Seat belt and movement control method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-11897416-B2
Application number	US-202217842673-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jun 16, 2022
Priority date	Aug 11, 2021
Publication date	Feb 13, 2024
Grant date	Feb 13, 2024

Abstract

A seat belt to increase a force for restraining a passenger's lower body in a sitting state of a relaxation mode while satisfying existing laws in a normal sitting state and to a movement control method thereof includes an anchor unit provided on a lower portion of a first side surface of a seat and configured for allowing webbing of the seat belt to be locked thereto and an anchor moving apparatus configured to move the anchor unit forwards and backwards thereof, and to a movement control method thereof.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A seat belt apparatus, comprising:
an anchor unit provided on a lower portion of a first side surface of a seat and configured for allowing webbing of the seat belt apparatus to be locked thereto; and
an anchor moving apparatus configured to move the anchor unit forwards and backwards thereof,
wherein the anchor moving apparatus includes:
a motor configured to provide rotational force; and
a motion conversion apparatus configured to linearly move the anchor unit by converting rotation motion of the motor into linear motion of the anchor unit,

wherein the motion conversion apparatus includes:
a screw provided before and after the seat and configured to be rotated by the rotational force transmitted from the motor; and
a carrier coupled to the anchor unit, including a screw hole formed in the carrier for the screw to be inserted into and engaged to the screw hole, and configured to move forwards and backwards together with the anchor unit according to a rotation of the screw,

wherein an upper pulley is coupled to a shaft of the motor,
wherein a lower pulley is coupled to the screw, and
wherein the upper pulley and the lower pulley are coupled by a power transmission belt to transmit the rotational force of the motor to the screw.

2. The seat belt apparatus of claim 1 ,
wherein front and rear end portions of the screw are rotatably supported by bearings.

3. The seat belt apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the anchor moving apparatus is provided on the seat.

4. The seat belt apparatus of claim 1 , further including:
a controller configured to move the anchor unit forwards and backwards by controlling operation of the motor when a state of the seat determined based on a position of the seat satisfies a forward movement state or a backward movement state of the anchor unit.

5. The seat belt apparatus of claim 1 , further including:
a buckle provided on a lower portion of a second side surface of the seat and configured to allow a tongue of the seat belt apparatus to be fastened thereto; and
a buckle moving apparatus configured to move the buckle forwards and backwards thereof.

6. The seat belt apparatus of claim 5 , wherein the buckle moving apparatus includes:
a motor configured to provide rotational force; and
a motion conversion apparatus configured to linearly move the buckle by converting rotation motion of the motor of the buckle moving apparatus into linear motion of the buckle.

7. The seat belt apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the motion conversion apparatus of the buckle moving apparatus includes:
a screw provided before and after the seat and configured to be rotated by the rotational force transmitted from the motor of the buckle moving apparatus; and
a carrier coupled to the buckle, including a screw hole formed in the carrier of the buckle moving apparatus for the screw to be inserted into and engaged to the screw hole of the buckle moving apparatus, and configured to move forwards and backwards together with the buckle according to a rotation of the screw of the buckle moving apparatus.

8. The seat belt apparatus of claim 7 , further including:
an upper pulley coupled to a shaft of the motor of the buckle moving apparatus;
a lower pulley coupled to the screw of the buckle moving apparatus; and
wherein the upper pulley and the lower pulley of the buckle moving apparatus are coupled by a power transmission belt of the buckle moving apparatus to transmit the rotational force of the motor of the buckle moving apparatus to the screw of the buckle moving apparatus.

9. The seat belt apparatus of claim 8 ,
wherein front and rear end portions of the screw of the buckle moving apparatus are rotatably supported by bearings.

10. The seat belt apparatus of claim 6 , wherein the buckle moving apparatus is provided on the seat.

11. The seat belt apparatus of claim 6 , further including:
a controller configured to control operation of the motor of the buckle moving apparatus to move the anchor unit forwards and backwards when an opening state or a closing state of a door and a fastening state of the buckle satisfy a forward movement state or a backward movement state of the anchor unit.

12. A movement control method for the seat belt apparatus of claim 1 , the method including:
determining, by a controller, a seat state to determine a state of the seat based on a position of the seat; and
controlling, by the controller, movement of the anchor unit to move the anchor unit forwards and backwards when the state of the seat satisfies a forward movement state or a backward movement state of the anchor unit to which the webbing of the seat belt apparatus is fastened.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the forward movement state of the anchor unit is satisfied when the state of the seat is a relaxation mode while a buckle is fastened.

14. The method of claim 12 , further including:
controlling movement of the buckle to move the buckle forwards and backwards when a state of a vehicle and a fastening state of the buckle satisfy a forward movement state or a backward movement state of the buckle.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the forward movement state of the buckle is satisfied when a door of the vehicle is open.

16. The method of claim 14 , wherein the backward movement state of the buckle is satisfied when the buckle is fastened.

Assignees

• Hyundai Motor Co Ltd
• Kia Corp
• Samsong Ind Ltd

Inventors

• Kim Dae Woon
• Sung Il Chang
• Song Won Ryong
• Park Jung Woo

Classifications

• B60R22/20 Primary

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

• B60R22/26

  secured to the seat · CPC title

• B60R2022/208

  by automatic or remote control means · CPC title

• B60R22/03 Primary

  Means for presenting the belt or part thereof to the wearer {, e.g. foot-operated} · CPC title

• B60R22/201 Primary

  with the belt anchor connected to a slider movable in a vehicle-mounted track (for passive restraint systems B60R22/06) · CPC title