Force recording seat belt assembly

• US 4,805,467 A
• Filed: 06/17/1987
• Issued: 02/21/1989
• Est. Priority Date: 09/16/1985
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Proprietary Technology Incorporated
• Original Assignee: Proprietary Technology Incorporated
• Inventors: Bartholomew, Donald D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Ruehl, Charles A.
• Application Number:
  US07/063,102
• Time in Patent Office: 615 Days
• Field of Search: 73/862.54, 73/862.53, 73/862.51, 73/862.39, 116/203, 116/206, 116/212, 368/1, 368/89, 267/74, 267/165
• US Class Current: 73/862.541
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/18 Anchoring devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/28 incorporating energy-absorbing devices belt anchors provided with energy-absorbing means for protecting the occupants in case of physical contact therewith B60R21/055; belt retractors comprising energy-absorbing means B60R22/341, B60R22/4676
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 1/12 giving a maximum or minimum of a value
• CPC Class Codes: G01D 21/02 Measuring two or more variables by means not covered by a single other subclass

Abstract

A safety belt assembly of the present invention measures the amount of force exerted on the assembly and also the point in time when a force was exerted on the assembly. The assembly includes a first and second member associated with one another, mechanism associated with the first and second members for resiliently restraining relative movement and movably retaining said members with respect to one another; a mechanism responsive to relative movement of the first and second members for enabling a measurement of force and indicating a point in time when a force was exerted on the assembly; and a mechanism for securing the assembly to a safety belt and/or a buckle or anchor.

Claims

1. A safety belt assembly for measuring force exerted on the assembly, the assembly comprising:

a first and second member;

a flat elongated biasing means in communicating with said first and second members for resiliently restraining relative movement and movably retaining said members with respect to one another;

means responsive to relative movement of said first and second members for enabling a determination of an amount of force exerted on said assembly;

means for securing said assembly into a buckle;

means for securing said assembly onto a belt; and

means for securing said assembly to a vehicle.

2. The safety belt assembly according to claim 1 wherein said biasing means including said means for securing said assembly onto said belt and buckle and a serpentine biasing portion is made from a metallic strip material.

3. The safety belt assembly according to claim 1 wherein said members being slideably associated with one another.

4. The safety belt assembly according to claim 3 wherein said means for determination of force further comprises wiper means and indicator means, said wiper means associated with said indicator means for enabling determination of a distance travelled by said biasing means in response to an exerted force.

5. A safety belt assembly for measuring the point in time when a force was exerted on the assembly, said assembly comprising:

a first and second member;

a flat elongated biasing means in communication with said first and second members for resiliently restraining relative movement and movably restraining said members with respect to one another;

means responsive to relative movement of said first and second members for indicating a point in time when a force was exerted on said assembly; and

means for securing said assembly onto a safety belt.

6. The safety belt assembly according to claim 5 wherein said biasing means further comprises means for securing said assembly onto a belt and buckle and a serpentine biasing portion force from a metallic strip material.

7. The safety belt assembly according to claim 5 wherein said members being slideably associated with one another.

8. The safety belt assembly according to claim 5 wherein said means for indicating the point in time when a force was exerted comprises a wiper means and a chemical means, said wiper means activating said chemical means such that said chemical means decays at a known pre-determined rate when exposed to atmospheric conditions.

9. A safety belt assembly for measuring the force exerted and indicating the point in time when a force wax exerted on the assembly, said assembly comprising:

a first and second member;

a flat elongated biasing means in communication with said first and second members for resilient restraining relative movement and movably retaining said first and second members with respect to one another;

means responsive to relative movement of said first and second members for enabling a determination of an amount of force exerted on said assembly and for indicating a point in time when a force was exerted on said assembly;

means for securing said assembly into a buckle; and

means for securing said assembly onto a belt.

10. The safety belt assembly according to claim 9 wherein said biasing means includes said means for securing said assembly onto a belt and buckle and a serpentine biasing portion formed from metallic strip material.

11. The safety belt assembly according to claim 9 wherein said members being slideably associated with one another.

12. A safety belt assembly according to claim 11 wherein said means for determination of force and for indicating the point in time when a force was exerted further comprises a wiper member and a chemical means, said wiper member associated with said chemical means for enabling determination of a distance travelled by said biasing means in response to an exerted force and said wiper means activating said chemical means such that said chemical means decays at a known pre-determined rate when exposed to atmospheric conditions.

13. An assembly associated with a safety belt for measuring the force exerted and indicating the point in time when a foce was exerted on the assembly, said assembly comprising:

a first and second member;

a flat elongated biasing means in communication with said first and second members for resiliently restraining relative movement and movably retaining said first and second members with respect to one another;

means responsive to relative movement of said first and second members for enabling a determination of an mount of force exerted on said assembly and for indicating a point in time when a force was exerted on said assembly; and

means for operatively securing said assembly to a safety belt.

14. The safety belt assembly according to claim 13 wherein said baising means further comprises means for securing said assembly onto a belt and buckle and a serpentine biasing portion formed from metallic strip material.

15. The safety belt assembly according to claim 13 wherein said members being slideably associated with one another.

16. A safety belt assembly according to claim 15 wherein said means for determination of force and for indicating the point in time when a force was exerted comprises a wiper member and a chemical means, said wiper member associated with said chemical means for enabling determination of a distance travelled by said biasing means in response to an exerted force and said wiper means activating said chemical means such that said chemical means decays at a known pre-determined rate when exposed to atmospheric conditions.