Vehicle seat belt transducer for child's seat

• US 6,301,977 B1
• Filed: 05/02/2000
• Issued: 10/16/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Stojan Stojanovski
• Original Assignee: Stojan Stojanovski
• Inventors: Stojanovski, Stojan
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US09/563,646
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• Field of Search: 738/26, 738/28, 738/623.91, 738/623.92, 738/623.93
• US Class Current: 73/862.393
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/103 using sensors fixed at one end of the flexible member

Abstract

Apparatus for suppressing the operation of a vehicle restraint system when a child'"'"'s seat is mounted in a vehicle car seat. The seat belt is connected by two plates to a vehicle anchor. One plate is stretchable, the other non-stretchable. A low seat belt load does not stretch either plate. A higher load stretches the stretchable plate until the belt load is transferred to the non-stretchable plate.

Claims

1. Apparatus for suppressing the operation of a restraint system when a child'"'"'s seat is mounted and strapped on a car seat in a vehicle, comprising:

a seat belt having a first end arranged to be connected to a child seat to anchor same to a vehicle, and a looped second end;

a belt anchoring structure attached to the vehicle;

a transducer connected between the seat belt and the belt anchoring structure, comprising;

a transducer plate connected to the belt anchoring structure and having opening means for connecting the looped end of the seat belt, the transducer plate being elastically deformable in response to a tensile load applied by the seat belt to the transducer plate;

a rigid structural plate connected to the belt anchoring structure and having opening means for coupling to the looped end of the seat belt and being relatively non-stretchable in response to a tensile load applied by the seat belt;

a strain gage mounted on the transducer plate to transmit an electrical signal when the transducer plate has been deformed by the seat belt; and

the transducer plate being disposed to transfer a tensile seat belt load to the structural plate when the transducer plate has been elongated a predetermined amount.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the first member is a metal plate, and the second member is a metal or plastic deformable plate.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, including a restraint means electrically connected to the strain gage so as to be disabled unless a predetermined signal is received from the strain gage.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the restraint means is an inflatable airbag.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the belt anchoring structure comprises a steel or nylon cable mounted to the vehicle frame.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, in which the transducer plate has bowed neck area supporting the strain gage.

2. Apparatus for anchoring a seat belt in a vehicle, comprising:

a rigid first member having an opening for receiving the looped end of a seat belt and means for connecting the first member to a vehicle anchor means;

a second member which elongates in response to a tensile force, the second member having an opening for receiving the looped end of a seat belt received in the opening of the first member, and means for connecting the second member to the vehicle anchor means; and

the belt-receiving opening in the second member being disposed closer to the anchoring means than the belt-receiving opening of the first member such that as the second member elongates in response to a tensile load applied by the seat belt on the second member, but not on the first member, the opening in the second member become so aligned with the opening in the first member that the tensile load is applied to the first member.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, in which the first member is a metal plate.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, including a strain gage mounted on the second member between the belt-receiving opening thereon and the anchor means to send an electrical signal to a restraint means.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, including a seat belt connected to the second plate, and electrical wiring connected to the strain gage and embedded in the seat belt.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 2, in which the second member is a thin, deformable metal or plastic plate.