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:
Oct. 10, 2000
Filed:
Nov. 19, 1997
James C Lotito, Warren, MI (US);
Matthew W Owen, Harper Woods, MI (US);
Ronald A Marker, deceased, late of Sterling Heights, MI (US);
Breed Automotive Technology, Inc., Lakeland, FL (US);
Abstract
An weight sensor (16) for use in the crash management system of a motor vehicle's safety restraint system (10). The weight sensor (16) functions to determine the weight of an occupant sitting on a vehicle seat (12) and is mounted between the seat frame (42) and mounting structure (46) of the vehicle seat (12). The weight sensor (16) includes a position sensing unit (52) retained in an enclosed housing assembly (50). The weight of a seat occupant causes a portion (56) of the housing assembly (50) to deflect and the position sensing unit (52) measures the corresponding displacement caused by such deflection. The position sensing unit (52) includes a Hall effect sensor (70) fixed to the rigid portion (54) of the housing assembly (50) and a magnet (74) fixed to the deflectable portion (56) of the housing assembly (50). As such, movement of the magnet (74) relative to the Hall effect sensor (70) generates a varying electric output signal which is indicative of the weight of the occupant or object causing the deflection.