Seat belt retractor and seat belt apparatus

• US 7,516,808 B2
• Filed: 06/01/2006
• Issued: 04/14/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Japan K.K.
• Original Assignee: Takata Corporation (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Tanaka, Koji
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Faye M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman; Laura
• Application Number:
  US11/444,427
• Publication Number:
  US 20060290131A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,048 Days
• Field of Search: 180/268, 180/286, 242/374, 242/390.8, 242/390.9, 280/807, 297/474, 297/475, 701/45
• US Class Current: 180/268
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/02 Semi-passive restraint systems, e.g. systems applied or removed automatically but not both ; Manual restraint systems knee, leg or head belts B60R22/001; devices for releasing in an emergency, remote or automatic unbuckling devices B60R22/32
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/03 Means for presenting the belt or part thereof to the wearer , e.g. foot-operated

Abstract

The disclosed seat belt retractor and seat belt apparatus may be used to provide a technology effective for reducing the risk of making a vehicle occupant uncomfortable with regard to the seat belt winding action. A seat belt retractor and seat belt apparatus may comprise an electric motor, a spool capable of winding and unwinding a seat belt for occupant restraint, and a controller configured to perform a control mode in which the electric motor is controlled to rotate in a belt winding direction based on the status of a wearing of the seat belt on a vehicle occupant and the status of a vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt.

Claims

1. A seat belt retractor to be installed in a vehicle comprising:

an electric motor;

a spool capable of winding and unwinding a seat belt for occupant restraint according to a driving of the electric motor; and

a controller for controlling the electric motor,

wherein the controller is configured to perform a control mode in which the electric motor is controlled to rotate in a belt winding direction based on a status of a wearing of the seat belt on a vehicle occupant and a status of a vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt, and

wherein the controller is configured to perform a control mode in which the electric motor is controlled not to rotate in the belt winding direction when the wearing of the seat belt is cancelled and the vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt is either in a closed state or is not changed from a closed state to an open state.

2. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, further comprising a transmission mechanism arranged between the spool and the motor.

3. The seat belt retractor according to claim 2, wherein the transmission mechanism is capable of a connected state in which the spool and the electric motor are connected and a disconnected state in which the spool and the electric motor are not connected.

4. The seat belt retractor according to claim 3, wherein the controller is configured to perform a control mode in which the transmission mechanism is placed in the connected state on condition that the wearing of the seat belt on the vehicle occupant is cancelled and the vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt is changed from the closed state to the open state.

5. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform a control mode in which the electric motor is controlled to rotate in the belt winding direction on condition that the wearing of the seat belt on the vehicle occupant is cancelled and the vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt is changed from the closed state to the open state.

6. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform a control mode in which the electric motor is controlled not to rotate in the belt winding direction when the vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt is not changed from the closed state to the open state.

7. The seat belt retractor according to claim 1, wherein the controller is configured to perform a control mode in which the electric motor is controlled not to rotate in the belt winding direction when the vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt is in the closed state.

8. A seat belt apparatus to be installed in a vehicle comprising:

a seat belt for occupant restraint which is adapted to be worn by a vehicle occupant;

an electric motor;

a spool capable of winding and unwinding a seat belt for occupant restraint according to a driving of the electric motor;

a controller for controlling the electric motor;

a seat belt buckle fixed to the vehicle;

a tongue attached to the seat belt and is configured to latch to the seat belt buckle when the seat belt is worn; and

a detection sensor for detecting that the tongue is latched to the seat belt buckle,

wherein the controller is configured to perform a control mode in which the electric motor is controlled to rotate in a belt winding direction based on a status of a wearing of the seat belt on the vehicle occupant and a status of a vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt, and

wherein the controller is configured to perform a control mode in which the electric motor is controlled not to rotate in the belt winding direction when the wearing of the seat belt is cancelled and the vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt is either in a closed state or is not changed from a closed state to an open state.

9. The seat belt apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to perform a control mode in which the electric motor is controlled to rotate in the belt winding direction on condition that the wearing of the seat belt on the vehicle occupant is cancelled based on information detected by the detection sensor and that the vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt is changed from the closed state to the open state.

10. The seat belt apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to perform a control mode in which the electric motor is controlled not to rotate in the belt winding direction on condition that the wearing of the seat belt on the vehicle occupant is cancelled based on information detected by the detection sensor and that the vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt has not changed from the closed state to the open state.

11. The seat belt apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the controller is configured to perform a control mode in which the electric motor is controlled not to rotate in the belt winding direction when the vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt is in the closed state.

12. The seat belt apparatus according to claim 8, further comprising a contact sensor having a first contact adapted to be placed on the vehicle door and a second contact adapted to be placed on a vehicle pillar,

wherein the controller is configured to process a signal from the contact sensor to determine the status of the vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt.

13. A vehicle with a seat belt apparatus comprising:

a seat belt apparatus comprising;

a seat belt for occupant restraint which is adapted to be worn by a vehicle occupant;

an electric motor;

a spool capable of winding and unwinding the seat belt for occupant restraint according to a driving of the electric motor;

a controller for controlling the electric motor;

a seat belt buckle fixed to the vehicle;

a tongue attached to the seat belt and is configured to latch to the seat belt buckle when the seat belt is worn; and

a detection sensor for detecting that the tongue is latched to the seat belt buckle,

wherein the controller is configured to perform a control mode in which the electric motor is controlled to rotate in a belt winding direction based on the status of a wearing of the seat belt on the vehicle occupant and the status of a vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt,

wherein the seat belt apparatus is accommodated in an accommodating space in the vehicle, and

wherein the controller is configured to perform a control mode in which the electric motor is controlled not to rotate in the belt winding direction when the wearing of the seat belt is cancelled and the vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt is either in a closed state or is not changed from a closed state to an open state.

14. The vehicle according to claim 13, further comprising a contact sensor having a first contact on the vehicle door and a second contact adapted to be placed on a vehicle pillar,

wherein the controller is configured to process a signal from the contact sensor to determine the status of the vehicle door corresponding to the seat belt.