Vehicle safety system

• US 20100049406A1
• Filed: 08/25/2008
• Published: 02/25/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: ZF CV Systems Europe BV
• Original Assignee: Wabco GmbH (Wabco Holdings Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wolf, Thomas, Wohltmann, Dirk
• Granted Patent: US 8,126,613 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/46
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01272 Belt tensioners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/1755 Brake regulation specially adapted to control the stability of the vehicle, e.g. taking into account yaw rate or transverse acceleration in a curve road vehicle drive control systems for control of driving stability otherwise than by controlling a particular sub-unit B60W30/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/105 Longitudinal acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2520/125 Lateral acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60W 2554/801 Lateral distance

Abstract

A vehicle safety system comprising a vehicle stability-regulating system, one or more secondary safety components and an electronic interface. The electronic interface communicates with both the vehicle stability-regulating system and the secondary safety components. The electronic interface receives data from the vehicle stability-regulating system and controls the operating condition of the secondary safety components based thereon.

Claims

1. A safety system for a vehicle, the system comprising a stability-regulating system, at least one secondary safety component, and an electronic interface in operative communication with both said stability-regulating system and said at least one secondary safety component, said at least one secondary safety component being constructed and arranged to occupy at least a normal state and a safety state, said electronic interface being adapted to direct said at least one secondary safety component between said normal state and said safety state based on regulating variable data received from said stability-regulating system.

2. The system according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle stability-regulating system includes at least one of an ESC system, an ABS, a CMS, an LDW system, an RSC system and a TPM system.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein said regulating variable data include at least one of longitudinal acceleration, lateral acceleration, distance to another object, time to collision with another object, slip angle, yaw, yaw rate, steering angle, lane departure warning signals, brake control signals, engine control signals, brake light signals, activation of a stability regulator and functional status of said stability-regulating system.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle includes at least one seat, and said at least one secondary safety component includes a seat belt and seat belt tightener.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle includes at least one seat, and said at least one secondary safety component includes a seat position adjuster.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein said vehicle includes at least one seat, and said at least one secondary safety component includes a seat inflater/deflater.

7. The system according to claim 1, wherein said electronic interface is integrated into said vehicle stability-regulating system.

8. The system according to claim 1, wherein said electronic interface is integrated into said at least one secondary safety component.

9. The system according to claim 1, wherein said electronic interface is adapted to effect a transition of said at least one secondary safety component between said normal state and said safety state at least one of continuously and stepwise.

10. The system according to claim 1, wherein said electronic interface is adapted to effect a transition of said at least one secondary safety component to said safety state when said regulating variable data reaches a preselected threshold value.

11. The system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one secondary safety component is constructed and arranged to occupy at least one transitional state between said normal state and said safety state, and said electronic interface is adapted to direct said at least one secondary safety component between and among said normal state, said at least one transitional state and said safety state based on said regulating variable data.

12. In a vehicle including a stability-regulating system and at least one secondary safety component, said at least one secondary safety component being constructed and arranged to occupy at least a normal state and a safety state, a method for effecting occupant safety comprising the steps of communicating regulating variable data generated by said stability-regulating system to said at least one secondary safety component and controlling said at least one secondary safety component between said normal state and said safety state based on said regulating variable data.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein said step of controlling said at least one secondary safety component based on said regulating variable data includes at least one of automatically tightening and loosening at least one seat belt of said vehicle.

14. The method according to claim 12, wherein said step of controlling said at least one secondary safety component based on said regulating variable data includes automatically adjusting a position of at least one seat of said vehicle.

15. The method according to claim 12, wherein said step of controlling said at least one secondary safety component based on said regulating variable data includes at least one of automatically inflating and deflating at least one seat of said vehicle.

16. The method according to claim 12, wherein said step of controlling said at least one secondary safety component between said normal state and said safety state is effected at least one of continuously and stepwise.

17. The method according to claim 12, wherein said step of controlling said at least one secondary safety component between said normal state and said safety state includes effecting a transition of said at least one secondary safety component to said safety state when said regulating variable data reaches a preselected threshold value.

18. The method according to claim 12, wherein said at least one secondary safety component is constructed and arranged to occupy at least one transitional state between said normal state and said safety state, and wherein said step of controlling said at least one secondary safety component is effected between and among said normal state, said at least one transitional state and said safety state based on said regulating variable data.