Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat, especially a passenger seat

• US 5,804,887 A
• Filed: 03/21/1997
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Daimler AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Original Assignee: Mercedes-Benz AG (Mercedes-Benz Group AG)
• Inventors: Meyer, Michael, Holzapfel, Bernhard, Zerrweck, Frank
• Primary Examiner(s): Elms, Richard T.
• Application Number:
  US08/824,014
• Time in Patent Office: 536 Days
• Field of Search: 307/9.1, 307/10.1, 307/121, 280/734, 280/735, 180/271, 180/273, 180/282, 340/436, 340/438, 340/669, 701/36, 701/45
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0264 characterised by the type of electrical connection, e.g. wiring, plugs or USB
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/268 detecting or alerting means responsive to the installation of the child seats in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/20 Wireless data transmission
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0154 in combination with seat heating

Abstract

A safety device is provided for a vehicle with a removable seat, especially a passenger seat, with an occupant restraint device associated with the seat. In addition, a seat occupation detection device located in the seat is provided that detects various states of seat occupation, especially by a person or by a child seat, and delivers a corresponding seat occupation status signal through a signal interface to a triggering control device located in the vehicle. The triggering control device takes the seat occupation status into account in delivering the triggering signal, especially to determine the scope of triggering of the restraint device. A seat installation detection device is provided that detects the proper installation of the seat and delivers a corresponding seat installation status signal to the triggering control device. The status signal permits the triggering control device, through a logical link with another status signal that indicates the correct signal transmission at the signal interface, to detect the actual presence or absence of the seat as well as a variety of defective states and to adjust accordingly the delivery of the triggering signal emitted in the case of a serious accident.

Claims

1. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat, comprising:

an occupant restraint device associated with said seat, said occupant restraint device comprising at least one airbag and being triggerable in the event of a serious accident by a triggerable signal from a triggering control device so that the restraint device assumes a restraint position that protects the occupant;

a seat occupation device located in the seat that detects a variable seat occupation status and delivers a corresponding seat occupation status signal through a signal interface to the triggering control device located in the vehicle, which takes the seat occupation status into account in issuing the triggering signal;

a seat installation detection device that detects proper installation of the seat and delivers a corresponding seat installation status signal;

an interface interrogation unit that checks the transmission capability of at least a signal interface and delivers a corresponding interface status signal;

wherein the triggering control device is configured to take into account the status signals for seat occupation, interface, and seat installation in such fashion that the scope of the triggering of the restraint device is adapted to the conditions characterized by the status signals.

2. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 1, wherein the restraint device is triggerable to a degree that corresponds to the current seat occupation status signal when the seat installation status signal indicates proper installation while the interface status signal indicates that the signal interface is capable of transmission.

3. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 1, wherein triggering of the restraint device is completely suppressed when the seat installation status signal indicates an incorrect installation while the interface status signal indicates that the signal interface cannot transmit.

4. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 1, wherein the restraint device becomes triggerable as a function of applied seat occupation status signal when the seat installation status signal indicates an incorrect installation while the interface status signal indicates that the signal interface is capable of transmission.

5. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 4, wherein a warning signal is emitted to alert the driver to a defect when the seat installation status signal indicates an incorrect installation while the interface status signal indicates that the signal interface is capable of transmission.

6. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 5, wherein the seat installation detection device is formed by a transponder line.

7. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 5, wherein a warning device with at least one warning light is provided, said light being connected in such fashion that it does not glow during normal error-free operation and changes to a continuous glow when triggered by the warning signal by which the driver is alerted to a defect.

8. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 7, wherein the warning device is provided with a second warning light which, when the seat is properly by installed and the signal interface is capable of transmission, by glowing continuously indicates a reduced triggering scope caused by the seat being occupied by a child seat.

9. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 8, wherein that warning device is controllable by the warning signal in such fashion that when the restraint device, with the seat installed correctly but the interface being incapable of transmission, offers minimum protection that corresponds to occupation of the seat by a child seat, the warning light glows intermittently.

10. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 1, wherein the restraint device is triggerable partially or not at all when the seat installation status signal indicates a proper installation while the interface status signal indicates that the signal interface cannot transmit.

11. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 10, wherein when the seat installation status signal indicates a correct installation while the interface status signal indicates that the signal interface cannot transmit, a warning signal is emitted to alert the driver that a defect is present and that the restraint device is offering at most a minimum degree of protection that is compatible with occupation of the seat by a child seat.

12. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 11, wherein a warning device is controllable by the warning signal in such fashion that when the restraint device, with the seat installed correctly but the interface being incapable of transmission, offers minimum protection that corresponds to occupation of the seat by a child seat, a warning light glows intermittently.

13. Safety device for a vehicle with a movable seat according to claim 10, wherein the partial triggering corresponds to the scope of the triggering with a seat occupation status that indicates occupation by a child seat.

14. Safety device for a vehicle according to claim 13, wherein when the seat installation status signal indicates a correct installation while the interface status signal indicates that the signal interface cannot transmit, a warning signal is emitted to alert the driver that a defect is present and that the restraint device is offering at most a minimum degree of protection that is compatible with occupation of the seat by a child seat.

15. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 1, wherein when the seat installation status signal indicates a correct installation while the interface status signal indicates that the signal interface cannot transmit, the restraint device is triggerable to an extent that corresponds to occupation of the seat by a person.

16. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 1, wherein the signal interface is formed by an electrical plug-in connection.

17. Safety device for a vehicle with removable seat according to claim 1, wherein the signal interface is formed by a wireless line.

18. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 17, wherein the wireless line is an inductive transmission line.

19. Safety device for a vehicle with removable seat according to claim 1, wherein seat installation detection device is formed by an end position switch that is actuated and switched when, as the seat is installed the latter or a seat-locking part reaches a prescribed end position.

20. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 19, wherein the end position switch is a reed switch.

21. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 1, wherein the seat is a passenger seat.

22. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 1, wherein the seat occupation device detects occupation by a person or a child seat.

23. Safety device for a vehicle with a removable seat according to claim 1, wherein the triggering control device takes the seat occupation status into account in order to determine the scope of triggering of the restraint device.