Automotive seat weight sensing system

• US 6,056,079 A
• Filed: 01/07/1998
• Issued: 05/02/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: O'Boyle, Michael E., Cech, Leonard S., Bruce, Michael P.
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US09/003,672
• Time in Patent Office: 846 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/732, 280/730.1, 180/273, 340/667, 340/666, 297/217.2
• US Class Current: 180/273
• 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 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0027 for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's body part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0033 mounted on or in the foam cushion
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/44 using fluids
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01522 using fluid 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

Abstract

A plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors, each incorporating a fluid and a pressure sensor for sensing the pressure thereof, are incorporated in a vehicle seat to sense occupant weight, position, and stature. In one aspect, a hydrostatic weight sensor is located in the seat back and a separate hydrostatic weight sensor is located in the seat bottom. In another aspect, a plurality of laterally or longitudinally proximate hydrostatic weight sensors, or a single bladder with a plurality of chambers, is incorporated in the seat bottom to sense occupant position. In another aspect, a hydrostatic seat weight sensor is provided by forming a fluid filled cavity within a seat cushion and sensing the pressure of the fluid therein. A signal processor calculates the occupant weight, position, and stature from the respective pressure sensor output signals and controls a safety restraint system responsive thereto.

Claims

1. A system for sensing an occupant on a vehicle seat, comprising:

a. a plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors incorporated in the vehicle seat, incorporating an associated plurality of pressure sensors, each one of said plurality of pressure sensors responsive to a corresponding component of occupant weight applied by the occupant on the vehicle seat to the associated hydrostatic weight sensor; and

b. a signal processor for measuring the position of the occupant on the vehicle seat responsive to the distribution of pressure measurements from said plurality of pressure sensors.

2. A system for sensing an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, wherein two or more of said plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors are proximate one another in a bottom of the seat so as to sense distinct components of occupant weight.

3. A system for sensing an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 2, wherein two or more of said plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors are laterally proximate one another in the bottom of the seat.

4. A system for sensing an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 2, wherein two or more of said plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors are longitudinally proximate one another in the bottom of the seat.

5. A system for sensing an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, wherein at least one of said plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors is located in a bottom of the seat, and at least another of said plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors is located in a back of the seat.

6. A system for sensing an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, further comprising a load distributor adjacent to at least one load bearing surface of said plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors.

7. A system for sensing an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 1, whereby said signal processor further measures the weight of the occupant on the vehicle seat responsive to the plurality of pressure measurements from said plurality of pressure sensors.

8. A system for sensing an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 7, further comprising a load distributor adjacent to at least one load bearing surface of said plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors.

9. A system for sensing an occupant on a vehicle seat and for controlling a safety restraint system responsive thereto, comprising:

a. a plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors incorporated in the vehicle seat, incorporating an associated plurality of pressure sensors, each one of said plurality of pressure sensors responsive to a corresponding component of occupant weight applied by the occupant on the vehicle seat to the associated hydrostatic weight sensor; and

b. a signal processor for measuring the position of the occupant on the vehicle seat responsive to the distribution of pressure measurements from said plurality of pressure sensors for generating a control signal for controlling the safety restraint system responsive to said position measurement.

10. A system for sensing the weight of an occupant on a vehicle seat, comprising:

a. a bladder formed from a cushion of the seat;

b. a fluid contained by said bladder;

c. a pressure sensor operatively coupled to said bladder for generating a signal responsive to the pressure of said fluid within said bladder; and

d. a signal processor for calculating the weight of the occupant from said signal.

11. A method of sensing an occupant on a vehicle seat, comprising:

a. generating a plurality of signals from an associated plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors, whereby each said signal is responsive to the associated component of occupant weight applied to each of said plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors; and

b. calculating the distribution of occupant weight on the vehicle seat from said plurality of signals.

12. A method of sensing an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 11, further comprising the operation of calculating the position of the occupant from said distribution of occupant weight.

13. A method of sensing an occupant on a vehicle seat as recited in claim 11, further comprising the operation of calculating the stature of the occupant from said distribution of occupant weight.

14. A method of sensing an occupant on a vehicle seat and for controlling a safety restraint system responsive thereto, comprising:

a. generating a plurality of signals from an associated plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors, whereby each said signal is responsive to the associated component of occupant weight applied to each of said plurality of hydrostatic weight sensors; and

b. generating a control signal for controlling the safety restraint system responsive to said plurality of signals.

15. A sensor for sensing the weight of an occupant in a vehicle seat, comprising:

a. a bladder mounted beneath the cushion of the seat and supported by the base of the seat, whereby said bladder is constructed from a flexible material and further comprises a plurality of distinct chambers;

b. a fluid contained by said bladder within each of said chambers;

c. a plurality of pressure sensors operatively coupled to respective ones of said chambers of said bladder for generating respective signals responsive to the pressure of said fluid within said chambers of said bladder responsive to the associated component of occupant weight applied to each of said chambers of said bladder.