Patent ID: 6713001
Filing Date: 2004-03-30
Classification: A47C,B60N

Abstract:
A method of imaging a vehicle occupant's body position at the interface between the vehicle occupant and a vehicle seating surface, comprising:positioning a pressure-actuated, controlled-rigidity support bag at the interface between the vehicle occupant and the vehicle seating surface, wherein said bag comprises a filler comprising an assembly of pliable and flexible laminated friction strips which can be deformed therein; creating a vacuum pressure within said pressure-actuated, controlled-rigidity support bag to conform the bag to the contour of the interface between the vehicle occupant and the vehicle seating surface and to frictionally engage said laminated friction strips so that the bag maintains said contour and inherently exhibits shape memory characteristics such that the bag may be pliable bent and automatically returns to the shape of said contour when released; and imaging the conformed bag to determine the contour of the interface, thereby determining the vehicle occupant's body position on the vehicle seating surface.