Parallelogram load sensing apparatus for a vehicle seat

The present invention relates to an apparatus for sensing a load, and more particularly, to an apparatus for sensing a load imparted to a vehicle seat by a vehicle occupant. A vehicle has a seat () for a vehicle occupant and a vehicle floor pan (). An apparatus () includes a vehicle seat frame () for supporting a load of the vehicle occupant and a weight sensing mechanism () for sensing the load. The weight sensing mechanism () includes a parallelogram linkage (), a sensor lever (), and a sensor (). The parallelogram linkage () includes a first beam () and a second beam () parallel to the first beam (). The beams () have adjacent interconnected first ends () that receive the load of the vehicle occupant and adjacent interconnected second ends () that transmit the load of the vehicle occupant to the vehicle floor pan (). The beams () bend in response to the load of the vehicle occupant. The sensor lever () is interposed between the beams () and deflects upon bending of the beams (). The sensor () senses the deflection of the sensor lever () and provides an output signal indicative of the amount bending of the beams ().