Weight measuring systems and methods for vehicles
AssigneeAutomotive Technologies International, Inc.
InventorsDavid S. Breed, Wilbur E. DuVall, Jeffrey L. Morin
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Weight sensor for determining the weight of an occupant of a seat including a bladder arranged in a seat portion of the seat and including material or structure in an interior thereof which constrains fluid flow therein and one or more transducers for measuring the pressure of the fluid in the bladder. The material or structure might be open cell foam. The bladder may include one or more chambers, and if more than one chamber is formed, each chamber can be arranged at a different location in the seat portion of the seat.
Claims7
An apparatus for sensing pressure applied to a seat by an occupant of the seat and for controlling deployment of an airbag, comprising:
- a bladder defining a chamber, said bladder being adapted to be arranged in a seat portion of the seat;
- a control module arranged to control deployment of the airbag;
- and
- a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure in said chamber, said pressure sensor generating a signal based on the measured pressure in said chamber and providing said signal to said control module.
A method for controlling an occupant restraint device arranged to protect an occupant in a vehicle in a crash involving the vehicle, comprising the steps of:
- arranging a bladder defining a chamber in a seat portion of a seat in the vehicle;
- measuring a pressure in the chamber;
- providing a signal based on the measured pressure in the chamber to a control module;
- and
- controlling deployment of the occupant restraint device by means of the control module.
A vehicle including a system for protecting art occupant in the vehicle in a crash involving the vehicle, comprising:
- an occupant restraint device arranged in the vehicle to protect the occupant of the vehicle;
- a seat having a seat portion;
- a bladder having a chamber, said bladder being arranged in said seat portion;
- a control module arranged to control deployment of said occupant restraint device;
- and
- a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure in said chamber, said pressure sensor generating a signal based on the measured pressure in said chamber and providing said signal to said control module.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.