Seat belt height adjuster system and method

• US 9,434,349 B1
• Filed: 04/24/2015
• Issued: 09/06/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 04/24/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Perkins, William Paul, Miller, Kenneth James
• Primary Examiner(s): Troost, Aaron L
• Application Number:
  US14/695,311
• Time in Patent Office: 501 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0022 for sensing anthropometric parameters, e.g. heart rate or body temperature
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0025 by using weight measurement
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0028 of a body part, e.g. of an arm or a leg
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2210/18 Infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/208 by automatic or remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/03 Means for presenting the belt or part thereof to the wearer , e.g. foot-operated
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/201 with the belt anchor connected to a slider movable in a vehicle-mounted track for passive restraint systems B60R22/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness

Abstract

A system includes a seat belt height adjuster, a seat belt retractor includes a payout sensor, and a seat. The seat includes a seat position sensor and a weight sensor configured to measure a weight of an occupant of the seat. The system includes a control module in communication with the payout sensor, the seat position sensor, and the weight sensor. The control module is programmed to calculate a size of the occupant based at least on the payout and the seat position. The control module is programmed to adjust a position of the seat belt height adjuster based at least on the size and weight of the occupant.

Claims

1. A system comprising:

a seat belt height adjuster;

a seat belt retractor including a payout sensor configured to measure payout of a seat belt relative to the seat belt retractor;

a seat including a seat position sensor configured to measure a seat position and a weight sensor configured to measure a weight of an occupant of the seat; and

an electronic control module in communication with the payout sensor, the seat position sensor, and the weight sensor and being programmed to calculate a size of the occupant based at least on the payout and the seat position;

the electronic control module being programmed to adjust a position of the seat belt height adjuster based at least on the size and weight of the occupant.

2. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the electronic control module is programmed with anthropometric data and is programmed to compare at least the size and weight of the occupant with the anthropometric data to calculate the position of the seat belt height adjuster.

3. The system as set forth in claim 2 wherein the electronic control module is programmed to determine a regression model of the anthropometric data and the size and weight of the occupant and to calculate the position of the seat belt height adjuster based on the regression model.

4. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the size of the occupant calculated by the electronic control module includes the girth and height of the occupant.

5. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising a steering column including a column position sensor configured to measure a column position, and wherein the electronic control module is programmed to calculate the size of the occupant based on at least the column position.

6. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the seat position sensor includes a fore-aft position sensor and a vertical position sensor.

7. The system as set forth in claim 1 wherein the seat belt height adjuster includes seat belt ring, a motor in communication with the electronic control module, and a linear actuator disposed between the ring and the motor.

8. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an electronic airbag module in communication with the electronic control module, the electronic control module being programmed to adjust operation of the electronic airbag module based at least on the size and weight.

9. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an audio system in communication with the electronic control module, the electronic control module being programmed to adjust operation of the audio system based at least on the size and weight.

10. The system as set forth in claim 1 further comprising an instrument panel display in communication with the electronic control module, the electronic control module being programmed to adjust operation of the instrument panel display based at least on the size and weight.

11. A method comprising:

receiving a seat belt payout measurement, a seat position measurement, and a weight of the occupant;

calculating a size of the occupant based on at least the payout and the seat position;

calculating a desired position of a seat belt height adjuster based on at least the size and the weight of the occupant; and

instructing the seat belt height adjuster to move to the desired position.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising determining a regression model of anthropometric data and at least the size and the weight of the occupant and calculating the desired position based on at least the regression model.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein calculating the size of the occupant includes calculating at least a girth and a height of the occupant.

14. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising receiving a steering column position measurement and calculating the size of the occupant based on at least the steering column position measurement.

15. The method as set forth in claim 11 wherein calculating the seat position includes calculating at least a fore-aft position and a vertical position.

16. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising sensing a triggering event before receiving the measurement of the eye location.

17. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising storing the desired position in memory.

18. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising instructing an airbag module to operate based on the size and weight of the occupant.

19. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising instructing an audio system to operate based on the size and weight of the occupant.

20. The method as set forth in claim 11 further comprising instructing an instrument panel display to operate based on the size and weight of the occupant.