Seat belt tension sensor, methods of integration and attachment
First Claim
1. A force sensor (50;
-
50′
;
50a) for generating a signal indicative of the usage of a seat belt comprising;
a cylindrical first housing (70;
70′
) having a wall (72) and a bottom (74), the bottom including an opening (76), the first housing including an internal cavity (124);
a cable anchor (90) slidably received within the cavity and adapted to be connected to a cable (54);
the cable (54) having one end secured to the cable anchor and another end operatively connected to an anchor point;
a magnet (120) operatively connected to a top of the cable anchor and movable with the cable anchor;
first means for biasing the cable anchor to resist motion of the cable anchor toward the bottom of the housing;
a magnetic sensor means (200) for generating a signal indicative of the distance between it and the magnet, such distance proportional to a force applied to the seat belt;
a sensor housing (180) securably connected relative to the first housing and positioned upon the first housing to position the sensor means a determinable distance from the magnet at a null position;
a housing end cap (150) securable to the first housing for enclosing an open end of the first housing, the magnet and the sensor means being relatively movable when a force of a determinable level is applied to the end cap thereby causing the relative movement of the magnet and the sensor means.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A force sensor (50;50′;50a) for generating a signal indicative of the usage of a seat belt comprising:
a cylindrical first housing (70;70′) having a wall (72) and a bottom (74), the bottom including an opening (76), the first housing including an internal cavity (124);
a cable anchor (90) slidably received within the cavity and adapted to be connected to a cable (54);
the cable (54) having one end secured to the cable anchor and another end operatively connected to an anchor point;
a magnet (120) operatively connected to a top of the cable anchor and movable with the cable anchor;
first means for biasing the cable anchor to resist motion of the cable anchor toward the bottom of the housing;
a magnetic sensor (200) for generating a signal indicative of the distance between it and the magnet;
a sensor housing (180) securably connected relative to the first housing and positioned upon the first housing to position the magnetic sensor a determinable distance from the magnet at a null position;
a housing end cap (150) securable to the first housing for enclosing an open end of the first housing, the magnet and the magnetic sensor being relatively movable when a force of a determinable level is applied to the end cap thereby causing the relative movement of the magnet and the magnetic sensor.
23 Citations
15 Claims
-
1. A force sensor (50;
-
50′
;
50a) for generating a signal indicative of the usage of a seat belt comprising;
a cylindrical first housing (70;
70′
) having a wall (72) and a bottom (74), the bottom including an opening (76), the first housing including an internal cavity (124);
a cable anchor (90) slidably received within the cavity and adapted to be connected to a cable (54);
the cable (54) having one end secured to the cable anchor and another end operatively connected to an anchor point;
a magnet (120) operatively connected to a top of the cable anchor and movable with the cable anchor;
first means for biasing the cable anchor to resist motion of the cable anchor toward the bottom of the housing;
a magnetic sensor means (200) for generating a signal indicative of the distance between it and the magnet, such distance proportional to a force applied to the seat belt;
a sensor housing (180) securably connected relative to the first housing and positioned upon the first housing to position the sensor means a determinable distance from the magnet at a null position;
a housing end cap (150) securable to the first housing for enclosing an open end of the first housing, the magnet and the sensor means being relatively movable when a force of a determinable level is applied to the end cap thereby causing the relative movement of the magnet and the sensor means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
-
50′
-
11. A force sensor (50a) for generating a signal indicative of the usage of a seat belt comprising:
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a first housing (70a) having first and a second housing part, the first and second housing parts each including a first bridge portion (400) and a second bridge portion (402), the first bridge portions defining a first passage and the second bridge portions defining a second passage;
a cable anchor (90) slidably received within the first and second passages formed by the bridge portions, the cable anchor adapted to be connected to a cable (54), the cable anchor, at a first anchor end, includes an annular portion 44;
the cable (54) having a first cable end operatively secured to a second anchor end and a second cable end operatively connected to an anchor point;
a magnet (120) operatively connected to annular portion of the cable anchor and movable with the cable anchor;
first means for biasing the cable anchor to resist motion of the cable anchor toward an end of the first housing opposite the location of the magnet;
a sensor housing (180) fixedly positioned between the second bridge portions and located within the second passage, the annular portion of the cable anchor surrounding the sensor housing;
a magnetic sensor (200), located within the sensor housing for generating a signal indicative of the distance between it and the magnet, such distance proportional to a force applied to the seat belt;
the magnet and the magnetic sensor being relatively movable when a force of a determinable level is applied to the end cap thereby causing the relative movement of the magnet and the sensor means. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification