Apparatus for measuring child seat anchor tension
First Claim
1. An apparatus for measuring a cinching tension on a child seat placed on a bottom cushion of a vehicle seat, said vehicle seat having a pressure sensor disposed therein operative to monitor the weight of an occupant and provide an occupant weight output signal to an occupant detection system electronic control unit, said child seat having first and second tethers affixed thereto for cinching said child seat to said vehicle seat independently of an occupant restraining seat belt system associated with said vehicle seat, said apparatus comprising:
- first and second laterally spaced child seat anchor brackets straddling said child seat in proximity to said bottom cushion, said first and second child seat anchor brackets being adapted to tensively secure said first and second tethers to said vehicle seat, respectively;
an anchor frame extending across a lateral width dimension of the vehicle seat and secured to a frame of the vehicle seat; and
a tension sensor securing said first child seat anchor bracket to a first end of said anchor frame, and means securing said second child seat anchor bracket to a second end of said anchor frame, said tension sensor providing an output signal to said occupant detection system electronic control unit as a function of the sensed tension in said tethers straps.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A child seat anchor apparatus includes at least one sensor for measuring tension exerted on a system including a pair of anchor brackets disposed between the bottom and back cushions of a vehicle seat. In a first mechanization, the anchor brackets are directly coupled to individual sensors mounted on an anchor frame that is bolted to the seat frame. In a second mechanization, the anchor brackets are fastened to an anchor frame that is pivotably mounted on the seat frame, and the anchor frame is additionally coupled to the seat frame through a single sensor responsive to the tension exerted on the anchor frame by the anchor brackets.
34 Citations
19 Claims
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1. An apparatus for measuring a cinching tension on a child seat placed on a bottom cushion of a vehicle seat, said vehicle seat having a pressure sensor disposed therein operative to monitor the weight of an occupant and provide an occupant weight output signal to an occupant detection system electronic control unit, said child seat having first and second tethers affixed thereto for cinching said child seat to said vehicle seat independently of an occupant restraining seat belt system associated with said vehicle seat, said apparatus comprising:
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first and second laterally spaced child seat anchor brackets straddling said child seat in proximity to said bottom cushion, said first and second child seat anchor brackets being adapted to tensively secure said first and second tethers to said vehicle seat, respectively; an anchor frame extending across a lateral width dimension of the vehicle seat and secured to a frame of the vehicle seat; and a tension sensor securing said first child seat anchor bracket to a first end of said anchor frame, and means securing said second child seat anchor bracket to a second end of said anchor frame, said tension sensor providing an output signal to said occupant detection system electronic control unit as a function of the sensed tension in said tethers straps. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. In a vehicle seat assembly including a generally vertically disposed back cushion, a seat portion including a generally horizontally disposed bottom cushion carried upon a seat frame, pressure sensor means disposed within said seat portion operative to monitor the weight of an occupant and provide an occupant weight output signal to an occupant detection system electronic control unit, and an occupant restraining seat belt, an apparatus for measuring the tension exerted on a plurality of tethers by a child seat disposed on said bottom cushion, said tethers arranged for securing said child seat to said vehicle seat assembly, said apparatus comprising:
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a plurality of laterally spaced child seat anchor brackets straddling said child seat, each anchor bracket correspondingly adapted to tensively secure one of each tether affixed to said child seat; and a tension sensor mountingly coupled between said seat frame and at least one of said child seat anchor brackets, said tension sensor operative to provide a tension sensor output signal to said occupant detection system electronic control unit as a function of the sensed tension in said tethers. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19)
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Specification