Seatbelt payout measuring device and system
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsMangala A. Jayasuriya, Mark A. Cuddihy, Mark Allan Lippman, Manoharprasad K. Rao
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Abstract
A seatbelt payout measuring device with a rewind spring having a first end connected to a center spool and a second end connected to a rewind spring housing. A dielectric material layered immediately adjacent to the rewind spring forming a first layer and an electrolytic coil with dielectric material layered on both sides forming a second layer, isolating the rewind spring from the electrolytic coil. A capacitive measuring device having a first lead connected to the first end of the rewind spring and a second lead connected to a first end of the electrolytic coil. The capacitive measuring device measuring capacitance with belt pullout.
Claims17
A seatbelt payout measuring device, comprising:
- a rewind spring;
- a dielectric material adjacent to the rewind spring;
- an electrolytic coil adjacent to the dielectric material, such that the rewind spring is electrically isolated from the electrolytic coil;
- and
- a capacitive measuring device connected to a first end of the rewind spring and connected to a first end of the electrolytic coil.
A system, comprising a computer including a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the computer to:
- apply, to a capacitor, a frequency signal based at least in part on a predetermined frequency value;
- determine a capacitive value of the capacitor based at least in part on a measured voltage of the capacitor;
- and
- determine a length of an extracted seatbelt based at least in part on the capacitive value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.