What is claimed is:
1. A vehicle seat, comprising:
a cushion defining a surface adapted to support an occupying item;
a spring system arranged underneath said cushion; and
a sensor arranged in association with said spring system for generating a signal based on downward movement of said cushion caused by occupancy of the seat which is indicative of the weight of the occupying item.
2. The seat of claim 1, wherein said spring system is in contact with said sensor.
3. The seat of claim 1, wherein said sensor is a displacement sensor structured and arranged to measure displacement of said spring system caused by occupancy of the seat.
4. The seat of claim 1, wherein said sensor is structured and arranged to measure deflection of a bottom of said cushion.
5. The seat of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises:
a spring retained at both ends and which is tensioned upon downward movement of said spring system; and
measuring means for measuring a force in said spring indicative of weight of the occupying item.
6. The seat of claim 5, wherein said measuring means comprise a strain gage for measuring strain of said spring.
7. The seat of claim 5, wherein said measuring means comprise a force measuring device.
8. The seat of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises a support, a cable retained at one end by said support and a length measuring device arranged at an opposite end of said cable for measuring elongation of said cable indicative of weight of the occupying item.
9. The seat of claim 8, wherein said length measuring device comprises a cylinder, a rod arranged in said cylinder and connected to the opposite end of said cable, a spring arranged in said cylinder and connected to said rod to resist elongation of said cable and windings arranged in said cylinder whereby the amount of coupling between said windings provides an indication of the extent of elongation of said cable.
10. The seat of claim 1, wherein said sensor is arranged entirely underneath said spring system.
11. The seat of claim 1, wherein said sensor comprises at least one SAW strain gage.
12. The seat of claim 1, wherein said sensor is structured and arranged to measure a physical state of said spring system.
13. A method for measuring weight of an occupying item on a seat cushion of a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
arranging a spring system arranged underneath the cushion; and
arranging a sensor in association with at least one of the spring system and cushion for generating a signal based on downward movement of the cushion caused by the occupying item which is indicative of the weight of the occupying item
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising the step of arranging the spring system in contact with the sensor.
15. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of arranging a sensor in association with the cushion comprises the steps of retaining a spring at both ends which is tensioned upon downward movement of the spring system and measuring a force in the spring indicative of weight of the occupying item.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein the force in the spring is strain and is measured by a strain gage.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the step of arranging a sensor underneath the cushion comprises the steps of retaining a cable at one end by a support and at an opposite end by a length measuring device, and measuring elongation of the cable indicative of weight of the occupying item.
18. A weight sensor system for measuring weight applied to a seat cushion supported by supports at its edges, comprising:
a spring system adapted to be arranged underneath the cushion and extend between said supports; and
a sensor arranged in association with at least one of said spring system and the cushion for generating a signal indicative of the weight applied to the cushion based on downward movement of the cushion caused by the weight applied to the cushion.
19. The sensor system of claim 18, wherein said spring system is in contact with said sensor.
20. The sensor system of claim 18, wherein said sensor is arranged underneath said spring system.
21. The sensor system of claim 18, wherein said sensor comprises:
a spring adapted to be retained at both ends on the supports and which is tensioned upon downward movement of said spring system; and
measuring means for measuring a force in said spring indicative of weight of the occupying item.
22. The sensor system of claim 21, wherein said measuring means comprise a strain gage for measuring strain of said spring.
23. The sensor system of claim 21, wherein said measuring means comprise a force measuring device.
24. The sensor system of claim 18, wherein said sensor comprises at least one SAW strain gage.
25. A vehicle including an arrangement for controlling a component based on an occupying item of the vehicle, comprising:
a cushion defining a surface adapted to support the occupying item;
a spring system arranged underneath said cushion;
a sensor arranged in association with said spring system for generating a signal indicative of the weight of the occupying item based on downward movement of said cushion caused by occupancy of the seat; and
a processor coupled to said sensor for receiving the signal indicative of the weight of the occupying item and generating a control signal for controlling the component.
26. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein said spring system is in contact with said sensor.
27. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein said sensor is arranged underneath said spring system.
28. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein said sensor is a displacement sensor structured and arranged to measure displacement of said spring system caused by occupancy of the seat.
29. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein said sensor comprises:
a spring retained at both ends and which is tensioned upon downward movement of said spring system; and
measuring means for measuring a force in said spring indicative of weight of the occupying item.
30. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein said measuring means comprise a strain gage for measuring strain of said spring.
31. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein said measuring means comprise a force measuring device.
32. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein the component is an airbag system.
33. The vehicle of claim 25, wherein said sensor comprises at least one SAW strain gage.
34. A method for controlling a component in a vehicle based on an occupying item, comprising the steps of:
arranging a spring system arranged underneath a cushion on which the occupying item may rest;
arranging a sensor in association with the cushion for generating a signal based on downward movement of the cushion caused by the occupying item which is indicative of the weight of the occupying item; and
controlling the component based on the signal indicative of the weight of the occupying item.
35. The method of claim 34, further comprising the step of arranging the spring system in contact with the sensor.
36. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of arranging a sensor in association with the cushion comprises the steps of retaining a spring at both ends which is tensioned upon downward movement of the spring system and measuring a force in the spring indicative of weight of the occupying item.
37. The method of claim 34, wherein the force in the spring is strain and is measured by a strain gage.
38. The method of claim 34, wherein the step of arranging a sensor underneath the cushion comprises the steps of retaining a cable at one end by a support and at an opposite end by a length measuring device, and measuring elongation of the cable indicative of weight of the occupying item.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. Apparatus for preventing a foot pedal assembly from moving away from a seat, comprising:
a mat having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface, said mat shaped and dimensioned to receive the foot pedal assembly and to receive the seat; and,
one of hook and loop material disposed on said top surface of said mat, said one of hook and loop material positioned, shaped, and dimensioned to removably connect to the foot pedal assembly.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1, the foot pedal assembly having a bottom surface, the apparatus further including:
the other of hook and loop material disposable on the bottom surface of the foot pedal assembly.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further including:
said other of hook and loop material including an adhesive for connection to the bottom surface of the foot pedal assembly.
4. The apparatus according to claim 1, further including:
said mat including a seat area in which the seat is positionable, said seat area having a center; and,
said one of hook and loop material including a strip, said strip oriented substantially perpendicular to a radial line which outwardly emanates from said center.
5. The apparatus according to claim 4, further including:
a plurality of said strips spaced apart along said radial line, said plurality of strips combining to form a strip sector.
6. The apparatus according to claim 5, the foot pedal assembly having a center line and a bottom surface, the bottom surface including a toe portion which is spaced apart a distance from a heel portion, the apparatus further including:
said plurality of strips including a far strip and a near strip; and,
said far strip spaced apart from said near strip by a strip distance such that when the foot pedal assembly is placed upon said mat with the center line oriented along said radial line, the toe portion of the foot pedal assembly will abut said far strip and the heel portion of the foot pedal assembly will abut said near strip.
7. The apparatus according to claim 6, further including:
said plurality of strips including a middle strip which is disposed between said far strip and said near strip.
8. The apparatus according to claim 5, further including:
a plurality of said strip sectors residing in abutting side-by-side relationship.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1, the seat including a plurality of legs each leg having a foot, the apparatus further including:
at least one foot anchor station disposed on said top surface of said mat, said foot anchor station including one of hook and loop material; and,
at least one foot anchor, said foot anchor shaped and dimensioned to receive one foot of the seat, said foot anchor including the other of hook and loop material so that said foot anchor can be removably connected to said foot anchor station.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1, the foot pedal assembly having a bottom surface, the foot pedal assembly having a center line, the bottom surface including a toe portion which is spaced apart a distance from a heel portion, the apparatus further including:
the other of hook and loop material disposable on the bottom surface of the foot pedal assembly;
said other of hook and loop material including an adhesive for connection to the bottom surface of the foot pedal assembly;
said mat including a seat area in which the seat is positionable, said seat area having a center;
said one of hook and loop material including a strip, said strip oriented substantially perpendicular to a radial line which outwardly emanates from said center;
a plurality of said strips spaced apart along said radial line, said plurality of strips combining to form a strip sector;
said plurality of strips including a far strip and a near strip;
said far strip spaced apart from said near strip by a strip distance such that when the foot pedal assembly is placed upon said mat with the center line oriented along said radial line, the toe portion of the foot pedal assembly will abut said far strip and the heel portion of the foot pedal assembly will abut said near strip;
said plurality of strips including a middle strip which is disposed between said far strip and said near strip; and,
a plurality of said strip sectors residing in abutting side-by-side relationship.
11. A method for preventing a foot pedal assembly from moving away from a seat, comprising:
(a) providing a foot pedal assembly having a bottom surface;
(b) providing a seat;
(c) providing apparatus for preventing said foot pedal assembly from moving away from said seat, including:
a mat having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface, said mat shaped and dimensioned to receive said foot pedal assembly and to receive said seat;
one of hook and loop material disposed on said top surface of said mat, said one of hook and loop material positioned, shaped, and dimensioned to removably connect to said foot pedal assembly;
said mat including a seat area in which said seat is positionable, said seat area having a center;
said one of hook and loop material including a strip, said strip oriented substantially perpendicular to a radial line which outwardly emanates from said center;
(d) placing said seat upon said mat so that said seat resides in said seat area;
(e) providing the other of hook and loop material;
(f) connecting said other of hook and loop material to said bottom surface of said foot pedal assembly; and,
(g) placing said foot pedal assembly on said strip, so that said foot pedal assembly is connected to said mat.
12. The method of claim 11, further including:
in (a), said foot pedal assembly having a center line, said bottom surface including a toe portion which is spaced apart a distance from a heel portion; and,
in (c) providing a plurality of said strips spaced apart along said radial line, said plurality of strips combining to form a strip sector, said plurality of strips including a far strip and a near strip, said far strip spaced apart from said near strip by a strip distance such that in (g) when said foot pedal assembly is placed upon said mat with said center line oriented along said radial line, said toe portion of said foot pedal assembly will abut said far strip and said heel portion of said foot pedal assembly will abut said near strip.
13. The method of claim 11, further including:
in (b), said seat including a plurality of legs each leg having a foot;
in (c), providing at least one foot anchor station disposed on said top surface of said mat, said foot anchor station including one of hook and loop material;
in (c), providing at least one foot anchor, said foot anchor shaped and dimensioned to receive one foot of said seat, said foot anchor including the other of hook and loop material so that said foot anchor can be removably connected to said foot anchor station;
connecting said foot anchor to said foot anchor station; and,
positioning said foot in said foot anchor for the purpose of keeping said mat from moving.
14. Apparatus for preventing a musical instrument from moving when used, the musical instrument including a stand having a leg and a foot, the apparatus comprising:
a mat having a top surface and an opposite bottom surface, said mat shaped and dimensioned to receive the foot of the stand; and,
one of hook and loop material disposed on said top surface of said mat, said one of hook and loop material positioned, shaped, and dimensioned to removably connect to the foot of the stand.
15. The apparatus according to claim 14, the foot having a bottom surface, the apparatus further including:
the other of hook and loop material disposable on the bottom surface of the foot.
16. The apparatus according to claim 15, further including:
said other of hook and loop material including an adhesive for connection to the bottom surface of the foot.