Iee International Electronics and Engineering S.a.

Luxembourg Institute of Science and Technology

Thomas Schleeh

Christoph Wendt

Aloyse Schoos

Andreas Petereit

Werner Bieck

Yves Decoster

Driss Chabach

Alain Schumacher

Emmanuel Huegens

Harald Clos

Jean-François Hausman

A system for capacitive detection of seat occupancy in a vehicle comprises a sensing electrode and a shielding electrode arranged in substantially parallel layers. A spacer is arranged between the sensing electrode and the shielding electrode to keep the sensing electrode and the shielding electrode at a certain distance from each other. The spacer comprises an inner textile layer and at least one of the electrodes comprises a film-based electrode.

System for capacitive detection of a seat occupancy

A transmitter electrode () for a capacitive sensing device comprises a conductive sheet material (), said conductive sheet material comprising a first connecting point () for connecting the electrode to an electronic sensing unit. According to the invention the conductive sheet material comprises at least one second connecting point for connecting the electrode to an electronic sensing unit, said second connecting point (') being arranged at a certain distance from said first connecting point so that said conductive sheet material forms a conductive path between said first and second connecting point. The first and second connecting point (&#x2032;), which in use are both connected to the electronic sensing unit, enable to check the integrity of the transmitter electrode and the connection lines used to connect the transmitter electrode to the electronic sensing unit.

Capacitive transmitter electrode

A foil-type switching element comprises a first carrier foil having a first electrode arrangement applied thereon and a second carrier foil having a second electrode arrangement applied thereon, said first and second carrier foils being arranged at a certain distance by means of a spacer in such a way that said first and second electrodes face each other in an active area of said switching element. At least said second electrode arrangement comprises a resistive layer which faces said first electrode arrangement. In response to a pressure acting on said switching element said first and second electrode arrangements are pressed together, the shape and/or the size of a mechanical contact surface between said first and second electrode arrangements being given by a mechanical response function depending on the amount of pressure applied. According to the invention, said resistive layer has a shape such that an electrical response function of said sensor is decoupled from said mechanical response function.

Foil-type switching element

Process for controlling the operation of a motor vehicle airbag

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Trier, Germany

Thomas Schleeh