Seatbelt apparatus

• US 20050252710A1
• Filed: 07/20/2005
• Published: 11/17/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 01/24/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Sugamata, Yoshihisa, Akaba, Hiroshi, Kamiji, Koichi
• Granted Patent: US 7,686,118 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 180/268
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01272 Belt tensioners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01311 monitoring the braking system, e.g. ABS
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4685 with means to adjust or regulate the tensioning force in relation to external parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems

Abstract

A seatbelt apparatus (15) includes a seatbelt (14) for restraining an occupant (10) in a seat (13) of a vehicle, an actuator (29) for tightening the seatbelt (14) at various levels of tension and for loosening the seatbelt (14), plural collision prediction devices (38, 39) for predicting occurrence of a collision, and a control device (35) for controlling the actuator (29) so as to exert one of the various levels of tension on the seatbelt (14) depending on the prediction results by the collision prediction devices (38, 39).

Claims

1. A seatbelt apparatus comprising:

a seatbelt for restraining an occupant in a seat of a vehicle;

an actuator for tightening the seatbelt at various levels of tension and for loosening the seatbelt;

plural collision prediction devices for predicting occurrence of a collision; and

a control device for controlling the actuator so as to exert one of the various levels of tension on the seatbelt depending on the prediction results by the collision prediction devices.

2. A seatbelt apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the collision prediction devices comprise at least two of a stationary object collision prediction device for predicting occurrence of a collision with a stationary object, a moving object collision prediction device for predicting occurrence of a collision with a moving object, and a brake operation collision prediction device for predicting occurrence of a collision based on an operation of the brake of the vehicle.

3. A seatbelt apparatus according to claim 1,

wherein the collision prediction devices comprise a stationary object collision prediction device for predicting occurrence of a collision with a stationary object, a moving object collision prediction device for predicting occurrence of a collision with a moving object, and a brake operation collision prediction device for predicting occurrence of a collision based on an operation of the brake of the vehicle, and

wherein the control device is adapted to exert a greater amount of tension on the seatbelt when occurrence of a collision is predicted by the moving object collision prediction device and when occurrence of a collision is predicted by the brake operation collision prediction device than when occurrence of a collision is predicted by the stationary object collision prediction device.

4. A seatbelt apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control device is adapted to temporarily increase electric current supplied to the actuator at the beginning of controlling of the actuator for exerting tension on the seatbelt.