Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Vehicle mounted systems – Automobile
Reexamination Certificate
1998-10-09
2001-06-05
Ballato, Josie (Department: 2836)
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Vehicle mounted systems
Automobile
C180S273000, C280S735000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06242820
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention pertains to an apparatus for sensing the weight of an object and providing a digital representation of a weight range within which the sensed weight falls. Further, the present invention pertains to an apparatus for controlling the deployment of a vehicular air bag in accordance with the weight of a passenger seated in a vehicle seat adjacent the air bag.
In various applications it is desirable to obtain an approximation of the weight of an object. It may only be necessary that the object's weight be indicated to be within a weight range; the exact weight of the object not being required. By way of example, vehicular air bag systems sense an impact and deploy an air bag to protect a passenger from contact with the windshield, dashboard, or other parts of the vehicle interior. However, different restraining forces are appropriate for passengers of different sizes. Thus, for example, the air bag restraining force necessary to protect a 300 pound man is considerably greater than that necessary to protect a 50 pound child. Numerous injuries, and even deaths, have occurred due to a vehicular air bag deploying with such great force that it injures or kills the passenger it is intended to protect.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
In one aspect, the present invention is an apparatus for sensing the weight of an object and providing a digital representation of a weight range within which the sensed weight falls. The apparatus includes a plurality of two-position switches, each of which normally assumes a first position and is responsive to a force of at least a predetermined amount to assume a second position. The force required to cause the switch to assume the second position defines two weight ranges. The switches are positioned beneath a support surface which supports the object to be weighed. A decoding circuit monitors the position of each of the switches to provide a digital representation of the weight range within which the weight of the object falls. By way of example, the two-position switches might be dome shaped switches of the type disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,563,458. Alternatively, any other suitable two-position switch that is responsive to a force of at least a predetermined amount might be utilized.
In a second aspect, the present invention is a plurality of groups of two-position switches, each group being responsive to force of a uniquely associated amount to give each group of switches a uniquely associated first weight range and a uniquely associated second weight range.
A third aspect of the present invention is a vehicular air bag system including an air bag, an air bag deployment system, an impact sensor for activating the air bag deployment system to deploy the air bag upon sensing of an impact of at least a predetermined magnitude, and an apparatus for sensing the weight of a passenger seated in a seat adjacent the air bag and controlling the air bag deployment system to control deployment of the air bag in accordance with the weight of the passenger weight.
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Ardery Carlton B.
Dunbridge Barry
Gilger L. Dwight
Shankar Pramod
Ballato Josie
Polk Sharon
TRW Inc.
Yatsko Michael S.
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