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Assembly, system, and circuit with combined heating and occupancy detecting for a vehicle seat

  • US 10,442,328 B2
  • Filed: 06/21/2016
  • Issued: 10/15/2019
  • Est. Priority Date: 06/21/2016
  • Status: Active Grant
First Claim
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1. An assembly for a vehicle seat, comprising:

  • a seat mat;

    a controller comprising a memory module and being configured to generate an electrical signal;

    a plurality of conductors attached to said seat mat and arranged in a parallel circuit configuration with respect to terminals connected to a power source, wherein each of said plurality of conductors comprises a resistive material and is configured to generate heat in response to receiving an electrical current from the power source for heating said seat mat and to generate an electrical field in response to receiving the electrical signal from said controller;

    one or more of said plurality of conductors being arranged in a first heating zone with respect to said seat mat and one or more of said plurality of conductors being arranged in a second heating zone with respect to said seat mat, said first and second heating zones being configured to heat different portions of said seat mat;

    said controller being configured to control the electrical current from the power source to control heat generated by said first heating zone and said second heating zone, independently;

    an electrical field sensor disposed adjacent to said plurality of conductors and being configured to sense the electrical field;

    said controller being coupled to said electrical field sensor, and based on the sensed electrical field, said controller being configured to determine presence of an occupant on said seat mat; and

    at least one bypass conductor comprising resistive material and being connected between said one or more of said plurality of conductors in said first heating zone and said one or more of said plurality of conductors in said second heating zone, wherein said one or more of said plurality of conductors comprises a first type of material and wherein said at least one bypass conductor comprises a second type of material different from the first type of material, and in response to breakage of a portion of said one or more of said plurality of conductors in said first heating zone, said at least one bypass conductor is configured to redirect the electrical current and the electrical signal from said one or more of said plurality of conductors of said second heating zone to said first heating zone.

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