Method and system for protecting child seat passengers

• US 5,941,560 A
• Filed: 06/05/1997
• Issued: 08/24/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: CPTN Holdings LLC
• Original Assignee: Continental Automotive GmbH (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Wolfram, Berthold G.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US08/870,154
• Time in Patent Office: 810 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 180/271, 180/273, 297/344.1, 297/217.3, 701/45
• US Class Current: 280/735
• 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 2/26 for children B60N2/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/16 Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags protective garments with automatically inflatable shock-absorbing means A41D13/018; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00

Abstract

A method and system for protecting child restraint seat passengers placed in a front passenger seat of a vehicle having an air bag restraint system includes a sensor for sensing the presence of a child restraint seat on the front passenger seat of the vehicle and providing an output signal indicating such presence; and a control for controlling the front passenger seat drive actuator to drive the front passenger seat toward a rearward position or an indicator for informing the driver that the front passenger seat should be placed in a proper position.

Claims

1. A method for protecting child restraint seat passengers placed in a front passenger seat of a vehicle having an air bag restraint system, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing the presence of a child restraint seat on the front passenger seat of the vehicle and providing an output signal indicating such presence;

sensing the position of the front passenger seat and providing an output signal indicating such position;

processing the outputted signals; and

controlling one of a front passenger seat drive actuator and a driver indicator when the presence of the child restraining seat is sensed on the front passenger seat and the seat is not in its recommended position.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling said front passenger seat drive actuator includes driving said front passenger seat rearwardly.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein driving said front passenger seat rearwardly includes driving said front passenger seat to its rearward most position.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein controlling a driver indicator includes actuating an alarm to alert a driver that said front passenger seat is not in its proper position.

5. A system for protecting child restraint seat passengers placed in a front passenger seat of a vehicle having an air bag restraint system, the system comprising:

a presence sensor for sensing the presence of a child restraint seat on the front passenger seat of the vehicle and providing an output signal indicating such presence;

a position sensor for sensing the position of the front passenger seat of the vehicle and providing an output signal indicating such position;

a processor for processing the outputted presence and position signals; and

a control for controlling one of a front passenger seat drive actuator and a driver indicator when the presence of the child restraining seat is sensed on the front passenger seat and the said seat is not in its recommended position.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein said processor includes a comparator for comparing said actual seat position with the recommended seat position when the presence of a child restraint seat is sensed.

7. A method for protecting child restraint seat passengers placed in a front passenger seat of a vehicle having an air bag restraint system and a powered seat position adjuster, the method comprising the steps of:

sensing the presence of a child restraint seat on the front passenger seat of the vehicle and providing an output signal indicating such presence; and

controlling the front passenger seat drive actuator to drive the front passenger seat toward a rearward position.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of driving said front passenger seat rearwardly includes driving said front passenger seat to its rearward most position.

9. The method of claim 7 including the step of indicating to a vehicle driver that the front passenger seat is not in its recommended position.