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;
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 for receiving strain measurements from said strain gage and transmitting said measurements to a central processor to determine the magnitude of the tension force.
0 Assignments
0 Petitions
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.
-
Citations
14 Claims
-
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;
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 for receiving strain measurements from said strain gage and transmitting 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)
-
-
10. A method for measuring scatbelt forces for controlling airbag deployment comprising the steps of:
-
providing a sensor assembly including a rigid plate having a first end scoured to a scatbelt portion, a second end secured to a vehicle structure, and a narrow neck portion interconnecting. the first and second ends;
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 swain gage and the second end; and
measuring strain on the rigid plate due to seatbelt tension force with the strain gage. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification