Fluid filled seat bladder with capacitive sensors for occupant classification and weight estimation
First Claim
1. Apparatus for classifying an occupant of a seat, the apparatus comprising:
- a fluid-filled elastomeric seat bladder including first and second peripherally sealed elastomeric sheets that deform in response to occupant weight;
a ground plane conductor film generally conforming to said first elastomeric sheet, and at least one sensor element conductor film generally conforming to said second elastomeric sheet; and
a controller for detecting a change in capacitance or electric field coupling between said sensor element conductor film and said ground plane conductor film as a measure of deformation of said elastomeric sheets due to occupant weight, and for classifying said occupant based on said detected change.
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0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A fluid-filled seat bladder assembly includes multiple capacitive sensing elements for detecting variation in bladder deformation due to occupant weight. The bladder is defined by upper and lower elastomeric sheets that are peripherally sealed by welding, and the capacitive sensors are defined by metalized films adjoining the upper and lower elastomeric sheets. The bladder fluid separating the upper and lower metalized films acts as a dielectric material, and the capacitance or electric field coupling of each sensor increases when the separation between the respective upper and lower films decreases due occupant seat weight. The cumulative change in capacitance or electric field coupling reflects the total seated weight, and the individual capacitance or electric field coupling changes provide a profile of the pressure distribution across the seat for improved occupant classification. The metalized films may be located exterior of the bladder, or may be are formed on interior surfaces of the upper and lower elastomeric bladder sheets.
79 Citations
10 Claims
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1. Apparatus for classifying an occupant of a seat, the apparatus comprising:
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a fluid-filled elastomeric seat bladder including first and second peripherally sealed elastomeric sheets that deform in response to occupant weight;
a ground plane conductor film generally conforming to said first elastomeric sheet, and at least one sensor element conductor film generally conforming to said second elastomeric sheet; and
a controller for detecting a change in capacitance or electric field coupling between said sensor element conductor film and said ground plane conductor film as a measure of deformation of said elastomeric sheets due to occupant weight, and for classifying said occupant based on said detected change. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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Specification