Belt buckle for a motor vehicle

• US 8,902,057 B2
• Filed: 02/21/2007
• Issued: 12/02/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 02/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Hamilton Sundstrand Corporation (Rtx Corporation), Volkswagen AG
• Original Assignee: Volkswagen AG
• Inventors: Strutz, Torsten, Baumann, Peter, Leschke, Andre, Winkler, Jrg
• Primary Examiner(s): Zimmerman, Brian
• Assistant Examiner(s): SAMSON, SARA B
• Application Number:
  US11/708,821
• Publication Number:
  US 20070221428A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,841 Days
• Field of Search: 340/457.1, 340/457
• US Class Current: 340/457.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01088 wireless
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 24/45623 and operator therefor

Abstract

A belt buckle for a motor vehicle is provided wherein, through the use of the belt buckle, a tongue of a seat belt is mechanically receivable and, through the use of a switch, an insertion status of the tongue is detectable. A device is assigned to the switch through the use of which the switch position of the switch is wirelessly communicable to a receiver circuit.

Claims

1. In combination with a motor vehicle having a seat belt with a tongue, a belt buckle configuration comprising:

a belt buckle configured to mechanically receive the tongue of the seat belt;

a switch operatively connected to said belt buckle, said switch being configured to detect an insertion status of the tongue of the seat belt;

a communicating device operatively connected to said switch, said communicating device including an electromechanical energy converter and a transmitting device, said electromechanical energy converter including an induction generator, said induction generator generating energy when said switch changes a switch position and supplying the energy to said transmitting device;

said induction generator including a magnet and a coil;

said belt buckle including a belt buckle spring configured to provide a movement during latching or releasing the tongue such that said magnet and said coil move relative to one another for inducing a voltage; and

a receiver circuit operatively connected to said communicating device, said communicating device being configured to wirelessly communicate the switch position of said switch to said receiver circuit.

2. The belt buckle configuration according to claim 1, wherein:

said belt buckle has an identifier assigned thereto; and

said communicating device is configured to wirelessly communicate the identifier assigned to said belt buckle together with the switch position of said switch.

3. The belt buckle configuration according to claim 2, including an RF-ID tag operatively connected to said switch, wherein said RF-ID tag operates as said transmitting device and wherein said RF-ID tag has at least two IDs such that a switching between the at least two IDs is done by the switch position of said switch.

4. The belt buckle configuration according to claim 2, including an LC oscillator circuit operatively connected to said switch, wherein said LC oscillator circuit operates as said transmitting device and wherein said LC oscillator circuit is detunable with said switch.

5. The belt buckle configuration according to claim 2, wherein:

the motor vehicle includes a vehicle seat; and

said communicating device includes a transponder, wherein said transponder operates as said transmitting device, said transponder is disposed in or at said vehicle seat, and said transponder communicates the switch position of said switch to said receiver circuit.

6. The belt buckle configuration according to claim 2, wherein said communicating device includes a seat status sensor for sensing a seat status, and said communicating device is configured to communicate the seat status to said receiver circuit.

7. The belt buckle configuration according to claim 6, wherein said seat status sensor is a seat occupancy sensor.