Weight measuring systems and methods for vehicles
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First Claim
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1. A method for determining weight of an occupying item of a seat in a vehicle having a seat cushion assembly and a seat back assembly defining a contact surface adapted to be in contact with the occupying item of the seat, comprising:
- arranging a support structure underneath the seat cushion assembly to support the seat on a substrate in the vehicle and such that when the occupying item is in the seat, a force exerted by the occupying item on the seat cushion assembly is transferred to the substrate by and through the support structure;
mounting at least one strain measuring transducer at a respective location on the support structure to provide a measurement of the strain in the support structure at the location at which the strain measuring transducer is mounted, the respective location being one through which the force exerted by the occupying item on the seat cushion assembly is transferred to the substrate; and
determining the weight of the occupying item of the seat based on the strain in the support structure measured by the at least one strain measuring transducer.
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Abstract
Method for determining weight of an occupying item of a seat in a vehicle having a seat cushion assembly and a seat back assembly defining a contact surface adapted to be in contact with the occupying item of the seat in which a support structure is arranged underneath the seat cushion assembly to support the seat on a substrate in the vehicle. The support structure transfers a force exerted by the occupying item on the support structure to the substrate. At least one strain measuring transducer is mounted at a respective location on the support structure to provide a measurement of the strain in the support structure at the location at which it is mounted. The weight of the occupying item of the seat is determined based on the strain in the support structure measured by the strain measuring transducer(s).
72 Citations
26 Claims
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1. A method for determining weight of an occupying item of a seat in a vehicle having a seat cushion assembly and a seat back assembly defining a contact surface adapted to be in contact with the occupying item of the seat, comprising:
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arranging a support structure underneath the seat cushion assembly to support the seat on a substrate in the vehicle and such that when the occupying item is in the seat, a force exerted by the occupying item on the seat cushion assembly is transferred to the substrate by and through the support structure; mounting at least one strain measuring transducer at a respective location on the support structure to provide a measurement of the strain in the support structure at the location at which the strain measuring transducer is mounted, the respective location being one through which the force exerted by the occupying item on the seat cushion assembly is transferred to the substrate; and determining the weight of the occupying item of the seat based on the strain in the support structure measured by the at least one strain measuring transducer. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method for determining the weight applied by an occupying item onto a seat cushion assembly in a vehicle having a cushion defining a contact surface adapted to be in contact with the occupying item, comprising:
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at least partially interposing a force sensing arrangement between the cushion and a substrate of the vehicle such that when the occupying item is in contact with the contact surface of the cushion, a force exerted by the occupying item on the cushion is transferred to the substrate via the force sensing arrangement; measuring the force being transferred from the cushion to the substrate via the force sensing arrangement when an occupying item is in contact with the contact surface of the cushion and a determination of the weight of the occupying item is sought; and determining the weight applied by the occupying item based on the measured force. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A method for determining weight of an occupying item of a seat in a vehicle having a seat cushion assembly and a seat back assembly defining a contact surface adapted to be in contact with the occupying item of the seat, comprising:
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arranging a support structure underneath the seat cushion assembly to support the seat on a substrate in the vehicle and such that when the occupying item is in the seat, a force exerted by the occupying item on the seat cushion assembly is transferred to the substrate by and through the support structure; mounting at least one strain measuring transducer on the support structure to provide a measurement of the strain in the support structure, when the occupying item is in the seat, which results from the force exerted by the occupying item on the seat cushion assembly which is being transferred to the substrate by and through the support structure; determining at least one of the fore and aft position of the seat cushion assembly and the angular position of the seat back assembly; and determining the weight of the occupying item based on the measurement of the strain in the support structure and the at least one of the determined fore and aft position of the seat cushion assembly or determined angular position of the seat back assembly. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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20. A method for monitoring weight of an occupying item of a seat in a vehicle having a seat cushion assembly and a seat back assembly defining a contact surface adapted to be in contact with the occupying item of the seat, comprising:
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arranging a support structure underneath the seat cushion assembly to support the seat on a substrate in the vehicle and such that when the occupying item is in the seat, a force exerted by the occupying item on the seat cushion assembly is transferred to the substrate by and through the support structure; mounting at least one strain measuring transducer on the support structure to provide a measurement of the strain in the support structure, when the occupying item is in the seat, which results from the force exerted by the occupying item on the seat cushion assembly which is being transferred to the substrate by and through the support structure; obtaining an indication of the weight of the occupying item based on the strain in the support structure measured by the at least one strain measuring transducer; obtaining information about at least one of the fore and aft position of the seat cushion assembly and the angular position of the seat back assembly; and improving the accuracy of the indication of the weight of the occupying item using the obtained information about the at least one of the determined fore and aft position of the seat cushion assembly or determined angular position of the seat back assembly to thereby obtain a more accurate indication of the weight of the occupying item. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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26. A method for determining weight of an occupying item of a seat in a vehicle having a seat cushion assembly and a seat back assembly defining a contact surface adapted to be in contact with the occupying item of the seat, comprising:
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arranging a support structure underneath the seat cushion assembly to support the seat on a substrate in the vehicle, the support structure transferring a force exerted by the occupying item on the seat to the substrate, the support structure comprising two elongate slide mechanisms, support members for coupling the seat to the slide mechanisms and a slide member; mounting the slide mechanisms on the substrate; mounting a plurality of strain measuring transducers on the support structure, each at a different location, to provide a measurement of the strain in the support structure at the location at which the strain measuring transducer is mounted, one of the strain measuring transducers being arranged on at least one of the support members and one of the strain measuring transducers being arranged on the slide member; and determining the weight of the occupying item of the seat based on the strain in the support structure measured by the at least one strain measuring transducer.
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Specification
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Litigation Data
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Current AssigneeAmerican Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
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Original AssigneeAutomotive Technologies International Incorporated
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InventorsBreed, David S., Johnson, Wendell C., Morin, Jeffrey L.
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Primary Examiner(s)To, Toan C.
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Application NumberUS11/369,088Publication NumberTime in Patent Office897 DaysField of Search280/735, 180/273, 177/211, 177/144, 701/45, 738/623.81, 738/625.81, 738/623.93US Class Current180/273CPC Class CodesB60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occu...B60N 2/015 Attaching seats directly to...B60N 2/02246 Electric motors thereforB60N 2/0244 with logic circuitsB60N 2/0248 with memory of positionsB60N 2/0252 with relations between diff...B60N 2/0268 using sensors or detectors ...B60N 2/0272 using sensors or detectors ...B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situa...B60N 2/067 by linear actuators, e.g. l...B60N 2/28 Seats readily mountable on,...B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat...B60N 2/2863 backward facingB60N 2/66 Lumbar supportsB60N 2/829 characterised by their adju...B60N 2/853 characterised by their adju...B60N 2/888 with arrangements for prote...B60R 2021/26094 characterised by fluid flow...B60R 2021/2765 comprising means to control...B60R 2022/288 with means to adjust or reg...View All
