Patent ID: 7049974

Claim:
A vehicle occupant sensing system for detecting a condition of a vehicle seat, said vehicle occupant sensing system comprising: a circuit carrier with an upper surface; an electric circuit supported by said circuit carrier, said electric circuit presenting a plurality of leads; at least one low profile sensor assembly having a housing that includes a fixed base, an upper slide member, and at least one intermediate guide member disposed between said upper slide member and said base, said upper slide member and said at least one intermediate guide member supported for movement toward and away from said fixed base in response to movement of said vehicle seat; a sensor adapted to detect the condition of the vehicle seat, said sensor having a body with a bottom surface that is supported by said upper surface of said circuit carrier, and having a plurality of formed terminals corresponding to said plurality of leads presented by said electric circuit, wherein each of said plurality of formed terminals is spaced a predetermined distance away from a plane defined by said bottom surface of said body; and a plurality of conductive connectors associated with said corresponding plurality of formed terminals and leads, said conductive connectors operatively supporting said terminals and establishing electrical communication between said terminals and said leads.