Abstract: A rotatable spool has seat belt webbing wound around the spool. A motor, when actuated, rotates the spool in the belt withdrawal direction. A spring has a biasing force which rotates the spool to wind the belt webbing onto the spool. A worm gear mechanism is located between the motor and the spool and is selectively drivingly connectable with the spool. When drivingly connected with the spool, the worm gear mechanism prevents the biasing force of the spring from winding the belt webbing onto the spool. A clutch, when engaged, connects the spool and the worm gear mechanism. The clutch is disengaged and the motor is deactuated when a belt tension signal is below a lower predetermined threshold value. The clutch is engaged and the motor is actuated when the belt tension signal is above an upper predetermined threshold value which is greater than the lower predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An occupant sensing apparatus for use in an occupant restraint system comprises a film having an electrical characteristic with changeable states and a contact member. When an occupant sits in a vehicle seat, the contact member pushes on the film and changes the state of the electrical characteristic. An electric circuit is connected to the film for providing a first signal when the film indicates an occupant is not present, a second signal when an occupant is present, and a third signal if the film and the circuit become disconnected. The occupant restraint system is enabled when either an occupant is present or an electrical fault condition occurs. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, an array of sensors located in the seat determines the occupant's position and weight and controls deployment of the occupant restraint system in response to the determined position and weight.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for providing a passenger restraint actuation signal for use in an actuatable passenger restraint system in a vehicle is provided. The method comprises a sensor for providing a time varying electric signal proportional to vehicle deceleration. A crash energy is determined and compared against a predetermined limit. If the determined crash energy equals or exceeds the predetermined limit, a passenger restraint actuation signal is provided.

Abstract: An apparatus for restraining a vehicle occupant during a crash of the vehicle comprises a first crash sensor securable to the vehicle and having a sensitivity axis parallel with a front-to-rear axis of the vehicle. The first sensor provides a signal having a value functionally related to crash energy directed parallel to the front-to-rear axis of the vehicle and impervious to crash energy directed parallel to a side-to-side axis of the vehicle. A second crash sensor is also securable to the vehicle and has a sensitivity axis parallel with a side-to-side axis of the vehicle. The second crash sensor provides a signal having a value functionally related to crash energy directed parallel to the side-to-side axis of the vehicle and impervious to crash energy directed parallel to the front-to-rear axis of the vehicle. The first and second crash sensors have their sensitivity axes oriented along mutually orthogonal axes.

Abstract: A method for determining frequency components present in a particular type of vehicle crash for which it is desirable to actuate a passenger restraint system in a vehicle of a predetermined class of vehicles is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of providing a time domain vibratory electric signal that is responsive to and that includes frequency component values indicative of a vehicle crash, crashing a vehicle of the predetermined class under at least one condition in which it is not desirable to actuate the vehicle passenger restaint system and recording an associated vibratory electric signal, crashing a vehicle of the predetermined class under at least one condition in which it is desirable to actuate the vehicle passenger restraint system, recording an associated vibratory electric signal, and performing a frequency domain transform function on the time domain recorded signals so as to identify frequency components for the electric signals recorded both crash conditions.

Abstract: A rotatable spool has seat belt webbing wound around the spool. A motor, when actuated, rotates the spool in the belt withdrawal direction. A spring has a biasing force which rotates the spool to wind the belt webbing onto the spool. A worm gear mechanism is located between the motor and the spool and is selectively drivingly connectable with the spool. When drivingly connected with the spool, the worm gear mechanism prevents the biasing force of the spring from winding the belt webbing onto the spool. A clutch, when engaged, connects the spool and the worm gear mechanism. The clutch is disengaged and the motor is deactuated when a belt tension signal is below a lower predetermined threshold value. The clutch is engaged and the motor is actuated when the belt tension signal is above an upper predetermined threshold value which is greater than the lower predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: An apparatus tests an actuatable occupant restraint system for a vehicle. The restraint system has an actuatable occupant restraint device and a crash sensor for outputting a signal having an identifiable electrical characteristic indicative of a specific type of vehicle crash condition. The restraint system also has a processing circuit connected to the crash sensor for providing an actuation signal to the occupant restraint device when the crash sensor signal indicates an occurrence of a predetermined type of vehicle crash condition. The test apparatus comprises a memory device connected to the processing circuit for storing a plurality of simulated crash sensor signals. Each stored simulated crash sensor signal is indicative of a predetermined type of vehicle crash condition. A disabling circuit is connected to the output of the processing circuit for disabling electrical communication between the output of the processing circuit and the actuatable restraint device.

Abstract: A lure electrified by a piezoelectric material located with respect to the body of the lure so that at least a portion thereof is subjected to flexing as the lure moves through the water. The flexing of the piezoelectric material produces an electromotive force (EMF) which is connected to an electronic device, such as a neon bulb for providing an effect attractive to fish.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for controlling actuation of an air bag restraint system. The apparatus includes a sensor securable to the vehicle for providing a vibratory electric signal having various frequency components indicative of whether the vehicle is in a deployment condition. The particular frequency components indicative of an deployment condition are not present when the vehicle is in a non-deployment condition. A filter circuit is connected to the sensor for providing an electric signal having a value indicative of the value of the particular frequency components indication of the occurrence of a deployment condition that are present in the signal provided by the sensor. A signal generator provides the actuation signal when the signal from the filtering circuit exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for controlling actuation of a passenger restraint system in a vehicle. The apparatus includes an accelerometer for providing a time domain vibratory electric signal having frequency components indicative of a vehicle crash condition. An A/D converter converts the accelerometer signal into a digitized signal. A fast Fourier transform device transforms the digitized time domain vibratory electric signal into a frequency domain signal. A correlator correlates the frequency domain signal and provides a signal indicative of the degree of correlation. A microcomputer monitors the correlation of the frequency domain signal and actuates the passenger restraint system when the correlation signal indicates a particular type of vehicle crash is occurring.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for controlling actuation of a passenger restraint system in a vehicle. The apparatus includes an accelerometer for providing a time domain vibratory electric signal having frequency components indicative of a vehicle crash condition. An A/D converter converts the accelerometer signal into a digitized signal. A fast Fourier transform device transforms the digitized time domain vibratory electric signal over at least two time intervals into frequency domain signals. The amplitudes of corresponding frequency bins of the frequency domain signals are summed over the entire frequency spectrum, bin-to-bin. A microcomputer monitors the sum of the amplitudes of at least one selected frequency bin of the frequency domain signals and actuates the passenger restraint system when the sum is greater than a predetermined threshold thereby indicating a particular type of vehicle crash is occurring.

Abstract: A golf swing brace which regulates elbow flexing in a manner which is responsive to the golfer's swing so that elbow flexing is prevented before and during golf ball addressment, but is freely permitted thereafter, thus truly simulating for the golfer-in-training proper swing technique. The golf swing brace consists of an upper arm brace and a forearm brace, each mutually pivotally connected together at a pivot. Arm bands attach the upper arm and forearm braces to the respective portions of the golfer's lead arm (left arm in the case of a right-handed golfer). The upper arm and forearm braces are oriented so that the pivot is axially in line with the golfer's elbow. Thus, if the pivot is locked, the golfer cannot bend his or her lead arm at the elbow, but if the pivot is not locked, the golfer is able to freely bend his or her lead arm at the elbow.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for controlling actuation of a passenger restraint system in a vehicle. The apparatus includes an accelerometer for providing a time domain vibratory electric signal having frequency components indicative of a vehicle crash condition. An A/D converter converts the accelerometer signal into a digitized signal. A fast Fourier transform device transforms the digitized time domain vibratory electric signal over at least two time intervals into frequency domain signals. The amplitudes of all the frequency bins over the entire frequency spectrum for each frequency domain signal are summed to provide a value corresponding to the integral of the amplitudes of all the frequency bins over the entire frequency spectrum for the associated frequency domain signal. The integral values of the frequency domain signals are summed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for controlling actuation of an air bag restraint system. The apparatus includes a sensor securable to the vehicle for providing a vibratory electric signal having various frequency components indicative of whether the vehicle is in a deployment condition. The particular frequency components indicative of an deployment condition are not present when the vehicle is in a non-deployment condition. A filter circuit is connected to the sensor for providing an electric signal having a value indicative of the value of the particular frequency components. An integrator provides a signal having a value indicative of the value of the vibratory electric signal. A summing circuit sums the value of the signal from the integrator and from the filter circuit. A signal generator provides the actuation signal when the signal from the summing circuit exceeds a predetermined value.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is disclosed for controlling actuation of an air bag restraint system. A deceleration sensor provides a signal having an RMS value which is functionally related to the value of the vehicle deceleration. An RMS thermal converter converts the deceleration signal into a converted voltage value. The converted voltage value is compared against a predetermined value, the predetermined value being indicative of a maximum deceleration value. If the converted voltage value of the deceleration signal exceeds the predetermined value, the air bag is actuated. A forced feedback arrangement uses a differential amplifier and a second, similar thermal sensor arrangement in a balance circuit so as to eliminate common-mode voltage errors. The feedback arrangement retains the converted value of the deceleration signal for a predetermined time period after the deceleration signal decays.