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:
Apr. 17, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 30, 2000
Michael C. McCarthy, Birmingham, MI (US);
Thomas J. Lemense, Farmington, MI (US);
Michael G. Fullerton, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
The present invention is directed to a weight sensing apparatus (,) for a vehicle seat (,). The weight sensing apparatus (,) includes a differential capacitor (,) including a first capacitor (,) and a second capacitor (,). The first capacitor (,) includes first and second opposed plate assemblies (,and,). The second capacitor (,) includes a third plate assembly (,) and the second plate assembly (,). Each plate assembly (,and,) includes a plurality of electrically conductive elongated members that extend in an axial direction. The second plate assembly (,) is interposed between the first and third plate assemblies (,and,) and is movable in an axial direction relative to the first and third plate assemblies (,and,) in response to a load being applied to a vehicle seat. A source of alternating current supplies electrical energy to the differential capacitor (,) and an output circuit is electrically connected with the differential capacitor (,).