REMOTE CONTROL SEATBELT HEIGHT ADJUSTER

• US 20150232061A1
• Filed: 02/17/2014
• Published: 08/20/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 02/17/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Cuddihy, Mark A., Rao, Manoharprasad K.
• Granted Patent: US 9,421,944 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• 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: B60R 16/037 for occupant comfort , e.g. for automatic adjustment of appliances according to personal settings, e.g. seats, mirrors, steering wheel
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/1818 Belt guides
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/208 by automatic or remote control means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/485 for sensing belt anchor position, belt orientation, or the like
• 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 22/24 secured to the side, door, or roof of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness

Abstract

An apparatus for positioning a vehicle restraint is provided herein having a track and a restraint support configured to slide along the track. A positioner is coupled to the restraint support and a motor, coupled to the positioner, is operable to adjust a position of the restraint support. A switch is in communication with the motor and the motor is operable to adjust the position of the restraint support in response an input to the switch. An apparatus for identifying the occupant and automatically positioning of a vehicle restraint is also provided.

Claims

1. An apparatus for positioning a vehicle seatbelt support comprising:

a track;

a support configured to slide along the track;

a positioner coupled to the support;

an actuator coupled to the positioner and operable to adjust a position of the support; and

an input in communication with the actuator, wherein the actuator is operable to adjust the position of the support in response the input.

2. The apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a controller operable to record a plurality of positions of the positioner.

3. The apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising an occupant identifier, wherein the controller is operable to recall each of the plurality of positions in response to an occupant identification.

4. The apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the occupant identification is communicated to the controller via an occupant identification device.

5. The apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the occupant identification device comprises an optical vision system configured to distinguish at least one of characteristic of the occupant.

6. A system for positioning a vehicle seatbelt support comprising:

a track;

a support configured to slide along the track;

an actuator coupled to a positioner, the actuator operable to adjust a position of the restraint support along a longitudinal axis of the track via the positioner; and

a positioning device operable to locate the support along the longitudinal axis.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein the actuator comprises a motor and the positioning device is operable to detect a rotation of the motor.

8. The system according to claim 7, wherein the rotation of the motor is detected by a sensor operable to detect a proximity of a plurality of gear teeth in rotational communication with the motor.

9. The system according to claim 6, further comprising a magnetic array positioned along the longitudinal axis of the track.

10. The system according to claim 9, wherein the magnetic array comprises a plurality of evenly spaced magnetic poles distributed along the longitudinal axis of the track.

11. The system according to claim 9, wherein the magnetic array comprises a magneto-resistive sensor operable to detect the position of the sensor along the longitudinal axis of the track.

12. The system according to claim 11, wherein the magneto-resistive sensor is connected to the restraint support.

13. The system according to claim 6, further comprising electro-magnetic coil transmitters connected to electrical coils along the longitudinal axis of the track

14. The system according to claim 13, wherein the electro-magnetic coil transmitters and coils further comprise an inductive target coil to sense the position of the sensor along the longitudinal axis of the track.

15. The system according to claim 14, wherein the inductive target coil is connected to the restraint support.

16. A method for adjusting a vehicle seatbelt support comprising:

detecting a vehicle occupant;

identifying a profile for the occupant in a controller in response to the occupant;

accessing data for the profile from the controller, the data comprising a position of a restraint support; and

positioning the support according to the position.

17. The method according to claim 16, further comprising receiving an input from the occupant to adjust the position of the restraint support.

18. The method according to claim 17, further comprising recording the position of the restraint support to the controller.

19. The method according to claim 16, wherein identifying the vehicle occupant comprises searching for an occupant identification signal.

20. The method according to claim 16, wherein identifying the vehicle occupant comprises searching an optical image for at least one feature identifying the occupant.