Tension indicator

• US 8,593,293 B2
• Filed: 05/08/2007
• Issued: 11/26/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Inneva Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Inneva Ltd.
• Inventors: Harrison, Ian, Hudswell, Michael R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Tweel, Jr., John A
• Application Number:
  US12/299,236
• Publication Number:
  US 20110109467A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,394 Days
• Field of Search: 340/668, 340/573.1, 180/273, 738/623.91
• US Class Current: 340/668
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2803 Adaptations for seat belts
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2812 for securing the child to the child seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2816 with additional belt accessories, e.g. belt tension detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/2815 with additional belt accessories, e.g. a belt tension detector
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4841 for sensing belt tension
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/105 for children adaptation of children's seats for seat belts B60N2/265, B60N2/2803

Abstract

The present invention concerns a tension indicator for indicating when a strap (2) has reached a predetermined tension level, comprising an audible signal producing member (7) having an abutment surface for engagement with said strap, said audible signal producing member altering its physical configuration in reaction to tension in said strap reaching a predetermined value, wherein the change in physical configuration creates an audible signal.

Claims

1. A tension indicator for indicating when a strap has reached a predetermined tension level, the tension indicator comprising an audible signal producing member having an abutment surface for engagement with said strap, said audible signal producing member defining a first strain condition and a second strain condition, wherein a profile of the audible signal producing member is configured to change in reaction to tension in said strap reaching a predetermined value, and wherein the change in profile of the audible signal producing member from the first strain condition to the second strain condition produces an audible signal therefrom.

2. The tension indicator according to claim 1, further comprising:

a deflection member associated with said abutment surface, said deflection member being deflectable between a first position and a second position,

wherein, when said deflection member is in said first position, said abutment surface directs said strap along an extended path, and wherein, when tension in the strap rises above the predetermined tension level, the strap acts against said abutment surface to deflect the deflection member to the second position; and

wherein said deflection member produces an acoustic signal as it deflects from said first to said second position.

3. The tension indicator according to claim 2, wherein the deflection member is biased towards said first position.

4. The tension indicator according to claim 2, wherein said deflection member is adapted to produce a second acoustic signal as it moves back from said second position to said first position for indicating that the tension level has dropped below said predetermined tension level, wherein the second acoustic signal is audibly different than the audible signal.

5. The tension indicator according to claim 2, wherein said deflection member is adapted to exhibit hysteresis between the first position and the second positions.

6. The tension indicator according to claim 2, further comprising an adjustment means for adjusting the tension level required in the strap to deflect the deflection member from said first position to said second position.

7. The tension indicator according to claim 2, wherein said deflection member and said abutment surface are integrally formed.

8. The tension indicator according to claim 2, further comprising two static abutments provided on either side of the abutment surface associated with the deflection member, wherein said static abutments are configured to brace said strap when the strap is under tension.

9. The tension indicator according to claim 2, wherein said deflection member is a bendable arm.

10. A child safety seat comprising a tension indicator according to claim 2.

11. An aircraft seat harness comprising a tension indicator according to claim 1.

12. A vehicle seat harness comprising a tension indicator according to claim 1.

13. A racing vehicle seat harness, comprising a tension indicator according to claim 1.

14. A vehicle lap belt comprising a tension indicator according to claim 1.

17. The tension indicator of claim 1, wherein the audible signal producing member is configured to produce a second audible signal as it moves back from the second strain condition to the first strain condition for indicating that the tension in the strap has dropped below a second predetermined value, wherein the second audible signal is audibly different than the first audible signal, and wherein the second predetermined value is lower than the first predetermined value.

18. The tension indicator of claim 1, wherein the profile of the audible signal producing member is configured to change from the first strain condition to the second strain condition over an intermediate unstable state condition, and wherein the change in profile over the intermediate unstable state condition creates the audible signal.

15. A tension indicator for indicating when a strap has reached a predetermined tension level, said indicator comprising:

an abutment for engagement with the strap; and

a moveable member associated with said abutment, said moveable member being deflectable between a first position and a second position,

wherein, when said moveable member is in said first position, said abutment directs said strap along an extended path, and

wherein, when tension in the strap rises above the predetermined tension level, the strap acts against said abutment to deflect the moveable member to the second position; and

wherein said moveable member produces an acoustic signal as it deflects from said first to said second position.

16. The tension indicator of claim 15, wherein the movable member is configured to deflect from the first position to the second position over an intermediate unstable state condition, and wherein the deflection over the intermediate unstable state condition creates the acoustic signal.

19. A child safety seat comprising:

a strap; and

a tension indicator comprising an audible signal producing member having an abutment surface for engagement with the strap, said audible signal producing member defining a first strain condition and a second strain condition, wherein a profile of the audible signal producing member is configured to change in reaction to tension in the strap reaching a predetermined value, and wherein the change in profile of the audible signal producing member from the first strain condition to the second strain condition produces an audible signal therefrom.

20. The child safety seat of claim 19, wherein the profile of the audible signal producing member is configured to change from the first strain condition to the second strain condition over an intermediate unstable state condition, and wherein the change in profile over the intermediate unstable state condition creates the audible signal.