US5961144A — Folded combination horn pad and driver position s…

Claim 1

Independent Claim 128 words

An apparatus for providing control signals for at least one vehicle system, said apparatus comprising: first circuit means for sensing distance between a vehicle occupant and said first circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof; second circuit means for sensing deformation of said second circuit means caused by pressure applied to said second circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof; and substrate means for supporting said first and second circuit means in a stacked arrangement, said substrate means including means defining a plurality of planar portions for providing a plurality of stacked, substantially parallel circuit areas in said stacked arrangement, said first circuit means extending on one of said circuit areas, and said second circuit means extending on another one of said circuit areas.

Claim 2

Independent Claim 128 words

An apparatus for providing control signals for at least one vehicle system, said apparatus comprising: first circuit means for sensing distance between a vehicle occupant and said first circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof; second circuit means for sensing deformation of said second circuit means caused by pressure applied to said second circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof; and substrate means for supporting said first and second circuit means in a stacked arrangement, said substrate means including means defining a plurality of planar portions for providing a plurality of stacked, substantially parallel circuit areas in said stacked arrangement, said first circuit means extending on one of said circuit areas, and said second circuit means extending on another one of said circuit areas.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 38 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said substrate means includes a folded sheet of substrate material folded, said defined planar portions are on said sheet of substrate material and adjacent to at least one fold.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 79 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein the at least one vehicle system for which said apparatus provides control signals includes an occupant restraint system having an adjustable aspect, and an audible horn system, said signal provided by said first circuit means is for control of the adjustable aspect of the occupant restraint system, and said signal provided by said second circuit means indicative of deformation results in an audible signal being emitted from the horn system.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 35 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1, wherein said first circuit means includes a field-effect circuit for detecting a capacitance of an electric field and a ground plate circuit for controlling the electric field.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 82 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said means defining a plurality of planar portions defines three planar portions, said field-effect circuit of said first circuit means extends on the circuit area of a first one of said planar portions, said ground plate circuit of said first circuit means extends on the circuit area of a second one of said planar portions, and said second circuit means extends on the circuit area of a third one of said planar portions.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 27 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5, wherein said second planar portion with the ground plate circuit is located between the first and third planar portions.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 48 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 4, wherein said field-effect circuit and said second circuit means extend on the circuit area of a first one of the planar portions, and said ground plate circuit extends on the circuit area of a second one of the planar portions.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 50 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including means for mounting said apparatus within a vehicle steering wheel hub between a driver's side restraint module and a steering wheel hub cover such that said first circuit means senses a distance between a vehicle driver and said first circuit means.

Claim 10

Independent Claim 124 words

An apparatus for providing control signals for at least one vehicle system, said apparatus comprising: first circuit means for sensing distance between a vehicle occupant and said first circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof; second circuit means for sensing deformation of said second circuit means caused by pressure applied to said second circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof; and a sheet of substrate material folded to define a plurality of planar portions for providing a plurality of stacked, substantially parallel circuit areas, said first circuit means extending on one of said circuit areas of said sheet of substrate material, and said second circuit means extending on another one of said circuit areas of said sheet of substrate material.

Claim 11

Independent Claim 124 words

An apparatus for providing control signals for at least one vehicle system, said apparatus comprising: first circuit means for sensing distance between a vehicle occupant and said first circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof; second circuit means for sensing deformation of said second circuit means caused by pressure applied to said second circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof; and a sheet of substrate material folded to define a plurality of planar portions for providing a plurality of stacked, substantially parallel circuit areas, said first circuit means extending on one of said circuit areas of said sheet of substrate material, and said second circuit means extending on another one of said circuit areas of said sheet of substrate material.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 79 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein the at least one vehicle system for which said apparatus provides control signals includes an occupant restraint system having an adjustable aspect, and an audible horn system, said signal provided by said first circuit means is for control of the adjustable aspect of the occupant restraint system, and said signal provided by said second circuit means indicative of deformation results in an audible signal being emitted from the horn system.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 35 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said first circuit means includes a field-effect circuit for detecting a capacitance of an electric field and a ground plate circuit for controlling the electric field.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 80 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said sheet has two folds and defines three planar portions, said field-effect circuit of said first circuit means extends on the circuit area of a first one of said planar portions, said ground plate circuit of said first circuit means extends on the circuit area of a second one of said planar portions, and said second circuit means extends on the circuit area of a third one of said planar portions.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 27 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 12, wherein said second planar portion with the ground plate circuit is located between the first and third planar portions.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 48 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 11, wherein said field-effect circuit and said second circuit means extend on the circuit area of a first one of the planar portions, and said ground plate circuit extends on the circuit area of a second one of the planar portions.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 26 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said substrate material is flexible in response to pressure applied by a hand of the vehicle occupant.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 25 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 15, wherein said second circuit means is flexible to deform upon flexing of said sheet of substrate material.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 19 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 9, wherein said sheet of substrate material is made of dielectric material.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 50 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 including means for mounting said apparatus within a vehicle steering wheel hub between a driver's side restraint module and a steering wheel hub cover such that said first circuit means senses a distance between a vehicle driver and said first circuit means.

Claim 21

Independent Claim 120 words

An apparatus for providing control signals for at least one vehicle system, said apparatus comprising: first circuit means for sensing an electric field indicative of distance between a vehicle occupant and said first circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof; second circuit means for directing the electric field sensed by said first circuit means; and substrate means for supporting said first and second circuit means in a stacked arrangement, said substrate means including means defining a plurality of planar portions for providing a plurality of stacked, substantially parallel circuit areas in said stacked arrangement, said first circuit means extending on one of said circuit areas, and said second circuit means extending on another one of said circuit areas.

Claim 22

Independent Claim 120 words

An apparatus for providing control signals for at least one vehicle system, said apparatus comprising: first circuit means for sensing an electric field indicative of distance between a vehicle occupant and said first circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof; second circuit means for directing the electric field sensed by said first circuit means; and substrate means for supporting said first and second circuit means in a stacked arrangement, said substrate means including means defining a plurality of planar portions for providing a plurality of stacked, substantially parallel circuit areas in said stacked arrangement, said first circuit means extending on one of said circuit areas, and said second circuit means extending on another one of said circuit areas.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 51 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein the at least one vehicle system for which said apparatus provides control signals includes an occupant restraint system having an adjustable aspect, said signal provided by said first circuit means is for control of the adjustable aspect of the occupant restraint system.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 39 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 19, wherein said first circuit means includes a field-effect circuit for detecting a capacitance of the electric field, said second circuit means includes a ground plate circuit for controlling the electric field.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 112 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 21 including a horn pad circuit for sensing deformation of said horn pad circuit caused by pressure applied to said horn pad circuit, and for providing a signal indicative thereof, and wherein said means defining a plurality of planar portions defines three planar portions, said field-effect circuit of said first circuit means extends on the circuit area of a first one of said planar portions, said ground plate circuit of said second circuit means extends on the circuit area of a second one of said planar portions, and said horn pad circuit extends on the circuit area of a third one of said planar portions.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 27 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 22, wherein said second planar portion with the ground plate circuit is located between the first and third planar portions.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 50 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 19 including means for mounting said apparatus within a vehicle steering wheel hub between a driver's side restraint module and a steering wheel hub cover such that said first circuit means senses a distance between a vehicle driver and said first circuit means.

Claim 28

Independent Claim 116 words

An apparatus for providing control signals for at least one vehicle system, said apparatus comprising: first circuit means for sensing an electric field indicative of distance between a vehicle occupant and said first circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof; second circuit means for directing the electric field sensed by said first circuit means; and a sheet of substrate material folded to define a plurality of planar portions for providing a plurality of stacked, substantially parallel circuit areas, said first circuit means extending on one of said circuit areas of said sheet of substrate material, and said second circuit means extending on another one of said circuit areas of said sheet of substrate material.

Claim 29

Independent Claim 116 words

An apparatus for providing control signals for at least one vehicle system, said apparatus comprising: first circuit means for sensing an electric field indicative of distance between a vehicle occupant and said first circuit means, and for providing a signal indicative thereof; second circuit means for directing the electric field sensed by said first circuit means; and a sheet of substrate material folded to define a plurality of planar portions for providing a plurality of stacked, substantially parallel circuit areas, said first circuit means extending on one of said circuit areas of said sheet of substrate material, and said second circuit means extending on another one of said circuit areas of said sheet of substrate material.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 51 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein the at least one vehicle system for which said apparatus provides control signals includes an occupant restraint system having an adjustable aspect, said signal provided by said first circuit means is for control of the adjustable aspect of the occupant restraint system.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 39 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 25, wherein said first circuit means includes a field-effect circuit for detecting a capacitance of the electric field, said second circuit means includes a ground plate circuit for controlling the electric field.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 110 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 27 including a horn pad circuit for sensing deformation of said horn pad circuit caused by pressure applied to said horn pad circuit, and for providing a signal indicative thereof, and wherein said sheet has two folds and defines three planar portions, said field-effect circuit of said first circuit means extends on the circuit area of a first one of said planar portions, said ground plate circuit of said second circuit means extends on the circuit area of a second one of said planar portions, and said horn pad circuit extends on the circuit area of a third one of said planar portions.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 27 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 28, wherein said second planar portion with the ground plate circuit is located between the first and third planar portions.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 78 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 27 including a horn pad circuit for sensing deformation of said horn pad circuit caused by pressure applied to said horn pad circuit, and for providing a signal indicative thereof, and wherein said field-effect circuit and said horn pad circuit extend on the circuit area of a first one of the planar portions, and said ground plate circuit extends on the circuit area of a second one of the planar portions.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 50 words

An apparatus as set forth in claim 25 including means for mounting said apparatus within a vehicle steering wheel hub between a driver's side restraint module and a steering wheel hub cover such that said first circuit means senses a distance between a vehicle driver and said first circuit means.

Claim 36

Independent Claim 127 words

A method for providing an apparatus which outputs control signals for at least one vehicle system, said method comprising: providing a plurality of planar portions of substrate material, each planar portion having a circuit area; mounting first circuit means, which senses distance between a vehicle occupant and the first circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a first one of the circuit areas such that the first circuit means extends on the first circuit area; and mounting second circuit means, which senses deformation of the second circuit means caused by pressure applied to the second circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a second one of the circuit areas such that the second circuit means extends on the second circuit area.

Claim 37

Independent Claim 127 words

A method for providing an apparatus which outputs control signals for at least one vehicle system, said method comprising: providing a plurality of planar portions of substrate material, each planar portion having a circuit area; mounting first circuit means, which senses distance between a vehicle occupant and the first circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a first one of the circuit areas such that the first circuit means extends on the first circuit area; and mounting second circuit means, which senses deformation of the second circuit means caused by pressure applied to the second circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a second one of the circuit areas such that the second circuit means extends on the second circuit area.

Claim 38

Independent Claim 181 words

A method for providing an apparatus which outputs control signals for at least one vehicle system, said method comprising: providing a sheet of foldable substrate material, which has a plurality of circuit areas; mounting first circuit means, which senses distance between a vehicle occupant and the first circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a first one of the circuit areas of the substrate material such that the first circuit means extends on the first circuit area of the substrate material; mounting second circuit means, which senses deformation of the second circuit means caused by pressure applied to the second circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a second one of the circuit areas of the substrate material such that the second circuit means extends on the second circuit area of the substrate material; and folding the sheet of substrate material to impose the first circuit area over the second circuit area, such that the first circuit area, with the first circuit means, is stacked upon the second circuit area, with the second circuit means.

Claim 39

Independent Claim 181 words

A method for providing an apparatus which outputs control signals for at least one vehicle system, said method comprising: providing a sheet of foldable substrate material, which has a plurality of circuit areas; mounting first circuit means, which senses distance between a vehicle occupant and the first circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a first one of the circuit areas of the substrate material such that the first circuit means extends on the first circuit area of the substrate material; mounting second circuit means, which senses deformation of the second circuit means caused by pressure applied to the second circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a second one of the circuit areas of the substrate material such that the second circuit means extends on the second circuit area of the substrate material; and folding the sheet of substrate material to impose the first circuit area over the second circuit area, such that the first circuit area, with the first circuit means, is stacked upon the second circuit area, with the second circuit means.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as set forth in claim 33, wherein said step of folding includes folding the sheet substrate material twice to define three planar portions.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 105 words

A method as set forth in claim 34, wherein said step of mounting the first circuit means includes providing a field-effect circuit portion of the first circuit means, which detects a capacitance of an electric field, to extend on a first one of the planar portions of the sheet, and providing a ground plate circuit portion of the first circuit means, which controls the electric field, to extend on a second one of the planar portions of the sheet, and wherein said step of mounting the second circuit means includes providing the second circuit means to extend on a third one of the planar portions.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as set forth in claim 33, wherein said step of folding includes folding the sheet of substrate material once to define two planar portions.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 102 words

A method as set forth in claim 36, wherein said step of providing the first circuit means includes providing a field-effect circuit portion of the first circuit means, which detects a capacitance of an electric field, to extend on a first one of the planar portions of the sheet, and providing a ground plate circuit portion of the first circuit means, which controls the electric field, to extend on a second one of the planar portions of the sheet; and wherein said step of providing the second circuit means includes providing the second circuit means to extend on the first planar portion.

Claim 44

Independent Claim 173 words

A method for providing an apparatus which outputs control signals for at least one vehicle system, said method comprising: providing a sheet of foldable substrate material, which has a plurality of circuit areas; mounting first circuit means, which senses an electric field indicative of distance between a vehicle occupant and the first circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a first one of the circuit areas of the substrate material such that the first circuit means extends on the first circuit area of the substrate material; mounting second circuit means, which directs the electric field sensed by the first circuit means, on a second one of the circuit areas of the substrate material such that the second circuit means extends on the second circuit area of the substrate material; and folding the sheet of substrate material to impose the first circuit area over the second circuit area, such that the first circuit area, with the first circuit means, is stacked upon the second circuit area, with the second circuit means.

Claim 45

Independent Claim 173 words

A method for providing an apparatus which outputs control signals for at least one vehicle system, said method comprising: providing a sheet of foldable substrate material, which has a plurality of circuit areas; mounting first circuit means, which senses an electric field indicative of distance between a vehicle occupant and the first circuit means and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on a first one of the circuit areas of the substrate material such that the first circuit means extends on the first circuit area of the substrate material; mounting second circuit means, which directs the electric field sensed by the first circuit means, on a second one of the circuit areas of the substrate material such that the second circuit means extends on the second circuit area of the substrate material; and folding the sheet of substrate material to impose the first circuit area over the second circuit area, such that the first circuit area, with the first circuit means, is stacked upon the second circuit area, with the second circuit means.

Claim 46

Dependent Claim 25 words

A method as set forth in claim 38, wherein said step of folding includes folding the sheet substrate material twice to define three planar portions.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 44 words

A method as set forth in claim 39 including providing a horn pad circuit, which senses deformation of the horn pad circuit caused by pressure applied to the horn pad circuit and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on one of the planar portions.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 26 words

A method as set forth in claim 38, wherein said step of folding includes folding the sheet of substrate material once to define two planar portions.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 51 words

A method as set forth in claim 41 including providing a horn pad circuit, which senses deformation of the horn pad circuit caused by pressure applied to the horn pad circuit and which provides a signal indicative thereof, on the same one of the planar portions as the first circuit means.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2002-10-04	2003-04-05	2003-10-05	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2006-10-04	2007-04-05	2007-10-05	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2010-10-04	2011-04-05	2011-10-05	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Folded combination horn pad and driver position sensor assembly and method for providing the assembly

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