Motor vehicles with a retaining system for the passengers

• US 3,918,545 A
• Filed: 10/11/1973
• Issued: 11/11/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 10/11/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Heinz W. Knoll, Rudolf Andres
• Original Assignee: Heinz W. Knoll, Rudolf Andres
• Inventors: Andres, Rudolf, Knoll, Heinz W.
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth H.
• Application Number:
  US05/405,270
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 180/82C,101 280/15SB,15AB 244/122B,122R 242/17R 297/388,385,386
• US Class Current: 297/480
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/282 using fluids or vico-elastic materials
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/288 with means to adjust or regulate the amount of energy to be absorbed
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4661 comprising venting means, e.g. for avoiding overpressure in case of fire or for allowing return motion with energy absorption
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4685 with means to adjust or regulate the tensioning force in relation to external parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01516 using force or pressure sensing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01558 monitoring crash strength
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0156 by deceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1955 Linear actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/28 incorporating energy-absorbing devices belt anchors provided with energy-absorbing means for protecting the occupants in case of physical contact therewith B60R21/055; belt retractors comprising energy-absorbing means B60R22/341, B60R22/4676

Abstract

A motor vehicle with a retaining system for the passengers which includes at least one safety belt as well as means for the automatic re-tightening of the safety belt in case of accident danger; the magnitude of the prestress of the safety belt is thereby adjustable by a control system, which is triggered by a sensor with a definite deceleration threshold, as a function of vehicle velocity change per time unit and/or weight of the respectively retained passenger.

Claims

1. In a vehicle retaining system for passengers, said retaining system comprising at least one safety belt means, sensor means for sensing the occurrence of passenger danger and belttightening means for automatically tightening said safety belt means to a predetermined pretension on said passengers at a predetermined deceleration threshold sensed by said sensor means, the improvement comprising control means for varying tension of said safety belt means on said passengers upon exceeding said predetermined deceleration threshold as a function of at least one of two control signals respectively representative of vehicle velocity change per time unit and weight of the respectively retained passengers.

2. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 1, wherein said control means varies said tension step-wise.

3. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 2, wherein said tension is varied in one step.

4. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 3, wherein said tension is varied in several steps.

5. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 1, wherein said control means continuously varies said tension.

6. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 1, wherein said retaining system further comprises a belt-force limiting means for controlling the retaining force of said safety belt means on said passengers, said belt-force limiting means being controlled by said control means as a function of at least one of said two control signals.

7. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 6, wherein said retaining force is controlled as a function of both of said two control signals.

8. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 6, wherein said control means varies said tension by means of an energy storage means operatively connected to said belt-tightening means.

9. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 8, wherein said energy storage means includes at least one of a pump and a pressure storage tank.

10. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 9, wherein said energy storage means is a pressure storage tank, said pressure storage tank being connected to said belt-tightening means by valve means.

11. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 10, wherein said valve means is controlled by said control means.

12. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 8, wherein said control means controls said retaining force by means of an energy storage means operatively connected to said belt-force limiting means.

13. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 12, wherein said energy storage means is connected to said belt-force limiting means by a throttle valve means.

14. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 12, wherein said control means varies said tension step-wise.

15. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 12, wherein said control means continuously varies said tension.

16. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 12, wherein said control means is activated by said sensor means at said predetermined deceleration threshold.

17. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 1, wherein said control means is activated by said sensor means at said predetermined deceleration threshold.

18. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 17, wherein said retaining system further comprises a belt-force limiting means for controlling the retaining force of said safety belt means on said passengers, said belt-force limiting means being controlled by said control means as a function of at least one of said two control signals.

19. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 18, wherein said retaining force is controlled as a function of both of said two control signals.

20. In a vehicle retaining system for passengers, said retaining system including at least one safety belt means and belt-tightening means for automatically tightening said safety belt means on the occurrence of passenger danger, the improvement comprising control means for controlling the magnitude of prestress of said safety belt means on said passengers as a function of two control signals representing respectively vehicle velocity change per time unit and weight of the respectively retained passengers, said control means being activated by a sensor means at a predetermined deceleration threshold.

21. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 20, wherein said control means varies said tension step-wise.

22. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 20, wherein said control means continuously varies said tension.

23. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 20, wherein said retaining system further comprises a belt-force limiting means for controlling the retaining force of said safety belt means on said passengers, said belt-force limiting means being controlled by said control means as a function of at least one of said two control signals.

24. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 23, wherein said retaining force is controlled as a function of both of said two control signals.

25. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 24, wherein said control means varies said tension by means of an energy storage means operatively connected to said belt-tightening means.

26. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 25, wherein said energy storage means includes at least one of a pump and a pressure storage tank.

27. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 26, wherein said energy storage means is a pressure storage tank, said pressure storage tank being connected to said belt-tightening means by valve means.

28. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 27, wherein said valve means is controlled by said control means.

29. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 25, wherein said control means controls said retaining force by means of an energy storage means operatively connected to said belt-force limiting means.

30. A vehicle retaining system according to claim 29, wherein said energy storage means is connected to said belt-force limiting means by a throttle valve means.