Belt force measuring device

• US 7,021,162 B2
• Filed: 09/17/2003
• Issued: 04/04/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/18/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Siemens AG
• Inventors: Ante, Johannes, Diaconu, Dorin
• Primary Examiner(s): NOORI, MAX H
• Application Number:
  US10/663,989
• Publication Number:
  US 20040118221A1
• Time in Patent Office: 930 Days
• Field of Search: 738/624.71, 738/621.94, 738/623.91, 738/624.53, 738/624.72, 738/624.73, 738/623.92, 731/61
• US Class Current: 73/862.391
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0155 sensing belt tension
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/14 by measuring variations in capacitance or inductance of electrical elements, e.g. by measuring variations of frequency of electrical oscillators
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/103 using sensors fixed at one end of the flexible member

Abstract

A belt force measuring device has a measuring spring, the expansion of which is a measure of the belt force. It further has a detector which is arranged on the measuring spring rigidly to a first bearing of the measuring spring. Furthermore, a sensor element is provided which is arranged on the measuring spring rigidly to a second bearing of the measuring spring. The measuring spring is arranged and formed such that it expands between the first and second bearing as a function of the belt force.

Claims

1. A belt force measuring device, comprising:

a measuring spring, the expansion of which is a measure of the belt force;

a magnet which is arranged on and directly attached to a first integral section of the measuring spring in fixed relation to a first bearing of the measuring spring; and

a sensor element which is arranged on and directly attached to a second integral section of the measuring spring in fixed relation to a second bearing of the measuring spring, the measuring spring being arranged and formed such that it expands between the first and second integral sections of the measuring spring as a function of the belt force.

2. The belt force measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring spring is arranged such that expansion as a function of the belt force is limited by a play of a locking tab mounted with the play in a housing of the belt force measuring device.

3. The belt force measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring spring is pivotably mounted by the first and second bearings.

4. The belt force measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the magnet is located on the measuring spring so that it cannot rotate.

5. The belt force measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the sensor element is located on the measuring spring so it that cannot rotate.

6. The belt force measuring device according to claim 1, wherein the measuring spring is formed as a leaf spring from spring steel and said first and second integral sections have recesses receiving said magnet and said sensor element.