US 5,232,243 AGranted

Occupant sensing apparatus

AssigneeTRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

InventorsBrian K. Blackburn, Joseph F. Mazur, Scott B. Gentry

Life of this patent

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Abstract

An occupant sensing apparatus for use in an occupant restraint system comprises a film having an electrical characteristic with changeable states and a contact member. When an occupant sits in a vehicle seat, the contact member pushes on the film and changes the state of the electrical characteristic. An electric circuit is connected to the film for providing a first signal when the film indicates an occupant is not present, a second signal when an occupant is present, and a third signal if the film and the circuit become disconnected. The occupant restraint system is enabled when either an occupant is present or an electrical fault condition occurs. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, an array of sensors located in the seat determines the occupant's position and weight and controls deployment of the occupant restraint system in response to the determined position and weight.

Claims9

Dependent claims

An occupant sensing apparatus for use in an occupant restraint system, comprising:

a film having an electrical characteristic with changeable states;
a contact member;
means for mounting said film and said contact member in a vehicle so that presence of an occupant effects physical contact between said contact member and said film, contact between said contact member and said film effecting a change in a state of said electrical characteristic of said film, said electrical characteristic having a first state when there is no occupant present and no contact between said contact member and said film, and having a second state when there is an occupant present and contact between said contact member and said film;
electric circuit means connected to said film for providing a first signal when said characteristic has said first state indicative of an occupant not being present, a second signal when said film characteristic has said second state indicative of an occupant being present, and a third signal if said electrical characteristic does not have said first or second state thereby indicating that said electric circuit means is disconnected from said film;
and
means for enabling the occupant restraint system when either one of said second and third signals is provided by said electric circuit means.

3 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 07/682,908Filed 9 Apr 1991
Granted: 3 Aug 1993
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification16 codes

B60R 21/01516
Passenger detection systems: using force or pressure sensing means
B60N 2/0027
For identifying, categorising or investigation of the occupant or object on the seat: for detecting the position of the occupant or of occupant's…
B60N 2/0031
Characterised by the sensor mounting location in or on the seat: mounted on the frame
B60N 2/0035
Characterised by the type of sensor or measurement: characterised by the sensor data transmission, e.g. wired connections or wireless transmitters…