Abstract: A capacitance type sensor includes a detection electrode, a reference electrode, and a sub-reference electrode for distinguishingly detecting a detection object. The sub-reference electrode has a reference voltage applied thereto and is displaceable relative to the detection electrode due to a pressure exerted from the detection object. A voltage application device applies a detection voltage to form an electric field in a space defined with the reference electrode device. A capacitance detector of the sensor detects a first capacitance and a second capacitance, and a detection unit of the sensor distinguishingly detects the detection object based on the first capacitance and the second capacitance. The first capacitance is measured between the detection electrode and the reference electrode, and the second capacitance is measured between the detection electrode and the sub-reference electrode.

Abstract: An occupant sensor device includes a sensor body unit disposed in a base part of a seat in a vehicle, and an occupant detection device. The sensor body unit is divided into at least two parts, such as a first sensor part and a second sensor part, where the first sensor part is positioned in front of the second sensor part. Based on a capacitance between the sensor body unit and a vehicle body, the occupant detection device detects an occupant type of an occupant that is seated on the seat. In particular, the occupant detection unit is able to detect the occupant type based on a first capacitance provided by the first sensor part, a second capacitance provided by the second sensor part, and a total capacitance, which is a total of the first capacitance and the second capacitance.

Abstract: A capacitance sensor outputs a signal indicating one of an occupant-seated state, a CRS-mounted state and a vacancy state. A load sensor is ON when a predetermined load applied to the load sensor through the seat, and is OFF when the predetermined load is not applied. A controller turns off both of an on-light indicating airbag inflation allowance and an off-light indicating airbag inflation prohibition, when the signal indicates the vacancy state, and when the load sensor is OFF. The controller turns on the off-light, when the signal indicates the vacancy state, and when the load sensor is ON.

Abstract: A capacitive occupant detection system comprises a capacitive sensor and a seat frame located under the capacitive sensor through a seat cushion. The seat frame is electrically connected with the ground potential level of the vehicle. A water proof layer is placed above the seat frame. The water proof layer prevents water from penetrating the seat cushion to reach to the seat frame, even if water poured on the seating part. The water proof layer suppresses resistance decrease of resistive component between the capacitive sensor and the seat frame resulting from water poured on the seat.

Abstract: A capacitive occupant detection apparatus comprising a sensor unit and a control unit is disclosed. The sensor unit includes a detection electrode and a periphery guard electrode. The control unit includes: a signal application circuit for applying an oscillation signal to the detection electrode; an operational amplifier for applying to the guard electrode a signal having the same phase and potential as the oscillation signal applied to the detection electrode; and a control circuit for receiving current and voltage values supplied to the detection and for determining a mounting state on a seat based on the inputted current and voltage values (including phase information). The periphery guard electrode is located to surround the detection electrode when viewed from an upper side of the detection electrode.

Abstract: An occupant detection apparatus includes an electrostatic capacitance type sensor having a main electrode, a sub electrode and a guard electrode, an impedance measurement device that outputs an alternating current signal to measure an impedance, and an occupant discrimination device that discriminates an occupant. The guard electrode is provided oppositely to main electrode and not oppositely to the sub electrode. The impedance measurement device outputs an alternating current signal to pass the signal through the main electrode so as to measure a main impedance. Further, the impedance measurement device outputs the alternating current signal to pass the signal through sub electrode so as to measure a sub impedance. The occupant discrimination device discriminates the occupant based on an electrostatic capacitance component of the main impedance and a resistance value component of the sub impedance.

Abstract: An occupant detection system including an electrostatic sensor, a determination section and a heater is disclosed. The electrostatic sensor includes an electrode arranged inside a seat of a vehicle and configured to generate a weak electric field. The electrostatic sensor outputs an output value associated with the weak electric field. The determination section supplies voltage to the electrode, and performs an occupant determination to determine an occupant on the seat based on the output value of the electrostatic sensor. The heater is inside the seat, and is arranged in parallel with or on a lower side of the electrode. Before performing the occupant determination, the determinations section determines whether or not the heater has a disconnection fault based on the output value of the electrostatic sensor.

Abstract: An occupant detection system is a part of a vehicle occupant protection system. The vehicle occupant protection system is enabled to be activated when the occupant detection system determines an ON state indicative of existence of an occupant on a seat. The vehicle occupant protection system is disabled to be activated when the occupant detection system determines an OFF state. The system includes a capacitive sensor which detects the occupant based on a capacitance around the seat. The system determines the ON state or the OFF state based on the detected value of the capacitive sensor and a predetermined threshold value. The system evaluates whether the determination result in the determination block is appropriate or not. Then, the system biases the threshold value to suppress a reversal determination from the determination result which is evaluated as appropriate.

Abstract: An occupant detection system is a part of a vehicle occupant protection system. The vehicle occupant protection system is enabled to be activated when the occupant detection system determines an ON state indicative of existence of an occupant on a seat. The vehicle occupant protection system is disabled to be activated when the occupant detection system determines an OFF state. The system includes a capacitive sensor which detects the occupant based on a capacitance around the seat. The system determines the ON state or the OFF state based on the detected value of the capacitive sensor and a predetermined threshold value. The system evaluates whether the determination result in the determination block is appropriate or not. Then, the system biases the threshold value to suppress a reversal determination from the determination result which is evaluated as appropriate.

Abstract: A capacitance sensor outputs a signal indicating one of an occupant-seated state, a CRS-mounted state and a vacancy state. A load sensor is ON when a predetermined load applied to the load sensor through the seat, and is OFF when the predetermined load is not applied. A controller turns off both of an on-light indicating airbag inflation allowance and an off-light indicating airbag inflation prohibition, when the signal indicates the vacancy state, and when the load sensor is OFF. The controller turns on the off-light, when the signal indicates the vacancy state, and when the load sensor is ON.

Abstract: A capacitive occupant detection system comprises a capacitive sensor and a seat frame located under the capacitive sensor through a seat cushion. The seat frame is electrically connected with the ground potential level of the vehicle. A water proof layer is placed above the seat frame. The water proof layer prevents water from penetrating the seat cushion to reach to the seat frame, even if water poured on the seating part. The water proof layer suppresses resistance decrease of resistive component between the capacitive sensor and the seat frame resulting from water poured on the seat.

Abstract: An apparatus for detecting a load is disclosed. The apparatus includes a printed circuit board having a wiring pattern. The apparatus further includes a load sensing element located on the printed circuit board and including a pressure-sensitive member. The pressure-sensitive member has an electric property that is changeable according to the load. The apparatus further includes a load detection circuit arranged on the printed circuit board, connected with the load sensing element through the wiring pattern of the printed circuit board, and configured to detect a detection result of the load based on a change in the electric property of the load sensing element.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of manufacturing a photothermographic material excellent in coating stability with less haze in images, wherein the photothermographic material has, on at least one side of a support, an image forming layer containing at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder and at least one non-photosensitive layer above the image forming layer relative to the support, wherein (1) both the image forming layer and the non-photosensitive layer are formed with an aqueous coating solution, and (2) the coating solution for the image forming layer contains a phthalic acid salt or a salt of a derivative thereof, as well as a photothermographic material formed therewith.

Abstract: Provided is a photothermographic material comprising, on a support, at least a non-photosensitive layer, and an image forming layer comprising at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder, wherein a content of the binder in the image forming layer is from approximately 55.6% to approximately 47.6% by mass ratio. A photothermographic material capable of rapid thermal development and having excellent film quality is provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photothermographic material comprising an image forming layer containing at least a light-sensitive silver halide, a light-insensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent and a binder and a non-image forming layer on at least one surface of a support, wherein 50% by weight or more of the binder is a hydrophilic binder, the light-sensitive material further comprising a metal phthalocyanine compound represented by the following formula (PC-1): wherein M represents a metal atom, R1, R4, R5, R8, R9, R12, R13 and R16 respectively represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent where at least one of R1, R4, R5, R8, R9, R12, R13 and R16 is an electron attractive group and R2, R3, R6, R7, R10, R11, R14 and R15 respectively represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent.

Abstract: A photothermographic material having, on at least one side of a support, an image forming layer containing at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, and a binder, and at least one non-photosensitive layer which is disposed on the same side as the image forming layer and farther from the support than the image forming layer, wherein (1) 50% by weight or more of the binder is a polymer latex having a monomer component having an acid group, and (2) the polymer latex has a core/shell structure having a core part and a shell part, and the monomer component having an acid group in the core part is 2 mol % to 20 mol % of a total amount of the monomer component having an acid group in the polymer latex. The invention provides a photothermographic material which exhibits excellent image uniformity with low fog.

Abstract: The invention provides a photothermographic material including, on a same surface of a substrate, a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent, a development accelerator and a binder, the material containing, as the binder, a polymer formed by copolymerizing a monomer represented by the following general formula (M) in an amount from 10 to 70 mass %: CH2?CR01—CR02?CH2??General formula (M) wherein R01 represents a hydrogen atom, an alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a halogen atom, or a cyano group; and R02 represents an alkyl group with 1 to 6 carbon atoms, a halogen atom or a cyano group (both R01 and R02 are not hydrogen atoms at the same time).

Abstract: A photothermographic image-recording material with improved storability before image formation and improved coating characteristics, which has a support having provided thereon an image-forming layer, the layer having at least one light-insensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent for silver ion and a binder, wherein the binder has a polymer having a recurring unit represented by the formula (1), and the content of the recurring unit represented by the formula (1) in the polymer is from 0.1 to 50% by weight.

Abstract: Disclosed is a photothermographic material comprising an image forming layer containing at least a light-sensitive silver halide, a light-insensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent and a binder and a non-image forming layer on at least one surface of a support, wherein 50% by weight or more of the binder is a hydrophilic binder, the light-sensitive material further comprising a metal phthalocyanine compound represented by the following formula (PC-1): wherein M represents a metal atom, R1, R4, R5, R8, R9, R12, R13 and R16 respectively represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent where at least one of R1, R4, R5, R8, R9, R12, R13 and R16 is an electron attractive group and R2, R3, R6, R7, R10, R11, R14 and R15 respectively represent a hydrogen atom or a substituent.

Abstract: A photothermographic material comprising, on a support, an image forming layer containing at least a photosensitive silver halide, a non-photosensitive organic silver salt, a reducing agent and a binder, and a non-photosensitive outermost layer at a surface side of the support at which the image forming layer is provided, wherein: 1) the non-photosensitive organic silver salt contains 90% by mole or more of silver behenate; and a binder in the outermost layer contains 50% by weight or more of a hydrophobic polymer latex, 2) the outermost layer contains a polymer latex; and a layer adjacent to the outermost layer contains a binder which can lose fluidity upon a decrease in temperature, or 3) the outermost layer contains a polymer latex; and a coating solution for forming the outermost layer can lose fluidity upon a decrease in temperature.