Car-seat-occupant sensing device
First Claim
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1. A seat-occupant sensing device for a car seat, said sensing device comprising:
- a frame of the car seat;
a cushion support for supporting a cushion of the car seat;
a load sensor having a pressure-detecting spring and two electrodes positioned to form a capacitor, said electrodes having regions that face each other, an area of said regions defining an electrostatic capacitance of said capacitor, said area and said capacitance varying as said pressure-detecting spring contracts or extends; and
a pair of inner and outer electrode holding members made of insulating material and mounted to be slidable along each other as the pressure-detecting spring extends or contracts;
wherein one end of said pressure-detecting spring is connected to said frame, and the other end of said pressure-detecting spring is connected to said cushion support.
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Abstract
A seat-occupant sensing device for a car seat is provided, such that a heater can be installed in the seat without deterioration of sitting comfort. A load sensor is mounted to a cushion frame of a car seat. The end of a flexible cushion support is linked with the load sensor. Because the flexible cushion support flexes when a person sits on the seat, the load sensor detects the moment when the person sits on the seat.
64 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A seat-occupant sensing device for a car seat, said sensing device comprising:
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a frame of the car seat;
a cushion support for supporting a cushion of the car seat;
a load sensor having a pressure-detecting spring and two electrodes positioned to form a capacitor, said electrodes having regions that face each other, an area of said regions defining an electrostatic capacitance of said capacitor, said area and said capacitance varying as said pressure-detecting spring contracts or extends; and
a pair of inner and outer electrode holding members made of insulating material and mounted to be slidable along each other as the pressure-detecting spring extends or contracts;
wherein one end of said pressure-detecting spring is connected to said frame, and the other end of said pressure-detecting spring is connected to said cushion support. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A seat-occupant sensing device for a car seat, said sensing device comprising:
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a frame of the car seat, said frame having a bottom and at least two opposite side walls extending from said bottom;
a load sensor having a pressure-detecting spring and two electrodes positioned to form a capacitor, said electrodes having regions that face each other, an area of said regions defining an electrostatic capacitance of said capacitor, said area and said capacitance varying as said pressure-detecting spring contracts or extends; and
a pair of inner and outer electrode holding members made of insulating material and mounted to be slidable along each other as the pressure-detecting spring extends or contracts;
wherein said pressure-detecting spring is attached to and extends between said opposite side walls. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A seat-occupant sensing device for a car seat, said sensing device comprising:
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a load sensor having a pressure-detecting spring and two electrodes positioned to form a capacitor, said electrodes having regions that face each other, an area of said regions defining an electrostatic capacitance of said capacitor, said area and said capacitance varying as said pressure-detecting spring contracts or extends; and
a pair of inner and outer electrode holding members made of insulating material and mounted to be slidable along each other as the pressure-detecting spring extends or contracts;
wherein said inner and outer electrode holding members are tubular members received telescopically one inside another to define a housing that is expandable and collapsible in an axial direction of said tubular elements as said pressure-detecting spring contracts or extends. - View Dependent Claims (19, 20)
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Specification