Safety belt arrangement for motor vehicles

• US 6,447,011 B1
• Filed: 11/20/2000
• Issued: 09/10/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1998
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Vollimer, Elmar
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): TO, TOAN C
• Application Number:
  US09/647,985
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 280/805, 280/806, 280/807, 280/803, 280/801.1, 280/808
• US Class Current: 280/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/469 reusable
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0155 sensing belt tension
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/28 incorporating energy-absorbing devices belt anchors provided with energy-absorbing means for protecting the occupants in case of physical contact therewith B60R21/055; belt retractors comprising energy-absorbing means B60R22/341, B60R22/4676
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/4604 characterised by arrangements in vehicle or relative to seat belt

Abstract

A safety belt assembly for a motor vehicle includes a seat belt tightener for tightening the seat belt upon the deformation of the vehicle chassis. Sensors are located within the chassis that determine when the anchor points of the seat belts move relative to each other, which indicates the chassis is collapsing. When these anchor point move, the seat belt slackens. The seat belt tightener then brings up the slack to prevent the passenger from being thrust from the seat. The assembly also includes a force limiter which prevents the over tightening of the seat belt.

Claims

1. A safety belt assembly for a motor vehicle comprising:

a belt fastened to at least one anchor point on the body of said vehicle;

a belt tightening device operatively connected to said belt;

means for sensing a displacement of the position of said anchor point relative to another fixed point of said vehicle; and

a control unit responsive to said sensing means for actuating said belt tightening device.

2. An assembly according to claim 1 including second means for sensing a deceleration of said vehicle greater than a predetermined amount, and wherein said control unit is responsive to said second sensing means for actuating said belt tightening device.

3. An assembly according to claim 1 including means for precluding a tensioning of said belt beyond a predetermined amount.

4. A safety belt assembly according to claim 1 wherein said displacement detectable by said sensing means is a displacement caused by a deformation of said vehicle.

5. The safety belt assembly as described in claim 1, wherein the control unit is connected to a deformation sensor, which is mounted on the B column of a motor vehicle body.

6. The safety belt assembly as described in claim 1, wherein a belt force limiter is provided on the safety belt.

7. The safety belt assembly as described in claim 1, wherein a tension force is provided, which is interactively connected to the safety belt.

8. The safety belt assembly as described in claim 2, wherein the control unit is connected to a deformation sensor, which is mounted on the B column of a motor vehicle body.

9. The safety belt assembly as described in claim 2, wherein a belt force limiter is provided on the safety belt.

10. The safety belt assembly as described in claim 2, wherein a tension force sensor is provided, which is interactively connected to the safety belt.