Claims
- 1. A seat belt tension sensor for attachment between a seat belt and a vehicle structure comprising:
a) a housing having a cavity; b) an anchor plate having a first portion located in the cavity, the housing movable relative to the anchor plate between a first position and a second position; c) a sensor mounted to the housing, the housing pressing on the sensor as the housing moves from the first to the second position, the sensor generating an electrical signal in response to the housing moving between the first and second positions, the electrical signal changing as a function of tension on the seat belt;, and d) a spring located between the sensor and the anchor plate, the spring urging the housing toward the first position.
- 2. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 1, wherein the anchor plate has a first aperture and the housing has a flange with a hole extending through the flange, the first aperture surrounding the flange.
- 3. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 2, wherein an end of the seat belt passes through the hole.
- 4. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 2, wherein the anchor plate has a second portion extending outside of the housing, the second portion having a second aperture, a fastener passing through the second aperture and affixed to the vehicle structure.
- 5. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 4, wherein the housing has a pair of posts extending therefrom, the sensor being retained in the posts.
- 6. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 5, wherein the anchor plate has a cutout, the sensor and spring extending into the cutout.
- 7. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 1, wherein a wire harness is attached to the sensor.
- 8. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 6, wherein the anchor plate has a projection that extends into the spring.
- 9. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 3, wherein the housing has a narrow portion adjacent the hole that the end of the seat belt wraps around.
- 10. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 1, wherein the sensor is a strain gage.
- 11. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 10, wherein the strain gage is a substrate having at least one resistor mounted thereon.
- 12. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 11, wherein the substrate has a first surface and a second surface the resistor mounted on the first surface and the spring in contact with the second surface.
- 13. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 11, wherein the strain gage has four resistors.
- 14. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 13, wherein the resistors are connected to form a wheatstone bridge.
- 15. A seat belt tension sensor for attachment to a vehicle comprising:
a) a housing mounted between the vehicle and a seat belt; b) a sensor mounted to the housing for generating an electrical signal in response to the seat belt being placed in tension, the electrical signal changing as a function of tension on the seat belt; c) a limit structure at least partially mounted in the housing and in contact with the sensor, the limit structure transferring tension from the seat belt to the sensor until a first magnitude of tension has been applied; and d) the limit structure preventing tension greater than the first magnitude from being applied to the sensor such that the sensor is protected from damage.
- 16. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 15, wherein the limit structure further comprises:
a) an anchor plate having a first end located in the housing and a second end extending from the housing; b) a first aperture located in the first end; c) the housing having a flange with a hole extending through the flange, the first aperture surrounding the flange; d) a cutout located in the first end, the sensor located in the cutout; e) a spring mounted in the cutout between the sensor and the anchor plate; and f) a second aperture located in the second end.
- 17. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 16, wherein a fastener is mounted through the third aperture and is affixed to the vehicle.
- 18. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 17, wherein an end of the seat belt passes through the hole.
- 19. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 18, wherein the housing has a pair of posts extending therefrom, the sensor being retained in the posts.
- 20. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 16, wherein the anchor plate has a projection that extends into the spring.
- 21. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 18, wherein the housing has a narrow portion adjacent the hole that the end of the seat belt wraps around.
- 22. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 15, wherein the sensor is a strain gage.
- 23. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 22, wherein the strain gage is a substrate having at least one resistor mounted thereon.
- 24. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 23 wherein the substrate has a first surface and a second surface, the resistor mounted on the first surface and the spring in contact with the first surface.
- 25. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 23, wherein the strain gage has four resistors.
- 26. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 25, wherein the resistors are connected to form a wheatstone bridge.
- 27. A seat belt tension sensor for measuring the amount of tension in a seat belt in a vehicle comprising:
a) a housing, the seat belt attached to the housing; b) an anchor plate having a first end mounted to the housing and a second end mounted to the vehicle; c) a sensor mounted to the housing, the sensor adapted to provide an electrical signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt; d) a spring mounted between the sensor and the anchor plate; and e) the housing moving relative to the anchor plate as tension is placed on the seat belt, the tension of the seat belt being transferred to the sensor.
- 28. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 27 wherein the housing has a flange, the flange contacting the anchor plate after a first magnitude of tension in the seat belt is exceeded.
- 29. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 28 wherein the amount of strain transferred from the seat belt to the sensor is limited to the first magnitude of tension.
- 30. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 29 wherein the flange contacting the anchor plate protects the sensor from damage.
- 31. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 28, further comprising:
a) a first aperture located in the anchor plate, the first aperture surrounding and spaced from the flange such that a gap is defined between the flange and the anchor plate; b) a second aperture located in the anchor plate; and c) a cutout located in the anchor plate, the sensor and spring mounted in the cutout.
- 32. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 31 wherein a fastener attaches the second end to the vehicle, the fastener mounted through the second aperture.
- 33. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 31, wherein the housing has a pair of posts extending therefrom, each post having a slot, the sensor retained in the slots.
- 34. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 31, wherein a projection extends into the cutout, the spring mounted over the projection.
- 35. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 31, wherein the flange has a hole, the seat belt passing through the hole.
- 36. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 27, wherein the housing has a narrow portion adjacent the flange that the seat belt wraps around.
- 37. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 27, wherein the sensor is a strain gage.
- 38. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 37, wherein the strain gage is a substrate having at least one resistor mounted thereon.
- 39. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 38, wherein the substrate has a first surface and a second surface, the resistor mounted on the first surface and the spring in contact with the first surface.
- 40. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 27, wherein a printed circuit board is mounted in the housing.
- 41. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 40, wherein a terminal connects the strain member to the printed circuit board.
- 42. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 41, wherein a wire harness is connected to the printed circuit board.
- 43. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 27, wherein an electronic circuit is mounted to the printed circuit board, the electronic circuit adapted to amplify the electrical signal.
- 44. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 24 wherein the anchor plate is in contact with the second surface.
- 45. The seat belt tension sensor according to claim 39, wherein the anchor plate is in contact with the second surface.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED AND CO-PENDING APPLICATIONS
[0001] This application is a continuation in part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/923,151 filed Aug. 6, 2001 and titled, “Seat Belt Tension Sensor”.
[0002] This application is related to the following U.S. patent applications:
[0003] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/884,615 filed Jun. 19, 2001 and titled, “Seat Belt Tension Sensor with Overload Protection”.
[0004] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/441,350, filed Nov. 15, 1999 and titled, “Automobile Seat Having Seat Supporting Brackets with a Stepped Weight Sensor”.
[0005] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/374,874, filed Aug. 16, 1999 and titled, “Automobile Seat Weight Sensor”.
[0006] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/374,870, filed Aug. 16, 1999 and titled, “Vehicle Occupant Position Detector and Airbag Control System”.
[0007] U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/422,382, filed Oct. 21, 1999 and titled, “Vehicle Seat Weight Sensor”.
[0008] U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,915, issued Apr. 3, 2001 and titled, “Seat Belt Tension Sensor”.
Continuation in Parts (1)
|
Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
09923151 |
Aug 2001 |
US |
Child |
10185242 |
Jun 2002 |
US |