Seat belt tension sensor
First Claim
1. An apparatus for measuring a tensile load in a flexible element, comprising:
- a. a housing;
b. a guide surface either operatively coupled to or a part of said housing, wherein said guide surface is adapted to support the flexible element at a first location so as to substantially prevent transverse displacement of the flexible element in a first direction relative to said housing at said first location;
c. a deflector comprising a spring operatively coupled to said housing, wherein said deflector is adapted to operatively engage the flexible element at one of a second location and a third location;
d. a sensor operatively coupled to said housing, wherein i. said sensor is adapted to operatively engage the flexible element at another of said second location and said third location;
ii. said third location is between said first location and said second location;
iii. the operative engagement of said sensor with the flexible element acts to resist transverse displacement thereof in said first direction;
iv. said guide surface, said deflector and said sensor are arranged so that said third location is displaced by a relative displacement in said first direction relative to a line between said first location and said second location when there is substantially no tensile load in the flexible element;
v. a deflection of said deflector is responsive to said tensile load in the flexible element along the flexible element;
vi. said relative displacement is responsive to said deflection of said deflector; and
vii. said sensor is responsive to a component of force from the flexible element in said first direction.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for measuring a tensile load in a flexible element comprises a housing, a guide surface either operatively coupled to or a part of the housing, a deflector comprising a spring operatively coupled to the housing, and a sensor operatively coupled to the housing. The guide surface is adapted to support the flexible element at a first location so as to substantially prevent transverse displacement of the flexible element in a first direction relative to the housing. The deflector and the sensor are adapted to operatively engage the flexible element at a second location and a third location respectively, or vice versa, wherein the third location is between the first location and the second location. The operative engagement of the sensor with the flexible element acts to resist transverse displacement thereof in the first direction. The guide surface, the deflector and the sensor are arranged so that the third location is displaced by a relative displacement in the first direction. A deflection of the deflector is responsive to the tensile load along the flexible element, the relative displacement is responsive to the deflection of the deflector, and the sensor is responsive to a component of force from the flexible element in the first direction.
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Citations
20 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring a tensile load in a flexible element, comprising:
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a. a housing;
b. a guide surface either operatively coupled to or a part of said housing, wherein said guide surface is adapted to support the flexible element at a first location so as to substantially prevent transverse displacement of the flexible element in a first direction relative to said housing at said first location;
c. a deflector comprising a spring operatively coupled to said housing, wherein said deflector is adapted to operatively engage the flexible element at one of a second location and a third location;
d. a sensor operatively coupled to said housing, wherein i. said sensor is adapted to operatively engage the flexible element at another of said second location and said third location;
ii. said third location is between said first location and said second location;
iii. the operative engagement of said sensor with the flexible element acts to resist transverse displacement thereof in said first direction;
iv. said guide surface, said deflector and said sensor are arranged so that said third location is displaced by a relative displacement in said first direction relative to a line between said first location and said second location when there is substantially no tensile load in the flexible element;
v. a deflection of said deflector is responsive to said tensile load in the flexible element along the flexible element;
vi. said relative displacement is responsive to said deflection of said deflector; and
vii. said sensor is responsive to a component of force from the flexible element in said first direction. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A method of measuring a tensile load in a flexible element, comprising:
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a. supporting the flexible element at a first location so as to resist transverse displacement thereof in a first direction relative to a datum;
b. supporting the flexible element at a second location so as to resist transverse displacement thereof in said first direction relative to said datum wherein said operation of supporting the flexible element at one of said first location and said second location is provided by a means that is substantially rigid relative to said datum;
c. transversely displacing the flexible element at a third location in said first direction wherein said third location is between said first location and said second location and a relative transverse displacement of the flexible element at said third location in said first direction relative to a line between said first location and said second location is responsive to a tensile load in the flexible element when said tensile load is applied to the flexible element so as to be directed along said flexible element;
d. applying a first force having a vector component in said first direction to the flexible element wherein said first force is applied by at least one compliant element either at or operatively coupled to one of said first location, said second location, and said third location, wherein said at least one force is responsive to said relative transverse displacement of the flexible element; and
e. measuring a second force at a location either at or operatively coupled to a location that is different from said one of said first location, said second location, and said third location wherein said second force is responsive to said tensile load in the flexible element. - View Dependent Claims (20)
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Specification