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US 12,453,664 B2Granted
Retractor restraint sensor assembly and stop
AssigneeValeda Company, LLC
InventorsOvidius Turcanu, Edgardo Cardona
Life of this patent
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AssigneeValeda Company, LLC
InventorsOvidius Turcanu, Edgardo Cardona
Estimating the term…
A retractor with a sensor assembly, comprising an indicator element and a sensor assembly that generates a signal when the indicator element is within a detection range of the sensor, for detecting the length of withdrawn restraint. The indicator element can be located anywhere along the length of the restraint. In one implementation, the retractor is a motorized retractor and the location of the indicator element is selected whereby the sensor generates the signal when the restraint is nearly or fully withdrawn. In an alternative implementation, the retractor is a motorized retractor configured to winch a wheelchair into a wheelchair securement area of a vehicle and the location of the indicator element is selected whereby the sensor detects the indicator element when a wheelchair is in a desired securement position.
A retractor defined by a restraint having a first end connected to a spool and a second end, the second end being a free end, the restraint being retractable upon the spool to a coiled position and withdrawable from the spool to an extended position, the retractor comprising a sensor assembly for generating a signal indicative of a length of the restraint that is withdrawn from the retractor, the sensor assembly comprising a sensor and an indicator element, wherein the indicator element is disposed at a location on the restraint and the sensor detects when the indicator element is proximate the sensor.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.