Abstract: A seat belt tension sensor is attached to a seat belt assembly in a vehicle. The seat belt tensor sensor is secured to the vehicle by a bolt. The sensor includes a housing that is secured by the bolt. An anchor plate is mounted to the housing. The anchor plate has a hole for the bolt and an opening. A strain gage is secured to the housing and extends into the opening. The strain gage has an aperture. A spring is located between the anchor plate and the strain gage. An actuator support is located between the spring and the strain gage to actuate the strain gage. The actuator has a projection extending through the aperture that contacts the anchor plate. The projection prevents a shift in the output of the strain gage when the sensor is subjected to mechanical shock.

Abstract: A pressure sensor for sensing a pressure level of a pressurized medium. The pressure sensor includes a housing that has a high pressure side, a low pressure side and an aperture. A substrate is located in the aperture. The substrate has a pair of ends and a center portion. The center portion is brazed to the housing in the aperture. The center portion seals the high pressure side from the low pressure side. A pressure sensitive resistor is mounted to one end of the substrate. A reference resistor is mounted to another end of the substrate. A circuit line is located on the substrate. The circuit line is connected between the pressure sensitive resistor and the reference resistor.

Abstract: A seat belt tension sensor assembly is adapted to be secured to the seat belt assembly of a vehicle. The assembly includes a housing for a seat belt anchor adapted for movement relative to the housing into an overload position where a portion of the anchor is abutted against a portion of the housing to limit and arrest the movement of the anchor relative to the housing and transfer the load from the anchor to the housing and then to an interior structure of the vehicle. In one embodiment, the housing forms a collar and the anchor includes an interior wall defining an aperture through which the collar extends when the anchor is mounted to the housing. Movement of the anchor relative to the housing is limited as a result of the contact between the interior anchor wall and the collar.

Abstract: A seat belt tension sensor is attached to a seat belt assembly in a vehicle. The seat belt tensor sensor is secured to the vehicle by a bolt. The sensor includes a housing that is secured by the bolt. An anchor plate is mounted to the housing. The anchor plate has a hole for the bolt and an opening. A strain gage is secured to the housing and extends into the opening. The strain gage has an aperture. A spring is located between the anchor plate and the strain gage. An actuator support is located between the spring and the strain gage to actuate the strain gage. The actuator has a projection extending through the aperture that contacts the anchor plate. The projection prevents a shift in the output of the strain gage when the sensor is subjected to mechanical shock.

Abstract: A seat weight sensor for detecting the weight of a seat occupant. The weight sensor has a case mounted between a seat pan and a seat member. One or more strain gauge resistors are mounted in the case. The resistors generate an electrical signal in response to the case being stressed by the weight of the seat occupant. The electrical signal changes as a function of the weight of the occupant. A fastener passes through the seat member, the case, and the seat pan. The fastener secures the sensor between the seat pan and the seat member. The case is adapted to transfer to the strain gage resistor the weight of the occupant up to pre-determined level. The case prevents the strain gage from receiving weight beyond that of the pre-determined level such that the sensor is not damaged by an excessive load. The case also allows the weight sensor to be insensitive to off-axis forces that might otherwise contribute to inaccurate weight readings.

Abstract: A seat belt tension sensor is attached to a seat belt in a vehicle. The seat belt tension sensor includes a housing attached between the vehicle and the seat belt. A limit structure is located in the housing. A sensor is attached to the limit structure for generating an electrical signal in response to the sensor being placed in tension. The electrical signal changes as a function of tension on the seat belt. The limit structure moves between a first position in which the limit structure transfers the seat belt tension to the sensor and a second position in which the limit structure transfers the seat belt tension to the housing.

Abstract: A seat belt tension sensor is attached to a seat belt assembly in a vehicle. The seat belt tensor sensor is secured to the vehicle by a bolt. The sensor includes a housing that is secured by the bolt. An anchor plate is mounted to the housing. The anchor plate has a hole for the bolt and an opening. A strain gage is secured to the housing and extends into the opening. The strain gage has an aperture. A spring is located between the anchor plate and the strain gage. An actuator support is located between the spring and the strain gage to actuate the strain gage. The actuator has a projection extending through the aperture that contacts the anchor plate. The projection prevents a shift in the output of the strain gage when the sensor is subjected to mechanical shock.

Abstract: A seat belt tension sensor is attached to a seat belt in a vehicle. The seat belt tension sensor includes a housing attached between the vehicle and the seat belt. A limit structure is located in the housing. A sensor is attached to the limit structure for generating an electrical signal in response to the sensor being placed in tension. The electrical signal changes as a function of tension on the seat belt. The limit structure moves between a first position in which the limit structure transfers the seat belt tension to the sensor and a second position in which the limit structure transfers the seat belt tension to the housing.

Abstract: A seat belt tension sensor is attached to a seat belt in a vehicle. The seat belt tension sensor includes a housing attached between the vehicle and the seat belt. A limit structure is located in the housing. A sensor is attached to the limit structure for generating an electrical signal in response to the sensor being placed in tension. The electrical signal changes as a function of tension on the seat belt. The limit structure moves between a first position in which the limit structure transfers the seat belt tension to the sensor and a second position in which the limit structure transfers the seat belt tension to the housing.

Abstract: A seat belt tension sensor is attached to a seat belt in a vehicle. The seat belt tension sensor includes a housing attached between the vehicle and the seat belt. A limit structure is located in the housing. A sensor is attached to the limit structure for generating an electrical signal in response to the sensor being placed in tension. The electrical signal changes as a function of tension on the seat belt. The limit structure moves between a first position in which the limit structure transfers the seat belt tension to the sensor and a second position in which the limit structure transfers the seat belt tension to the housing.

Abstract: A rotary position sensor for sensing the position of an attached object. The sensor uses a strain gage to detect the position of the object. The sensor includes a housing and a helical shaped actuator located in the housing. The actuator is attachable to the object. A strain gage is positioned in contact with the actuator. The actuator applies a strain to the strain gage as the actuator is moved. The strain gage generates an electrical signal that is proportional to the position of the object.

Abstract: A stimulator for electrically inducing a maximal seizure in a test animal for screening candidate anticonvulsant drugs is disclosed. A stimulator according to this invention includes stimulus generation and control circuitry for generating the stimulus, a display for displaying the duration of three phases of the induced seizure, and user input configured to allow the user to control delivery of the stimulus and to record seizure phase transitions to be displayed on the display. The stimulator may also include a foot switch, electrodes, a computer interface and an optional computer. A method of measuring the phases of an electrically induced seizure is disclosed. A method of analyzing the efficacy of a candidate anticonvulsant drug is also disclosed.

Abstract: A surface mount electronic device, attachable to a circuit board, comprises an insulating substrate having a top surface and a bottom surface; a plurality of metallized terminal pads on the bottom surface; and a plurality of leads, each attached to one of the terminal pads by a solder column. Each of the leads comprises a first substantially horizontal lead portion attached to one of the terminal pads by the solder column. A plurality of upturned prongs on the first substantially horizontal lead portion forms a pronged area configured to hold the solder column. A second substantially horizontal lead portion terminates in a free end for attachment to the circuit board. An upwardly curved intermediate lead portion connects the first and second substantially horizontal portions and underlies the bottom surface of the substrate.