Strain gage load cell anchor

• US 9,580,042 B2
• Filed: 07/09/2014
• Issued: 02/28/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 07/09/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Incorporated
• Original Assignee: National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing Incorporated
• Inventors: Patalak, John Peter, Gideon, Thomas, Emerson, David K., Low, George
• Primary Examiner(s): ENGLISH, JAMES A
• Application Number:
  US14/327,150
• Publication Number:
  US 20160009249A1
• Time in Patent Office: 965 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4841 for sensing belt tension
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/485 for sensing belt anchor position, belt orientation, or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0152 using strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0155 sensing belt tension
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/055 Padded or energy-absorbing fittings , e.g. seat belt anchors sun visors B60J3/00; head rests B60N2/80
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/18 Anchoring devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/22 secured to the vehicle floor
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/22 using resistance strain gauges
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 1/2281 for temperature variations
• CPC Class Codes: G01L 5/163 of potentiometers

Abstract

An apparatus, method of manufacturing, and method of using a strain gage load cell anchor are provided that include a safety belt anchor for connecting a safety belt to a vehicle. The safety belt anchor may have a first anchor opening that connects the safety belt anchor to a safety belt, and the anchor may have a second anchor opening that connects the safety belt anchor to a vehicle. One or more strain gages may be provided on the safety belt anchor to measure a force applied to the safety belt anchor, such that the safety belt anchor operates as a strain gage load cell anchor.

Claims

1. A strain gage load cell anchor comprising:

a safety belt anchor comprising;

a first anchor opening configured to connect the safety belt anchor to a safety belt; and

a second anchor opening configured to connect the safety belt anchor to a vehicle such that the safety belt anchor is configured to connect the safety belt to the vehicle; and

one or more strain gages attached to the safety belt anchor, wherein the one or more strain gages are configured to measure a strain of the safety belt anchor caused by the safety belt, and wherein at least one of the one or more strain gages are attached to an edge of the safety belt anchor.

2. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 1, wherein the safety belt anchor is configured to elastically deform at least between the first and second anchor openings in response to the force applied to the safety belt anchor;

and

wherein the one or more strain gages are configured to elastically deform when the safety belt anchor elastically deforms, and wherein a resistance of each strain gage is configured to change when elastically deformed, such that the one or more strain gages are configured to measure the force on the safety belt anchor via the change in resistance of each strain gage.

3. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 1, wherein at least two of the strain gages are located on the same side of the first anchor opening as the second anchor opening.

4. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 3, wherein the safety belt anchor further defines a first axis spanning between a center of the first anchor opening and a center of the second anchor opening, wherein at least two of the strain gages are located between the first and second anchor openings with respect to the first axis.

5. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 1, wherein the safety belt anchor further defines a first axis spanning between a center of the first anchor opening and a center of the second anchor opening, and

wherein the safety belt anchor further defines an axis of the second opening that is orthogonal to the first axis such that the safety belt anchor is configured to pivot about the axis of the second opening with respect to the vehicle to maintain a direction of the force within a plane defined by the first axis and the axis of the second opening.

6. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 1, wherein the edge of the safety belt anchor defines a circumferential direction and a transverse direction substantially perpendicular to the circumferential direction;

and

wherein the edge is flat in the transverse direction at a location of at least one of the one or more strain gages.

7. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 1, further comprising at least one recess in the edge at a location of at least one of the one or more strain gages, such that the edge is concave in the circumferential direction at the location of the at least one of the one or more strain gages.

8. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 1, wherein each of the one or more strain gages are attached to an edge of the safety belt anchor.

9. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 1, further comprising at least one channel defined in an edge of the safety belt anchor;

wherein the edge defines a circumferential direction and a transverse direction substantially perpendicular to the circumferential direction;

wherein a transverse width of the at least one channel is less than a transverse width of the safety belt anchor; and

wherein at least one of the one or more strain gages is disposed within the at least one channel.

10. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 1, wherein the safety belt anchor defines a first face and a second face;

wherein the first face is substantially parallel to the second face; and

wherein at least one of the one or more strain gages is attached to one of the first face or the second face.

11. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 1, further comprising a strain circuitry disposed on the safety belt anchor and connected to each of the strain gages such that the strain circuitry is configured to receive strain data from each of the strain gages.

12. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 11, wherein the strain circuitry is recessed into one of a first face or a second face defined by the safety belt anchor.

13. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 11, wherein the strain circuitry is connected to each of the strain gages by one or more respective wires, and wherein at least one of the wires is at least partially disposed in a wire channel defined in an edge of the safety belt anchor.

14. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 11, wherein the strain circuitry further comprises a temperature compensator configured to isolate strain data from temperature fluctuations within a predefined range.

15. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 11, wherein the strain circuitry comprises a strain processing circuitry configured to determine one of a force or strain on the safety belt anchor.

26. The strain gage load cell anchor of claim 1, wherein the at least one of the one or more strain gages are attached to an outer edge of the safety belt anchor.

16. A method of manufacturing a strain gage load cell, the method comprising:

providing a safety belt anchor having a first anchor opening and a second anchor opening;

wherein the first anchor opening is configured to connect the safety belt anchor to a safety belt;

wherein the second anchor opening is configured to connect the safety belt anchor to a vehicle such that the safety belt anchor is configured to connect the safety belt to the vehicle; and

attaching one or more strain gages to the safety belt anchor such that the one or more strain gages are configured to measure the force on a strain of the safety belt anchor, wherein attaching the one or more strain gages comprises attaching the one or more strain gages to an edge of the safety belt anchor.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the safety belt anchor further defines a first axis spanning between a center of the first anchor opening and a center of the second anchor opening, and

wherein the safety belt anchor further defines an axis of the second opening that is orthogonal to the first axis such that the safety belt anchor is configured to pivot about the axis of the second opening with respect to the vehicle to maintain a direction of the force within a plane defined by the first axis and the axis of the second opening.

18. The method of claim 16, further comprising flattening the edge of the safety belt anchor at a location of attachment for at least one of the one or more strain gages.

19. The method of claim 16, further comprising forming at least one recess in the edge adjacent at least one of the one or more strain gages;

wherein the edge of the safety belt anchor defines a circumferential direction and a transverse direction substantially perpendicular to the circumferential direction; and

wherein the edge is concave in the circumferential direction adjacent the at least one of the one or more strain gages.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising

attaching a strain circuitry to the safety belt anchor;

and

connecting the strain circuitry to each of the strain gages such that the strain circuitry is configured to receive strain data from each of the strain gages.

27. The method of claim 16, wherein attaching the one or more strain gages comprises attaching the one or more strain gages to an outer edge of the safety belt anchor.

21. A method of measuring a force strain on a load cell anchor, wherein the load cell anchor comprises a safety belt anchor having a first anchor opening and a second anchor opening, wherein a safety belt is connected to the first anchor opening, wherein the second anchor opening is connected to a vehicle such that the safety belt is connected to the vehicle via the safety belt anchor, wherein the load cell anchor further includes one or more strain gages attached to the safety belt anchor, and wherein at least one of the one or more strain gages are attached to an edge of the safety belt anchor, the method comprising:

applying force to the safety belt anchor by the safety belt; and

measuring the strain of the safety belt anchor with the one or more strain gages attached to the safety belt anchor.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein applying the force to the safety belt anchor causes the safety belt anchor to elastically deform such that the one or more strain gages also elastically deform;

and

wherein measuring the force applied to the safety belt anchor comprises measuring the change in voltage in the one or more strain gages caused by the elastic deformation of the one or more strain gages.

23. The method of claim 21, wherein measuring the force applied to the safety belt anchor further comprises receiving strain data from the one or more strain gages with a strain circuitry.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein receiving strain data from the one or more strain gages with the strain circuitry further comprises applying a temperature compensation to the strain data.

25. The method of claim 21, wherein the strain circuitry comprises a strain processing circuitry, and wherein measuring the force applied to the safety belt anchor further comprises determining one of a force or strain on the safety belt anchor using the strain processing circuitry.

28. The method of claim 21, wherein the at least one of the one or more strain gages are attached to an outer edge of the safety belt anchor.