IP Library › Granted Patent US 6,993,436
Granted Patent B2
US 6,993,436 · App. 10/911,333 · Granted Jan 31, 2006

Device for measuring force on a seat belt

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Quick Facts
Patent No.
US 6,993,436
App. No.
10/911,333
Granted
Jan 31, 2006
Kind
B2
Abstract

A measuring device for measuring a pulling force acting on a belt webbing of a seat belt of a motor vehicle is located between an anchoring point of the seat belt on the vehicle and a connection device which is to be connected to the seat belt. The connection device, in relation to the anchoring point, can be moved against a spring bias. The measuring device is a magnetic field sensor that is arranged between two analogous poles of two permanent magnets.

Claims (22)

1. A measuring device for measuring a force acting upon a belt webbing of a seat belt of a motor vehicle is located between an anchoring point of the seat belt on the vehicle and a connection device that is to be connected to the seat belt and which, in relation to the anchoring point, can be moved against a spring bias, whereby the measuring device comprises two permanent magnets, the two permanent magnets each have north and south poles and are spaced apart and arranged such that either the north poles of the magnets are directed towards one another or the south poles of the magnets are directed towards one another, and a magnetic field sensor that is located between the two permanent magnets and can be moved in relation to a magnetic field created by the two permanent magnets in a linear manner along a connection line between the poles of the permanent magnets that are directed towards one another.

2. The measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field sensor is arranged at a non-central distance between the poles of the permanent magnets that are directed towards one another in a starting or resting position, and wherein during the force measurement the magnetic field sensor is moved in relation to the magnetic field from the starting or resting position towards the center of the distance between the magnet poles.

3. The measuring device according to claim 2 , wherein a sensor signal generated at the measuring device is proportional to the length of movement of the magnetic field sensor from the starting or resting position.

4. The measuring device according to claim 2 , wherein the magnetic field sensor is a Hall effect sensor or a magnetostrictive sensor.

5. The measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein a sensor signal generated at the measuring device is proportional to the length of movement of the magnetic field sensor from the starting or resting position.

6. The measuring device according to claim 5 , wherein the magnetic field sensor is a Hall effect sensor or a magnetostrictive sensor.

7. The measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field sensor is a Hall effect sensor or a magnetostrictive sensor.

8. The measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the magnetic field sensor is securely connected to the connection device and the two permanent magnets are securely connected to the anchoring point.

9. The measuring device according to claim 8 , wherein the connection device is a belt buckle and the magnetic field sensor is fastened to a frame of the belt buckle.

10. The measuring device according to claim 9 , wherein the belt buckle frame is movably arranged against the force of a spring, in relation to a magnet holder secured to a structural member of the vehicle, the spring having bow-shaped spring legs fastened to a connection element or to the buckle frame.

11. The measuring device according to claim 10 , wherein a unit comprising the belt buckle and the measuring device is fastened to a component which is to be pulled by a tightening device.

12. The measuring device according to claim 10 , wherein the belt buckle frame is movably arranged against a force of a spring in relation to the magnet holder, the spring having spring legs fastened to the connection element or to the buckle frame, each spring leg being bow shaped.

13. The measuring device according to claim 9 , wherein a unit comprising the belt buckle and the measuring device is fastened to a component which is to be retensioned by a tightening device.

14. The measuring device according to claim 1 , wherein the two permanent magnets are cylindrical, the magnetic field sensor being located on a common axis of the two cylindrical permanent magnets.

15. A measuring device for measuring a force acting upon a belt webbing of a seat belt of a motor vehicle is located in a seat belt buckle that is connected to an anchoring point on the vehicle, the belt buckle has a belt buckle frame that is movably arranged against the force of a spring, in relation to a magnet holder, the measuring device comprising:

two permanent magnets connected to the magnet holder, the two permanent magnets each have north and south poles and are spaced apart and arranged such that either the north poles of the magnets are directed towards one another or the south poles of the magnets are directed towards one another; and

a magnetic field sensor that is located between the permanent magnets in a starting or resting position that is closer to one of the permanent magnets than the other, and during a force measurement the magnetic field sensor is moved in a linear manner along a connection line between the two permanent magnets in relation to the magnetic field from the starting or resting position towards the center of the distance between the two magnets.

16. The measuring device according to claim 15 , wherein a sensor signal generated at the measuring device is proportional to the length of movement of the magnetic field sensor from the starting or resting position.

17. The measuring device according to claim 16 , wherein the magnetic field sensor is a Hall effect sensor or a magnetostrictive sensor.

18. The measuring device according to claim 15 , wherein the magnetic field sensor is a Hall effect sensor or a magnetostrictive sensor.

19. The measuring device according to claim 15 , wherein the two permanent magnets are cylindrical, the magnetic field sensor being located on a common axis of the two cylindrical permanent magnets.

20. The measuring device according to claim 15 , wherein the belt buckle and the measuring device is fastened to the anchoring point by a component which is to be pulled by a tightening device.

Assignments (11)
SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2021
From: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS SECURITY AGENT FOR THE SECURED PARTIES
Reel/Frame 057828/0461 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Oct 12, 2021
From: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS, AS SECURITY AGENT FOR THE SECURED PARTIES
To: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 057775/0771 →
RELEASE OF INTEREST IN PATENTS- RELEASE OF REEL/FRAME 033673/0524 Recorded Apr 12, 2018
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.; KSS HOLDINGS, INC.; KSS ACQUISITION COMPANY; BREED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; KEY ASIAN HOLDINGS, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE ACCESSORIES, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE OF FLORIDA, LLC; KEY CAYMAN GP LLC; KEY INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; KEY SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, INC.; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS FOREIGN HOLDCO, LLC
Reel/Frame 045933/0563 →
INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY SECURITY AGREEMENT SUPPLEMENT Recorded Apr 11, 2018
From: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
To: DEUTSCHE BANK TRUST COMPANY AMERICAS
Reel/Frame 045927/0330 →
RELEASE OF INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL Recorded Sep 2, 2014
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.; KSS HOLDINGS, INC.; KSS ACQUISITION COMPANY; BREED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; HAMLIN INCORPORATED; KEY ASIAN HOLDINGS, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE ACCESSORIES, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE WEST, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE, LP; KEY CAYMAN GP LLC; KEY ELECTRONICS OF NEVADA, INC.; KEY INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; KEY SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, INC.; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS FOREIGN HOLDCO, LLC; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS OF TEXAS, INC.
Reel/Frame 033666/0605 →
PATENT SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded Sep 2, 2014
From: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
Reel/Frame 033673/0524 →
CORRECTIVE ASSIGNMENT TO CORRECT THE NATURE OF CONVEYANCE TO RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL AND THE RECEIVING PARTY NAMES PREVIOUSLY RECORDED ON REEL 031327 FRAME 676. ASSIGNOR(S) HEREBY CONFIRMS THE RELEASE OF SECOND LIEN INTEREST IN PATENT COLLATERAL. SEE ALSO THE ATTACHED DECLARATION. Recorded Aug 12, 2014
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.; KSS HOLDINGS, INC.; KSS ACQUISITION COMPANY; BREED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, INC.; HAMLIN INCORPORATED; KEY ASIAN HOLDINGS, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE ACCESSORIES, INC.; KEY AUTOMOTIVE, LP; KEY CAYMAN GP LLC; KEY ELECTRONICS OF NEVADA, INC.; KEY INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; KEY SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, INC.; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS FOREIGN HOLDCO, LLC; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS OF TEXAS, INC.
Reel/Frame 033521/0223 →
RELEASE OF SECURITY INTEREST Recorded Sep 5, 2013
From: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
To: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 031327/0676 →
ASSIGNMENT AND ASSUMPTION OF SECURITY INTEREST IN PATENTS Recorded Jan 4, 2013
From: CITICORP USA, INC.
To: UBS AG, STAMFORD BRANCH
Reel/Frame 029565/0125 →
SECURITY AGREEMENT Recorded May 16, 2007
From: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC; KSS HOLDINGS, INC; KSS ACQUISITION COMPANY; AEGIS KEY CORP; BREED AUTOMOTIVE TECHNOLOGY, INC; HAMLIN INCORPORATED; KEY ASIAN HOLDINGS, INC; KEY AUTOMOTIVE ACCESSORIES, INC; KEY AUTOMOTIVE OF FLORIDA, INC; KEY AUTOMOTIVE WEST, INC; KEY AUTOMOTIVE, LP; KEY CAYMAN GP LLC; KEY ELECTRONICS OF NEVADA, INC; HAMLIN ELECTRONICS LIMITED PARTNERSHIP; KEY INTERNATIONAL MANUFACTURING DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION; KEY SAFETY RESTRAINT SYSTEMS, INC; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS FOREIGN HOLDCO, LLC; KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS OF TEXAS, INC
To: CITICORP USA, INC.
Reel/Frame 019297/0249 →
ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNOR'S INTEREST Recorded Aug 4, 2004
From: SPECHT, MARTIN; SCHWALD, STEFAN; HECKMAYR, THOMAS
To: KEY SAFETY SYSTEMS, INC.
Reel/Frame 015664/0673 →