Seat belt wearing detection device

• US 9,415,748 B2
• Filed: 10/08/2014
• Issued: 08/16/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/28/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ALPS Electric Company Limited (Alps Alpine Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Sugawara, Takehito, Masudaya, Hideki
• Primary Examiner(s): BLOUNT, ERIC
• Application Number:
  US14/509,879
• Publication Number:
  US 20150145666A1
• Time in Patent Office: 678 Days
• Field of Search: 340/457.1
• US Class Current: 1/1
• 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

Abstract

A seat belt wearing detection device includes: a tongue unit supported by a seat belt; a buckle unit into which the tongue unit is inserted and held; a wearing detection unit that detects an insertion and holding state; a seat belt side communication unit that transmits a detection result; a control unit that determines a wearing state based on the detection result and controls the seat belt side communication unit; power supply means for supplying electric power to the seat belt side communication unit; and a vehicle side device that performs radio communication with the seat belt side communication unit to receive the detection result. The power supply means includes a power supply section, a power storage section, and a charging section. The power supply section charges the power storage section by supplying electric power to the charging section when the seat belt is in a housed state.

Claims

1. A seat belt wearing detection device, comprising:

a tongue unit supported by a seat belt having a housed state and a pulled-out state;

a buckle unit provided to a seat, the seat belt being fastened by inserting and holding the tongue unit in the buckle unit;

a wearing detection unit that detects an insertion and holding state of the tongue unit in the buckle unit;

a seat belt side communication unit that transmits a detection result of the wearing detection unit via a radio signal;

a control unit connected to the seat belt side communication unit and the wearing detection unit, the control unit determining a wearing state of the seat belt based on the detection result, and controlling the seat belt side communication unit;

a vehicle side device that receives the radio signal from the seat belt side communication unit to obtain the detection result, the vehicle side device including;

a housed position detection unit configured to detect if the tongue unit is in a housed position; and

a power supply system that supplies electric power to the seat belt side communication unit, the power supply system including;

a power storage section that is chargeable and dischargeable;

a charging section that charges the power storage section; and

a power supply section that supplies electric power to the charging section so as to charge the power storage section when the seat belt is in the housed state,

wherein the vehicle side device drives the power supply section if a detection result of the housing position detection unit indicates that the tongue unit is in the housed position.

2. The seat belt wearing detection device according to claim 1, further comprising:

a belt support unit that movably supports the seat belt so as to allow the seat belt to be pulled out and retract, the tongue unit being in a housed position thereof facing the belt support unit when the seat belt is in the housed state,

wherein the power supply section is disposed in the belt support unit, and the charging section and the power storage section are provided in the tongue unit.

3. The seat belt wearing detection device according to claim 1,

wherein the seat belt side communication unit is provided in the tongue unit.

4. The seat belt wearing detection device according to claim 1, wherein the power supply section includes a primary coil, and the charging section includes a secondary coil, such that an electromotive force is generated in the secondary coil by supplying an AC current to the primary coil.

5. The seat belt wearing detection device according to claim 4,

wherein the primary coil of the power supply section and the secondary coil of the charging section face each other when the seat belt is in the housed state.

6. The seat belt wearing detection device according to claim 1,

wherein the vehicle side device is connected to a vehicle battery,

and wherein the vehicle side device prevents the power supply section from operating when a battery level of the vehicle battery is lower than a predetermined value.

7. The seat belt wearing detection device according to claim 1,

wherein the vehicle side device includes a notification unit,

and wherein the vehicle side device acquires a battery level value of the power storage section from the seat belt side communication unit by radio communication, and drives the notification unit if the acquired battery level of the power storage section is lower than a predetermined value.

8. The seat belt wearing detection device according to claim 1, wherein the tongue unit in the housed position faces a belt support unit that movably supports the seat belt so as to allow the seat belt to be pulled out and retract.