Seat belt buckle sensor
First Claim
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1. A seat belt buckle incorporating a belt tension sensor, comprising:
- a seat belt buckle having a base;
a seat belt latch mounted for movement on the base, the latch having a tongue engagement portion, the tongue engagement portion extensible through an opening defined by portions of the base;
a tongue having portions defining a latch engaging opening, and a first portion of the tongue which is in load supporting engagement with the latch, the tongue being engageable with the latch to lock the tongue to the buckle;
a spring mounted to the latch so that when the tongue first portion is pushed against the latch tongue engagement portion, the spring is compressed;
a magnetic field sensor mounted on the buckle; and
a magnet mounted on the buckle so as to cause a magnetic field at the sensor, wherein motion of the tongue away from the buckle to elastically deform the spring changes the intensity of the magnetic field at the sensor in proportion to the compression of the spring and thus in proportion to the belt tension.
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Abstract
A seat belt buckle incorporates a spring mounted on the latch. When the latch engages with the tongue of a seat belt, the tongue can move against the spring in response to tension loading of the seat belt while remaining securely latched. This motion due to belt tension is resisted by the spring, with a selected spring constant. A sensor is used to monitor the presence and position of the tongue either directly or by measuring motion of the latch. The position information, which is related to spring compression, is used to determine loading on the tongue and thus seat belt tension.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A seat belt buckle incorporating a belt tension sensor, comprising:
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a seat belt buckle having a base; a seat belt latch mounted for movement on the base, the latch having a tongue engagement portion, the tongue engagement portion extensible through an opening defined by portions of the base; a tongue having portions defining a latch engaging opening, and a first portion of the tongue which is in load supporting engagement with the latch, the tongue being engageable with the latch to lock the tongue to the buckle; a spring mounted to the latch so that when the tongue first portion is pushed against the latch tongue engagement portion, the spring is compressed; a magnetic field sensor mounted on the buckle; and a magnet mounted on the buckle so as to cause a magnetic field at the sensor, wherein motion of the tongue away from the buckle to elastically deform the spring changes the intensity of the magnetic field at the sensor in proportion to the compression of the spring and thus in proportion to the belt tension. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5)
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6. A seat belt buckle incorporating a belt tension sensor comprising:
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a seat belt buckle, having a base; a seat belt tongue which mates with the buckle; a latch mounted for movement on the base to engage the tongue, the latch having a tongue engagement surface; a spring mounted to the tongue engagement surface, the spring positioned between the tongue engagement surface and the seat belt tongue when the tongue is mated with the buckle; a magnet rigidly mounted to the seat belt buckle; and a magnetic field sensor positioned spaced from the magnet and mounted to the seat belt buckle so that motion of the tongue against the spring changes the magnetic field present at the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A seat belt buckle incorporating a belt tension sensor comprising:
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a seat belt buckle, having a base, the base having portions defining an opening; a seat belt tongue retained within the seat belt buckle; a latch mounted on the base for motion toward and away from the opening, the latch being engageable with a portion of the base which defines the opening to retain a seat belt tongue; a latch follower, and follower spring, the follower spring biasing the latch follower toward the latch; a compressible spring positioned to bias the the seat belt tongue in a direction opposed to seat belt tension; a magnet mounted on the buckle; and a magnetic field sensor mounted on the buckle spaced from the magnet, wherein the magnet and magnetic field sensor are mounted such that compression of the compressible spring by the tongue connected to a seat belt results in a change in magnetic field strength due to the position of the tongue, and wherein the varying magnetic field at the magnetic field sensor is in proportion to the compression of the spring and thus in proportion to the belt tension. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. A seat belt buckle and sensor arrangement for detecting seat belt latch status and seat belt tension comprising:
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a buckle having a base; a tongue engageable with the base; a latch mounted on the base and movable to engage the tongue with the base; a spring positioned to bias the tongue in a direction opposed to tension in a seat belt connected to the tongue; and a magnet and a magnetic field sensor, the magnet being spaced from the magnetic field sensor, the magnet and the magnetic field sensor being mounted to the buckle and positioned to detect latch motion to engage the tongue and motion of the tongue again the spring produced by seat belt tension. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification