Control device for seat belt of vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11590928-B2
Application number	US-201916597918-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 10, 2019
Priority date	Oct 12, 2018
Publication date	Feb 28, 2023
Grant date	Feb 28, 2023

Abstract

A control device for a seat belt of a vehicle includes a retracting unit configured to retract the seat belt, a departure detection unit configured to detect a departure of the vehicle from a lane; a vehicle speed sensor configured to measure a vehicle speed; and an electronic control unit configured to operate the retracting unit when both a first condition and a second condition are satisfied. The first condition is a condition that the departure detection unit detects the departure of the vehicle from the lane, and the second condition is a condition that the vehicle speed is equal to or higher than a prescribed speed, and the electronic control unit is configured not to operate the retracting unit when the first condition is satisfied and the second condition is not satisfied.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A control device for a seat belt of a vehicle, the control device comprising:
a seat belt mechanism configured to retract the seat belt with a driving force of a motor;
a camera configured to detect a departure of the vehicle from a lane;
a vehicle speed sensor configured to measure a vehicle speed of the vehicle; and
an electronic control unit configured not to operate the seat belt mechanism in response to determining a first condition is satisfied and a second condition is not satisfied,
the first condition being a condition that the camera detects the departure of the vehicle from the lane, and the second condition being a condition that the vehicle speed measured by the vehicle speed sensor is equal to or higher than a prescribed speed; and
an angle measurement unit configured to measure an approach angle of the vehicle toward an outside of the lane at a time of the departure of the vehicle from the lane, wherein:
the electronic control unit is configured to operate the seat belt mechanism in response to determining all of the first condition, the second condition and a third condition are satisfied, the third condition being a condition that the approach angle measured by the angle measurement unit is equal to or larger than a prescribed angle; and
the electronic control unit is configured not to operate the seat belt mechanism in response to determining both the first condition and the second condition are satisfied and the third condition is not satisfied.

2. A control device for a seat belt of a vehicle, the control device comprising:
a seat belt mechanism configured to retract the seat belt with a driving force of a motor;
a camera configured to detect a departure of the vehicle from a lane;
a radar device configured to detect presence or absence of a structure outside the lane; and
an electronic control unit configured not to operate the seat belt mechanism in response to determining a first condition is satisfied and a second condition is not satisfied,
the first condition being a condition that the camera detects the departure of the vehicle from the lane, and the second condition being a condition that the structure radar device detects the structure, wherein:
the electronic control unit is configured not to operate the seat belt mechanism in response to determining all of the first condition, the second condition and a third condition are satisfied; and
the third condition is a condition in which the electronic control unit determines that the vehicle is allowed to return to a lane.

3. A control device for a seat belt of a vehicle, the control device comprising:
a seat belt mechanism configured to retract the seat belt with a driving force of a motor;
a camera configured to detect a departure of the vehicle from a lane;
an acceleration sensor configured to measure an acceleration of the vehicle; and
an electronic control unit configured to operate the seat belt mechanism in response to determining both a first condition and a second condition are satisfied,
the first condition being a condition that the camera detects the departure of the vehicle from the lane, and the second condition being a condition that the acceleration measured by the acceleration sensor is equal to or larger than a prescribed acceleration; and
the electronic control unit being configured not to operate the seat belt mechanism in response to determining the first condition is satisfied and the second condition is not satisfied.

4. The control device according to claim 1 , further comprising:
a load sensor configured to measure a load input to the vehicle; and
a pretensioner that retracts the seat belt earlier than the seat belt mechanism does when the load measured by the load sensor exceeds a prescribed load, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to lower the prescribed load in response to the camera detecting the departure of the vehicle from the lane.

5. The control device according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a load sensor configured to measure a load input to the vehicle; and
a pretensioner that retracts the seat belt earlier than the seat belt mechanism does when the load measured by the load sensor exceeds a prescribed load, wherein
the electronic control unit is configured to lower the prescribed load in response to the camera detecting the departure of the vehicle from the lane.

6. The control device according to claim 3 , further comprising:
a load sensor configured to measure a load input to the vehicle; and
a pretensioner that retracts the seat belt earlier than the seat belt mechanism does when the load measured by the load sensor exceeds a prescribed load, wherein the electronic control unit is configured to lower the prescribed load in response to the camera detecting the departure of the vehicle from the lane.

7. The control device according to claim 1 , wherein the seat belt comprises:
a webbing;
a winding unit including a spool configured to wind the webbing; and
a spring configured to urge the spool in a direction in which the webbing is wound.

8. The control device according to claim 7 , wherein the seat belt mechanism comprises:
a motor disposed on a side of the spool.

9. The control device according to claim 2 , wherein the seat belt comprises:
a webbing;
a winding unit including a spool configured to wind the webbing; and
a spring configured to urge the spool in a direction in which the webbing is wound.

10. The control device according to claim 9 , wherein the seat belt mechanism comprises:
a motor disposed on a side of the spool.

11. The control device according to claim 3 , wherein the seat belt comprises:
a webbing;
a winding unit including a spool configured to wind the webbing; and
a spring configured to urge the spool in a direction in which the webbing is wound.

12. The control device according to claim 11 , wherein the seat belt mechanism comprises:
a motor disposed on a side of the spool.

13. A control device for a seat belt of a vehicle, the control device comprising:
a seat belt mechanism configured to retract the seat belt with a driving force of a motor;
a camera configured to detect a departure of the vehicle from a lane;
a vehicle speed sensor configured to measure a vehicle speed of the vehicle;
a load sensor configured to measure a load input to the vehicle;
a pretensioner that retracts the seat belt earlier than the seat belt mechanism does when the load measured by the load sensor exceeds a prescribed load; and
an electronic control unit configured to:
lower the prescribed load in response to the camera detecting the departure of the vehicle from the lane; and
operate the seat belt mechanism in response to determining both a first condition and a second condition are satisfied,

the first condition being a condition that the camera detects the departure of the vehicle from the lane, and the second condition being a condition that the vehicle speed measured by the vehicle speed sensor is equal to or higher than a prescribed speed; and
the electronic control unit being configured not to operate the seat belt mechanism in response to determining the first condition is satisfied and the second condition is not satisfied.

14. The control device according to claim 13 , wherein the seat belt comprises:
a webbing;
a winding unit including a spool configured to wind the webbing; and
a spring configured to urge the spool in a direction in which the webbing is wound.

15. The control device according to claim 14 , wherein the seat belt mechanism comprises:
a motor dispose

Assignees

• Toyota Motor Co Ltd

Inventors

• Nezaki Takuya
• Sugiyama Motoki
• KOMENO Fumihito

Classifications

• B60W10/20

  including control of steering systems · CPC title

• B60R22/46 Primary

  {Reels} with means to tension the belt in an emergency {by forced winding up}(electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01 {; tensioners using reels only guiding the belt during normal use, e.g. splitted reels B60R22/195}) · CPC title

• B60W30/085

  Taking automatic action to adjust vehicle attitude in preparation for collision, e.g. braking for nose dropping · CPC title

• B60W30/12

  Lane keeping · CPC title

• B60R2022/4666

  characterised by electric actuators · CPC title