Seat sensor and method for installing the same

• US 6,659,549 B1
• Filed: 10/02/2000
• Issued: 12/09/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 10/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies Incorporated (Visteon Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wang, Richard W., Williams, Curtis L., Still, Charles A.
• Primary Examiner(s): BARFIELD, ANTHONY DERRELL
• Application Number:
  US09/677,246
• Time in Patent Office: 1,163 Days
• Field of Search: 297/217.3, 297/180.12, 297/180.1, 297/452.26, 340/667
• US Class Current: 297/217.3
• 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

Abstract

A seat sensor 10 including a pressure sensing mat 12, and several barbed members or tabs 14 which are integrally formed within sensing mat 12. Sensor 10 is adapted to be operatively installed on a conventional vehicle seat. In order to install sensor 10, several holes or cavities 20 are formed within the foam 22 of the seat in a conventional manner prior to assembly, and tabs 14 are forced into cavities 20. Once tabs 14 are inserted into cavities 20, barbed portions 18 “spring” outward against the sides of the cavities 20, thereby frictionally engaging and/or piercing the sides of the cavities 20 and securing seat sensor 10 to the seat.

Claims

1. A seat sensor in combination with a seat of the type including an amount of seat foam having at least one cavity, and comprising a sensor portion having at least one integrally formed tab portion which is adapted to be selectively and deformably inserted into said at least one cavity, thereby engaging said seat foam and securely holding said seat sensor on said seat.

2. The seat sensor of claim 1 wherein said sensor portion and said at least one integrally formed tab are made from a resilient polymeric material.

3. The seat sensor of claim 1 wherein said at least one integrally formed tab comprises a barbed portion which frictionally engages said seat foam.

4. The seat sensor of claim 3 wherein said barbed portion is polygonal in shape.

5. The seat sensor of claim 1 wherein said at least one integrally formed tab comprises a double barbed portion.

6. The seat sensor of claim 1 wherein said sensor portion is effective to detect an occupant sitting in said seat.

7. The seat sensor of claim 1 wherein said sensor portion comprises a polymeric sensor mat and wherein said at least one integrally formed tab is formed from non-functional portions of said polymeric sensor mat.