Detector device

• US 6,448,789 B1
• Filed: 11/27/2000
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/24/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Wet Automotive Systems AG (Gentherm Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Wet Automotive System AG AG
• Inventors: Kraetzl, Juergen
• Primary Examiner(s): Le, N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): SUNDARAM, T R
• Application Number:
  US09/722,809
• Time in Patent Office: 652 Days
• Field of Search: 324/658, 324/661, 324/649, 324/663, 324/671, 324/691, 731/72
• US Class Current: 324/658
• 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: B60R 21/0154 in combination with seat heating
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/142 using capacitors

Abstract

The present invention concerns a detector for detecting seat occupancy with at least two flat electrodes and a separating medium that separates the two electrodes from each other. The invention provides that the separating medium (3) has at least one spacing zone (4) and one deformation zone (5), which has a greater compressibility than the spacing zone (4).

Claims

1. A detector for detecting seat occupancy with at least two flat electrodes and a separating medium separating the two electrodes, wherein the separating medium has at least one space zone and one deformation zone which has greater compressibility than the spacing zone, said deformation zone has at least one recess, said recess is arranged parallel to at least one of the electrodes.

2. The detector in accordance with claim 1 wherein the recess has the form of a hole, a channel that is open or closed all around, or a groove.

3. The detector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the zones are made from the same material.

4. The detector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the zones are made from different materials.

5. The detector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the separating medium is provided at least partially with reinforcing agents.

6. The detector in accordance with claim 5, wherein a rubber reinforcement or additional sheeting is used as reinforcement.

7. The detector in accordance with claim 1, wherein the separating medium consists at least partially of knitted or woven textile materials, silicone or rubber.

8. A detector used in a vehicle seat for detecting an occupant of the vehicle seat, said detector including:

at least two electrodes near a surface of the seat; and

a separating medium located between said at least two electrodes, said separating medium having at least one spacing region and one deformation region, said spacing region having a lower compressibility than said deformation region, said spacing region and said deformation region are made of a different material, said deformation region having at least one orifice, said orifice is parallel to said electrodes.

9. The detector of claim 8, wherein said separating mechanism includes at least partially a reinforcing agent.

10. The detector of claim 8 wherein said separating member consists at least partially of knitted or woven textiles, silicone, or rubber materials.

11. A detector system for use in the seat of a vehicle, and comprising:

at least two relatively flat electrodes,

a separating member between said electrodes, said separating member contains at least one reinforcing material;

said separating member having at least one spacing zone and at least one deformation zone,

said deformation zone being more compressible than said spacing zone to oppose a prestress in the seat by an increased resistance, said deformation zone has at least one recess.

12. The detector of claim 11 wherein at least one said recess is oriented perpendicular to one of said electrodes.

13. The detector of claim 11 wherein at least one said recess is oriented parallel to one of said electrodes.

14. The detector of claim 11 wherein said separating member includes at least one material from the group consisting of a foam material, a woven material, a knitted material, a silicone material, an elastomeric material, and a rubber material.

15. An automotive seat assembly which includes the detector system of claim 12.

16. An automotive seat assembly which includes the detector system of claim 14.