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US 7,407,029 B2Granted
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.
Claims59
A vehicle, comprising:
- a seat having a bottom portion and a bladder arranged in said bottom portion, said bladder having at least one chamber;
- at least one component adjustable based on occupancy of said seat, said at least one component being a component which interacts with or is interacted by an occupant of said seat;
- and
- an arrangement arranged to adjust said at least one component based on occupancy of said seat, said arrangement comprising:
- a measurement system for measuring the pressure in said at least one chamber;
- an adjustment system arranged to adjust said at least one component;
- and
- a processor coupled to said measurement system and to said adjustment system and arranged to determine an adjustment for said at least one component by said adjustment system whereby said adjustment system is directed or controlled by said processor to adjust said at least one component to provide for the determined adjustment thereof.
5 more elements
A control system for controlling a seat in an interior compartment of a vehicle based on occupancy of the seat, comprising:
- a bladder having at least one chamber adapted to be arranged in a seat portion of the seat;
- a measurement system for measuring the pressure in said at least one chamber;
- a seat adjustment system arranged to adjust the seat or a part thereof in the vehicle;
- and
- a processor coupled to said measurement system and to said adjustment system for determining an adjustment for the seat or part thereof by said adjustment system based at least in part on the pressure measured by said measurement system.
2 more elements
A control system for controlling a steering wheel in a vehicle based on occupancy of the driver's seat, comprising:
- a bladder having at least one chamber adapted to be arranged in a seat portion of the seat;
- a measurement system for measuring the pressure in said at least one chamber;
- an adjustment system arranged to adjust the steering wheel in the vehicle;
- and
- a processor coupled to said measurement system and to said adjustment system for determining an adjustment for the steering wheel by said adjustment system based at least in part on the pressure measured by said measurement system.
2 more elements
A control system for controlling a pedal in a vehicle based on occupancy of a seat, comprising:
- a bladder having at least one chamber adapted to be arranged in a seat portion of the seat;
- a measurement system for measuring the pressure in said at least one chamber;
- an adjustment system arranged to adjust the pedal in the vehicle;
- and
- a processor coupled to said measurement system and to said adjustment system for determining an adjustment for the pedal by said adjustment system based at least in part on the pressure measured by said measurement system.
2 more elements
A control system for controlling a vehicle component based on occupancy of a seat, comprising:
- a bladder having at least one chamber adapted to be arranged in a seat portion of the seat;
- a measurement system for measuring the pressure in said at least one chamber;
- an adjustment system arranged to adjust the component in the vehicle;
- and
- a processor coupled to said measurement system and to said adjustment system for determining an adjustment for the component by said adjustment system based at least in part on the pressure measured by said measurement system,
- said bladder including constraining means arranged in said interior for constraining flow of fluid within said interior, said measurement system measuring the pressure of the fluid in said bladder.
3 more elements
A control system for controlling a vehicle component based on occupancy of a seat, comprising:
- a bladder having at least one chamber adapted to arranged in a seat portion of the seat;
- a measurement system for measuring the pressure in said at least one chamber;
- an adjustment system arranged to adjust the component in the vehicle;
- and
- a processor coupled to said measurement system and to said adjustment system for determining an adjustment for the component by said adjustment system based at least in part on the pressure measured by said measurement system,
- said bladder having an interior containing fluid and a mechanism in said interior arranged to restrict flow of the fluid from one portion of said interior to another portion of said interior.
3 more elements
A control system for controlling a vehicle component based on occupancy of a seat, comprising:
- a bladder having at least one chamber adapted to arranged in a seat portion of the seat;
- a container having a fluid-containing interior, said container being in flow communication with said bladder such that the fluid flows between said container and said bladder as a function of pressure applied to said container and said bladder;
- a measurement system for measuring the pressure in said at least one chamber;
- an adjustment system arranged to adjust the component in the vehicle;
- and
- a processor coupled to said measurement system and to said adjustment system for determining an adjustment for the component by said adjustment system based at least in part on the pressure measured by said measurement system.
3 more elements
A vehicle, comprising:
- a frame defining an interior compartment;
- a seat arranged in said compartment and having a bottom portion and a bladder arranged in said bottom portion, said bladder having at least one chamber;
- at least one component adjustable based on occupancy of said seat, said at least one component being a component which interacts with or is interacted by an occupant of said seat;
- a control module arranged to control adjustment of said at least one component;
- an occupant morphological measuring system arranged to obtain morphological data about an occupant of said seat and provide the morphological data to said control module, said occupant morphological measuring system including a pressure sensor for measuring a pressure in said at least one chamber which is affected by weight of the occupant, said pressure sensor generating a signal based on the measured pressure in said at least one chamber and providing said signal to said control module;
- and
- an adjustment system coupled to said control module and said at least one component and controlled by said control module to adjust said at least one component whereby said at least one component is thereby adjusted based on morphological data of the occupant.
4 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.