Apparatus for sensing occupant weight in an actuatable restraint

Details Apparatus for sensing occupant weight in an actuatable restraint Apparatus for sensing occupant weight in an actuatable restraint

1996-03-21

1999-01-26

Hofsass, Jeffrey A.

Communications: electrical

Condition responsive indicating system

Specific condition

180273, 177210R, 200 85A, 2807281, G08B 2100

Patent

active

058642951

ABSTRACT:
An apparatus (10) for sensing weight of an occupant on a vehicle seat (36) in an occupant restraint system (10) includes variable inductance sensor (50) mounted in the seat (36) so that inductance of the sensor (50) is functionally related to the occupant's weight on the seat (36). A capacitor (98) is connected in parallel across the variable inductance sensor (50). The capacitor (98) and the variable inductance sensor (50) form a tank circuit (100). An oscillator (40) is operatively coupled to the tank circuit (100) for driving the tank circuit (100) into oscillation. A phase detector (94) monitors a phase shift between an output of said oscillator and oscillation of tank circuit. Weight on the seat is functionally related to the monitored phase shift.

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