Method and system for electronically operating a vehicle occupant seat safety restraint system

• US 8,165,760 B2
• Filed: 05/05/2009
• Issued: 04/24/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 05/05/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Cuddihy, Mark, Rao, Manoharprasad K., Prasad, Priya
• Primary Examiner(s): Black, Thomas
• Assistant Examiner(s): Lewandroski, Sara
• Application Number:
  US12/435,922
• Publication Number:
  US 20100286873A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,085 Days
• Field of Search: 701/36, 701/45, 297/464, 297/468, 297/474, 297/476, 297/477
• US Class Current: 701/45
• 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

Abstract

An electrically activated, electronically controlled web grabber in conjunction with a pre-impact braking system that holds the vehicle safety belt from the moment of activation, restricting forward movement of the occupant and can be activated prior to the impact to ensure occupant containment and deactivated upon command in order to release after an accident is avoided, or once the impact has started to allow other safety devices to take over control of the belts, for example, by load limiters.

Claims

1. A method to electronically operate a vehicle occupant restraint safety system in association with a vehicle seat, comprising:

(a) determining, by means of at least one collision warning system, whether a vehicle collision event is imminent, and if so activating pre-impact braking and electronically activating via a solenoid in communication with a restraint control module a seatbelt web grabber having a clamping mechanism;

(b) following activation of pre-impact braking and the seatbelt web grabber, determining whether an actual vehicle collision event has occurred, and if so activating a vehicle occupant restraint safety system and deactivating said seatbelt web grabber.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said vehicle occupant restraint safety system is a safety restraint system comprising airbags and seatbelts.

3. The method of claim 1, further including, following determination that the actual vehicle collision event occurred, enabling seat belt load limiters in response to deactivating the seatbelt web.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said clamping mechanism of the seatbelt grabber is spring loaded.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein at least one vehicle collision warning system comprises a Lidar, Radar, optical or ultrasonic sensor.

6. A system for electronically operating a vehicle occupant restraint safety system in association with a vehicle seat, comprising:

(a) means for determining, by means of at least one collision warning system, whether a vehicle collision event is imminent, and if so means for activating pre-impact braking and means for electronically activating using a solenoid in communication with a restraint control module a seatbelt web grabber having a retractor lock mechanism;

(b) following activation of pre-impact braking and the seatbelt web grabber, means for determining whether an actual vehicle collision event has occurred, and if so means for deactivating said seatbelt web grabber and means for activating a vehicle occupant restraint safety system.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the seatbelt web grabber is spring loaded.