Seatbelt device

• US 6,184,785 B1
• Filed: 01/20/2000
• Issued: 02/06/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: NSK Autoliv Co., Ltd. (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: NSK Limited
• Inventors: Midorikawa, Yukinori
• Primary Examiner(s): Hofsass, Jeffery A.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nguyen, Phung
• Application Number:
  US09/488,120
• Time in Patent Office: 383 Days
• Field of Search: 340/457.1, 340/457, 701/45, 701/46, 701/47, 280/728.1, 280/735, 280/806, 280/804, 246/33
• US Class Current: 340/457.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01006 Mounting of electrical components in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01122 Prevention of malfunction
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0153 using field detection presence sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01546 using belt buckle sensors

Abstract

Provided is a seatbelt device comprising a passenger detector not easily affected by the sitting position or posture of the passenger. This seatbelt device comprises a buckle (17) freely connectable with a tongue plate (16) mounted on a webbing (15), a buckle supporter (18) for supporting the buckle (17) provided at the side of the seat (12) to be in a position at the side of the passenger, and a detector (17b) provided inside the buckle (17) for detecting the existence of the passenger.

Claims

1. A seatbelt device for securing a passenger to a seat with a webbing, comprising:

a tongue plate mounted on said webbing;

a buckle which engages with said tongue plate and fastens said webbing to the passenger; and

a passenger detector for detecting the existence of said passenger in said seat;

wherein said passenger detector is provided inside said buckle.

2. A seatbelt device according to claim 1, wherein said buckle is positioned at the side of the sitting passenger and supported in a position such that said passenger detector is capable of detecting the passenger.

3. A seatbelt device according to claim 1, wherein said passenger detector is provided on the side of said buckle facing said passenger.

4. A seatbelt device according to claim 3, wherein said passenger detector includes an infrared sensor for detecting infrared rays emitted from said passenger.

5. A seatbelt device according to claim 3, wherein said passenger detector includes a sensor which discharges electromagnetic waves containing supersonic waves or light and detects the existence of a passenger pursuant to the reflective waves reflected by said passenger.

6. A seatbelt device according to claim 1, wherein a webbing fastening detector for detecting the engagement of said tongue plate and said buckle is further provided inside said buckle.

7. A seatbelt device according to claim 6, wherein said webbing fastening detector includes:

a non-contact detector provided inside said buckle and for generating, without contacting said tongue plate, the output corresponding to the existence of said tongue plate in the position where said tongue plate and the stopper mechanism of said buckle should engage; and

a judgment element for judging the engagement/non-engagement of said tongue plate and said buckle from the output of said non-contact detector.

8. A seatbelt device according to claim 6, wherein said webbing fastening detector includes:

a first magnet provided inside said buckle and which moves in correspondence with the engagement of said buckle and the stopper mechanism of said buckle;

a second magnet provided and secured inside said buckle;

first and second magnetic sensors provided inside said buckle and arranged such that they detect the intensity of the magnetic field of said first magnet and said second magnet, become outputs that mutually and complementarily change during the engagement/non-engagement of said tongue plate, and generate outputs mutually contracting with each other even in the respective engagement states; and

a judgment unit for judging the engagement/non-engagement of said tongue plate and said buckle from the respective outputs of said first and second magnetic sensors.

9. A seatbelt device according to claim 8, wherein said first and second magnetic sensors are a hall IC, or MR IC.