Safety device

• US 7,478,873 B2
• Filed: 07/13/2007
• Issued: 01/20/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Original Assignee: Takata-Petri AG
• Inventors: Al-Samarae, Sami, Mahdi, Koshan
• Primary Examiner(s): Cranmer; Laurie K
• Application Number:
  US11/826,393
• Publication Number:
  US 20080023951A1
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.1, 297/284.11, 297/DIG.3, 296/68.1, 280/748, 280/734
• US Class Current: 297/216.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0244 with logic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/026 varying hardness or support of upholstery, e.g. for tuning seat comfort when driving curved roads
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42763 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/986 Side-rests B60N2/2872, B60N2/885 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/981 Warning systems, e.g. the seat or seat parts vibrates to warn the passenger when facing a danger

Abstract

The disclosed safety device for a motor vehicle seat may include a seat surface extending in a longitudinal direction of the seat, a securing element assigned to the seat surface; and an adjustment device operatively connected to the securing element for adjusting the securing element from a reclining position into a securing position in an event of a crash. The adjustment device is configured to reset the securing element from the securing position into the reclining position. The securing element is configured to act on the seat surface in the securing position such that the seat surface and the securing element counteract forward movement of a pelvic area of a person sitting on the seat surface in the longitudinal direction of the seat, without changing a spatial location of said seat surface.

Claims

1. A safety device for a motor vehicle seat in a motor vehicle comprising:

a seat surface extending in a longitudinal direction of the seat;

a securing element assigned to the seat surface; and

an adjustment device operatively connected to the securing element for adjusting the securing element from a reclining position into a securing position in an event of a crash,

wherein the adjustment device is configured to reset the securing element from the securing position into the reclining position,

wherein the securing element is configured to act on the seat surface in the securing position such that the seat surface and the securing element counteract forward movement of a pelvic area of a person sitting on the seat surface in the longitudinal direction of the seat, without changing a spatial location of said seat surface, and

wherein the adjustment device is configured to adjust the securing element into a plurality of stationary intermediate positions located between the securing position and the reclining position.

2. The safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment device is configured to adjust a stationary position of the securing element relative to the seat surface.

3. The securing device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment device is configured to perform essentially infinitely variable adjustments of the securing element between the reclining position and the securing position.

4. The safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein a seat hardness of the seat surface can be adjusted by adjusting the stationary position of the securing element.

5. The safety device as claimed in claim 4, wherein the seat hardness of the seat surface can be adjusted by adjusting the stationary position of the securing element by operator control.

6. The safety device as claimed in claim 4, wherein by automatically adjusting the stationary position of the securing element relative to the seat surface, the adjustment device adapts the seat hardness of the seat surface to a speed of the motor vehicle.

7. The safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein at least one adjustment motor is configured to move the securing element using the adjustment device.

8. The safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment device is an automatic adjustment device configured to communicate with sensors for detecting a driving behavior of the motor vehicle.

9. The safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment device comprises at least one vibration function in which the adjustment device is configured to move the securing element to and fro in a vibration movement between at least two different positions relative to the seat surface.

10. The safety device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the adjustment device is configured to carry out the vibration movement of the seat surface when sensors for detecting a driving behavior of the motor vehicle detect a hazardous situation.

11. The safety device as claimed in claim 10, wherein the adjustment device comprises has a plurality of vibration functions in which the adjustment device is configured to move different parts of the securing element to and fro in a vibration movement between at least two different positions relative to the seat surface as a function of the hazardous situation detected by the sensors.

12. The safety device as claimed in claim 9, wherein the vibration movement of the securing element is configured to occur about a currently set position of the securing element.

13. The safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment device can move a right-hand side and a left-hand side of the securing element to and fro separately in a vibration movement between at least two stationary positions relative to the seat surface.

14. The safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the adjustment device comprises at least two adjustment motors by which a right hand side and a left hand side of the securing element can be adjusted separately to at least one stationary intermediate position located between the securing position and the reclining position.

15. The safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the securing element is arranged underneath the seat surface and, in the event of a crash, is configured to be moved closer to the seat surface by the adjustment device.

16. The safety device as claimed in claim 15, wherein the adjustment device is configured to adapt a seat hardness of the seat surface to a change in a direction of travel of the motor vehicle by an automatic one-sided adjustment of the stationary position of the securing element relative to the seat surface.

17. The safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the securing element is designed to form a ramp.

18. The safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the securing element is a bar or shell.

19. The safety device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the securing element is arranged in the motor vehicle seat.

20. A vehicle, comprising:

a seat; and

a safety device, wherein the safety device comprises;

a seat surface extending in a longitudinal direction of the seat;

a securing element assigned to the seat surface; and

an adjustment device operatively connected to the securing element for adjusting the securing element from a reclining position into a securing position in an event of a crash, wherein the adjustment device is configured to reset the securing element from the securing position into the reclining position,

wherein the securing element is configured to act on the seat surface in the securing position such that the seat surface and the securing element counteract forward movement of a pelvic area of a person sitting on the seat surface in the longitudinal direction of the seat, without changing a spatial location of said seat surface, and

wherein the adjustment device is configured to adjust the securing element into a plurality of stationary intermediate positions located between the securing position and the reclining position.

21. A safety device for a motor vehicle seat in a motor vehicle comprising:

a seat surface extending in a longitudinal direction of the seat;

a securing element assigned to the seat surface; and

an adjustment device operatively connected to the securing element for adjusting the securing element from a reclining position into a securing position in an event of a crash,

wherein the adjustment device is configured to reset the securing element from the securing position into the reclining position,

wherein the securing element is configured to act on the seat surface in the securing position such that the seat surface and the securing element counteract forward movement of a pelvic area of a person sitting on the seat surface in the longitudinal direction of the seat, without changing a spatial location of said seat surface,

wherein the adjustment device is configured to adjust the securing element into a plurality of intermediate positions located between the securing position and the reclining position,

wherein the securing element is arranged underneath the seat surface and, in the event of a crash, is configured to be moved closer to the seat surface by the adjustment device, and

wherein the adjustment device is configured to adapt a seat hardness of the seat surface to a change in a direction of travel of the motor vehicle by an automatic one-sided adjustment of the position of the securing element relative to the seat surface.