Iee International Electronics and Engineering S.a.

Werner Bieck

Aloyse Schoos

Andreas Petereit

Christian Bour

Yves Decoster

Alain Schumacher

Driss Chabach

Guenter Goedert

Thomas Schleeh

Edmund Marx

Matthias Massing

Joost Ortjens

Sung-Guen Kim

Anne Lentes

Markus Schreiner

Aloyse Kirsch

Dries Chabach

Robert Ollett

The invention relates to a transducer arrangement for converting a load variation into one or more electrical output signals. The transducer arrangement comprises at least one transducer element and an evaluation unit operatively connected to the transducer element. The transducer arrangement can be used amongst others, for healthcare applications, sport leisure activities, impact detection for safety applications in the automotive industry as well as for safety surveillance systems in the industry.

Transducer arrangement for measuring load variations

A vehicle seat suspension mat () comprises suspension springs () for supporting a seat cushion () and a pressure sensor module () arranged on the springs for being applied against a bottom surface of the seat cushion. The pressure sensor module produces an electrical signal responsive to pressure acting on it. The pressure sensor module comprises a base plate () and a film-type pressure sensor () arranged on the base plate. The pressure sensor includes a pressure-sensitive cell (). The base plate comprises a frame () and an actuator () that is linked to the frame in such a way that it is capable of movement relative to the frame. The actuator is arranged against the pressure-sensitive cell of the film-type pressure sensor and comprises a fixation element () fixing the base plate to the springs. The fixation element provides a spacing between the base plate and the springs.

Vehicle seat suspension mat

Foil-based PTC heaters are self-regulating, i.e. do not need any electronic control unit (ECU) to limit the maximum heating current. In order to establish different heating power levels the present invention proposes to choose different PTC ratio/onset characteristics. In addition, the print design of the PTC ink can be adjusted accordingly.

PTC heating device without electronic power control

A foil-type switching element comprises a first carrier foil and a second carrier foil arranged at a certain distance from each other by means of a spacer, which comprises one opening () defining an active area. An elongate resistive layer () is provided on the second carrier foil within the active area while elongateshunt means () are arranged on the first miler foil within the active area and facing the resistive layer (). The form of the opening () in the spacer is such that the active area generally tapers in the longitudinal direction of the elongate resistive layer (), so that when pressure is applied on the switching element, the shunt means () shunt a portion of the resistive layer () thatprogressively increases with pressure, from the broad end of the spacer opening () towards its narrow end.

Foil-type switching element, in particular for use in collision detection systems

In order to provide a fast and reliable classification of an impact, the present invention proposes a method for the classification of an impact between an object and a vehicle, comprising the steps of detecting an initial contact between said object and said vehicle; recording a width data relating to a width of an impact zone between the object and the vehicle; processing said width data for determining the width of said impact zone a predetermined time interval after the initial contact; forming a first criterion for deciding whether the object is a pedestrian by identifying if the determined width of the impact zone lies between predetermined lower and upper first threshold values; determining that the object is human if said first criterion is met.

Classification method for pedestrian protection system

A foil-type pressure sensor includes a first carrier foil and a second carrier foil arranged at a certain distance from each other by means of a spacer, the spacer comprising at least one recess defining an active area of the pressure sensor. At least two electrodes are arranged in the active area of the pressure sensor between said first and second carrier foils in such a way that, in response to a pressure acting on the active area of the pressure sensor, the first and second carrier foils are pressed together against the reaction force of the elastic carrier foils and an electrical contact is established between the at least two electrodes. According to the invention, at least one of the carrier foils includes a multi-layered configuration with at least two layers of different materials.

Foil-type switching element with multi-layered carrier foil

An impact sensor system with at least one foil-type switching element having a plurality of active areas including at least a first a second carrier foil arranged at a certain distance by at least one first spacer.The spacer has a plurality of recesses defining at least a first part of the active areas. In each active area, at least two electrode structures are arranged between the first and second carrier foils in such way that in response to a force acting on the active area, the first and second carrier foils are pressed together against the reaction force of the carrier foils and that, above a predetermined activation threshold force, an electrical contact is established between the electrode structures. The foil-type switching element is configured such that the activation threshold forces of a first group of said the active areas and a second group of active areas is different.

Impact sensor system for pedestrian protection

A foil-type switching element comprises a first carrier foil and a second carrier foil arranged at a certain distance from each other by means of a spacer. The spacercomprises at least one recessdefining an active area of the switching element. At least two electrodes and a layer of pressure sensitive material are arranged within the active area of the switching element between the first and second carrier foils in such a way that, in response to a pressure acting on the active area of the switching element, the first and second carrier foils are pressed together against the reaction force of the elastic carrier foils and an electrical contact is established between the at least two electrodes via the pressure sensitive material. The active area comprises an inner regionand a number of outer regions, the inner region having a generally convex shape and the outer regions extending outwardly from said inner region.

Foil-type switching element with improved spacer design

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.

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Wiltingen, Germany

Werner Bieck