Safety belt system with signal sending tension sensor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2016339869-A1
Application number	US-201615155166-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	May 16, 2016
Priority date	May 19, 2015
Publication date	Nov 24, 2016
Grant date	—

Abstract

A multi-point safety belt system is provided with a tension sensor that opens and closes a switch to send a signal indicating the force securing a seat occupant secured by the safety belt system.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A safety belt system having first and second lap belts that are adjustable to vary the force on each belt, an end of one of the lap belts connected to a tension sensor, the tension sensor connected to an anchor, an end of the other lap belt connected to an anchor, the anchors each being fixed to a component of a vehicle, and the sensor being capable of generating a signal indicating a tension sensed in the first and second lap belts and sending the signal to an electronic device.

2 . A multipoint safety belt system comprising:
(a) a first safety belt member having a first end anchored to safety belt retractor that is fixed to a top portion of a seat back of a seat fixed to a motor vehicle or to a structural member of the motor vehicle in the region of the seat back and having a second end fixed to a safety belt buckle; (b) a second safety belt member having a first end anchored to safety belt retractor that is fixed to a top portion of the seat back of the seat fixed to the motor vehicle or to a structural member of the motor vehicle in the region of the seat back and having a second end fixed to a buckle tongue that is received by the safety belt buckle to fix the buckle tongue to the safety belt buckle; (c) a third safety belt member having a first end that is fixed by an anchor to a seat base of the seat or to a structural member of the motor vehicle in the region of the seat base, with the third safety belt member extending through a cinching mechanism that is fixed to the safety belt buckle whereby a length of the third safety belt member extending between the anchor and the safety belt buckle is adjustable; (d) a fourth safety belt member having a first end that is fixed by an anchor to a seat base of the seat or to a structural member of the motor vehicle in the region of the seat base, with the third safety belt member extending through a cinching mechanism that is fixed to the buckle tongue whereby a length of the fourth safety belt member extending between the anchor and the buckle tongue is adjustable; (e) a tension sensor fixed to each of the third and fourth safety belt members to sense the tension on the length of the third safety belt member extending between the anchor and the safety belt buckle and the tension on the length of the fourth safety belt member and the buckle tongue, each tension sensor being in circuit communication with an electronic device, the tension sensed by the tension sensor being an indication of the force securing a seat occupant secured by the safety belt members.

3 . The multipoint safety belt system of claim 2 wherein the electronic device limits the speed of the motor vehicle to a set speed when the tension sensed by the tension sensor is below a fixed level and allows the vehicle to exceed the set speed when the tension sensed by the tension sensor meets the selected level.

4 . A multipoint safety belt system comprising:
(a) a first safety belt member having a first end anchored to safety belt retractor that is fixed to a top portion of a seat back of a seat fixed to a motor vehicle or to a structural member of the motor vehicle in the region of the seat back and having a second end fixed to a safety belt buckle; (b) a second safety belt member having a first end anchored to safety belt retractor that is fixed to a top portion of the seat back of the seat fixed to the motor vehicle or to a structural member of the motor vehicle in the region of the seat back and having a second end fixed to a buckle tongue that is received by the safety belt buckle to fix the buckle tongue to the safety belt buckle; (c) a third safety belt member having a first end that is fixed by an anchor to a seat base of the seat or to a structural member of the motor vehicle in the region of the seat base, with the third safety belt member extending through a spring loaded belt guide that is fixed to the safety belt buckle whereby a length of the third safety belt member extending between the anchor and the safety belt buckle is adjustable; (d) a fourth safety belt member having a first end that is fixed by an anchor to a seat base of the seat or to a structural member of the motor vehicle in the region of the seat base, with the third safety belt member extending through a spring loaded belt guide that is fixed to the buckle tongue whereby a length of the fourth safety belt member extending between the anchor and the buckle tongue is adjustable; (e) at least one tension sensor fixed to one of the third and fourth safety belt members to sense the tension on the length of the third safety belt member extending between the anchor and the safety belt buckle or the tension on the length of the fourth safety belt member and the buckle tongue, the tension sensor being in circuit communication with an electronic device, the tension sensed by the tension sensor being an indication of the force securing a seat occupant secured by the safety belt members.

5 . The multipoint safety belt system of claim 4 wherein the electronic device limits the speed of the motor vehicle to a set speed when the tension sensed by the tension sensor is below a fixed level and allows the vehicle to exceed the set speed when the tension sensed by the tension sensor meets the selected level.

Assignees

• Key Safety Systems Inc

Inventors

• Schmidt Brian
• Pollard John Joseph

Classifications

• B60R2022/027

  Four-point seat belt systems, e.g. with the two upper points connected together · CPC title

• B60R22/023

  Three-point seat belt systems comprising two side lower and one side upper anchoring devices (B60R22/022, B60R22/03 take precedence) · CPC title

• B60R2022/4841

  for sensing belt tension · CPC title

• B60R22/48 Primary

  Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness · CPC title

• B60R22/12

  Construction of belts or harnesses (B60R21/18 takes precedence {; woven fabrics for safety belts D03D1/0005}) · CPC title