Adapting shoulder anchor for seatbelt

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11827175-B2
Application number	US-202117562551-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 27, 2021
Priority date	Dec 30, 2020
Publication date	Nov 28, 2023
Grant date	Nov 28, 2023

Abstract

Various implementations include a system for adjusting the position of a seatbelt in a vehicle. The system includes a shoulder anchor, at least one sensor, and a processor. The shoulder anchor is for receiving a seatbelt. The shoulder anchor is movable relative to a seat disposed within the vehicle. The processor is in electrical communication with the sensor and a memory. The processor executes computer-readable instructions stored on the memory. The instructions cause the processor to receive sensor data from the sensor, determine whether the seatbelt is within an expected area on a person in the seat based on the received sensor data, and cause the shoulder anchor to move relative to the seat in response to the seatbelt being outside of the expected area on the person in the seat such that the seatbelt is moved into the expected area.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A system for adjusting the position of a seatbelt in a vehicle, the system comprising:
a shoulder anchor for receiving a seatbelt, the shoulder anchor being movable relative to a seat disposed within the vehicle, wherein the shoulder anchor is capable of being disposed within a portion of the seat;
at least one sensor;
a servo motor for moving the shoulder anchor relative to the seat, wherein the servo motor is a two-axis servo motor for moving the shoulder anchor relative to the seat in two degrees of movement; and
a processor in electrical communication with the sensor and a memory, wherein the processor executes computer-readable instructions stored on the memory, the instructions causing the processor to:
receive sensor data from the sensor,
determine whether the seatbelt is within an expected area on a person in the seat based on the received sensor data, and
cause the shoulder anchor to move relative to the seat in response to the seatbelt being outside of the expected area on the person in the seat such that the seatbelt is moved into the expected area.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shoulder anchor is movable from a first position to a second position, wherein the first position is closer than the second position to a seat base of the seat.

3. The system of claim 1 , wherein the shoulder anchor is rotationally movable relative to the seat.

4. The system of claim 1 , wherein the at least one sensor comprises an imaging unit.

5. The system of claim 4 , wherein the imaging unit comprises a camera.

6. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data comprises an image and the processor determines the expected area of the seatbelt on the person based on a height of the person in the image relative to the seat.

7. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data comprises an image and the processor determines the expected area of the seatbelt on the person based on an orientation of the person in the image relative to the seat.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data comprises an image and the processor determines the expected area of the seatbelt on the person based on a gesture performed by the person in the image.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes information corresponding to an angle of a seat back of the seat relative to a seat base of the seat.

10. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes information corresponding to a detection of movement of the person in response to a previous movement of the shoulder anchor.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes information corresponding to a detection of movement of the person over a period of time.

12. The system of claim 1 , wherein the sensor data includes information corresponding to a detection of a pre-crash condition of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 1 , further including a linear actuator for moving the shoulder anchor relative to the seat.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the linear actuator is disposed within the seat.

15. The system of claim 1 , wherein the servo motor is disposed within the seat.

16. The system of claim 1 , further including webbing extending through a D-ring opening defined by the shoulder anchor, wherein movement of the shoulder anchor relative to the seat causes a change in the position and angle of the webbing relative to the seat when the webbing is in a buckled position.

Assignees

• Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition Llc

Inventors

• Reed Steve
• Cech Len

Classifications

• B60R22/48 Primary

  Control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness · CPC title

• B60R21/0134

  responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle {, e.g. using radar systems} · CPC title

• B60R21/01512

  Passenger detection systems · CPC title

• B60R22/20

  adjustable in position, e.g. in height · CPC title

• B60R21/01544 Primary

  detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment · CPC title