Apparatus and method for improving wear-comfort of a seatbelt
First Claim
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1. Apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising:
- a seatbelt wearable by an occupant of a seat of the motor vehicle, the seatbelt having an upper portion vertically adjustable between a first height and a second height vertically aligned with the first height;
a sensor for sensing a seatbelt contour while the seatbelt is worn by the occupant at the first height;
an actuator system operative to move at least the upper portion of the seatbelt between the first height and the second height in a manner to alter the seatbelt contour; and
a control module operative to compare the seatbelt contour at the first height to a predefined seatbelt contour to determine the seatbelt contour is a neck-engaged contour and, immediately responsive to the determination that the seatbelt contour is a neck-engaged contour, to automatically control the actuator system to move at least the upper portion of the seatbelt from the first height to the second height.
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Abstract
An apparatus and method for improving the safety-relevant wear-comfort of a seatbelt worn by an occupant of a vehicle seat uses at least one sensor to detect the contour and/or position of the seatbelt, at least one actuator system for moving the seatbelt in order to change the contour and/or position, and at least one control module for controlling the actuator system. The control module is operative to control the actuator system automatically as a function of a deviation of the seatbelt contour/position, as detected by the sensor, from a predefined contour/position which reflects correct wear of the seatbelt.
13 Citations
9 Claims
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1. Apparatus for a motor vehicle comprising:
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a seatbelt wearable by an occupant of a seat of the motor vehicle, the seatbelt having an upper portion vertically adjustable between a first height and a second height vertically aligned with the first height; a sensor for sensing a seatbelt contour while the seatbelt is worn by the occupant at the first height; an actuator system operative to move at least the upper portion of the seatbelt between the first height and the second height in a manner to alter the seatbelt contour; and a control module operative to compare the seatbelt contour at the first height to a predefined seatbelt contour to determine the seatbelt contour is a neck-engaged contour and, immediately responsive to the determination that the seatbelt contour is a neck-engaged contour, to automatically control the actuator system to move at least the upper portion of the seatbelt from the first height to the second height. - View Dependent Claims (2, 7)
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3. Apparatus comprising:
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a vertically-adjustable seatbelt; a sensor sensing a contour of the seatbelt; an actuator operative to move a portion of the seatbelt; and a control module operative to compare the contour and a predefined contour to determine the contour is a neck-engaged contour; and responsive to the determination, controlling the actuator system to vertically adjust the portion of the seatbelt from a first height to a second height vertically aligned with the first height. - View Dependent Claims (4, 8)
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5. A method for adjusting an occupant-worn seatbelt, comprising:
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detecting an actual contour of the seatbelt using a sensor; and operating a control module to compare the actual contour and a predefined contour to determine the actual contour is a neck-engaged contour; and immediately based on determining the neck-engaged contour, controlling an actuator to move a portion of the seatbelt from a first height to a second height vertically aligned with the first height. - View Dependent Claims (6, 9)
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Specification