Apparatus for measuring tension in seat belt webbing
First Claim
1. An apparatus comprising:
- seat belt webbing;
an elongated member connected with the seat belt webbing, tension in the seat belt webbing being transmitted to the elongated member;
a support;
an arm associated with the elongated member, the arm having an axial length and first and second parts, the first part of the arm being connected to the support and the second part of the arm receiving a force from the elongated member when tension in the seat belt webbing increases, the first and second parts of the arm being spaced apart from one another so that the force acts on the arm through a moment arm to move at least a portion of the arm relative to the support; and
a device responsive to movement of the at least a portion of the arm due to the torsion force to provide an output signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt webbing, the first and second parts of the arm being spaced apart from one another by a distance that is at least one half of the axial length of the arm.
4 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus (10) comprises seat belt webbing (24). An elongated member (30) is connected with the seat belt webbing (24). Tension in the seat belt webbing (24) is transmitted to the elongated member (30). An arm (106) is associated with the elongated member (30). The arm (106) receives a force from the elongated member (30) when tension in the seat belt webbing (24) increases. The force acts on the arm (106) through a moment arm creating a torsion force on the arm (106). At least a portion of the arm (106) moves in response to the torsion force. A device (102) is responsive to movement of the at least a portion of the arm (106) due to the torsion force to provide an output signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt webbing (24).
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Citations
91 Claims
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1. An apparatus comprising:
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seat belt webbing;
an elongated member connected with the seat belt webbing, tension in the seat belt webbing being transmitted to the elongated member;
a support;
an arm associated with the elongated member, the arm having an axial length and first and second parts, the first part of the arm being connected to the support and the second part of the arm receiving a force from the elongated member when tension in the seat belt webbing increases, the first and second parts of the arm being spaced apart from one another so that the force acts on the arm through a moment arm to move at least a portion of the arm relative to the support; and
a device responsive to movement of the at least a portion of the arm due to the torsion force to provide an output signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt webbing, the first and second parts of the arm being spaced apart from one another by a distance that is at least one half of the axial length of the arm. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. An apparatus comprising:
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seat belt webbing;
an elongated member connected with the seat belt webbing, tension in the seat belt webbing being transmitted to the elongated member;
a sensor comprising;
a support;
an arm associated with the elongated member and connected to the support, the elongated member moving at least a portion of the arm relative to the support in response to a change in tension in the seat belt webbing, and a device responsive to movement of the at least a portion of the arm to provide an output signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt webbing; and
structure for reducing a variable moment acting on the arm as a result of off-axis loading of the seat belt webbing, the structure including a bushing for maintaining a predetermined angle between the arm and the elongated member independent of a position of the seat belt webbing relative to the arm. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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30. An apparatus comprising:
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seat belt webbing;
an elongated member connected with the seat belt webbing, tension in the seat belt webbing being transmitted to the elongated member;
an arm associated with the elongated member, the elongated member moving at least a portion of the arm in a first direction in response to the an increase in tension in the seat belt webbing;
an overtravel stop extending through a portion of the arm, the overtravel stop contacting the arm after movement of the arm in the first direction by a predetermined amount, the overtravel stop preventing continued movement of the arm in the first direction and carrying loads associated with further increases in tension in the seat belt webbing;
a device responsive to movement of the at least a portion of the arm to provide an output signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt webbing. - View Dependent Claims (31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 50)
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51. An apparatus comprising:
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seat belt webbing;
an elongated member connected with the seat belt webbing, tension in the seat belt webbing being transmitted to the elongated member;
an arm associated with the elongated member and receiving a load from the elongated member, the elongated member moving at least a portion of the arm in a first direction in response to an increase in tension in the seat belt webbing;
a biasing element for biasing the arm in a second direction opposite the first direction; and
a sensor responsive to movement of the at least a portion of the arm to provide an output signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt webbing;
the sensor located out of a path of the load applied by the elongated member to the arm so that no portion of the load is transferred through the sensor. - View Dependent Claims (52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 60, 61, 62, 63, 64)
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65. An apparatus comprising:
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seat belt webbing;
a seat belt webbing pretensioner comprising;
an elongated member connected with the seat belt webbing, tension in the seat belt webbing being transmitted to the elongated member; and
an actuatable source of energy for, when actuated, moving the elongated member to tension the seat belt webbing; and
a sensor for sensing tension in the seat belt webbing, the sensor comprising;
an arm being supported by the pretensioner and being associated with the elongated member, the elongated member moving at least a portion of the arm relative to the pretensioner in response to a change in tension in the seat belt webbing; and
a device responsive to relative movement between the at least a portion of the arm and the pretensioner to provide an output signal indicative of tension in the seat belt webbing. - View Dependent Claims (66, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84)
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85. An apparatus comprising:
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seat belt webbing;
an elongated member connected with the seat belt webbing, tension in the seat belt webbing being transmitted to the elongated member;
a support;
an arm associated with the elongated member and connected to the support, the arm receiving a force from the elongated member when tension in the seat belt webbing increases, the force acting on the arm through a moment arm to move at least a portion of the arm relative to the support, movement of the at least a portion of the arm relative to the support being rotation of the arm;
a device responsive to movement of the at least a portion of the arm to provide an output signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt webbing;
a pivot connecting the arm to the support and defining an axis of rotation of the arm; and
a biasing element, the biasing element extending between the arm and the support for biasing the arm in a first direction relative to the support, the arm rotating in a second direction, opposite the first direction, when the force from tho elongated member overcomes a biasing force of the biasing element.
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86. An apparatus comprising:
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seat belt webbing;
an elongated member connected with the seat belt webbing, tension in the seat belt webbing being transmitted to the elongated member;
a support;
an arm associated with the elongated member and connected to the support, the arm receiving a force from the elongated member when tension in the seat belt webbing increases, the force acting on the arm through a moment arm to move at least a portion of the arm relative to the support, movement of the at least a portion of the arm relative to the support being rotation of the arm;
a device responsive to movement of the at least a portion of the arm to provide an output signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt webbing; and
an overtravel stop, the overtravel stop extending through a portion of the arm and preventing further rotation of the arm when tension in the seat belt webbing increases above a threshold value.
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87. An apparatus comprising:
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seat belt webbing;
an elongated member connected with the seat belt webbing, tension in the seat belt webbing being transmitted to the elongated member;
a support;
an arm associated with the elongated member and connected to the support, the arm receiving a force from the elongated member when tension in the seat belt webbing increases, the force acting on the arm through a moment arm to move at least a portion of the arm relative to the support;
a device responsive to movement of the at least a portion of the arm to provide an output signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt webbing; and
structure for reducing a variable moment acting on the arm as a result of off-axis loading of the seat belt webbing, the structure including a bushing for maintaining a predetermined angle between the arm and the elongated member independent of a position of the seat belt webbing relative to the arm.
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88. An apparatus comprising:
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seat belt webbing;
an elongated member connected with the seat belt webbing, tension in the seat belt webbing being transmitted to the elongated member;
a sensor comprising a support;
an arm associated with the elongated member and connected to the support, the elongated member moving at least a portion of the arm relative to the support in response to a change in tension in the seat belt webbing, movement of the at least a portion of the arm relative to the support being rotation of the arm; and
a device responsive to movement of the at least a portion of the arm to provide an output signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt webbing; and
structure for reducing a variable moment acting on the arm as a result of off-axis loading of the seat belt webbing;
a pivot connecting the arm to the support and defining an axis of rotation of the arm; and
a biasing element, the biasing element extending between the arm and the support for biasing the arm in a first direction relative to the support, the arm rotating in a second direction, opposite the first direction, when the tension in the seat belt webbing overcomes a biasing force of the biasing element.
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89. An apparatus comprising:
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seat belt webbing;
an elongated member connected with the seat belt webbing, tension in the seat belt webbing being transmitted to the elongated member;
a sensor comprising;
an arm associated with the elongated member, the elongated member moving at least a portion of the arm in response to a change in tension in the seat belt webbing, and a device responsive to movement of the at least a portion of the arm to provide an output signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt webbing;
structure for reducing a variable moment acting on the arm as a result of off-axis loading of the seat belt webbing; and
an overtravel stop, the overtravel stop extending through a portion of the arm and preventing further movement of the arm when tension in the seat belt webbing increases above a threshold value.
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90. An apparatus comprising:
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seat belt webbing;
an elongated member connected with the seat belt webbing, tension in the seat belt webbing being transmitted to the elongated member;
an arm associated with the elongated member and receiving a load from the elongated member, the elongated member moving at least a portion of the arm in a first direction in response to an increase in tension in the seat belt webbing;
a biasing element for biasing the arm in a second direction opposite the first direction;
a sensor responsive to movement of the at least a portion of the arm to provide an output signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt webbing, the sensor being located out of a path of the load applied by the elongated member to the arm; and
an overtravel stop, the overtravel stop extending through a portion of the arm and preventing further movement of the arm in the first direction when tension in the seat belt webbing increases above a threshold value.
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91. An apparatus comprising:
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seat belt webbing;
an elongated member connected with the seat belt webbing, tension in the seat belt webbing being transmitted to the elongated member;
an arm associated with the elongated member and receiving a load from the elongated member, the elongated member moving at least a portion of the arm in a first direction in response to an increase in tension in the seat belt webbing;
a biasing element for biasing the arm in a second direction opposite the first direction;
a sensor responsive to movement of the at least a portion of the arm to provide an output signal indicative of the tension in the seat belt webbing, the sensor located out of a path of the load applied by the elongated member to the arm; and
structure for reducing a variable moment acting on the arm as a result of off-axis loading of the seat belt webbing, the structure including a bushing for maintaining a predetermined angle between the arm and the elongated member independent of a position of the seat belt webbing relative to the arm.
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Specification