Method and apparatus for attaching sensors to a seat assembly
First Claim
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1. A sensor assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:
- a mat including a mat portion with a plurality of sensors and a mounting portion that is attachable to a seat cushion wherein the seat cushion is made from foam and includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and a pair of lateral seat edges that interconnect fore and aft seat edges, said mat being supported on said top surface, and wherein said mat includes at least one lateral edge adapted to extend along one of the pair of lateral seat edges, said mounting portion being located at least along said at least one lateral edge of said mat and extending from said mat portion such that said mounting portion is spaced apart from said plurality of sensors, and wherein said mounting portion comprises an ear extension that is free from sensors and which extends away from said mat portion; and
at least one fastener inserted through said mounting portion for receipt within the seat cushion to permanently attach said mat to the seat cushion and restrict lateral and vertical movement of said mat relative to the seat cushion with said at least one fastener extending only through said ear extension.
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Abstract
A vehicle seat assembly includes a sensor assembly that is used to provide data for an occupant classification system. The data is used to determine such characteristics as seat occupant weight and position. These characteristics are used to control deployment of a safety restraint mechanism such as an airbag. The sensor assembly is part of a mat that is placed on top of a foam cushion used to form a seat bottom. Fasteners are used to permanently attach the mat to the foam to restrict lateral and vertical movement of the mat relative to the foam.
16 Citations
28 Claims
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1. A sensor assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:
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a mat including a mat portion with a plurality of sensors and a mounting portion that is attachable to a seat cushion wherein the seat cushion is made from foam and includes a top surface, a bottom surface, and a pair of lateral seat edges that interconnect fore and aft seat edges, said mat being supported on said top surface, and wherein said mat includes at least one lateral edge adapted to extend along one of the pair of lateral seat edges, said mounting portion being located at least along said at least one lateral edge of said mat and extending from said mat portion such that said mounting portion is spaced apart from said plurality of sensors, and wherein said mounting portion comprises an ear extension that is free from sensors and which extends away from said mat portion; and at least one fastener inserted through said mounting portion for receipt within the seat cushion to permanently attach said mat to the seat cushion and restrict lateral and vertical movement of said mat relative to the seat cushion with said at least one fastener extending only through said ear extension. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12)
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13. A sensor assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:
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a mat including a plurality of sensors and a mounting portion that is attachable to a seat cushion, wherein the seat cushion is made from foam and includes a top surface and a bottom surface, said mat being supportable on the top surface; and at least one fastener inserted through said mounting portion for receipt within the seat cushion to permanently attach said mat to the seat cushion and restrict lateral and vertical movement of said mat relative to the seat cushion wherein said mounting portion comprises a plurality of ear extensions formed about the circumference of said mat and spaced apart from each other.
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14. A sensor assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:
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a mat including a plurality of sensors and a mounting portion that is attachable to a seat cushion, wherein the seat cushion is made from foam and includes a top surface and a bottom surface, said mat being supportable on the top surface; and at least one fastener inserted through said mounting portion for receipt within the seat cushion to permanently attach said mat to the seat cushion and restrict lateral and vertical movement of said mat relative to the seat cushion, said at least one fastener comprising a plurality of fasteners each having a body portion and a head portion with a larger diameter than said body portion, said head portion engaging a top surface of said mat when said fasteners are inserted through said mounting portion, and wherein said body portion extends at an angle relative to said head portion and terminates at a barbed distal end that does not extend beyond said bottom surface of said foam. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A sensor assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:
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a mat including a plurality of sensors and a mounting portion that is attachable to a seat cushion wherein the seat cushion is made from foam and includes a top surface and a bottom surface, said mat being supportable on the top surface with said foam including a central area and a pair of side bolsters having a greater thickness than said central area, said central area and said bolsters being separated from each other by trenches; and at least one fastener inserted through said mounting portion for receipt within the seat cushion to permanently attach said mat to the seat cushion and restrict lateral and vertical movement of said mat relative to the seat cushion wherein said mounting portion extends into said trenches and said at least one fastener comprises a plurality of rings that secure said mounting portion to a structural member embedded in the foam of said trenches.
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17. A vehicle seat assembly for use with an occupant classification system comprising:
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a seat bottom having a cushion formed from foam with a top surface and a bottom surface; a mat for placement on said top surface and including a mounting portion and a plurality of sensors for generating data for the occupant classification system, and wherein said mat includes a central body portion for supporting said plurality of sensors with said mounting portion comprising a plurality of ear extensions formed about a perimeter of said central body portion; and at least one fastener for permanently attaching said mat to said foam via said mounting portion to restrict lateral and vertical movement of said mat relative to said foam. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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25. A vehicle seat assembly for use with an occupant classification system comprising:
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a seat bottom having a cushion formed from foam with a top surface and a bottom surface; a mat for placement on said top surface and including a mounting portion and a plurality of sensors for generating data for the occupant classification system; and at least one fastener for permanently attaching said mat to said foam via said mounting portion to restrict lateral and vertical movement of said mat relative to said foam, wherein said at least one fastener comprises a plurality of fasteners each having a head portion and a body portion extending at an acute angle relative to said head portion to terminate at a barbed distal end. - View Dependent Claims (26)
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27. A vehicle seat assembly for use with an occupant classification system comprising:
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a seat bottom having a cushion formed from foam with a top surface and a bottom surface wherein said foam includes a central area and a pair of side bolsters having a greater thickness than said central area, said central area and said bolsters being separated from each other by trenches; a mat for placement on said top surface and including a mounting portion and a plurality of sensors for generating data for the occupant classification system, said mounting portions comprised of ear extensions formed about the circumference of said mat and spaced apart from each other, said ear extensions extending into said trenches; and at least one fastener for permanently attaching said mat to said foam via said mounting portion to restrict lateral and vertical movement of said mat relative to said foam, said at least one fastener being comprised of a plurality of rings that secure said ear extensions to a wire embedded in the foam of said trenches.
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28. A sensor assembly for a vehicle seat comprising:
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a mat including a plurality of sensors and a mounting portion that is attachable to a seat cushion and wherein said mat includes a central body portion for supporting said plurality of sensors, said mounting portion comprising a plurality of ear extensions formed about a perimeter of said central body portion; and at least one fastener inserted through said mounting portion for receipt within the seat cushion to permanently attach said mat to the seat cushion and restrict lateral and vertical movement of said mat relative to the seat cushion, wherein said at least one fastener includes a first portion for engaging a surface of said mounting portion and a second portion at least partially embedded in the seat cushion, with said second portion of said fastener being inserted directly through said ear extensions.
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Specification