Folded combination horn pad and driver position sensor assembly and method for providing the assembly

An apparatus for providing control signals for at least one vehicle system, said apparatus comprising:

• first circuit means for sensing distance between a vehicle occupant and said first circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof;
• second circuit means for sensing deformation of said second circuit means caused by pressure applied to said second circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof;
• and
• a sheet of substrate material folded to define a plurality of planar portions for providing a plurality of stacked, substantially parallel circuit areas, said first circuit means extending on one of said circuit areas of said sheet of substrate material, and said second circuit means extending on another one of said circuit areas of said sheet of substrate material.

An apparatus for providing control signals for at least one vehicle system, said apparatus comprising:

• first circuit means for sensing an electric field indicative of distance between a vehicle occupant and said first circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof;
• second circuit means for directing the electric field sensed by said first circuit means;
• and
• substrate means for supporting said first and second circuit means in a stacked arrangement, said substrate means including means defining a plurality of planar portions for providing a plurality of stacked, substantially parallel circuit areas in said stacked arrangement, said first circuit means extending on one of said circuit areas, and said second circuit means extending on another one of said circuit areas.

An apparatus for providing control signals for at least one vehicle system, said apparatus comprising:

• first circuit means for sensing an electric field indicative of distance between a vehicle occupant and said first circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof;
• second circuit means for directing the electric field sensed by said first circuit means;
• and
• a sheet of substrate material folded to define a plurality of planar portions for providing a plurality of stacked, substantially parallel circuit areas, said first circuit means extending on one of said circuit areas of said sheet of substrate material, and said second circuit means extending on another one of said circuit areas of said sheet of substrate material.

A method for providing an apparatus which outputs control signals for at least one vehicle system, said method comprising:

• providing a plurality of planar portions of substrate material, each planar portion having a circuit area;
• mounting first circuit means, which senses distance between a vehicle occupant and the first circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a first one of the circuit areas such that the first circuit means extends on the first circuit area;
• and
• mounting second circuit means, which senses deformation of the second circuit means caused by pressure applied to the second circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a second one of the circuit areas such that the second circuit means extends on the second circuit area.

A method for providing an apparatus which outputs control signals for at least one vehicle system, said method comprising:

• providing a sheet of foldable substrate material, which has a plurality of circuit areas;
• mounting first circuit means, which senses distance between a vehicle occupant and the first circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a first one of the circuit areas of the substrate material such that the first circuit means extends on the first circuit area of the substrate material;
• mounting second circuit means, which senses deformation of the second circuit means caused by pressure applied to the second circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a second one of the circuit areas of the substrate material such that the second circuit means extends on the second circuit area of the substrate material;
• and
• folding the sheet of substrate material to impose the first circuit area over the second circuit area, such that the first circuit area, with the first circuit means, is stacked upon the second circuit area, with the second circuit means.

A method for providing an apparatus which outputs control signals for at least one vehicle system, said method comprising:

• providing a sheet of foldable substrate material, which has a plurality of circuit areas;
• mounting first circuit means, which senses an electric field indicative of distance between a vehicle occupant and the first circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a first one of the circuit areas of the substrate material such that the first circuit means extends on the first circuit area of the substrate material;
• mounting second circuit means, which directs the electric field sensed by the first circuit means, on a second one of the circuit areas of the substrate material such that the second circuit means extends on the second circuit area of the substrate material;
• and
• folding the sheet of substrate material to impose the first circuit area over the second circuit area, such that the first circuit area, with the first circuit means, is stacked upon the second circuit area, with the second circuit means.