The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.
The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
Jun. 24, 2003
Filed:
May. 18, 2001
George B. Wolfe, Plymouth, MI (US);
Michael G. Fullerton, Ypsilanti, MI (US);
TRW Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus ( ) includes seat belt webbing ( ), a parallelogram linkage ( ), a sensor lever ( ), and a sensor ( ). The seat belt webbing ( ) helps to protect the occupant ( ) of the vehicle ( ). The parallelogram linkage ( ) includes a first beam ( ) and a second beam ( ) parallel to the first beam ( ). The first and second beams ( ) each bend in response to at least part of a load applied by the seat belt webbing ( ). The sensor lever ( ) is interposed between the first and second beams ( ). The sensor lever ( ) has a connection with the first and second beams ( ). The connection causes the sensor lever ( ) to deflect upon bending of the first and second beams ( ). The sensor ( ) senses the deflection of the sensor lever ( ) and provides an output signal indicative of the amount bending of the first and second beams ( ).