Vehicle occupant restraint system

• US 6,179,330 B1
• Filed: 01/30/1998
• Issued: 01/30/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 02/07/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Occupant Restraint Systems GmbH (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Wier, Franz
• Primary Examiner(s): Johnson, Brian L.
• Assistant Examiner(s): LUBY, MATTHEW D
• Application Number:
  US09/016,843
• Time in Patent Office: 1,096 Days
• Field of Search: 280/801.1, 280/806, 280/807, 280/808, 180/268
• US Class Current: 280/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4609 using a plurality of tensioners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4685 with means to adjust or regulate the tensioning force in relation to external parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/195 with means to tension the belt in an emergency, e.g. means of the through-anchor or splitted reel typeelectrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/46 Reels with means to tension the belt in an emergency by forced winding upelectrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01 ; tensioners using reels only guiding the belt during normal use, e.g. splitted reels B60R22/195

Abstract

A vehicle occupant restraint system includes a belt web, a belt retractor, a belt buckle, an insertion tongue, two belt tensioners, one of which is a retractor tensioner and the other a buckle tensioner, as well as at least one control unit coupled to the belt tensioners, this control unit activating the belt tensioners in a restraint situation. Instead of the buckle tensioner a end fitting tensioner can be provided.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising a belt web, a belt retractor, a belt buckle, an insertion tongue, two belt tensioners, one of which is a retractor tensioner and the other a buckle tensioner, at least one control unit coupled to said belt tensioners, and temperature sensors which sense the temperature inside and outside of the vehicle, said control unit being coupled to said sensors and activating at least one of said belt tensioners in a restraint situation depending on the values sensed.

2. A vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising a belt web, a belt retractor, a belt buckle, an insertion tongue, two belt tensioners, one of which is a retractor tensioner and the other an end fitting tensioner, at least one control unit coupled to said belt tensioners, and temperature sensors which sense the temperature inside and outside of the vehicle, said control unit being coupled to said sensors and activating at least one of said belt tensioners in a restraint situation depending on the values sensed.

3. A vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising a belt web, a belt retractor, a belt buckle, an insertion tongue, two belt tensioners, one of which is a retractor tensioner and the other a buckle tensioner, as well as at least one control unit coupled to said belt tensioners,

wherein said control unit is coupled to at least one of sensors detecting a bodily constitution of a vehicle occupant, sensors detecting a seat position of a vehicle occupant, vehicle-sensitive sensors and temperature sensors which sense the temperature inside and outside of the vehicle,

said control unit activating either one or both of said belt tensioners depending on the values sensed in a restraint situation.

4. The vehicle occupant restraint system as set forth in claim 3, wherein at least one of said two belt tensioners comprises a force limiter.

5. The vehicle occupant restraint system as set forth in claim 3, wherein said control unit activates said belt tensioners staggered in time in a restraint situation.

6. The vehicle occupant restraint system as set forth in claim 5, wherein said control unit determines which one of said two belt tensioners is to be ignited first, depending on the values sensed.

7. The vehicle occupant restraint system as set forth in claim 5, wherein at least one of said belt tensioners is configured as a multistage pyrotechnic belt tensioner, the stages of which can be activated independently of each other.

8. A vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising a belt web, a belt retractor, a belt buckle, an insertion tongue, two belt tensioners, one of which is a retractor tensioner and the other an end fitting tensioner, as well as at least one control unit coupled to said belt tensioners,

wherein said control unit is coupled to at least one of sensors detecting a bodily constitution of a vehicle occupant, sensors detecting a seat position of a vehicle occupant, vehicle-sensitive sensors, and temperature sensors which sense the temperature inside and outside of the vehicle,

said control unit activating either one or both of said belt tensioners depending on the values sensed in a restraint situation.

9. The vehicle occupant restraint system as set forth in claim 8, wherein at least one of said two belt tensioners comprises a force limiter.

10. The vehicle occupant restraint system as set forth in claim 8, wherein said control unit activates said belt tensioners staggered in time in a restraint situation.

11. The vehicle occupant restraint system as set forth in claim 10, wherein said control unit determines which one of said two belt tensioners is to be ignited first, depending on the values sensed.

12. The vehicle occupant restraint system as set forth in claim 8, wherein at least one of said belt tensioners is configured as a multistage pyrotechnic belt tensioner, the stages of which can be activated independently of each other.