Seatbelt use indicating apparatus and method
First Claim
1. A seatbelt use indicating apparatus comprising:
- a detector that detects whether a seatbelt is used;
a use indicator that indicates by displaying a first glow for indicating that the seatbelt is used based on a result of detection provided by the detector; and
a non-use indicator that indicates by displaying a second glow for indicating that the seatbelt is not used based on a result of detection provided by the detector;
wherein;
both the first glow and the second glow are at least one of a flickering glow or a combination of a continuous glow and the flickering glow;
the displayed second glow of the non-use indicator is brighter than the displayed first glow of the use indicator; and
the second glow changes to the first glow when the use indicator determines that the seatbelt is in use, such that either the first glow or the second glow is always on to indicate the seatbelt status.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A simple and inexpensive seatbelt use indicating apparatus that allows easy recognition of the states of use/non-use of the seatbelt is provided. The apparatus includes a design figure that implies whether the seatbelt is used or not, and a lamp portion that indicates the use or the non-use of the seatbelt of each seat location via the color of light. The lamp portion causes two-color LEDs to glow corresponding to indications of the seat locations in accordance with the on/off states of buckle switches provided in seatbelt devices. Whether a seatbelt is used or not is indicated by changing the color of light of a corresponding LED, that is, changing the fashion of indication. The glow of LEDs is changed between red and green. Red glow of an LED indicates that a corresponding seatbelt is used, and green glow of the LED indicates that the corresponding seatbelt is not used.
23 Citations
14 Claims
-
1. A seatbelt use indicating apparatus comprising:
-
a detector that detects whether a seatbelt is used; a use indicator that indicates by displaying a first glow for indicating that the seatbelt is used based on a result of detection provided by the detector; and a non-use indicator that indicates by displaying a second glow for indicating that the seatbelt is not used based on a result of detection provided by the detector;
wherein;both the first glow and the second glow are at least one of a flickering glow or a combination of a continuous glow and the flickering glow; the displayed second glow of the non-use indicator is brighter than the displayed first glow of the use indicator; and the second glow changes to the first glow when the use indicator determines that the seatbelt is in use, such that either the first glow or the second glow is always on to indicate the seatbelt status. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
-
-
8. A seatbelt use indicating method comprising the steps of:
-
detecting whether a seatbelt is used; indicating that the seatbelt is used by displaying a first glow based on a result of detection; indicating that the seatbelt is not used by displaying a second glow based on a result of detection; and changing the second glow into the first glow when the use indicator determines that the seatbelt is in use;
wherein;both the first glow and the second glow are at least one of a flickering glow or a combination of a continuous glow and the flickering glow; the displayed second glow indicating that the seatbelt is not used is brighter than the displayed first glow indicating that the seatbelt is used; and
,either the first glow or the second glow is always on to indicate the seatbelt status. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14)
-
Specification