Patent ID: 6843143

Claim:
An apparatus for measuring a tensile load in a seat belt of a vehicle, comprising: a. a lever adapted to rotate about a pivot at a first location on said lever; b. a webbing attachment operatively either connected to or a part of said lever, wherein said webbing attachment is adapted to operatively couple with a webbing of the seat belt so as to receive the tensile load therefrom and to transfer said tensile load so as to act on said lever at a second location on said lever, wherein said second location is displaced from said first location and said webbing attachment is adapted to direct said tensile load substantially through a center of rotation at said second location; c. a reaction element wherein said reaction element is adapted to inhibit rotation thereof relative to the vehicle when the apparatus is operatively coupled to the vehicle; d. a first spring operatively coupled to said lever and adapted to bias said lever about said pivot so as to react against said tensile load when said tensile load is received by said webbing attachment, wherein said first spring is adapted to operate between said reaction element and said lever; and e. a displacement or proximity sensor operatively associated with said lever and said reaction element, wherein said displacement or proximity sensor is responsive to a rotation of said lever with respect to said reaction element.