Lower anchor and tethers for children (latch) detection and measurement device

Abstract

A sensor for sensing when a latch of a child safety seat is coupled to a seat assembly of a vehicle. The sensor may include a first housing member that is mounted to a seat frame of the vehicle. The sensor may also include a second housing member that can move relative to the first housing member. A sensor subassembly may sense the relative movement of the second housing member. The latch of the child safety seat can be snapped onto a ring of the second housing member and subsequently tightened to secure the child seat to the vehicle. Coupling the child seat to the ring moves the second housing member relative to the first housing member. This movement is sensed by the sensor which provides an output signal. The output signal can be processed to provide an indication to the vehicle driver that the child seat has been coupled to the seat, and/or disable an airbag and/or disable a seat movement device.

1 . A sensor assembly that is coupled to a latch of a child safety seat, comprising: 
 a first housing member;    a second housing member that moves relative to said first housing member and is coupled to the latch of the child safety seat; and,    a sensor subassembly that is coupled to said first and second housing members and senses a movement of said second housing member.    
   
   
       2 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said second housing member includes a ring that is coupled to the latch of the child safety seat.  
   
   
       3 . The assembly of  claim 1 , further comprising a biasing spring that is coupled to said first housing member and a second housing member.  
   
   
       4 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said sensor subassembly includes a magnet and a Hall Effect sensor.  
   
   
       5 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said sensor subassembly includes a switch that is coupled to said second housing member.  
   
   
       6 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first housing member includes a flange adapted to be mounted to a seat frame.  
   
   
       7 . The assembly of  claim 1 , wherein said first housing member includes a stop that limits the movement of said second housing member.  
   
   
       8 . A sensor assembly that is coupled to a latch of a child safety seat, comprising: 
 a first housing member;    a second housing member that moves relative to said first housing member and is coupled to the latch of the child safety seat; and,    sensor means for sensing a movement of said second housing member.    
   
   
       9 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said second housing member includes a ring that is coupled to the latch of the child safety seat.  
   
   
       10 . The assembly of  claim 8 , further comprising a biasing spring that is coupled to said first housing member and a second housing member.  
   
   
       11 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said sensor means includes a magnet and a Hall Effect sensor.  
   
   
       12 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said sensor means includes a switch that is coupled to said second housing member.  
   
   
       13 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said first housing member includes a flange adapted to be mounted to a seat frame.  
   
   
       14 . The assembly of  claim 8 , wherein said first housing member includes a stop that limits the movement of said second housing member.  
   
   
       15 . A sensor system that is coupled to a latch of a child safety seat that is placed on a seat assembly, comprising: 
 a sensor that is mounted to the seat assembly and coupled to the latch of the child safety seat; and,    a display that is coupled to said sensor and provides an indication of when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to said sensor.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 15 , further comprising a controller that receives an input signal from said sensor and provides an output signal to said display to indicate when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to said sensor.  
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said sensor includes a ring that is coupled to the latch of the child safety seat.  
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said sensor includes a first housing member, and a second housing member that can move relative to said first housing member, and a biasing spring that is coupled to said first and second housing members.  
   
   
       19 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said sensor includes a magnet and a Hall Effect sensor.  
   
   
       20 . The system of  claim 15 , wherein said sensor includes a switch.  
   
   
       21 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said first housing member includes a flange adapted to be mounted to a seat frame of the seat assembly.  
   
   
       22 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein said first housing member includes a stop that limits the movement of said second housing member.  
   
   
       23 . A sensor system that senses when a latch of a child safety seat is placed on a seat assembly, comprising: 
 sensor means for sensing when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to the seat assembly; and,    a display that is coupled to said sensor means and provides an indication of when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to the seat assembly.    
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23 , further comprising a controller that receives an input signal from said sensor means and provides an output signal to said display to indicate when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to seat assembly.  
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said sensor means includes a ring that is coupled to the latch of the child safety seat.  
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said sensor means includes a first housing member, and a second housing member that can move relative to said first and second housing member and a biasing spring that is coupled to said first housing members.  
   
   
       27 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said sensor means includes a magnet and a Hall Effect sensor.  
   
   
       28 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein said sensor means includes a switch.  
   
   
       29 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein said first housing member includes a flange mounted to a seat frame of the seat assembly.  
   
   
       30 . The system of  claim 26 , wherein said first housing member includes a stop that limits the movement of said second housing member.  
   
   
       31 . A method for sensing when a latch of a child safety seat is coupled to a seat assembly, comprising: 
 coupling the latch of the child safety seat to a sensor that is mounted to the seat assembly; and,    displaying an indication that the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to the sensor.    
   
   
       32 . The method of  claim 31 , wherein the sensor provides an input signal to a controller that provides an output signal to the display to indicate that the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to the sensor.  
   
   
       33 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein the input signal has a varying amplitude.  
   
   
       34 . The method of  claim 32 , wherein input signal has one of two values.  
   
   
       35 . A seat assembly that is coupled to a latch of a child safety seat, comprising: 
 a seat frame;    a seat cushion located on said seat frame; and,    a sensor that is mounted to said seat frame and is coupled to the latch of the child safety seat.    
   
   
       36 . The assembly of  claim 35 , wherein said sensor includes a ring that is coupled to the latch of the child safety seat.  
   
   
       37 . The assembly of  claim 35 , wherein said sensor includes a first housing member, and a second housing member that moves relative to said first housing member, and a biasing spring that is coupled to said first and second housing members.  
   
   
       38 . The assembly of  claim 35 , wherein said sensor includes a magnet and a Hall Effect sensor.  
   
   
       39 . The assembly of  claim 35 , wherein said sensor includes a switch.  
   
   
       40 . The assembly of  claim 37 , wherein said first housing member includes a flange that is mounted to said seat frame.  
   
   
       41 . The assembly of  claim 37 , wherein said first housing member includes a stop that limits the movement of said second housing member.  
   
   
       42 . A seat assembly that is coupled to a latch of a child safety seat, comprising: 
 a seat frame;    a seat cushion located on said seat frame; and,    sensor means for sensing when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to said seat frame.    
   
   
       43 . The assembly of  claim 42 , wherein said sensor means includes a ring that is coupled to the latch of the child safety seat.  
   
   
       44 . The assembly of  claim 42 , wherein said sensor means includes a first housing member, and a second housing member that moves relative to said first housing member, and a biasing spring that is coupled to said first and second housing members.  
   
   
       45 . The assembly of  claim 42 , wherein said sensor means includes a magnet and a Hall Effect sensor.  
   
   
       46 . The assembly of  claim 42 , wherein said sensor means includes a switch that is coupled to said second housing member.  
   
   
       47 . The assembly of  claim 44 , wherein said first housing member includes a flange mounted to said seat frame.  
   
   
       48 . The assembly of  claim 44 , wherein said first housing member includes a stop that limits the movement of said second housing member.  
   
   
       49 . A sensor system that is coupled to a latch of a child safety seat that is placed on a seat assembly, comprising: 
 a sensor that is mounted to the seat assembly and coupled to the latch of the child safety seat; and,    an airbag that is disabled when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to said sensor.    
   
   
       50 . The system of  claim 49 , further comprising a controller that receives an input signal from said sensor and provides an output signal to disable said airbag when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to said sensor.  
   
   
       51 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein said sensor includes a ring that is coupled to the latch of the child safety seat.  
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein said sensor includes a first housing member, and a second housing member that can move relative to said first housing member, and a biasing spring that is coupled to said first and second housing members.  
   
   
       53 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein said sensor includes a magnet and a Hall Effect sensor.  
   
   
       54 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein said sensor includes a switch.  
   
   
       55 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein said first housing member includes a flange adapted to be mounted to a seat frame of the seat assembly.  
   
   
       56 . The system of  claim 52 , wherein said first housing member includes a stop that limits the movement of said second housing member.  
   
   
       57 . A sensor system that senses when a latch of a child safety seat is placed on a seat assembly, comprising: 
 sensor means for sensing when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to the seat assembly; and,    an airbag that is disabled when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to said sensor means.    
   
   
       58 . The system of  claim 57 , further comprising a controller that receives an input signal from said sensor means and provides an output signal to said disable said airbag when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to seat assembly.  
   
   
       59 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein said sensor means includes a ring that is coupled to the latch of the child safety seat.  
   
   
       60 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein said sensor means includes a first housing member, and a second housing member that can move relative to said first and second housing member and a biasing spring that is coupled to said first housing members.  
   
   
       61 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein said sensor means includes a magnet and a Hall Effect sensor.  
   
   
       62 . The system of  claim 57 , wherein said sensor means includes a switch.  
   
   
       63 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein said first housing member includes a flange mounted to a seat frame of the seat assembly.  
   
   
       64 . The system of  claim 60 , wherein said first housing member includes a stop that limits the movement of said second housing member.  
   
   
       65 . A method for sensing when a latch of a child safety seat is coupled to a seat assembly, comprising: 
 coupling the latch of the child safety seat to a sensor that is mounted to the seat assembly; and,    disabling an airbag when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to the sensor.    
   
   
       66 . The method of  claim 65 , wherein the sensor provides an input signal to a controller that provides an output signal to disable the airbag when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to the sensor.  
   
   
       67 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein the input signal has a varying amplitude.  
   
   
       68 . The method of  claim 66 , wherein input signal has one of two values.  
   
   
       69 . A sensor system that is coupled to a latch of a child safety seat that is placed on a seat assembly, comprising: 
 a sensor that is mounted to the seat assembly and coupled to the latch of the child safety seat; and,    a seat movement device that is disabled when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to said sensor.    
   
   
       70 . The system of  claim 69 , further comprising a controller that receives an input signal from said sensor and provides an output signal to disable said seat movement device when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to said sensor.  
   
   
       71 . The system of  claim 69 , wherein said sensor includes a ring that is coupled to the latch of the child safety seat.  
   
   
       72 . The system of  claim 69 , wherein said sensor includes a first housing member, and a second housing member that can move relative to said first housing member, and a biasing spring that is coupled to said first and second housing members.  
   
   
       73 . The system of  claim 69 , wherein said sensor includes a magnet and a Hall Effect sensor.  
   
   
       74 . The system of  claim 69 , wherein said sensor includes a switch.  
   
   
       75 . The system of  claim 72 , wherein said first housing member includes a flange adapted to be mounted to a seat frame of the seat assembly.  
   
   
       76 . The system of  claim 72 , wherein said first housing member includes a stop that limits the movement of said second housing member.  
   
   
       77 . A sensor system that senses when a latch of a child safety seat is placed on a seat assembly, comprising: 
 sensor means for sensing when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to the seat assembly; and,    a seat movement device that is disabled when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to the seat assembly.    
   
   
       78 . The system of  claim 77 , further comprising a controller that receives an input signal from said sensor means and provides an output signal to disable said seat movement device when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to seat assembly.  
   
   
       79 . The system of  claim 77 , wherein said sensor means includes a ring that is coupled to the latch of the child safety seat.  
   
   
       80 . The system of  claim 77 , wherein said sensor means includes a first housing member, and a second housing member that can move relative to said first and second housing member and a biasing spring that is coupled to said first housing members.  
   
   
       81 . The system of  claim 77 , wherein said sensor means includes a magnet and a Hall Effect sensor.  
   
   
       82 . The system of  claim 77 , wherein said sensor means includes a switch.  
   
   
       83 . The system of  claim 80 , wherein said first housing member includes a flange mounted to a seat frame of the seat assembly.  
   
   
       84 . The system of  claim 80 , wherein said first housing member includes a stop that limits the movement of said second housing member.  
   
   
       85 . A method for sensing when a latch of a child safety seat is coupled to a seat assembly, comprising: 
 coupling the latch of the child safety seat to a sensor that is mounted to the seat assembly; and,    disabling a seat movement device when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to the sensor.    
   
   
       86 . The method of  claim 85 , wherein the sensor provides an input signal to a controller that provides an output signal to disable the seat movement device when the latch of the child safety seat is coupled to the sensor.  
   
   
       87 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein the input signal has a varying amplitude.  
   
   
       88 . The method of  claim 86 , wherein input signal has one of two values.