Warning device for passive seat belt system

Abstract

A warning device for a passive seat belt system is disclosed. It includes an emergency release buckle; a tongue; a magnet displaceable between a first position and a second position, said magnet assuming the first position while the tongue and buckle are latched but a second position while the tongue and buckle are unlatched; an anchor base member; and a magnetic flux sensor for detecting a magnetic flux from the magnet. In a preferred embodiment, the warning device further includes a magnetic shielding means made of a high-permeability material and allowing magnetic flux to pass under low magnetic resistance to the magnetic flux sensor except for an area on a magnetic-flux-travelling path extending from the magnet to the sensor. In another preferred embodiment, the magnet may be arranged between the anchor base member and the buckle.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.