Automatic braking termination arrangement having a switching element disposed on driver's side belt lock

• US 5,697,469 A
• Filed: 05/24/1995
• Issued: 12/16/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 05/24/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Klarer, Martin, Steiner, Manfred, Knoff, Bernd, Brugger, Franz, Eckl, Albrecht
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Application Number:
  US08/449,536
• Time in Patent Office: 937 Days
• Field of Search: 180/268, 180/170, 180/174, 188/106 R, 188/355, 303/3, 303/100
• US Class Current: 180/268
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 13/72 in vacuum systems or vacuum booster units
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/3275 Systems with a braking assistant function, i.e. automatic full braking initiation in dependence of brake pedal velocity

Abstract

In an automatic braking procedure which can be terminated whenever the brake pedal is moved in the direction of its rest position, a braking pressure which is higher than would correspond to the pedal position of the brake pedal is generated where it is established by a triggering criterion that an emergency braking is in force. The invention ensures that an automatic braking procedure can always be aborted by the driver by the fact that, on the belt lock of the safety belt for the driver, a switching element is actuated when the locking tongue of the safety belt is engaged in the belt lock. It is thereby established whether the driver is belted-up. If the driver is not belted-up, then the execution of the automatic braking procedure is suppressed. An automatic braking procedure can only take place if the driver is belted-up. If high deceleration forces occur, then the driver is held by the safety belt and does not have to brace himself or herself. Thus, the driver can always terminate the braking procedure which is particularly necessary when the driver actuates a control pedal in a predefined manner, as constituted by the actuation of the brake pedal in the direction of its rest position--i.e. a releasing of the brake.

Claims

1. An arrangement comprising a switching element disposed in a belt lock of a safety belt on a driver'"'"'s seat, the switching element configured to be in a rest position when the safety belt is not operative and in a switch position only when the belt is operative, a control unit associated with the switching element for executing a vehicle automatic braking procedure during vehicle movement to effect sufficiently high deceleration, at least one signal line arranged to transmit signals to the control unit, and at least one control element, which is operatively commanded by the control unit via a connecting line.

2. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the switching element is a contact-breaker operatively arranged in the connecting line, such that the connecting line is uninterrupted when the switching element is in the switch position.

3. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein the control unit is arranged to be fed, via a signal line, an input signal corresponding selectively to the switch position and the rest position of the switching element.

4. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the automatic braking procedure is untriggered in the control unit when the input signal thereto represents the rest position of the switching element.

5. The arrangement according to claim 3, wherein the control unit is arranged to be fed a speed signal representing the vehicle speed and not to trigger the automatic braking procedure when the speed has exceeded a speed threshold value and the input signal represents the rest position of the switching element.

6. The arrangement according to claim 1, wherein a sensor is operatively associated with a brake pedal to establish at least a motion of the brake pedal in a rest position direction thereof, and a signal generated by the sensor is arranged to be fed to the control unit.