Seatbelt use-state warning device

• US 20060071769A1
• Filed: 08/03/2005
• Published: 04/06/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 09/22/2004
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Mazda Motor Corporation
• Inventors: Fukushima, Masanobu, Okada, Kenji, Ikura, Kazunori, Yoshimura, Mie, Kuge, Tomoyuki, Ide, Yoshikazu
• Application Number:
  US11/195,738
• Publication Number:
  US 20060071769A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 340/457.100
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4866 Displaying or indicating arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness

Abstract

The use state of the seatbelt is warned in the start-warning mode during the specified start-warning period of time after the starting of the power source of the vehicle. The warning by the warning device is disabled when the specified start-warning period of time has lapsed after the power source starting (step S15). The warning device to warn the use state of the seatbelt are enabled for the specified period of time (step S17-S20) when the use state of the seatbelt detected by the seatbelt use-state detecting device changes during the operation of the vehicle power source (step S12). When the seatbelt is changed from its state of use to its state of non-use, the warning is conducted with the harder warning stimulation characteristic (steps S18, S19). Accordingly, there can be provided the seatbelt use-state warning device which can warn the driver properly.

Claims

1. A seatbelt use-state warning device, comprising:

a seatbelt use-state detecting device to detect a use/non-use of a seatbelt of a vehicle;

a warning device to warn a driver of a use state of the seatbelt based on a detecting result of said seatbelt use-state detecting device; and

a control device to control said warning device,

wherein said control device is constituted so as to warn the use state of the seatbelt in a start-warning mode during a specified start-warning period of time after a starting of a power source of the vehicle, to disable warning by said warning device when said specified start-warning period of time has lapsed after the power source starting, and to enable said warning device to warn the use state of the seatbelt for a specified period of time when the use state of the seatbelt detected by said seatbelt use-state detecting device changes during an operation of the vehicle power source.

2. The seatbelt use-state warning device of claim 1, wherein said control device is constituted so as to warn the use state of the seatbelt in a provisional-warning mode during a specified provisional-warning period of time when said specified start-warning period of time has lapsed after the power source starting, said warning in the provisional-warning mode having a warning stimulation characteristic which is softer than that of said warning in the start-warning mode.

3. The seatbelt use-state warning device of claim 1, wherein said control device is constituted so as to enable said warning device in a warning mode to warn the driver of a warning state when the seatbelt is removed from the state of use thereof during the operation of the vehicle power source, and to enable said warning device in a safe mode to warn the driver of a safe state when the seatbelt is applied and changed to the state of use thereof during the operation of the vehicle power source, said warning in the safe mode having a warning stimulation characteristic which is softer than that of said warning in the warning mode.

4. The seatbelt use-state warning device of claim 3, wherein a specified period of time for which the warning device is enabled in said warning mode is constituted so as to be longer than said specified start-warning period of time.

5. The seatbelt use-state warning device of claim 4, wherein said specified period of time for which the warning device is enabled in said warning mode is constituted so as to be longer than a specified period of time for which the warning device is enabled in said safe mode.

6. The seatbelt use-state warning device of claim 5, wherein said warning in the warning mode has a warning stimulation characteristic which is harder than that of said warning in the start-warning mode.

7. The seatbelt use-state warning device of claim 6, wherein said warning in the warning mode has a warning stimulation characteristic which is harder than that of said warning in the safe mode.

8. The seatbelt use-state warning device of claim 1, wherein said control device is constituted so as to enable said warning device in a warning mode to warn the driver of a warning state when the seatbelt is removed from the state of use thereof during the operation of the vehicle power source, and to enable said warning device in a safe mode to warn the driver of a safe state when the seatbelt is applied and changed to the state of use thereof during the operation of the vehicle power source, said warning in the safe mode having a warning stimulation characteristic which is softer than that of said warning in the warning mode.

9. The seatbelt use-state warning device of claim 8, wherein a specified period of time for which the warning device is enabled in said warning mode is constituted so as to be longer than said specified start-warning period of time.

10. The seatbelt use-state warning device of claim 9, wherein said specified period of time for which the warning device is enabled in said warning mode is constituted so as to be longer than a specified period of time for which the warning device is enabled in said safe mode.

11. The seatbelt use-state warning device of claim 9, wherein said warning in the warning mode has a warning stimulation characteristic which is harder than that of said warning in the start-warning mode.

12. The seatbelt use-state warning device of claim 9, wherein said warning in the warning mode has a warning stimulation characteristic which is harder than that of said warning in the safe mode.

13. A seatbelt use-state warning device, comprising:

a buckle point switch provided at a buckle of a seatbelt of a vehicle and operative to detect a use/non-use of the seatbelt;

an indication panel provided in the vehicle;

a lamp provided in said indication panel;

a buzzer provided in or near said indication panel; and

a microprocessor to operate at least one of said lamp and buzzer based on an ON/OFF state of said buckle point switch,

wherein said microprocessor is constituted so as to operate at least one of said lamp and buzzer in a start-warning mode during a specified start-warning period of time after a starting of a power source of the vehicle, to disable said operation of at least one of said lamp and buzzer when said specified start-warning period of time has lapsed after the power source starting, and to enable said operation of at least one of said lamp and buzzer for a specified period of time when the use state of the seatbelt detected by said buckle point switch changes during an operation of the vehicle power source.