The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Feb. 02, 1999
Filed:
Apr. 02, 1997
Scott Darrell Gagnon, Plant City, FL (US);
Said Shafik Nakhla, Lakeland, FL (US);
James Woodhouse Griggs, III, Bradenton, FL (US);
Clinton Boyd, Orlando, FL (US);
Breed Automotive Technology, Inc., Lakeland, FL (US);
Abstract
An airbag deployment controller has a plurality of sensors interposed between a rigid member and a seat pan member such that the weight supported by a portion of the seat cushion which the rigid member underlies is transferred from the rigid member to the seat pan via said sensors. The sensors sense the magnitude of the force transferred therethrough. A device processes signals from the sensors to determine the weight that the portion of the seat cushion which the rigid member underlies is bearing. The signal processing device controls the activation and operation of an airbag as a function of the presence and weight of a seat occupant. Optionally, the tension on a seat belt may also be sensed and processed as a parameter for controlling the deployment of an airbag.