Restrictor/protector of passenger in vehicle
First Claim
1. A restraining and protecting apparatus for a vehicle occupant comprising:
- a seat belt to restrain a vehicle occupant on a seat;
a belt adjusting unit to adjust a tensile state in which said vehicle occupant is restrained using said seat belt by increasing or decreasing said seat belt to be drawn out in length;
a belt locking mechanism to prevent said seat belt from being drawn out by locking said seat belt;
an immediately-before-collision signal producing section to produce and output an immediately-before-collision signal immediately before occurrence of a collision of said vehicle;
a locking signal producing section to produce and output a locking signal when it is predicted at least that said belt locking mechanism is in a lockable state where inhibition of drawing out is made possible when said seat belt is going to be drawn out;
a controlling section to control said belt adjusting unit based on said immediately-before-collision signal to be input and said locking signal to be input; and
wherein said controlling section exerts control in a manner that, when the immediately-before-collision signal is input, said belt adjusting unit increases said tensile state in which said vehicle occupant is restrained using said seat belt and that, when said locking signal is not input, said belt adjusting unit weakens said tensile state in which said vehicle occupant is restrained using said seat belt.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A main controlling section of a controlling unit (13), when judging a collision risk, drives a motor (12) in a direction of retracting a seat belt (3) and raises tension of the seat belt (3). The main controlling section, when tension of the seat belt (3) reaches a predetermined value, judges that a locking signal is input and has the motor (12) continue retracting driving of the seat belt (3) for a predetermined time and, when a locking signal is not input, decreases a driving power of the motor (12) and lowers tension of the seat belt (3). Even when a collision risk signal is erroneously output from a collision risk judging section (11) and, so long as a locking signal is not output from the locking signal producing section (18), since control is immediately exerted so that tension of the seat belt (3) is lowered, it is possible to avoid an unpleasant feeling to a vehicle occupant (A) caused by comparative long-duration and useless restraining using the seat belt (3).
20 Citations
15 Claims
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1. A restraining and protecting apparatus for a vehicle occupant comprising:
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a seat belt to restrain a vehicle occupant on a seat; a belt adjusting unit to adjust a tensile state in which said vehicle occupant is restrained using said seat belt by increasing or decreasing said seat belt to be drawn out in length; a belt locking mechanism to prevent said seat belt from being drawn out by locking said seat belt; an immediately-before-collision signal producing section to produce and output an immediately-before-collision signal immediately before occurrence of a collision of said vehicle; a locking signal producing section to produce and output a locking signal when it is predicted at least that said belt locking mechanism is in a lockable state where inhibition of drawing out is made possible when said seat belt is going to be drawn out; a controlling section to control said belt adjusting unit based on said immediately-before-collision signal to be input and said locking signal to be input; and wherein said controlling section exerts control in a manner that, when the immediately-before-collision signal is input, said belt adjusting unit increases said tensile state in which said vehicle occupant is restrained using said seat belt and that, when said locking signal is not input, said belt adjusting unit weakens said tensile state in which said vehicle occupant is restrained using said seat belt. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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Specification