System for capacitive detection of a seat occupancy

• US 8,049,520 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2006
• Issued: 11/01/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SA (Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group Company Limited)
• Original Assignee: IEE International Electronics & Engineering SA (Aerospace Hi-Tech Holding Group Company Limited)
• Inventors: Schleeh, Thomas
• Primary Examiner(s): Koval; Melissa
• Assistant Examiner(s): Baldridge; Benjamin M
• Application Number:
  US11/599,712
• Publication Number:
  US 20070115121A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,812 Days
• Field of Search: 324/663
• US Class Current: 324/663
• 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 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors

Abstract

A system for capacitive detection of seat occupancy in a vehicle comprises a sensing electrode and a shielding electrode arranged in substantially parallel layers. A spacer is arranged between the sensing electrode and the shielding electrode to keep the sensing electrode and the shielding electrode at a certain distance from each other. The spacer comprises an inner textile layer and at least one of the electrodes comprises a film-based electrode.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat containing a system for capacitive detection of a seat occupancy in a vehicle, comprising:

a sensing electrode and a shielding electrode arranged in substantially parallel layers in the vehicle seat, and a spacer arranged between said sensing electrode and said shielding electrode to keep said sensing electrode and said shielding electrode at a certain distance from each other, wherein said shielding electrode is configured to cancel at least a portion of an electric field from said sensing electrode, wherein said spacer comprises an inner textile layer, said inner textile layer being a warp-knitted textile fabric, wherein at least one of said electrodes comprises a film-based electrode, and wherein each of said sensing electrode and said shielding electrode are bonded to said inner textile layer in the vehicle seat.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein both said sensing electrode and said shielding electrode comprise a film-based electrode.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said spacer substantially consists of textile material.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one film-based electrode comprises a film substrate and a conductive layer applied on said substrate.

5. The system according to claim 4, wherein the conductive layer of said film-based electrode has at least one gap in a region where said system is to be fixed to a vehicle seat.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said sensing electrode has a first side facing away from said spacer and said shielding electrode and a second side facing to said spacer and said shielding electrode and wherein said system comprises a first outer textile layer arranged on said first side of said sensing electrode.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein said first outer textile layer is water repellent.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein said first outer textile layer comprises a reinforcement pad in a region where said system is to be fixed to a vehicle seat.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said shielding electrode has a first side facing to said spacer and said sensing electrode and a second side facing away from said spacer and said sensing electrode and wherein said system comprises a second outer textile layer arranged on said second side of said shielding electrode.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein said second outer textile layer is water repellent.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein said second outer textile layer comprises a reinforcement pad in a region where said system is to be fixed to a vehicle seat.

12. The system according to claim 1, wherein said inner textile layer is water repellent.

13. The system according to claim 1, wherein said inner textile layer comprises a reinforcement pad in a region where said system is to be fixed to a vehicle seat.

14. The system according to claim 1, wherein said film-based electrode comprises a sealing layer for protecting said film-based electrode against electrolysis.

15. A vehicle seat containing a system for capacitive detection of a seat occupancy in a vehicle, comprising:

a sensing electrode and a shielding electrode arranged in substantially parallel layers in the vehicle seat, wherein said shielding electrode is configured to cancel at least a portion of an electric field from said sensing electrode, and

a spacer arranged between said sensing electrode and said shielding electrode to keep said sensing electrode and said shielding electrode at a certain distance from each other, wherein said spacer comprises an inner textile layer, and

wherein at least said shielding electrode comprises a film-based electrode, said film-based electrode including a film substrate, a conductive layer applied on said film substrate and a protective layer coating said conductive layer;

wherein said inner textile layer comprises a reinforcement pad made of non-tear fabric bonded to said film-based electrode in a region where said system is to be fixed to said vehicle seat.

16. A vehicle seat containing a system for capacitive detection of a seat occupancy in a vehicle, comprising:

a sensing electrode and a shielding electrode arranged in substantially parallel layers in the vehicle seat, wherein said shielding electrode is configured to cancel at least a portion of an electric field from said sensing electrode, and

a spacer arranged between said sensing electrode and said shielding electrode to keep said sensing electrode and said shielding electrode at a certain distance from each other, said sensing electrode, said spacer and said shielding electrode forming a sandwich arrangement,

wherein said spacer comprises an inner textile layer, and

wherein at least one of said electrodes comprises a film-based electrode,

wherein the system comprises a first outer textile layer and a second outer textile layer,

wherein said first and second outer textile layers comprise a first and a second reinforcement pad, respectively, said first and second reinforcement pads being made of non-tear fabric, said first reinforcement pads being bonded to said shielding electrode in a region where said system is to be fixed to a vehicle seat, said second reinforcement pad being bonded to said sensing electrode in said region, and wherein said first and second reinforcement pads join to surround said sandwich arrangement in said region.

17. The system according to claim 16, wherein said first and second reinforcement pads join to radially enclose said sandwich arrangement at an exposed surface thereof in said region.

18. The system according to claim 16, wherein said sandwich arrangement is sewn to said vehicle seat via a thread that passes through each of said first and second reinforcement pads, said sensing electrode, said shielding electrode, and said spacer.

19. A vehicle seat containing a system for capacitive detection of a seat occupancy in a vehicle, comprising:

a sensing electrode and a shielding electrode arranged in substantially parallel layers in the vehicle seat, wherein said shielding electrode is configured to cancel at least a portion of an electric field from said sensing electrode, and

a spacer arranged between said sensing electrode and said shielding electrode to keep said sensing electrode and said shielding electrode at a certain distance from each other, wherein said spacer comprises an inner textile layer, said inner textile layer including a felted material, and

wherein at least said shielding electrode comprises a film-based electrode, said film-based electrode including a film substrate, a conductive layer applied on said film substrate and a protective layer coating said conductive layer, said conductive layer being deposited, printed or laminated on said film substrate.

20. The system according to claim 19, wherein, further to said shielding electrode, said sensing electrode is a film-based electrode, and wherein each of said film-based electrodes including a film substrate, a conductive layer applied on said film substrate and a protective layer coating said conductive layer, said conductive layer being deposited, printed or laminated on said film substrate.

21. The system according to claim 20, wherein said spacer essentially consists of said felted material.

22. The system according to claim 20, wherein said spacer consists of said felted material.