Seat belt system

• US 6,374,168 B1
• Filed: 12/15/1999
• Issued: 04/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/25/1998
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Fujii, Hiroaki
• Primary Examiner(s): Arthur, Gertrude
• Application Number:
  US09/461,048
• Time in Patent Office: 853 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 701/46, 701/47, 180/232, 180/268, 180/271, 280/734, 280/735, 340/429, 340/436, 340/903
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4473 using an electric retraction device combined with a spring B60R2022/444, B60R2022/4466
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4666 characterised by electric actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/44 with means for reducing belt tension during use under normal conditions not included in the retractor B60R22/19; B60R22/3405 takes precedence

Abstract

A seat belt system is formed of a seat belt, a seat belt retractor, a tension controller for controlling tension on the seat belt by controlling the seat belt retractor, and a CPU for controlling the tension controller to obtain a desired tension. Connected to the CPU are a collision predictive device, a rolling-over detecting device, a driver'"'"'s state detecting device, a demonstration device, a notifying device for notifying a passenger by the tension on the seat belt, and a control condition setting device. Based on output signals from the above devices, the CPU operates the tension controller to control the belt tension, thereby protecting the occupant and notifying to the occupant the information by feeling the belt tension. The seat belt system can effectively exhibit enough safety and comfortableness to the occupant.

Claims

1. A seat belt system comprising:

a seat belt for an occupant,

a tension controller connected to the seat belt for controlling a belt tension on the seat belt, said tension controller including a plurality of predetermined modes providing different belt tensions,

a state detecting device for detecting a state of the occupant wearing the seat belt and outputting a detected signal,

a demonstration device connected to the tension controller for outputting one of simulation signals for the modes when one of the modes is selected by the occupant wearing the seat belt, and

a CPU connected to the state detecting device, the tension controller and the demonstration device, said CPU controlling the tension controller based on the simulation signal from the demonstration device to set the belt tension corresponding to the mode indicated by the simulation signal and controlling the tension controller based on the detected signal from the state detecting device so that the occupant can experience the belt tension of the mode selected at the demonstration device as a demonstration.

2. A seat belt system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said state detecting device indicates at least one of parameters of the occupant including a heart pulse rate, a blood pressure, a body temperature, and a bioelectric potential, said CPU controlling said tension controller such that said belt tension is increased as a value of at least one of the parameters increases.

3. A seat belt system as claimed in claim 1, wherein said occupant wearing the seat belt is a driver of a vehicle, and the state of the occupant includes action for operating the vehicle.

4. A seat belt system as claimed in claim 3, wherein said action for operating the vehicle includes at least one parameter including a speed for releasing an accelerator pedal, a speed for pedaling a brake pedal, a force exerted on the brake pedal, and a steering angle in steering a steering wheel, said CPU controlling said tension controller such that the belt tension is increased as a value of at least one of the parameters increases.

5. A seat belt system as claimed in claim 1, further comprising a notifying device connected to the tension controller and the CPU for providing at least one information to the occupant, said CPU controlling said tension controller to provide different belt tensions based on a notifying signal from the notifying device.

6. A seat belt system as claimed in claim 5, further comprising a control condition setting device connected to the tension controller and the CPU for outputting a setting signal for setting each mode, said CPU controlling the tension controller, based on the setting signal from the control condition setting device, to set a condition for each mode.

7. A seat belt system comprising:

a seat belt for an occupant,

a tension controller connected to the seat belt for controlling a belt tension on the seat belt, said tension controller including a plurality of predetermined modes providing different belt tensions,

a demonstration device connected to the tension controller for outputting one of simulation signals for the modes when one of the modes is selected by the occupant wearing the seat belt, and

a CPU connected to the tension controller and the demonstration device, said CPU controlling said tension controller, based on said simulation signal from the demonstration device, to set the belt tension corresponding to the mode indicated by the simulation signal so that the occupant can experience the belt tension of the mode selected at the demonstration device as a demonstration.

8. A seat belt system as claimed in claim 7, wherein said modes set by the tension control include a comfort mode in which the occupant does not feel pressure on a body when the occupant wears the seat belt, a warning mode set in a condition that an object comes closer but a collision with the object may be avoided, and a pre-rewinding mode set in a condition that an object comes closer and a collision with the object may not be avoided, said CPU controlling said tension controller for setting the belt tension corresponding to the set mode.

9. A seat belt system comprising:

a seat belt for an occupant,

a tension controller connected to the seat belt for controlling a belt tension on the seat belt,

a notifying device for providing at least one information to the occupant, said at least one information including information about corner running, roughness of a road surface, raindrops, an engine speed, a vehicle speed, lighting of headlamps, a rapid acceleration, lighting of indicators, an actuation of an anti-locking brake control system, an actuation of a traction control system, arrival at a destination by a navigation system, a sporty mode set in a suspension control system, and a sporty mode set in a transmission system for a driving range, and

a CPU connected to the tension controller and the notifying device, said CPU controlling said tension controller to provide different belt tensions based on a notifying signal from said notifying device,

wherein when it is determined based on the information about the corner running that a vehicle runs on a corner, when it is determined based on the information about the roughness on the road surface that the vehicle runs on a bumpy road, when it is determined based on the information about the raindrops that the vehicle runs in a rain, when it is determined based on the information about the engine speed that the engine runs at a speed higher than a reference engine speed, when it is determined based on the information about the vehicle speed that the vehicle runs at a speed higher than a reference vehicle speed, when it is determined based on the information about the lighting of the headlamps that the headlamps are turned on, when it is determined based on the information about the rapid acceleration that the vehicle accelerates rapidly, when it is determined based on the information about the lighting of the indicators that one of the indicators is. turned on, when it is determined based on the information about the actuation of the anti-locking brake control system that the anti-licking base control system is actuated, when it is determined based on the information about the actuation of the traction control system that the traction control system is actuated, when it is determined based on the information about the arrival at a destination by the navigation system that the vehicle arrives at the destination, when it is determined based on the information about the sporty mode set in the suspension control system that the suspension control system is set in the sporty mode, or when it is determined based on the information about the sporty mode set in the transmission system for a driving range that the transmission control system is set in the sporty mode, said CPU controls said tension controller to increase said belt tension.

10. A seat belt system comprising:

a seat belt for an occupant,

a tension controller connected to the seat belt for controlling a belt tension on the seat belt, said tension controller having several predetermined modes with different belt tensions including values to be set for the respective modes for a belt tension control, conditions to be satisfied for setting the respective modes for the belt tension control, and sounds to be emitted when the respective modes are set for the belt tension control,

a control condition setting device for setting the belt tension of each mode by the occupant, and

a CPU connected to the tension controller and the control condition setting device, said CPU controlling the tension controller, based on the setting signal from the control condition setting device, to set a condition for each mode.

11. A seat belt system as claimed in claim 10, further comprising at least one of a collision predictive device for detecting an object around a vehicle and outputting a signal to the CPU, and a rolling-over detecting device for detecting rolling over of the vehicle and outputting a signal to the CPU, said CPU controlling said tension controller based on the output signal.

12. A seat belt system comprising:

a seat belt for a driver of a vehicle,

a tension controller connected to the seat belt for controlling a belt tension on the seat belt,

a state detecting device for detecting an action for operating the vehicle by the driver wearing the seat belt and outputting a detected signal, said action for operating the vehicle including at least one parameter selected from a group consisting of a speed for releasing an accelerator pedal, a speed for pedaling a brake pedal, a force exerted on the brake pedal, and a steering angle in steering a steering wheel, and

a CPU connected to the state detecting device and the tension controller, said CPU controlling the tension controller based on the detected signal from the state detecting device such that when a value of the at least one of the parameters exceeds a predetermined value, said belt tension is increased as the value of the at least one of the parameters increases to thereby immediately control the belt tension based on the state detecting device.