Smart seatbelt control system
First Claim
1. A vehicle occupant detection and weight responsive apparatus for controlling the resistance of a restraint device, such that in an accident, an occupant of a vehicle impacts at least a seat belt without injury;
- comprising;
a. a pressure sensing device, for determining a weight value of the occupant;
b. a computer system, in signal communication with said pressure-sensing device, said computer system calculating a coil value based upon the weight value of the occupant and a collision force according to the vehicle speed;
c. a collision force sensor in communication with the computer system; and
d. a coil tensioner, in communication with said computer system, rotating a moveable coil per coil value associated with said weight value; and
e. means for controlling the seatbelt tension, wherein the seatbelt is rendered of sufficient tension to keep the occupant on a seat when a collision is sensed, but is not rendered of sufficient tension to cause impact injury to the occupant.
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Accused Products
Abstract
An apparatus for preventing occupant injury during accident has various features to ensure safety. A sensor 70, detecting seat belt engagement is provided. In addition, there is a means for varying the tension of a seatbelt 17, depending upon the weight of the occupant 110 and the speed of the vehicle carrying the occupant 110. When the occupant 110 seats on any of the seats 17, the load cell switch 18 will close, allowing the load cell output energy to energize the control module 25. The control module 25 will then enables the counter 50 to count the number of closed load cell switches 18. The control module 25 further enables an optoisolator switch configured with the sensor 70 to then energize a latching relay 80 operatively configured to check the seat belt latching of all occupied seats 10 with closed load cell switches 18, to assure occupants safety. The load cells are configured with strain gauges and temperature sensors to ensure human occupants. Such that, when the switch 18 for the occupied seat 10 is closed, the latching relay 80 circuit is energized so that the seat belt 17 for the occupied seat location is checked for buckling. The latching relay 80 circuit and the counter 50 circuit are operatively configured and closed only when an occupant 110 takes any of the seats 10. The latching relay switch 85 is only energized when the counter circuit 50 is closed.
130 Citations
25 Claims
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1. A vehicle occupant detection and weight responsive apparatus for controlling the resistance of a restraint device, such that in an accident, an occupant of a vehicle impacts at least a seat belt without injury;
- comprising;
a. a pressure sensing device, for determining a weight value of the occupant;
b. a computer system, in signal communication with said pressure-sensing device, said computer system calculating a coil value based upon the weight value of the occupant and a collision force according to the vehicle speed;
c. a collision force sensor in communication with the computer system; and
d. a coil tensioner, in communication with said computer system, rotating a moveable coil per coil value associated with said weight value; and
e. means for controlling the seatbelt tension, wherein the seatbelt is rendered of sufficient tension to keep the occupant on a seat when a collision is sensed, but is not rendered of sufficient tension to cause impact injury to the occupant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10)
- comprising;
-
7. A vehicle occupant detection means and weight responsive classification system for controlling the resistance of a restraint device, such that in an accident, an occupant of a vehicle impacts the restraint device without injury;
- comprising;
a. at least an airbag device;
b. a weight sensor responsive for occupants presents signal communication;
c. a microprocessor configured with said weight sensor;
d. a collision force sensor; and
e. a computer system configured with an erasable programmable read only memory “
EPROM”
device, in signal communication with said weight sensor. - View Dependent Claims (8, 22, 23, 25)
- comprising;
-
11. A vehicle occupant detection means and weight responsive classification system for controlling the resistance of a restraint device, such that in an accident, an occupant of a vehicle impacts the restraint device without injury;
- comprising;
a. at least an airbag device;
b. at least a seatbelt device;
c. an erasable programmable read only memory “
EPROM”
device;
d. a pressure sensing device comprising at least one weight sensor secured beneath at least one seat configured to measure a weight value of said vehicle occupant to control the tensional force of said seatbelt and said airbag'"'"'s deployment force for at least one airbag and at least one seatbelt when said vehicle is involved in at least an accident;
e. a computer system configured to connect to said erasable programmable read only memory “
EPROM”
device, in signal communication with said pressure-sensing device, said computer system calculating a tensional/deployment force value based upon the weight value of the occupant and a collision force according to the vehicle speed;
f. a collision force sensor in communication with the computer system;
g. at least one human body temperature sensor associated with said at least one weight sensor configured to distinguish human occupants from other objects; and
h. means for controlling the resistance of at least a seatbelt/airbag, wherein the seatbelt/airbag is rendered of sufficient tensional/deployment force to keep the occupant on a seat when a collision is sensed, but is not rendered of sufficient deployment tension/force to cause impact injury to the occupant. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 24)
- comprising;
Specification