Device for a child seat

• US 8,024,089 B2
• Filed: 04/22/2005
• Issued: 09/20/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 04/23/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Arbitmann, Maxim, Diebold, Jürgen, Rieth, Peter, Halasy-Wimmer, Georg
• Primary Examiner(s): Tran; Dalena
• Application Number:
  US11/568,190
• Publication Number:
  US 20070294013A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,342 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 340/436, 340/667, 280/735, 180/268, 180/273
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/26 for children B60N2/30 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2872 provided with side rests
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2875 inclinable, as a whole or partially
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2884 with protection systems against abnormal g-forces
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/2893 coupled to the seat sub-frame
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/914 Hydro-pneumatic adjustments of the shape

Abstract

Disclosed is a device for a child seat in a vehicle including a switch-over between comfort and safety mode of the child seat, depending on information suitable to predict an accident.

Claims

1. A device for a child seat in a vehicle, the device comprising:

a switch-over between comfort and safety mode of the child seat, wherein the mode is selected depending on information suitable to predict an accident;

wherein controlling interventions are generated for elements of the child seat, wherein the elements of the child seat include at least one of reversible sidewalls, air cushions in a seat pan, air cushions in a safety belt, and air cushion in the sidewalls of the child seat, when a composite danger potential composed of several danger potentials has exceeded a threshold value, being produced in consideration of the time of activation for the actuators of the child seat.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the switch-over between comfort and safety mode occurs depending on at least one of determined danger potentials from predetermined and current vehicle data or ambience data.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein there are ambience sensors provided at the vehicle, which continuously detect objects, by driving-dynamics sensors or models which determine driving-dynamics state variables as vehicle data and continuously submit the determined data to a danger computer, with the danger computer making an assessment of the danger situation of the vehicle and, depending on the assessment and additional criteria or weightings, outputs controlling interventions for controlling the actuators of the child seat, which are graded or not graded according to the danger potential.

4. A device according to claim 3, wherein the controlling interventions to control the actuators are submitted to an actuator control, which is connected to the danger computer, with the actuator control releasing conditionally, releasing, or blocking the controlling interventions according to the result of evaluation of the danger computer.

5. A device according to claim 3, wherein general and special danger potentials for the child seat are detected and actuator-responsive controlling interventions are generated depending on the danger potentials.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein general danger potentials evaluate the longitudinal-dynamics driving condition or the lateral-dynamics driving condition.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the child seat includes a data interface and a current supply unit.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the child seat includes an ISO-FIX standard attachment system, which is designed as a current supply unit.

9. A device according to claim 1, wherein the child seat includes an ISO-FIX standard attachment system designed as a data interface.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the data interface is designed as a wireless radio transmission.

11. A device according to claim 1, wherein the current and data connection is linked to the vehicle interior bus system.

12. A device according to claim 1, wherein actuation of the safety mode of the child seat occurs depending on an observation system for the child.

13. The device for a child seat in a vehicle of claim 1, wherein the child seat is adapted to be connected to an additional child seat via an interface, with actuators of the additional child seat are drivable by the device of the child seat.

14. A child seat for use in a motor vehicle, the child seat comprising:

a device having a switch-over between comfort and safety mode of the child seat, wherein the mode is selected depending on information suitable to predict an accident;

wherein controlling interventions are generated for elements of the child seat, wherein the elements of the child seat include at least one of reversible sidewalls, air cushions in a seat pan, air cushions in a safety belt, and air cushion in the sidewalls of the child seat, when a composite danger potential composed of several danger potentials has exceeded a threshold value, being produced in consideration of the time of activation for the actuators of the child seat.

15. A child seat according to claim 14, further comprising a device for predicting that the motor vehicle will be in an accident.

16. A child seat according to claim 15, wherein the child seat is adapted to be connected to an additional child seat via an interface, with actuators of the additional child seat are drivable by the device of the child seat.

17. The child seat for use in a motor vehicle of claim 14, wherein general danger potentials evaluate the longitudinal-dynamics driving condition or the lateral-dynamics driving condition.

18. A vehicle having a child seat therein, wherein the child seat has a device having a switch-over between comfort and safety mode of the child seat, wherein the mode is selected depending on information suitable to predict an accident;

wherein controlling interventions are generated for elements of the child seat, wherein the elements of the child seat include at least one of reversible sidewalls, air cushions in a seat pan, air cushions in a safety belt, and air cushion in the sidewalls of the child seat, when a composite danger potential composed of several danger potentials has exceeded a threshold value, being produced in consideration of the time of activation for the actuators of the child seat.

19. The vehicle having a child seat therein of claim 18, wherein general danger potentials evaluate the longitudinal-dynamics driving condition or the lateral-dynamics driving condition.

20. The vehicle having a child seat therein of claim 18, wherein the child seat is adapted to be connected to an additional child seat via an interface, with actuators of the additional child seat are drivable by the device of the child seat.