Seat belt status alerting unit

• US 6,002,325 A
• Filed: 09/11/1998
• Issued: 12/14/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 08/24/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Blue Ridge International Products Company (Pencor Services Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Blue Ridge International Products Company (Pencor Services Incorporated)
• Inventors: Conaway, Brian J.
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US09/151,987
• Time in Patent Office: 459 Days
• Field of Search: 340/384.1, 340/457, 340/457.1, 180/268, 200/16.58 B
• US Class Current: 340/384.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4866 Displaying or indicating arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness

Abstract

A status alerting unit for a seat belt having a connectable buckle and tongue, particularly for use in the supervision of children riding in a vehicle. The unit has a housing mountable to the seat belt buckle. A proximity sensor, such as a pivoting flipper element, is deflected when the seat belt tongue is inserted into the buckle, and generates BUCKLED and UNBUCKLED signals. An audible alert device generates appropriate alert signals in response. A low battery voltage warning is also provided. The unit is self-contained and functions properly with a wide variety of existing seat belt assemblies, without interfering in any way with a user'"'"'s accustomed seat belt operation, or requiring special care or attention while the tongue is inserted and latched into the buckle.

Claims

1. A status alerting unit for a seat belt having a connectable buckle and tongue, the buckle having an end with a slot for receiving the tongue and an exterior surface intersecting the buckle end and generally parallel to the tongue when the tongue is inserted into the slot, said unit comprising:

a housing having at least a main portion with a mounting surface mountable to the buckle exterior surface;

a flipper element pivotally mounted to said housing, said flipper element including a tongue sensing portion which pivots away from and towards the slot respectively between an extended position generally perpendicular to said mounting surface and a fully deflected position, said flipper element being positioned such that said tongue sensing portion is in the extended position when the tongue is not inserted into the buckle slot and said tongue sensing portion pivots at least part way towards the fully deflected position when the tongue is inserted into the buckle slot;

at least one electrical switching element connected to said flipper element for generating BUCKLED and UNBUCKLED signals as the tongue is inserted into and removed from the slot; and

an alert device connected to said electrical switching element for generating respective buckled and unbuckled alert signals in response to the BUCKLED and UNBUCKLED signals.

2. The unit of claim 1, wherein said alert device comprises an audible alert device.

3. The unit of claim 1, wherein said alert device comprises a voice message device.

4. The unit of claim 1, which comprises adhesive material on said mounting surface for adhering said mounting surface to the buckle exterior surface.

5. The unit of claim 1, wherein said housing comprises a locating lip for engaging the buckle end to aid in properly positioning said housing on the buckle.

6. The unit of claim 5, wherein said lip comprises a ledge including a recess into which said flipper element tongue sensing portion is at least partially received when in the fully deflected position.

7. The unit of claim 1, wherein said tongue sensing portion extends laterally a distance along said housing.

8. The unit of claim 1, wherein said electrical switching element generates the BUCKLED signal when said tongue sensing portion has pivoted only part way towards the fully deflected position.

9. The unit of claim 8, wherein said electrical switching element generates the UNBUCKLED signal when said tongue sensing portion has pivoted at least part way back towards the extended position.

10. The unit of claim 1, wherein:

said alert device additionally generates a low voltage alert signal in response to a LOW VOLTAGE signal; and

which further comprises;

a voltage source for powering said alert device;

a low voltage detection circuit connected to said voltage source for determining whether voltage source voltage is below a predetermined threshold voltage; and

said low voltage detection circuit being operable in response to at least one of the BUCKLED and UNBUCKLED signals to pass the at least one of the BUCKLED and UNBUCKLED signals on to said alert device only when voltage source voltage is not below the predetermined threshold voltage, and to apply the LOW VOLTAGE signal to said alert device when voltage source voltage is below the predetermined threshold voltage.

11. A status alerting unit for a seat belt having a connectable buckle and tongue, the buckle having an end with a slot for receiving the tongue and an exterior surface intersecting the buckle end and generally parallel to the tongue when the tongue is inserted into the slot, said unit comprising:

a housing having a main portion with a mounting surface mountable to the buckle exterior surface, and a projecting portion which projects beyond the buckle end when said housing is mounted to the buckle, said projecting portion terminating in an end of said housing;

a flipper element pivotally mounted to said housing projecting portion adjacent said housing end, said flipper element including a tongue sensing portion which pivots away from and towards said housing main portion respectively between an extended position generally perpendicular to said mounting surface and a fully deflected position, said flipper element being positioned such that said tongue sensing portion is in the extended position when the tongue is not inserted into the buckle slot and said tongue sensing portion pivots at least part way towards the fully deflected position when the tongue is inserted into the buckle slot;

at least one electrical switching element connected to said flipper element for generating BUCKLED and UNBUCKLED signals as the tongue is inserted into and removed from the slot; and

an alert device connected to said electrical switching element for generating respective buckled and unbuckled alert signals in response to the BUCKLED and UNBUCKLED signals.

12. The unit of claim 11, wherein said alert device comprises an audible alert device.

13. The unit of claim 11, wherein said alert device comprises a voice message device.

14. The unit of claim 11, which comprises adhesive material on said mounting surface for adhering said mounting surface to the buckle exterior surface.

15. The unit of claim 11, wherein said housing comprises a locating lip where said projecting portion joins said housing main portion for engaging the buckle end to aid in properly positioning said housing on the buckle.

16. The unit of claim 15, wherein said lip comprises a ledge on said housing projecting portion, said ledge including a recess into which said flipper element tongue sensing portion is at least partially received when in the fully deflected position.

17. The unit of claim 15, wherein said tongue sensing portion extends laterally a distance along said housing end.

18. The unit of claim 15, wherein said electrical switching element generates the BUCKLED signal when said tongue sensing portion has pivoted only part way towards the fully deflected position.

19. The unit of claim 18, wherein said electrical switching element generates the UNBUCKLED signal when said tongue sensing portion has pivoted at least part way back towards the extended position.

20. The unit of claim 11, wherein:

said alert device additionally generates a low voltage alert signal in response to a LOW VOLTAGE signal; and

which further comprises;

a voltage source for powering said alert device;

a low voltage detection circuit connected to said voltage source for determining whether voltage source voltage is below a predetermined threshold voltage; and

said low voltage detection circuit being operable in response to at least one of the BUCKLED and UNBUCKLED signals to pass the at least one of the BUCKLED and UNBUCKLED signals on to said alert device only when voltage source voltage is not below the predetermined threshold voltage, and to apply the LOW VOLTAGE signal to said alert device when voltage source voltage is below the predetermined threshold voltage.

21. A status alerting unit for a seat belt having a connectable buckle and tongue, the buckle having an end with a slot for receiving the tongue and an exterior surface intersecting the buckle end and generally parallel to the tongue when the tongue is inserted into the slot, said unit comprising:

a housing having a housing main portion and a housing projecting portion with a mounting surface mountable to the buckle exterior surface, and wherein said projecting portion projects beyond the buckle end when said housing is mounted to the buckle;

a proximity sensor carried by said housing projecting portion responsive to proximity of the tongue for generating BUCKLED and UNBUCKLED signals as the tongue is inserted into and removed from the slot; and

an alert device connected to said proximity sensor for generating respective buckled and unbuckled alert signals in response to the BUCKLED and UNBUCKLED signals.

22. The unit of claim 21, wherein said alert device comprises an audible alert device.

23. The unit of claim 21, wherein said alert device comprises a voice message device.

24. The unit of claim 21, which comprises adhesive material on said mounting surface for adhering said mounting surface to the buckle exterior surface.

25. The unit of claim 21, wherein said housing comprises a locating lip where said projecting portion joins said housing main portion for engaging the buckle end to aid in properly positioning said housing on the buckle.

26. The unit of claim 25, wherein said lip comprises a ledge on said housing projecting portion, said ledge defining an interior volume and at least a portion of said proximity sensor being contained within said interior volume.

27. The unit of claim 21, wherein:

said alert device additionally generates a low voltage alert signal in response to a LOW VOLTAGE signal; and

which further comprises;

a voltage source for powering said alert device;

a low voltage detection circuit connected to said voltage source for determining whether voltage source voltage is below a predetermined threshold voltage; and

said low voltage detection circuit being operable in response to at least one of the BUCKLED and UNBUCKLED signals, to pass the at least one of the BUCKLED and UNBUCKLED signals on to said alert device only when voltage source voltage is not below the predetermined threshold voltage, and to apply the LOW VOLTAGE signal to said alert device when voltage source voltage is below the predetermined threshold voltage.