Appeal No. 2002-1911 Page 11
Application No. 09/598,087
measuring deflection of the intermediate beams 22); a central processor for determining
seat occupant weight based on said weight signals (Verma's microprocessor 52); and
an airbag control module in communication with said processor wherein deployment
force of an airbag is controlled by said control module based on seat occupant weight
(Verma's airbag control module 54).
The appellants argue (brief, pp. 6-7; reply brief, pp. 2-3) that claim 11 is not
anticipated by Verma since Verma does not disclose each weight sensor having a first
end mounted to a seat riser and a second end mounted to a seat frame with a central
bendable portion extending between the first and second ends and wherein a strain
gage assembly is mounted only on either a top or bottom surface of each of the weight
sensors. We do not agree. As pointed out in our discussion above relative to claim 1,
Verma's strain gages 30 are mounted to the top surface of brackets 16 much like the
appellant's strain gages 50 are mounted to the top surface of sensor assemblies 36 as
shown in Figure 4. Accordingly, it is our determination that the claimed plurality of
weight sensors with a strain gage assembly mounted on each weight sensor are
readable on Verma's brackets 16 with full bridge strain gages 30 mounted on top of the
intermediate beam 22 sections of the brackets as shown in Figure 4.
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