Child restraint system and method for monitoring installation of the child restraint system

• US 20050275276A1
• Filed: 06/06/2005
• Published: 12/15/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 06/07/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Porter, Stephen B., Fultz, William W., Kincaid, Kevin D., Fortune, Duane D., Patterson, James F., Wallner, Edward J., Sullivan, Stuart S., Lawrence, Rodney A.
• Granted Patent: US 7,422,283 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/479
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2821 having a seat and a base part
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/2815 with additional belt accessories, e.g. a belt tension detector
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4841 for sensing belt tension

Abstract

A child restraint system and a method for monitoring installation of the child restraint system are provided. The child restraint system includes a child seat configured to receive a child occupant. The child seat has at least a first seat belt guide member configured to engage a vehicle seat belt webbing for securing the child seat to a vehicle seat. The child restraint system further includes a first sensor coupled to the first seat belt guide member. The first sensor is configured to output a first signal indicative of an amount of tension being applied to the vehicle seat belt webbing. The child restraint system further includes a controller coupled to the child seat configured to receive the first signal and to compute a first tension value based on the first signal. The controller further is configured to induce a first device disposed on the child seat to indicate when the first tension value is less than a predetermined tension value.

Claims

1. A child restraint system adapted to be mounted within a vehicle, the child restraint system comprising:

a child seat configured to receive a child occupant, the child seat having at least a first seat belt guide member configured to engage a vehicle seat belt webbing for securing the child seat to a vehicle seat;

a first sensor coupled to the first seat belt guide member, the first sensor configured to output a first signal indicative of an amount of tension being applied to the vehicle seat belt webbing; and

a controller coupled to the child seat configured to receive the first signal and to compute a first tension value based on the first signal, the controller further configured to induce a first device disposed on the child seat to indicate when the first tension value is less than a predetermined tension value.

2. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the first sensor comprises a piezo-resistive force sensor configured to adjust an amplitude of the first signal based on an amount of force applied to the first sensor by the vehicle seat belt webbing.

3. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a light-emitting diode, the controller configured to induce the light-emitting diode to emit light having a first color when the first tension value is less than the predetermined tension value.

4. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises an electrical annunciator, the controller configured to induce the electrical annunciator to emit a first audible sound when the first tension value is less than the predetermined tension value, the controller further configured to induce the electrical annunciator to emit a second audible sound when the first tension value is greater than or equal to the predetermined tension value.

5. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a liquid-crystal display, the controller configured to induce the liquid-crystal display to display a first message when the first tension value is less than the predetermined tension value, the controller further configured to induce the liquid-crystal display to display a second message when the first tension value is greater than or equal to the predetermined tension value.

6. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to induce a second device to indicate when the first tension value is greater than or equal to the predetermined tension value.

7. The child restraint system of claim 6, wherein the second device comprises a light-emitting diode, the controller further configured to induce the light-emitting diode to emit light having a first color when the first tension value is greater than or equal to the predetermined tension value.

8. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the child seat further comprises a second seat belt guide member configured to engage the vehicle seat belt webbing for securing the child seat to the vehicle, and a second sensor disposed on the second seat belt guide member, the second sensor configured to output a second signal indicative of an amount of tension being applied to the vehicle seat belt webbing, the controller further configured to receive the second signal and to compute a second tension value based on the second signal, the controller further configured to induce the first device to indicate when the second tension value is less than the predetermined tension value.

9. The child restraint system of claim 1, further comprising a base portion and a second sensor, the base portion configured to receive and to hold the child seat therein, the base portion having a seat belt guide portion configured to receive the vehicle seat belt webbing thereon, the second sensor being disposed on the seat belt guide portion and outputting a second signal indicative of an amount of tension being applied to the vehicle seat belt webbing, the controller configured to receive the second signal and to compute a second tension value based on the second signal, the controller further configured to induce the first device to indicate when the second tension value is less than the predetermined tension value.

10. The child restraint system of claim 9, wherein the second sensor comprises a piezo-resistive force sensor configured to adjust an amplitude of the second signal based on an amount of force applied to the second sensor by the vehicle seat belt webbing.

11. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the child seat comprises a rearward-facing child seat with respect to the vehicle seat.

12. The child restraint system of claim 1, wherein the child seat comprises a frontward-facing child seat with respect to the vehicle seat.

20. The method of claim 11, further comprising positioning the child seat in either a rearward-facing position relative to the vehicle seat or a frontward-facing position relative to the vehicle seat.

13. A method for monitoring installation of a child restraint system on a vehicle seat, the child restraint system having a child seat configured to receive a child occupant, the child seat having at least a first seat belt guide member configured to engage a vehicle seat belt webbing for securing the child seat to the vehicle seat, the method comprising:

outputting a first signal from a first sensor disposed on the first seat belt guide member of the child seat, the first signal indicative of an amount of tension being applied to the vehicle seat belt webbing;

computing a first tension value based on the first signal utilizing a controller; and

inducing a first device disposed on the child seat to indicate when the first tension value is less than a predetermined tension value, utilizing the controller.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the first device comprises a light-emitting diode, and the step of inducing the first device to indicate when the first tension value is less than the predetermined tension value comprises inducing the light-emitting diode to emit light having a first color when the first tension value is less than the predetermined tension value.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the first device comprises an electrical annunciator, and the step of inducing the first device to indicate when the first tension value is less than the predetermined tension value comprises inducing the electrical annunciator to emit a first audible sound when the first tension value is less than the predetermined tension value.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the first device comprises a liquid-crystal display, and the step of inducing the first device to indicate when the first tension value is less than the predetermined tension value comprises inducing the liquid-crystal display to display a first message when the first tension value is less than the predetermined tension value.

17. The method of claim 13, further comprising inducing a second device to indicate when the first tension value is greater than or equal to the predetermined tension value.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the second device comprises a light-emitting diode, and the step of inducing the second device to indicate when the first tension value is greater than or equal to the predetermined tension value, comprises inducing the light-emitting diode to emit light having a first color when the first tension value is greater than or equal to the predetermined tension value.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the child restraint system further comprises a base portion and a second sensor, the base portion configured to receive and to hold the child seat therein, the base portion having a seat belt guide portion configured to receive the vehicle seat belt webbing thereon, the method further comprising:

outputting a second signal indicative of an amount of tension being applied to the vehicle seat belt webbing utilizing a second sensor disposed on the seat belt guide portion of the child seat;

computing a second tension value based on the second signal utilizing the controller; and

inducing the first device to indicate when the second tension value is less than the predetermined tension value, utilizing the controller.