Motor retractor and drive control thereof

• US 7,726,693 B2
• Filed: 08/16/2006
• Issued: 06/01/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/22/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Original Assignee: Kabushiki Kaisha Tokai RIKA Denki Seisakusho
• Inventors: Koide, Teruhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Faye M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Freedman; Laura
• Application Number:
  US11/504,614
• Publication Number:
  US 20070040058A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,385 Days
• Field of Search: 180/268, 180/281, 180/286, 242/374, 242/390.1, 242/390.8, 242/390.9, 280/801.1, 280/806, 280/807, 297474-481, 701/45
• US Class Current: 280/807
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4666 characterised by electric actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/468 characterised by clutching means between actuator and belt reel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4825 for sensing amount of belt winded on retractor
• 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

Abstract

When the worn state of the webbing is lifted, current of a current value I0 corresponding to the appropriate storing speed of the webbing is supplied to the motor, whereby a take-up shaft rotates and the webbing is taken up. At a point in time when the webbing has been taken up to the extent that the webbing does not hinder the exiting of a vehicle by a passenger, the size of the supply current to the motor is reduced from the initial current value I1 to a current value I1. A reference current value IL of a stall current for determining whether to stop the motor when a foreign object or the like has become entangled between the webbing and an in-vehicle part can also be set to be small in correspondence to the reduced current value I1.

Claims

1. A motor retractor comprising:

a long band of webbing that restrains a body of a passenger seated in a seat of a vehicle in a state where the passenger is wearing the webbing;

a take-up shaft to which a longitudinal-direction base end side of the webbing is locked and which is rotated such that the webbing can be taken up and pulled out;

a motor that causes the take-up shaft to rotate in a webbing take-up direction; and

a controller that controls a take-up force applied to substantially all of the webbing by supplying current of a first predetermined current value (I0) to the motor immediately after the worn state of the webbing has been lifted and reducing the size of the supply current to a second predetermined current value (I1) that is smaller than the first predetermined current value (I0) at a point in time when a preset amount of the webbing has been taken up or at a point in time when a predetermined amount of time has elapsed after the wearing of the webbing has been lifted,

wherein the controller includes a current detection circuit that detects a stall current flowing to the motor, and the controller cuts off the supply of the current to the motor when the current detection circuit detects that a stall current exceeding a third predetermined current value (IL), wherein the third predetermined current value (IL) is smaller than the first predetermined current value (I0) and larger than the second predetermined current value (I1), is flowing to the motor from the predetermined point in time on.

2. The motor retractor of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a spool rotation detection sensor that detects the rotation of the take-up shaft, and the controller detects the take-up amount of the webbing on the basis of the output of the spool rotation detection sensor.

3. The motor retractor of claim 1, wherein the controller includes a buckle switch that detects whether or not a tongue plate attached to the webbing is coupled to a buckle device, and the predetermined amount of time is elapsed time when measurement is started on the basis of the output of the buckle switch.

4. The motor retractor of claim 1, further comprising a biasing member that is coupled to the take-up shaft and biases the take-up shaft in the webbing take-up direction with a biasing force that does not cause the passenger wearing the webbing to experience a sense of tightness.

5. A motor retractor comprising:

a long band of webbing that restrains a body of a passenger seated in a seat of a vehicle;

a take-up shaft to which a longitudinal-direction base end side of the webbing is locked and which is rotated such that the webbing can be taken up and pulled out;

a motor that causes the take-up shaft to rotate in a webbing take-up direction; and

a controller that controls a take-up force applied to substantially all of the webbing by supplying current of a first predetermined current value (I0) to the motor immediately after the worn state of the webbing has been lifted and reducing the size of the supply current to a second predetermined current value (I1) that is smaller than the first predetermined current value (I0) at a predetermined point in time prior to the completion of the taking-up of the webbing on the take-up shaft,

wherein the controller includes a current detection circuit that detects a stall current flowing to the motor, and the controller cuts off the supply of the current to the motor when the current detection circuit detects that a stall current exceeding a third predetermined current value (IL), wherein the third predetermined current value (IL) is smaller than the first predetermined current value (I0) and larger than the second predetermined current value (I1), is flowing to the motor from the predetermined point in time on.

6. The motor retractor of claim 5, wherein the predetermined point in time is a point in time when a preset amount of the webbing has been taken up.

7. The motor retractor of claim 6, wherein the controller includes a spool rotation detection sensor that detects the rotation of the take-up shaft, and the controller detects the take-up amount of the webbing on the basis of the output of the spool rotation detection sensor.

8. The motor retractor of claim 5, wherein the predetermined point in time is a point in time when a predetermined amount of time has elapsed after the wearing of the webbing has been lifted.

9. The motor retractor of claim 8, wherein the controller includes a buckle switch that detects whether or not a tongue plate attached to the webbing is coupled to a buckle device, and the predetermined amount of time is elapsed time when measurement is started on the basis of the output of the buckle switch.

10. A motor retractor comprising:

a long band of webbing that restrains a body of a passenger seated in a seat of a vehicle in a state where the passenger is wearing the webbing;

a take-up shaft to which a longitudinal-direction base end side of the webbing is locked and which is rotated such that the webbing can be taken up and pulled out;

a motor that causes the take-up shaft to rotate in a webbing take-up direction; and

a controller that controls a take-up force applied to substantially all of the webbing by supplying current of a first predetermined current value (I0) to the motor immediately after the worn state of the webbing has been lifted, reducing the size of the supply current to a second predetermined current value (I1) that is smaller than the first predetermined current value (I0) at a point in time when a preset amount of the webbing has been taken up or at a point in time when a predetermined amount of time has elapsed, and thereafter cuts off the supply of the current to the motor when a stall current greater than the second predetermined current value (I1) flows to the motor,

wherein the second predetermined current value (I1) is greater than 0, and the motor continues the rotation of the take-up shaft in the webbing take-up direction by supplying current of the second predetermined current value (I1).

11. The motor retractor of claim 10, wherein the controller includes a spool rotation detection sensor that detects the rotation of the take-up shaft, and the controller detects the take-up amount of the webbing on the basis of the output of the spool rotation detection sensor.

12. The motor retractor of claim 10, wherein the controller includes a buckle switch that detects whether or not a tongue plate attached to the webbing is coupled to a buckle device, and the predetermined amount of time is elapsed time when measurement is started on the basis of the output of the buckle switch.

13. The motor retractor of claim 10, further comprising a biasing member that is coupled to the take-up shaft and biases the take-up shaft in the webbing take-up direction with a biasing force that does not cause the passenger wearing the webbing to experience a sense of tightness.

14. A method of controlling a motor retractor that includes a long band of webbing that restrains a body of a passenger seated in a seat of a vehicle, a take-up shaft to which a longitudinal-direction base end side of the webbing is locked and which rotates such that the webbing can be taken up, and a motor that causes the take-up shaft to rotate in a webbing take-up direction, the method comprising:

supplying current of a first predetermined current value (I0) to the motor immediately after the wearing of the webbing has been lifted and rotating the take-up shaft in the take-up direction;

reducing the size of the supply current to a second predetermined current value (I1) that is smaller than the first predetermined current value (I0) at a predetermined point in time prior to the completion of the taking-up of the webbing on the take-up shaft, and

cutting off the supply of the current to the motor when a stall current exceeding a third predetermined current value (IL) that is smaller than the first predetermined current value (I0) and larger than the second predetermined current value (I1) is flowing to the motor from the predetermined point in time on,

wherein a take-up force applied to substantially all of the webbing is controlled by the amount of current supplied to the motor, and the predetermined point in time is a point in time when a preset amount of the webbing has been taken up.

15. The motor retractor control method of claim 14, wherein the predetermined point in time is a point in time when a predetermined amount of time has elapsed after the wearing of the webbing has been lifted.

16. A motor retractor comprising:

a long band of webbing that restrains a body of a passenger seated in a seat of a vehicle in a state where the passenger is wearing the webbing;

a take-up shaft to which a longitudinal-direction base end side of the webbing is locked and which is rotated such that the webbing can be taken up and pulled out;

a motor that causes the take-up shaft to rotate in a webbing take-up direction; and

a controller that controls a take-up force applied to substantially all of the webbing by supplying current of a first predetermined current value (I0) to the motor immediately after the worn state of the webbing has been lifted and reducing the size of the supply current to a second predetermined current value (I1) that is smaller than the first predetermined current value (I0) at a point in time when a preset amount of the webbing has been taken up or at a point in time when a predetermined amount of time has elapsed after the wearing of the webbing has been lifted,

wherein the second predetermined value (I1) is greater than 0, and the motor continues the rotation of the take-up shaft in the webbing direction by supplying current of the second predetermined current value (I1).

17. A motor retractor comprising:

a long band of webbing that restrains a body of a passenger seated in a seat of a vehicle;

a take-up shaft to which a longitudinal-direction base end side of the webbing is locked and which is rotated such that the webbing can be taken up and pulled out;

a motor that causes the take-up shaft to rotate in a webbing take-up direction; and

a controller that controls a take-up force applied to substantially all of the webbing by supplying current of a first predetermined current value (I0) to the motor immediately after the worn state of the webbing has been lifted and reducing the size of the supply current to a second predetermined current value (I1) that is smaller than the predetermined current value (I0) at a predetermined point in time prior to the completion of the taking-up of the webbing on the take-up shaft,

wherein the second predetermined value (I1) is greater than 0, and the motor continues the rotation of the take-up shaft in the webbing direction by supplying current of the second predetermined current value (I1).

18. A method of controlling a motor retractor that includes a long band of webbing that restrains a body of a passenger seated in a seat of a vehicle, a take-up shaft to which a longitudinal-direction base end side of the webbing is locked and which rotates such that the webbing can be taken up, and a motor that causes the take-up shaft to rotate in a webbing take-up direction, the method comprising:

supplying current of a first predetermined current value (I0) to the motor immediately after the wearing of the webbing has been lifted and rotating the take-up shaft in the take-up direction;

reducing the size of the supply current to a second predetermined current value (I1) that is smaller than the first predetermined current value (I0) at a predetermined point in time prior to the completion of the taking-up of the webbing on the take-up shaft,

wherein the second predetermined value (I1) is greater than 0, and the motor continues the rotation of the take-up shaft in the webbing direction by supplying current of the second predetermined current value (I1).