Seatbelt-fastening prompting apparatus

• US 6,992,571 B2
• Filed: 12/18/2003
• Issued: 01/31/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/19/2002
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Honma, Takayuki, Wagatsuma, Takashi, Ota, Katsuhisa
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope, Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US10/738,116
• Publication Number:
  US 20040178901A1
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• Field of Search: 340/407.1, 340/425.5, 340/438, 340/439, 340/457.1, 340/457
• US Class Current: 340/407.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4816 for sensing locking of buckle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4866 Displaying or indicating arrangements thereof
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/48 Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/046 Adaptations on rotatable parts of the steering wheel for accommodation of switches

Abstract

A seatbelt-fastening prompting apparatus which includes; a seatbelt fastening detector for detecting whether a seatbelt is fastened or unfastened; a vibrator for vibrating a steering wheel; and a controller for activating the vibrator when an ignition switch is turned on and the seatbelt fastening detector detects the seatbelt as being unfastened.

Claims

1. A seatbelt-fastening prompting apparatus, comprising:

a seatbelt fastening detector for detecting whether a seatbelt is fastened or unfastened;

a vibrator for vibrating a steering wheel; and

a controller for activating the vibrator when an ignition switch is turned on and the seatbelt fastening detector detects the seatbelt as being unfastened.

2. The seatbelt-fastening prompting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vibrator includes a vibrating element for partially vibrating the steering wheel.

3. The seatbelt-fastening prompting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the vibrating element is accommodated in a recess formed in an inner material of the steering wheel, and is held by a bracket which is in contact with a back surface of a cover material covering the inner material, and vibrations generated by the vibrating element are transmitted through the bracket.

4. The seatbelt-fastening prompting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein a plurality of the vibrating elements are provided in a plurality of spots of the steering wheel, and at least one of the plurality of vibrating elements is selectively vibrated depending on a vehicle speed.

5. The seatbelt-fastening prompting apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the vibrating element is fixed to an oscillatable mass of a dynamic damper provided on the steering wheel, and the mass is configured to interfere with a part of the steering wheel when oscillated by the vibrating element and generate a sound.

6. The seatbelt-fastening prompting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a parking brake detector for detecting whether a parking brake is applied or released,

wherein the controller activates the vibrator when the ignition switch is turned on, the parking brake detector detects the parking brake as being released, and the seatbelt fastening detector detects the seatbelt as being unfastened.

7. The seatbelt-fastening prompting apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising:

a parking brake detector for detecting whether a parking brake is applied or released; and

a gear range detector for detecting whether a transmission is shifted to a drive range,

wherein the controller activates the vibrator when the parking brake is released, the transmission is shifted to the drive range, and the seatbelt fastening detector detects the seatbelt as being unfastened.

8. The seatbelt-fastening prompting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller activates the vibrator when the seatbelt fastening detector detects the seatbelt as being unfastened on at least one of seats with a driver or a passenger seated thereon.

9. The seatbelt-fastening prompting apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the controller activates the vibrator intermittently whilst a vehicle is stopped and continuously after start of the vehicle.

10. A method for prompting a seatbelt-fastening, comprising:

detecting with a seatbelt fastening detector whether a seatbelt is fastened or unfastened;

vibrating a steering wheel with a vibrator attached thereon; and

controlling the vibrator to activate the vibrator when an ignition switch is turned on and the detector detects the seatbelt as being unfastened.

11. The method for prompting a seatbelt-fastening according to claim 10, further comprising:

detecting with a parking brake detector whether a parking brake is applied or released,

wherein the vibrator is controlled to be activated when the ignition switch is turned on, the detector detects the seatbelt as being unfastened, and the parking brake detector detects the parking brake as being released.

12. The method for prompting a seatbelt-fastening according to claim 10, wherein the vibrator is controlled to be activated when the seatbelt is unfastened on at least one of seats with a driver or a passenger seated thereon.

13. The method for prompting a seatbelt-fastening according to claim 10, wherein the vibrator is controlled to be activated when the seatbelt fastening detector detects the seatbelt as being unfastened on at least one of seats with a driver or a passenger seated thereon.

14. The method for prompting a seatbelt-fastening according to claim 10, wherein the vibrator is controlled to be activated intermittently whilst a vehicle is stopped and continuously after start of the vehicle.

15. A seatbelt-fastening prompting apparatus, comprising:

detecting means for detecting whether a seatbelt is fastened or unfastened;

vibrating means for vibrating a steering wheel; and

controlling means for activating the vibrating means when an ignition switch is turned on and the seatbelt detecting means detects the seatbelt as being unfastened.