Sensor pad for controlling airbag deployment and associated support
US5975568A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Sep 3, 1998 |
| Grant date | Nov 2, 1999 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Sep 3, 2018 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60N2210/44
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A sensor pad for controlling the deployment of an automobile airbag. Weight sensing pad 10 is used in the seat 54 of an automobile, (not illustrated), to detect the presence of an occupant on the seat. Weight sensing pad 10 is used in conjunction with the vehicle's airbag control module in order to allow deployment of the airbag, in the event of a collision, only if the seat is occupied by a person of a preselected weight. Weight sensing pad 10 is defined by a bladder member 15 having an interior volume subdivided into a plurality of individual cells 42 in fluid communication with each other and that is filled with a non-compressible fluid 18, such as silicon or a silica gel of medium viscosity. A pressure tube 22 is in fluid communication with bladder 15 and is in further fluid communication with a pressure activated electronic transducer 26 which in turn is in electronic communication with the airbag controller 30. When a person sits upon weight sensing pad 10, there is a volumetric displacement of fluid 18 that provides a pressure change in the bladder member. If there is a sufficient pressure change due to the volumetric displacement of fluid to activate transducer 26, transduc…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.