Sensor assembly for measuring weight applied to a vehicle seat
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Accused Products
Abstract
Weight sensor assemblies for measuring weight on a vehicle seat are mounted at the connecting points between a seat bottom frame and a seat mounting member. The weight sensor assemblies each include a beam member having a bendable center body portion for supporting a strain gage. The strain gage and associated traces are screen printed on the surface of the beam. The beam acts similar to a dual constrained cantilever beam, concentrating the bending at a reduced neck section that narrows in the middle of the center body portion. The strain gage measures strain resulting from bending in the center body portion caused by a weight force being applied against the seat.
14 Citations
40 Claims
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1-20. -20. (canceled)
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21. A weight sensor assembly for measuring a weight on a vehicle seat comprising:
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a bending beam having a first connection portion engageable with an upper seat structure and a second connection portion engageable with a lower seat structure;
a bendable central body portion coplanar with and extending between said first and second connection portions, said central body portion having a narrowing neck to concentrate strain in said central body portion; and
a strain gage assembly mounted directly to said narrowing neck for measuring the strain at said central body portion resulting from a weight force being exerted against the upper seat structure. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26)
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27. A weight sensor assembly for measuring a weight on a vehicle seat comprising:
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a bending beam having a first connection portion engageable with an upper seat structure and a second connection portion engageable with a lower seat structure;
a bendable central body portion extending between said first and second connection portions; and
a sensor assembly comprising a first thick film portion applied directly to said central body portion for measuring strain resulting from a weight force being exerted against the upper seat structure wherein said sensor assembly generates a weight signal representative of said weight force. - View Dependent Claims (28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35)
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36. A method for forming a weight sensor assembly for a vehicle seat comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing a bending beam having a first connection portion engageable with an upper seat structure, a second connection portion engageable with a lower seat structure; and
a bendable central body portion extending between the first and second connection portions; and
(b) applying a thick film material to the central body portion to form a weight sensor assembly for measuring a weight exerted on a vehicle seat. - View Dependent Claims (37, 38, 39, 40)
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Specification