Seat belt force sensor system
First Claim
1. A sensor assembly for measuring seatbelt forces comprising:
- a rigid member having a first end for supporting a seat belt portion and a second end for attachment to a vehicle structure wherein said rigid member defines a longitudinal axis;
a strain gage mounted on said rigid member between said first and second ends for measuring the strain exerted on said rigid member by a tension force applied to the seat belt portion; and
an electrical connector mounted to said rigid member adjacent to said strain gage and including a connection extending transversely to said longitudinal axis for connection to a control unit wherein said electrical connector receives strain measurements from said strain gage and transmits said measurements to a central processor to determine the magnitude of the tension force.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A system for measuring seat belt forces is used to control deployment of vehicle airbags. The system includes a rigid plate member having one end attached to a portion of the seat belt and an opposite end mounted to a vehicle structure. The seat belt is used to secure passengers or an infant car seat to the vehicle seat. A sensor including a strain gage is mounted on the rigid plate between the ends and is used to measure the magnitude of forces exerted on the seat belt by the passenger or car seat. The strain gage generates a signal representative of the tension in the seat belt, which is used to control deployment of the airbag. The airbag is not deployed if the tension in the seat belt exceeds a predetermined limit.
54 Citations
22 Claims
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1. A sensor assembly for measuring seatbelt forces comprising:
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a rigid member having a first end for supporting a seat belt portion and a second end for attachment to a vehicle structure wherein said rigid member defines a longitudinal axis;
a strain gage mounted on said rigid member between said first and second ends for measuring the strain exerted on said rigid member by a tension force applied to the seat belt portion; and
an electrical connector mounted to said rigid member adjacent to said strain gage and including a connection extending transversely to said longitudinal axis for connection to a control unit wherein said electrical connector receives strain measurements from said strain gage and transmits said measurements to a central processor to determine the magnitude of the tension force. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A sensor system for controlling airbag deployment comprising:
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a seat belt for securing an occupant to a vehicle seat;
a rigid plate having a first end for supporting a portion of said seat belt and a second end for attachment to a vehicle structure wherein said rigid plate defines a longitudinal axis;
a strain gage mounted on said rigid plate between said first and second ends for measuring the strain exerted on said rigid plate by a tension force applied to said seat belt;
an electrical connector mounted to said rigid plate adjacent to said strain gage and including a connection extending transversely to said longitudinal axis for connection to a control unit wherein said electrical connector receives strain measurements from said strain gage and transmits said measurements to a processor to determine the magnitude of the tension force wherein said processor generates a force signal representative of the magnitude of said forces; and
an airbag mounted adjacent to the vehicle seat wherein airbag deployment is controlled based on said force signal. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16)
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17. A sensor system for controlling airbag deployment comprising:
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a seat belt for securing an occupant to a vehicle seat;
a rigid plate having a first end for supporting a portion of said seat belt, a second end for attachment to a vehicle structure comprising a B-pillar extending vertically adjacent to one side of said seat, and a neck portion positioned between said first and second ends, said neck portion having a width that is less than a width of said first and second ends;
a secondary plate having a first end pivotally mounted to said B-pillar and a second end rigidly attached to said second end of said rigid member;
a strain gage mounted on said neck portion of said rigid plate between said first and second ends for measuring the strain exerted on said rigid plate by a tension force applied to said seat belt;
an electrical connector mounted to said rigid plate adjacent to said strain gage for receiving strain measurements from said strain gage and transmitting said measurements to a processor to determine the magnitude of the tension force wherein said processor generates a force signal representative of the magnitude of said forces; and
an airbag mounted adjacent to the vehicle seat wherein airbag deployment is controlled based on said force signal and said airbag does not deploy when said force signal exceeds a predetermined limit. - View Dependent Claims (18, 19)
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20. A method for measuring seatbelt forces for controlling airbag deployment comprising the steps of:
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providing a sensor assembly including a rigid plate having a first end secured to a seatbelt portion, a second end secured to a vehicle structure, and a narrow neck portion interconnecting the first and second ends wherein the rigid plate defines a longitudinal axis extending along a length of the rigid plate;
mounting a strain gage directly to the rigid plate on the narrow neck portion;
mounting an electrical connector directly to the rigid plate between the strain gage and the second end wherein the electrical connector includes a connection extending transversely to the longitudinal axis; and
measuring strain on the rigid plate due to seatbelt tension force with the strain gage. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22)
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Specification