Seat belt buckle engagement detector and seat belt system

• US 6,498,562 B2
• Filed: 11/30/2000
• Issued: 12/24/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 12/01/1999
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Yano, Ryuji
• Primary Examiner(s): POPE, DARYL C
• Application Number:
  US09/725,492
• Publication Number:
  US 20010002816A1
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 180/270, 180/283, 200/61.58 B, 307/10.1, 307/10.3, 340/457.1, 340/457, 340/686.4, 340/687, 701/45, 701/46, 701/47
• US Class Current: 340/457.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4473 using an electric retraction device
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness

Abstract

A seat belt buckle engagement detector of the invention includes a by-pass or direct circuit for supplying electricity from a battery to one end of a seat belt warning lamp through a current limiting resistance. With this by-pass circuit, even if an ignition switch is turned off, in case a buckle switch is turned on, a signal of a ground potential is inputted to a seat belt system. In case the buckle switch is turned off, a signal of a potential corresponding to a voltage of the battery is inputted to the seat belt system. Thus, the seat belt system can carry out a desired process even under a condition where the ignition switch is turned off.

Claims

1. A seat belt buckle engagement detector comprising:

a buckle switch for detecting an engagement of a buckle and a tongue plate of a seat belt,

a detection device connected to the buckle switch for detecting the engagement of the buckle and the tongue plate and indicating the same,

a power source,

an ignition line connected between the detection device and the power source, and having an ignition switch of an automobile and a reverse-flow preventing device for allowing electricity in the ignition line to flow only from the power source to the buckle switch so that when the ignition switch is turned on, the detection device is actuated to indicate a condition of the buckle switch through the ignition line, and

a direct line directly connected between the power source and the detection device and having a resistance therein to reduce a power supplied from the power source to the detection device, said power flowing through the direct line being prevented from flowing to the ignition switch by the reverse-flow preventing device so that in case the ignition switch is turned off, the power reduced by the resistance is supplied to the detection device to be able to indicate a condition of the buckle switch.

2. A seat belt buckle engagement detector according to claim 1, wherein said detection device is a warning lamp connected to the buckle switch in series, said direct line and said ignition line being arranged parallel to each other between the warning lamp and the power source.

3. A seat belt buckle engagement detector according to claim 2, further comprising a seat belt system connected between the warning lamp and the buckle switch, an additional line situated between the power source and the warning lamp, and a relay switch connected to the seat belt system and situated in the additional line for providing electricity from the power source to the warning lamp, said relay switch being actuated by the seat belt system.

4. A seat belt buckle engagement detector according to claim 2, further comprising a seat belt system connected between the warning lamp and the buckle switch, and a relay switch connected to the seat belt system and situated in said direct line with the resistance for providing electricity from the power source to the warning lamp when the relay switch is actuated by the seat belt system.

5. A seat belt buckle engagement detector according to claim 1, further comprising a seat belt system, and an actuating device for actuating the detecting device connected to the seat belt system so that the detecting device is turned on or off by an output of the seat belt system in a state where the ignition switch of the automobile is turned off.

6. A seat belt system having said seat belt buckle engagement detector according to claim 1.

7. A seat belt system having said seat belt buckle engagement detector according to claim 6, wherein said detection device is a warning display showing that the buckle and the tongue plate of the seat belt are not engaged with each other in a condition where the ignition switch of the automobile is turned off.

8. A seat belt buckle engagement detector according to claim 2, further comprising a seat belt system connected between the buckle switch and the detection device.