Motor vehicle with several active or passive safety devices

• US 8,952,801 B2
• Filed: 02/01/2013
• Issued: 02/10/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/28/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Original Assignee: Audi AG (Volkswagen AG)
• Inventors: Larice, Markus
• Primary Examiner(s): Swarthout, Brent
• Application Number:
  US13/757,229
• Publication Number:
  US 20130257608A1
• Time in Patent Office: 739 Days
• Field of Search: 340/457.1, 701/45
• US Class Current: 340/457.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 9/00 Arrangement or adaptation of signal devices not provided for in one of main groups B60Q1/00 - B60Q7/00 , e.g. haptic signalling
• 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 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness

Abstract

A motor vehicle includes a safety device which is changeable between an idle position and an operative position, and an indicator which is rendered operational in at least one of two ways, a first way in which a first acoustic signal is triggered when the safety device departs the idle position, and a second acoustic signal, which differs from the first acoustic signal, is triggered when the safety device has assumed the operative position, a second way in which a first image is optically visualized in a display when the safety device departs the idle position, and a second image is optically visualized in the display when the safety device has assumed the operative position.

Claims

1. A motor vehicle, comprising

a safety device changeable between an idle position and an operative position;

a first sensor detecting a first time point at which the safety device departs from the idle position;

a second sensor detecting a second time point at which the safety device assumes the operative position; and

an indicator operatively connected with the first and second sensors, said indicator being outputting a first acoustic or optical signal during an entire time from the first time point to the second time point and outputting a second acoustic or optical signal, which is different than the first acoustic or optical signal, when the safety device has assumed the operative position.

2. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the first and second signals are acoustic signals.

3. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a display to optically visualize the first and second signals as first and second images.

4. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the safety device is constructed to be triggered automatically or actuated by a person inside the motor vehicle.

5. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the safety device is constructed in the form of a safety belt having a buckle and movable between the idle position in which the safety belt is retracted and the operative position in which the safety belt is locked, said first signal being triggered when the buckle is pulled away from the idle position, and the second signal being triggered, when the buckle of the safety belt is engaged.

6. The motor vehicle of claim 2, wherein the indicator is an audio system installed in the motor vehicle to generate the acoustic signal.

7. The motor vehicle of claim 2, wherein the indicator is an audio system installed in the motor vehicle to generate the second acoustic signal.

8. The motor vehicle of claim 1, wherein the indicator is a display which provides an indication when the safety device automatically reaches the operative position.

9. The motor vehicle of claim 8, wherein the display indicates the operative position by a symbol.

10. The motor vehicle of claim 8, wherein the indication on the display is displayed during operation of the vehicle.

11. The motor vehicle of claim 10, wherein the indication is displayed in modified form.

12. The motor vehicle of claim 11, wherein the indication is displayed on a scaled down form.

13. The motor vehicle of claim 5, further comprising a control unit, said indicator being operatively connected to the first and second sensors via the control unit, wherein the first sensor is placed in vicinity of a spool of the safety belt, and the second sensor is placed in vicinity of the buckle and wherein the control unit controls the indicator to output the first and second signals.

14. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a safety belt having a buckle and movable between an idle position in which the safety belt is retracted and an operative position in which the safety belt is locked,

a first sensor detecting a first time point at which the safety device departs from the idle position;

a second sensor detecting a second time point at which the safety device assumes the operative position; and

an indicator operatively connected with the first and second sensors and constructed to respond to a movement of the safety belt between the idle position and the operative position in at least one of two ways, a first way in which the indicator outputs a first acoustic signal during an entire time from the first time point to the second time point the second time point, and a second acoustic signal, which differs from the first acoustic signal, is triggered when the safety device has assumed the operative position, a second way in which the indicator displays a first image in a display during the entire time from the first time point to the second time point, and displays a second image different from the first image in the display when the safety device has assumed the operative position.

15. A motor vehicle, comprising:

a safety device changeable between an idle position and an operative position;

a first sensor detecting a first time point at which the safety device departs from the idle position;

a second sensor detecting a second time point at which the safety device assumes the operative position; and

an indicator operatively connected with the first and second sensors and constructed to respond to a movement of the safety device between the idle position and the operative position

in one of two ways, a first way in which the indicator displays a first image in a display during an entire time from the first time point to the second time point and a different second image when the safety device has assumed the operative position, and a second way in which the indicator outputs a first acoustic signal and displays a first image during the entire time from the first time point to the second time point and outputs a different second acoustic signal and displays a different second image when the safety device has assumed the operative position.