Weight measuring systems and methods for vehicles

1. A seat assembly in a vehicle adapted to be attached to a substrate of the vehicle, comprising:

a seat having a bottom portion and a back portion coupled at an angle to a rear portion of said bottom portion;

a support structure arranged at least partially under said bottom portion of said seat and to support said seat on the substrate at a plurality of locations including two rearward locations on opposite lateral sides of said seat and at least one forward location, said support structure comprising a support member arranged at each of said locations and which is deformed or strained when an occupying item is situated in said seat; and

a weight measuring system arranged in connection with said support structure for determining an approximate weight of an occupying item of said seat, said weight measuring system consisting of only one or two strain gage sensors arranged on said support structure each on one of said support members at a respective one of said rearward locations at which said support structure supports said seat on the substrate without any sensors in front of said rearward locations or at said at least one forward location or said weight measuring system consisting of only one or two strain gage sensors arranged on said support structure each on one of said support members at a respective one of said at least one forward location at which said support structure supports said seat on the substrate without any sensors rearward of said at least one forward location or at said rearward locations, each of said one or two strain gage sensors providing data relating to strain in said support member resulting from the force or pressure being applied at the respective location which is used to derive the approximate weight of the occupying item.

2. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said weight measuring system consists of only a first sensor arranged at a first one of said rearward locations and no other sensors arranged on said support structure.

3. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said weight measuring system consists of only a first sensor arranged at a first one of said rearward locations and a second sensor arranged at a second one of said rearward locations and no other sensors arranged on said support structure.

4. The assembly of claim 1 , further comprising a seatback angle sensor arranged on said seat to determine an angle between said bottom portion and said back portion, said seatback angle sensor being coupled to said weight measuring system which considers the determined angle when deriving the approximate weight of the occupying item of the seat.

5. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said seat is movable relative to said support structure, further comprising a seat track position sensor arranged to determine a relative position between said seat and said support structure, said seat track position sensor being coupled to said weight measuring system which considers the determined relative position between said seat and said support structure when deriving the approximate weight of the occupying item of the seat.

6. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said support structure comprises a pair of slide mechanisms each having a part fixable to the substrate and a movable part, said slide mechanisms being arranged on the opposite lateral sides of said seat, said support members being a pair of brackets coupled at one end region to said movable parts and at an opposite end region to said seat, said one or two sensors each being arranged on a rearward portion of a respective one of said brackets.

7. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said support structure comprises first, second and third slide mechanisms each having a part fixable to the substrate and a movable part, said support members being a pair of rear supports each coupled at one end region to a respective one of the opposite lateral sides of said seat and at an opposite end region to said movable part of a respective one of said first and second slide mechanisms and a single forward support coupled at one end region to said seat and at an opposite end region to said third slide mechanism, said one or two sensors each being arranged on a respective one of said rear supports.

8. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said support structure comprises four support members arranged at comers of said bottom portion of said seat, said one or two sensors being arranged on a respective one of said support members at a rear of said bottom portion of said seat.

9. The assembly of claim 1 , wherein said weight measuring system consists of only a single sensor arranged at each of said at least one forward location.

10. A vehicle, comprising:

a substrate defining an interior passenger compartment; and

a seat assembly comprising

a seat having a bottom portion and a back portion coupled at an angle to a rear portion of said bottom portion;

a support structure arranged at least partially under said bottom portion of said seat and to support said seat on said substrate at a plurality of locations including two rearward locations on opposite lateral sides of said seat and at least one forward location, said support structure comprising a support member arranged at each of said locations and which is deformed or strained when an occupying item is situated in said seat; and

a weight measuring system arranged in connection with said support structure for determining an approximate weight of an occupying item of said seat, said weight measuring system consisting of only one or two strain gage sensors arranged on said support structure each on one of said support members at a respective one of said rearward locations at which said support structure supports said bottom portion on said substrate without any sensors in front of said rearward locations or at said at least one forward location, each of said one or two strain gage sensors providing data relating to strain in said support member resulting from the force or pressure being applied at the respective location which is used to derive the approximate weight of the occupying item.

11. The vehicle of claim 10 , further comprising an occupant restraint device arranged to protect the occupying item during a crash involving the vehicle, said occupant restraint device being coupled to said weight measuring system and arranged to provide a variable deployment depending on the determined approximate weight of the occupying item.

12. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein said weight measuring system consists of only a first sensor arranged at a first one of said rearward locations and no other sensors arranged on said support structure.

13. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein said weight measuring system consists of only a first sensor arranged at a first one of said rearward locations and a second sensor arranged at a second one of said rearward locations and no other sensors arranged on said support structure.

14. The vehicle of claim 10 , further comprising a seatback angle sensor arranged on said seat to determine an angle between said bottom portion and said back portion, said seatback angle sensor being coupled to said weight measuring system which considers the determined angle when deriving the approximate weight of the occupying item of said seat.

15. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein said seat is movable relative to said support structure, further comprising a seat track position sensor arranged to determine a relative position between said seat and said support structure, said seat track position sensor being coupled to said weight measuring system which considers the determined relative position between said seat and said support structure when deriving the approximate weight of the occupying item of said seat.

16. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein said support structure comprises a pair of slide mechanisms each having a part fixable to said substrate and a movable part, said slide mechanisms being arranged on the opposite lateral sides of said seat, said support members being a pair of brackets coupled at one end region to said movable parts and at an opposite end region to said seat, said one or two sensors each being arranged on a rearward part of a respective one of said brackets.

17. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein said support structure comprises first, second and third slide mechanisms each having a part fixable to said substrate and a movable part, said support members being a pair of rear supports each coupled at one end region to a respective one of the opposite lateral sides of said seat and at an opposite end region to said movable part of a respective one of said first and second slide mechanisms and a single forward support coupled at one end region to said seat and at an opposite end region to said third slide mechanism, said one or two sensors each being arranged on a respective one of said rear supports.

18. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein said support structure comprises four support members arranged at corners of said bottom portion, said one or two sensors each being arranged on a respective one of said support members at a rear of said bottom portion.

19. The vehicle of claim 10 , wherein said one or two sensors are arranged on a portion of said support structure entirely underneath said bottom portion of said seat.

20. A method for determining weight of an occupying item in a seat in a vehicle, comprising:

providing a seat having a bottom portion and a back portion coupled at an angle to a rear of the bottom portion;

mounting the seat to a substrate of the vehicle defining a passenger compartment of the vehicle;

arranging a support structure at least partially under the seat and to support the seat on the substrate at a plurality of locations including two rearward locations on opposite lateral sides of the seat and at least one forward location, the support structure comprising a support member arranged at each of the locations and which is deformed or strained when an occupying item is situated in said seat;

arranging only one or two strain gage sensors on the support structure each on one of the support members at a respective one of the rearward locations at which the support structure supports the seat on the substrate without any sensors in front of the rearward locations or at the at least one forward location or arranging only one or two strain gage sensors on the support structure each on one of the support members at a respective one of the at least one forward location at which the support structure supports the seat on the substrate without any sensors behind the at least one forward location or at the rearward locations, each of the one or two sensors providing data relating to strain of the support member resulting from the force or pressure being applied at the respective location; and

deriving an approximate weight of an occupying item of the seat based on the data from the sensor or sensors.

21. A seat assembly in a vehicle adapted to be attached to a substrate of the vehicle, comprising:

a seat having a bottom portion and a back portion coupled at an angle to a rear portion of said bottom portion;

a support structure arranged at least partially under said bottom portion of said seat and to support said seat on the substrate at a plurality of locations including two rearward locations on opposite lateral sides of said seat and at least one forward location,

said support structure comprising

at least one slide mechanism each having a part fixable to the substrate and a movable part, and

at least one support member each attached at one end region to said seat and at an opposite end region to said movable part of a respective one of said at least one slide mechanism; and

a weight measuring system arranged in connection with said support structure for determining an approximate weight of an occupying item of said seat, said weight measuring system consisting of only one or two sensors arranged on said support structure each on said at least one support member at a respective one of said rearward locations at which said support structure supports said seat on the substrate without any sensors in front of said rearward locations or at said at least one forward location or said weight measuring system consisting of only one or two sensors arranged on said support structure each on said at least one support member at a respective one of said at least one forward location at which said support structure supports said seat on the substrate without any sensors rearward of said at least one forward location or at said rearward locations, each of said one or two sensors providing data relating to the force or pressure being applied at the respective location which is used to derive the approximate weight of the occupying item.

22. The assembly of claim 21 , wherein said at least one slide mechanism comprises a pair of slide mechanisms arranged on the opposite lateral sides of said seat and said at least one support member comprises a pair of support members, said one or two sensors each being arranged on a rearward portion of a respective one of said support members.

23. The assembly of claim 21 , wherein said at least one slide mechanism comprises first, second and third slide mechanisms and said at least one support member comprises a pair of rear support members each coupled at one end region to a respective one of the opposite lateral sides of said seat and at an opposite end region to said movable part of a respective one of said first and second slide mechanisms and a single forward support member coupled at one end region to said seat and at an opposite end region to said third slide mechanism, said one or two sensors each being arranged on a respective one of said rear support member.

24. The assembly of claim 21 , wherein said at least one support member is deformed or strained when an occupying item is situated in said seat and said one or two sensors are each strain gage sensors arranged to measure strain of a respective one of said at least one support member.

25. A vehicle, comprising:

a substrate defining an interior passenger compartment; and

a seat assembly comprising

a seat having a bottom portion and a back portion coupled at an angle to a rear portion of said bottom portion;

a support structure arranged at least partially under said bottom portion of said seat and to support said seat on said substrate at a plurality of locations including two rearward locations on opposite lateral sides of said seat and at least one forward location;

said support structure comprising

at least one slide mechanism each having a part fixable to the substrate and a movable part, and

at least one support member each coupled to said seat and to said movable part of a respective one of said at least one slide mechanism; and

a weight measuring system arranged in connection with said support structure for determining an approximate weight of an occupying item of said seat, said weight measuring system consisting of only one or two sensors arranged on said support structure each on said at least one support member at a respective one of said rearward locations at which said support structure supports said bottom portion on said substrate without any sensors in front of said rearward locations or at said at least one forward location, each of said one or two sensors providing data relating to the force or pressure being applied at the respective location which is used to derive the approximate weight of the occupying item.

26. The assembly of claim 25 , wherein said at least one slide mechanism comprises a pair of slide mechanisms arranged on the opposite lateral sides of said seat and said at least one support member comprises a pair of support members, said one or two sensors each being arranged on a rearward portion of a respective one of said support members.

27. The assembly of claim 25 , wherein said at least one slide mechanism comprises first, second and third slide mechanisms and said at least one support member comprises a pair of rear support members each coupled at one end region to a respective one of the opposite lateral sides of said seat and at an opposite end region to said movable part of a respective, one of said first and second slide mechanisms and a single forward support member coupled at one end region to said seat and at an opposite end region to said third slide mechanism, said one or two sensors each being arranged on a respective one of said rear support member.

28. The assembly of claim 25 , wherein said at least one support member is deformed or strained when an occupying item is situated in said seat and said one or two sensors are each strain gage sensors arranged to measure strain of a respective one of said at least one support member.