pressure reservoir adjacent to said membrane perimeter and having an internal supply pressure substantially higher than said operating pressure, said reservoir having a substantially lower inherent air leakage; an air supply pump connected to said pressure reservoir so as to activate and re pressurize said reservoir when said reservoir pressure falls to a threshold pressure intermediate said supply pressure and said operating pressure; and
,at least one passive valve interconnecting said reservoir and sensing volume which opens to said reservoir when said bladder pressure falls below said operating pressure to admit higher pressure air from said reservoir and which closes when said operating pressure has been restored, whereby said sensing volume is kept continually pressurized from said reservoir by said valve, while said pump is activated only when said reservoir pressure falls to said threshold pressure.
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2. A vehicle seat surface air bladder type pressure sensor having an integrated inflation maintenance feature, comprising:
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an air bladder comprising at least a flexible upper membrane with a perimeter and defining a pressurized sensing volume below said upper membrane having a predetermined operating pressure, said sensing volume having a predetermined operating thickness and being subject to inherent, continual leakage that potentially reduces said operating pressure; a pressure reservoir adjacent to said membrane perimeter having a thickness less than said sensing volume thickness and having an internal supply pressure substantially higher than said operating pressure, said reservoir having a substantially lower inherent air leakage; an air supply pump connected to said pressure reservoir so as to activate and re pressurize said reservoir when said reservoir pressure falls to a threshold pressure intermediate said supply pressure and said operating pressure; and at least one passive valve interconnecting said reservoir and sensing volume which opens to said reservoir when said bladder pressure falls below said operating pressure to admit higher pressure air from said reservoir and which closes when said operating pressure has been restored, whereby said sensing volume is kept continually pressurized from said reservoir by said valve and maintained continually thicker than said adjacent reservoir, while said pump is activated only when said reservoir pressure falls to said threshold pressure.
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3. A vehicle seat surface air bladder type pressure sensor having an integrated inflation maintenance feature, comprising:
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an air bladder comprising at least a flexible upper membrane with a perimeter and defining a pressurized sensing volume below said upper membrane having a predetermined operating pressure, said sensing volume having a predetermined operating thickness and being subject to inherent, continual leakage that potentially reduces said operating pressure; a pressure reservoir surrounding and integrally formed with said membrane perimeter as a supporting frame thereto, said reservoir having a thickness less than said sensing volume thickness and having an internal supply pressure substantially higher than said operating pressure; an air supply pump connected to said pressure reservoir so as to activate and re pressurize said reservoir when said reservoir pressure falls to a threshold pressure intermediate said supply pressure and said operating pressure; and at least one passive valve interconnecting said reservoir and sensing volume which opens to said reservoir when said bladder pressure falls below said operating pressure to admit higher pressure air from said reservoir and which closes when said operating pressure has been restored, whereby said sensing volume is kept continually pressurized from said reservoir by said valve and maintained continually thicker than said adjacent reservoir, while said pump is activated only when said reservoir pressure falls to said reservoir pressure.
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Specification