A capacitive sensor member of a seat occupant classification device for use in seats, in particular in vehicle seats. The capacitive sensor member includes at least one electrically conductive sense electrode that has an optimized shape for use in vehicle seats equipped with child restraint system anchorages. A capacitive seat occupant classification system is provided that includes the capacitive sensor member.

An automatic seat belt retractor includes a belt reel configured to wind a seat belt and a sensor configured to permanently record a rotational speed of the belt reel. The sensor cooperates with an element that is speed-coupled to the belt reel to record the rotational speed. The automatic seat belt retractor includes a brake unit configured to decelerate the seat belt being unwound from the belt reel with a restraining force and a control module configured to control the brake unit with respect to the restraining force as a function of the rotational speed.

A method for activating a safety actuator of a motor vehicle, including: ascertaining an endangerment model of the motor vehicle with the aid of an anticipatory sensor system and at least one characteristic value of a driving operation of the motor vehicle; ascertaining a controllability of the motor vehicle by a driver of the motor vehicle with the aid of the at least one characteristic value; and activating the safety actuator to an extent which is a function of the endangerment model and the controllability.

A safety seat of the type having a seat part that is kept at a distance from the ground by a support system. The seat includes a detection system and signalling system, the latter being able to go off when it is shaken and/or unintentionally inclined.

A seatbelt assembly includes a seatbelt, a conductive sensing conductor and a conductive shield. The seatbelt has a lap band. The conductive sensing conductor is fixed to a first side of the lap band. The conductive shield is fixed to a second side of the lap band and is substantially aligned with and substantially overlaps the sensing conductor. An insulating layer is disposed between the sensing conductor and the conductive shield.

A car seat seatbelt timer apparatus for alerting a user to a child's presence in a car seat includes a car seat with a buckle that releasably joins a pair of seatbelt segments together. When the buckle is closed, a switch is moved into an activated position, which initiates a timer. Once the timer reaches a predetermined time interval, an audible alarm is generated to notify a user that the buckle has been closed for the length of time of the predetermined time interval. A notification is also sent to a remote electronic device after the predetermined time interval elapses.

A deployable restraint system including a panel, a tether coupled to the panel, and an actuator that moves the tether to deploy the panel. The panel and the tether are placed in tension between one of two sides of a compartment and a top of the compartment when the tether is moved by the actuator.

A pressure sensing system (24), seat cushion (20) incorporating the pressure sensing system, and method of sensing a weight group associated with an occupant of an automotive seat are described. The pressure sensing system includes a layer of an electrically conductive foam (28) and a flexible printed circuit (26) that includes a flexible substrate (26a) and N horizontal sensing wires (26b) and M vertical sensing wires (26c) securely placed on a top surface of the flexible substrate. The horizontal sensing wires intersect with the vertical sensing wires and form N?M intersections. The layer of an electrically conductive foam is placed on top of the N horizontal sensing wires and the M vertical sensing wires. When a pressure is applied to the layer of the electrically conductive foam, each intersection generates in real time an electric flux density value to reflect a degree of a compression caused by the pressure to a corresponding point of the electrically conductive foam.

A vehicle includes a body holding device configured to hold the body of a seated driver; a travel control unit configured to drive the vehicle body so that it travels; and a maximum vehicle speed setting unit configured to set a set maximum vehicle speed. The travel control unit controls an output from the driving unit based on the operation amount of an accelerator device if the vehicle speed is lower than the set maximum vehicle speed, and restricts the output from the driving unit irrespective of the operation amount of the accelerator device if the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than the set maximum vehicle speed. The maximum vehicle speed setting unit sets, if it is detected that the body holding device is worn, a first vehicle speed as the set maximum vehicle speed, and sets, if it is detected that the body holding device is not worn, a second vehicle speed lower than the first vehicle speed as the set maximum vehicle speed.

A heat flux sensor is installed in such a way that heat flux emanating from a biological object present at a predetermined position is detectable. It is determined whether or not a biological object is present at the predetermined position by comparing sensing results of the heat flux sensor with determination criteria. The determination criteria is preset according to heat flux that can be sensed when a biological object is present at the predetermined position. When the sensing results of the heat flux sensor satisfy the determination criteria, in other words, when the heat flux sensed by the heat flux sensor is the heat flux emanating from a biological object, it is determined that a biological object is present at the predetermined position. Consequently, it is possible to realize accurate detection of a biological object.