VEHICLE OCCUPANT PROTECTION DEVICE

• US 20110098893A1
• Filed: 08/11/2008
• Published: 04/28/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 08/13/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hashimoto, Syuzo
• Granted Patent: US 9,845,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/46
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42745 of the back-rest B60N2/433 takes precedence; higher part of the back-rest moving together with the headrest B60N2/888
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01272 Belt tensioners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems

Abstract

A vehicle occupant protection device that smoothly operates a seat and a seatbelt. When a collision is predicted, if the time to the collision reaches a preset time t1, a seat control ECU starts operation of a seat actuator, and if a time to the collision reaches a preset time t2 (t1>t2), the seat control ECU starts operation of a seatbelt actuator. Further, when the time t2 to the collision is reached or when the time t3 (t1>t2>t3) is reached at which time the seatbelt actuator is activated to start application of a predetermined tensile force to the seatbelt, the seat control ECU stops operation of the seatbelt actuator. Seat adjustment and seatbelt adjustment may be adapted such that both the adjustments are not performed at the same time or, alternatively, such that both the adjustments are operated at the same time only during a time period in which application of the predetermined tensile force to the seatbelt starts.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant protection device comprising:

a seat adjustment section that adjusts a state of a seat to an appropriate state;

a belt adjustment section that adjusts a tension of a seatbelt;

a judgment section that judges whether or not there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt; and

a control section that controls the seat adjustment section and the belt adjustment section so as to start adjustment by the belt adjustment section after carrying out adjustment by the seat adjustment section, in a case where it has been judged by the judgment section that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt.

2. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a collision has been predicted by a prediction section that predicts a collision; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a point when a time until the collision prediction has become a first time and starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section at a point when the time until the collision prediction has become a second time that is shorter than the first time, in a case where it has been judged by the judgment section that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt.

3. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a collision has been predicted by a prediction section that predicts a collision; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a point when a time until the collision prediction has become a first time, starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section at a point when the time until the collision prediction has become a second time that is shorter than the first time, and stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a point when the second time or a time when a predetermined tension starts to be applied to the seatbelt due to adjustment by the belt adjustment section has been reached, in a case where it has been judged by the judgment section that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt.

4. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a predetermined degree of instability has been detected by a detection section that detects a degree of instability of a vehicle; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a first value, and starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a second value that is larger than the first value.

5. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a predetermined degree of instability has been detected by a detection section that detects a degree of instability of a vehicle; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a first value, starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a second value that is larger than the first value, and stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a point when the second value or a time when a predetermined tension starts to be applied to the seatbelt due to adjustment by the belt adjustment section has been reached.

6. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a collision has been predicted by a prediction section that predicts a collision; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a point when a time until the collision prediction has become a first time, starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section at a point when the time until the collision prediction has become a second time that is shorter than the first time, and stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section after passage of a predetermined time period after adjustment by the seat adjustment section is started or at a point when the state of the seat has become a predetermined appropriate state, in a case where it has been judged by the judgment section that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt.

7. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a collision has been predicted by a prediction section that predicts a collision; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a point when a time until the collision prediction has become a first time, starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section at a point when the time until the collision prediction has become a second time that is shorter than the first time, stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section after passage of a predetermined time period after adjustment by the seat adjustment section is started or at a point when the state of the seat has become a predetermined appropriate state, and stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a point when the second time or a time when a predetermined tension starts to be applied to the seatbelt due to adjustment by the belt adjustment section has been reached, in a case where it has been judged by the judgment section that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt.

8. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a predetermined degree of instability has been detected by a detection section that detects a degree of instability of a vehicle; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a first value, starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a second value that is larger than the first value, and stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section after passage of a predetermined time period after adjustment by the seat adjustment section is started or at a point when the state of the seat has become a predetermined appropriate state.

9. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a predetermined degree of instability has been detected by a detection section that detects a degree of instability of a vehicle; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a first value, starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a second value that is larger than the first value, stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section after passage of a predetermined time period after adjustment by the seat adjustment section is started or at a point when the state of the seat has become a predetermined appropriate state, and stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a point when the second value or a time when a predetermined tension starts to be applied to the seatbelt due to adjustment by the belt adjustment section has been reached.

10. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein the seat adjustment section adjusts the seat to the appropriate state at a speed that is faster than a speed at the time of adjusting the state of the seat due to an operation by the vehicle occupant.

11. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a collision has been predicted by a prediction section that predicts a collision; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a speed that is faster than a speed at the time of adjusting the state of the seat due to an operation by the vehicle occupant, at a point when a time until the collision prediction has become a first time, and starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section at a point when the time until the collision prediction has become a second time that is shorter than the first time, in a case where it has been judged by the judgment section that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt.

12. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a collision has been predicted by a prediction section that predicts a collision; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a speed that is faster than a speed at the time of adjusting the state of the seat due to an operation by the vehicle occupant, at a point when a time until the collision prediction has become a first time, starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section at a point when the time until the collision prediction has become a second time that is shorter than the first time, and stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a point when the second time or a time when a predetermined tension starts to be applied to the seatbelt due to adjustment by the belt adjustment section has been reached, in a case where it has been judged by the judgment section that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt.

13. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a predetermined degree of instability has been detected by a detection section that detects a degree of instability of a vehicle; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a speed that is faster than a speed at the time of adjusting the state of the seat due to an operation by the vehicle occupant, in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a first value, and starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a second value that is larger than the first value.

14. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a predetermined degree of instability has been detected by a detection section that detects a degree of instability of a vehicle; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a speed that is faster than a speed at the time of adjusting the state of the seat due to an operation by the vehicle occupant, in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a first value, starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a second value that is larger than the first value, and stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a point when the second value or a time when a predetermined tension starts to be applied to the seatbelt due to adjustment by the belt adjustment section has been reached.

15. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a collision has been predicted by a prediction section that predicts a collision; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a speed that is faster than a speed at the time of adjusting the state of the seat due to an operation by the vehicle occupant, at a point when a time until the collision prediction has become a first time, starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section at a point when the time until the collision prediction has become a second time that is shorter than the first time, and stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section after passage of a predetermined time period after adjustment by the seat adjustment section is started or at a point when the state of the seat has become a predetermined appropriate state, in a case where it has been judged by the judgment section that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt.

16. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a collision has been predicted by a prediction section that predicts a collision; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a speed that is faster than a speed at the time of adjusting the state of the seat due to an operation by the vehicle occupant, at a point when a time until the collision prediction has become a first time, starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section at a point when the time until the collision prediction has become a second time that is shorter than the first time, stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section after passage of a predetermined time period after adjustment by the seat adjustment section is started or at a point when the state of the seat has become a predetermined appropriate state, and stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a point when the second time or a time when a predetermined tension starts to be applied to the seatbelt due to adjustment by the belt adjustment section has been reached, in a case where it has been judged by the judgment section that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt.

17. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a predetermined degree of instability has been detected by a detection section that detects a degree of instability of a vehicle; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a speed that is faster than a speed at the time of adjusting the state of the seat due to an operation by the vehicle occupant, in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a first value, starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a second value that is larger than the first value, and stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section after passage of a predetermined time period after adjustment by the seat adjustment section is started or at a point when the state of the seat has become a predetermined appropriate state.

18. The vehicle occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the judgment section judges that there is a need to adjust the state of the seat and the tension of the seatbelt, in a case where a predetermined degree of instability has been detected by a detection section that detects a degree of instability of a vehicle; and

the control section starts adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a speed that is faster than a speed at the time of adjusting the state of the seat due to an operation by the vehicle occupant, in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a first value, starts adjustment by the belt adjustment section in a case where the degree of instability of the vehicle that has been detected by the detection section has become a second value that is larger than the first value, stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section after passage of a predetermined time period after adjustment by the seat adjustment section is started or at a point when the state of the seat has become a predetermined appropriate state, and stops adjustment by the seat adjustment section at a point when the second value or a time when a predetermined tension starts to be applied to the seatbelt due to adjustment by the belt adjustment section has been reached.