Child seat and method for monitoring installation of the child seat

• US 7,735,920 B2
• Filed: 12/20/2007
• Issued: 06/15/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2007
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies AG (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (BorgWarner Incorporated)
• Inventors: Hunkeler, Hugh R., Hinze, Lee R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brown; Peter R.
• Application Number:
  US11/961,220
• Publication Number:
  US 20090160232A1
• Time in Patent Office: 908 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.11, 297/217.3, 297/250.1, 297/468, 297/483, 297/484, 738/623.91, 738/624.54, 180/268, 180/271, 280/735, 280/801.1, 340/457.1, 701/45, 702/98, 702/100
• US Class Current: 297/250.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/268 detecting or alerting means responsive to the installation of the child seats in the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/271 detecting or alerting means responsive to securing the child in the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2806 for securing the child seat to the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2812 for securing the child to the child seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2816 with additional belt accessories, e.g. belt tension detectors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/2815 with additional belt accessories, e.g. a belt tension detector
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2230/10 Wired data transmission

Abstract

A child seat and a method for monitoring installation of the child seat are provided. The child seat includes a child seat frame configured to receive a child occupant. The child seat frame is configured to receive a seat belt webbing for securing the child seat frame to a vehicle seat. The child seat further includes a first bladder configured to contact the seat belt webbing. The first bladder has a fluid therein. The child seat further includes a first pressure sensor fluidly communicating with the fluid in the first bladder. The first pressure sensor is configured to output a first signal indicative of an amount of pressure in the first bladder. The child seat further includes a controller coupled to the child seat frame configured to receive the first signal and to compute a first tension value based on the first signal. The controller is further configured to generate a second signal to induce a first device disposed on the child seat frame to indicate when the first tension value is less than a first predetermined tension value.

Claims

1. A child seat, comprising:

a child seat frame configured to receive a child occupant, the child seat frame configured to receive a seat belt webbing for securing the child seat frame to a vehicle seat;

a first bladder configured to contact the seat belt webbing, the first bladder having a fluid therein;

a first pressure sensor fluidly communicating with the fluid in the first bladder, the first pressure sensor configured to output a first signal indicative of an amount of pressure in the first bladder, and

a controller coupled to the child seat frame configured to receive the first signal and to compute a first tension value based on the first signal, the controller further configured to generate a second signal to induce a first device disposed on the child seat frame to indicate when the first tension value is less than a first predetermined tension value.

2. The child seat of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises a light-emitting diode, the light-emitting diode emitting light having a first color in response to the second signal.

3. The child seat of claim 1, wherein the first device comprises an electrical speaker, the electrical speaker emitting a first audible sound in response to the second signal.

4. The child seat of claim 1, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a third signal to induce a second device to indicate when the first tension value is greater than or equal to the first predetermined tension value.

5. The child seat of claim 4, wherein the second device comprises a light-emitting diode, the light-emitting diode emitting light having a first color in response to the third signal.

6. The child seat of claim 4, wherein the second device comprises an electrical speaker, the electrical speaker emitting a first audible sound in response to the third signal.

7. The child seat of claim 1, wherein the child seat frame further includes a child seat frame webbing for securing a child to the child seat frame, the child seat further comprising:

a second bladder configured to contact the child seat frame webbing, the second bladder having a fluid therein;

a second pressure sensor fluidly communicating with the fluid in the second bladder, the second pressure sensor configured to output a third signal indicative of an amount of pressure in the second bladder, and

the controller further configured to receive the third signal and to compute a second tension value based on the third signal, the controller further configured to generate a fourth signal to induce a second device disposed on the child seat frame to indicate when the second tension value is less than a second predetermined tension value.

8. The child seat of claim 7, wherein the controller is further configured to generate a fifth signal to induce a third device to indicate when the first tension value is greater than or equal to the second predetermined tension value.

9. The child seat of claim 1, wherein the fluid comprises at least one of a polyurethane fluid and a silicon fluid.

10. A method for monitoring installation of a child seat on a vehicle seat, the child seat having a child seat frame configured to receive a child occupant, the child seat frame configured to receive a seat belt webbing for securing the child seat frame to a vehicle seat, the child seat further having a first bladder, a first pressure sensor, and a controller, the first bladder having a fluid therein and contacting the seat belt webbing, the first pressure sensor fluidly communicating with the fluid in the first bladder, the controller operably coupled to the first pressure sensor, the method comprising:

generating a first signal indicative of an amount of pressure in the first bladder contacting the seat belt webbing, utilizing the first pressure sensor;

determining a first tension value based on the first signal, utilizing the controller; and

generating a second signal to induce a first device disposed on the child seat frame to indicate when the first tension value is less than a first predetermined tension value, utilizing the controller.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the first device comprises a light-emitting diode, and indicating when the first tension value is less than the first predetermined tension value comprises emitting light having a first color from the light-emitting diode.

12. The method of claim 10, wherein the first device comprises an electrical speaker, and indicating when the first tension value is less than the first predetermined tension value comprises emitting a first audible sound from the electrical speaker.

13. The method of claim 10, further comprising generating a third signal to induce a second device to indicate when the first tension value is greater than or equal to the first predetermined tension value, utilizing the controller.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the second device comprises a light-emitting diode, the method further comprising emitting light having a first color from the light-emitting diode in response to the third signal.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the second device comprises an electrical speaker, the method further comprising emitting a first audible sound from the electrical speaker in response to the third signal.

16. The method of claim 10, wherein the child seat frame further includes a child seat frame webbing for securing a child to the child seat frame, the child seat further comprises a second bladder and a second pressure sensor, the second bladder configured to contact the child seat frame webbing, the second bladder having a fluid therein, the second pressure sensor fluidly communicating with the fluid in the second bladder, the method comprising:

generating a third signal indicative of an amount of pressure in the second bladder contacting the child seat frame webbing, utilizing the second pressure sensor;

determining a second tension value based on the third signal, utilizing the controller; and

generating a fourth signal to induce a second device disposed on the child seat frame to indicate when the second tension value is less than a second predetermined tension value, utilizing the controller.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising generating a fifth signal to induce a third device to indicate when the first tension value is greater than or equal to the second predetermined tension value.

18. A vehicle seat, comprising:

a vehicle seat frame configured to receive an occupant;

a seat belt webbing coupled to the vehicle seat frame and configured to secure the occupant to the vehicle seat frame;

a first bladder configured to contact the seat belt webbing, the first bladder having a fluid therein;

a first pressure sensor fluidly communicating with the fluid in the first bladder, the first pressure sensor configured to output a first signal indicative of an amount of pressure in the first bladder, and

a controller coupled to the vehicle seat frame, the controller configured to receive the first signal and to compute a first tension value based on the first signal, the controller further configured to generate a second signal to induce a first device disposed on the vehicle seat frame to indicate when the first tension value is less than a first predetermined tension value.