Abstract: A capacitance type sensor installed in a vehicle includes the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode. The first electrode is arranged inside a seating portion of a seat or a backrest portion of the seat, or both. The second electrode is arranged adjacent to the first electrode inside at least one of the seating portion and the backrest portion of the seat, whatever the first electrode is arranged. The second electrode forms an electric field together with the first electrode between them in a wetness determination mode in which a wet condition of the seat is determined. The third electrode forms an electric field together with the first and the second electrode between them in an occupant determination mode in which an occupant in the seat is determined.

Abstract: A capacitance-type sensor for detecting a condition of an occupant on a vehicle seat includes an electrode. The electrode is disposed within a detection area in the vehicle seat. The electrode generates an electric field. The detection area is based on a surface pressure distribution obtained when an adult sits on the seat.

Abstract: A seat occupant identifying apparatus for automotive occupant restraint system is provided which works to identify whether a seat occupant is an adult passenger or a child passenger. When a total output value of a plurality of seat load sensors is greater than a given adult identifying threshold value, it is determined that the seat occupant is an adult. Afterwards, when the total output value decreases below the adult identifying threshold value due to, for example, a lateral G-force acting on the seat occupant during cornering of the vehicle, and an output of either of the right and left seat load sensors is lowered below a preselected cornering threshold value, while the other output is higher than it, the latest determination that the seat occupant is an adult is kept as it is. This provides for high accuracy seat occupant identification during cornering of the vehicle.

Abstract: A capacitance-type sensor for detecting a condition of an occupant on a vehicle seat includes an electrode. The electrode is disposed within a detection area in the vehicle seat. The electrode generates an electric field. The detection area is based on a surface pressure distribution obtained when an adult sits on the seat.

Abstract: A capacitance type sensor installed in a vehicle includes the first electrode, the second electrode, and the third electrode. The first electrode is arranged inside a seating portion of a seat or a backrest portion of the seat, or both. The second electrode is arranged adjacent to the first electrode inside at least one of the seating portion and the backrest portion of the seat, whatever the first electrode is arranged. The second electrode forms an electric field together with the first electrode between them in a wetness determination mode in which a wet condition of the seat is determined. The third electrode forms an electric field together with the first and the second electrode between them in an occupant determination mode in which an occupant in the seat is determined.

Abstract: A seat occupant sensor for use in automotive occupant restraint systems. The sensor has a sensing plate cantilevered by a stationary part installed on a vehicle body to be bent upon application of a weight load of an occupant on a seat. The sensor is equipped with a stopper mechanism which works to stop the sensing plate from bending out of a predetermined range in which the sensing plate is allowed to undergo a maximum bending stress within a bending stress limit of the sensing plate, thereby avoiding undesirable deflection or fracture of the sensing plate.

Abstract: A seat occupant identifying apparatus for automotive occupant restraint system is provided which is designed to identify whether a seat occupant is an adult or a child based on comparison of an output of a seat load sensor with an adult identifying threshold value. The seat occupant identifying apparatus works to correct the adult identifying threshold value based on a drift of the output of the seat load sensor when the seat is unoccupied which arises aging of the apparatus, thereby compensating for an aging-caused error in identifying the seat occupant.

Abstract: A seat occupant sensor for use in automotive occupant restraint systems. The sensor has a sensing plate cantilevered by a stationary part installed on a vehicle body to be bent upon application of a weight load of an occupant on a seat. The sensor is equipped with a stopper mechanism which works to stop the sensing plate from bending out of a predetermined range in which the sensing plate is allowed to undergo a maximum bending stress within a bending stress limit of the sensing plate, thereby avoiding undesirable deflection or fracture of the sensing plate.

Abstract: A seat occupant identifying apparatus for automotive occupant restraint system is provided which works to identify whether a seat occupant is an adult passenger or a child passenger. When a total output value of a plurality of seat load sensors is greater than a given adult identifying threshold value, it is determined that the seat occupant is an adult. Afterwards, when the total output value decreases below the adult identifying threshold value due to, for example, a lateral G-force acting on the seat occupant during cornering of the vehicle, and an output of either of the right and left seat load sensors is lowered below a preselected cornering threshold value, while the other output is higher than it, the latest determination that the seat occupant is an adult is kept as it is. This provides for high accuracy seat occupant identification during cornering of the vehicle.

Abstract: A device for detecting a tensile force of a seat belt composed of an elastic plate having a strain gauge mounted thereon and a protecting plate overlapped on the elastic plate is installed in a seat belt. Under a normal situation, seat belt tensile force is applied only to the elastic plate which is deformable according to the tensile force. The elastic plate is broken when a high tensile force exceeding a predetermined level is applied thereto, while the protecting plate remains unbroken by such a high tensile force. The seat belt tensile force under the normal situation is precisely detected by the strain gauge mounted on the elastic plate, and the seat belt function to protect a passenger is maintained by the protecting plate when the high tensile force is generated by an accidental collision or the like.

Abstract: An airbag operation control system controls inflation of an air bag and has discrimination data (map) for classifying the load and the tensile force into first and second groups (adult and child), classifies the load and the tensile force. When the load and the tensile force is classified into the first group, the system measures a duration for which the load and the tensile force continuously classified into the first group and makes judgment whether inflation of the air bag is permitted (adult case) or inhibited (child case) if the time duration exceeds a predetermined interval to supply a control signal to the air bag.

Abstract: A device for detecting a tensile force of a seat belt composed of an elastic plate having a strain gauge mounted thereon and a protecting plate overlapped on the elastic plate is installed in a seat belt. Under a normal situation, seat belt tensile force is applied only to the elastic plate which is deformable according to the tensile force. The elastic plate is broken when a high tensile force exceeding a predetermined level is applied thereto, while the protecting plate remains unbroken by such a high tensile force. The seat belt tensile force under the normal situation is precisely detected by the strain gauge mounted on the elastic plate, and the seat belt function to protect a passenger is maintained by the protecting plate when the high tensile force is generated by an accidental collision or the like.