Connector Assembly

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-2024042961-A1
Application number	US-202318224128-A
Country	US
Kind code	A1
Filing date	Jul 20, 2023
Priority date	Aug 2, 2022
Publication date	Feb 8, 2024
Grant date	—

Abstract

A system for securing a restraint system includes a retractor enclosing a spool, a sensor coupled to the spool, and a motor coupled to the spool and configured to rotate the spool about a spool rotation axis. The system also includes webbing configured to be wound and unwound from around the spool. An automatic locking retractor mode is enabled and disabled to selectively and automatically lock the retractor to prevent rotation of the spool when a predetermined length of the webbing is unwound from the spool.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1 . A system, comprising:
a retractor configured to be coupled to a vehicle body of a vehicle, the retractor including a spool, a rotation sensor coupled to the spool, and a motor coupled to the spool and configured to rotate the spool about a spool rotation axis; and a webbing configured to be wound and unwound from around the spool, wherein the motor is configured to selectively activate an auto locking retractor mode and automatically arrest the retractor to prevent rotation of the spool when a predetermined length of the webbing is unwound from the spool, and the motor is configured to selectively reactivate the auto locking retractor mode when a restraint system is secured in the vehicle.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the auto locking retractor mode is configured to be selectively disabled to allow the webbing to be unwound from the spool and activate retraction of the webbing of the spool around the spool rotation axis to wind the webbing around the spool.

3 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a vehicle sensor configured to detect the restraint system, and the auto locking retractor mode is activated when the vehicle sensor detects the restraint system within an interior of the vehicle.

4 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the auto locking retractor mode is disengaged when the vehicle sensor detects the webbing is extended to the predetermined length and secured to the restraint system and the auto locking retractor mode is engaged to initiate retraction of the webbing when the vehicle sensor detects an installation position of the restraint system.

5 . The system of claim 3 , wherein the vehicle sensor is configured to determine when the restraint system includes a top tether, and when the top tether is included, a safety check is performed to determine if the top tether is correctly installed.

6 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a voice sensor, and the auto locking retractor mode is configured to activate when the voice sensor receives a predetermined voice command.

7 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising a user interface, and the auto locking retractor mode is configured to activate when the user interface receives a user command.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the motor is configured to activate to prevent rotation of the spool when the predetermined length of the webbing is unwound from the spool.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the auto locking retractor mode is configured to activate when the rotation sensor determines that the spool has unwound a predetermined length of webbing.

10 . The system of claim 1 , further comprising:
a latch plate attached to an end of the webbing; and a buckle coupled to the vehicle and configured to receive the latch plate, wherein the auto locking retractor mode is configured to deactivate and retraction of the webbing is configured to be initiated when the latch plate is received by the buckle.

11 . A vehicle, comprising:
a seat; and a system for securing a restraint system, comprising:
a retractor including a spool, a rotation sensor coupled to the spool, and a retractor assembly coupled to the spool and configured to control a rotation of the spool about a spool rotation axis; and
a seatbelt webbing coupled at one end to the spool and configured to be wound and unwound from around the spool,
wherein the retractor assembly is configured to be selectively disabled to allow extension of the seatbelt webbing to secure the restraint system in the vehicle and selectively enabled to automatically retract the seatbelt webbing to cinch the restraint system to the seat.

12 . The vehicle of claim 11 , further comprising a vehicle sensor configured to detect the restraint system, and an auto locking retractor mode is configured to activate when the vehicle sensor detects the restraint system within an interior of the vehicle.

13 . The vehicle of claim 12 , wherein the auto locking retractor mode is configured to disengage when the vehicle sensor detects the seatbelt webbing is extended to a predetermined length and secured to the restraint system and the auto locking retractor mode is configured to engage to initiate retraction of the seatbelt webbing when the vehicle sensor detects the restraint system is positioned on the seat.

14 . The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein the vehicle sensor is configured to determine when the restraint system includes a top tether based on sensor information, and when the top tether is included, the vehicle sensor is configured to initiate a safety check to determine if the top tether is correctly installed.

15 . The vehicle of claim 12 , further comprising a user interface, and the auto locking retractor mode is configured to activate when the user interface receives a user command.

16 . The vehicle of claim 11 , further comprising a seatbelt buckle coupled to the vehicle and a latch plate attached to an end of the seatbelt webbing, wherein the seatbelt buckle is configured to receive the latch plate and retraction of the seatbelt webbing is configured to initiate when the latch plate is received by the seatbelt buckle.

17 . A method for installing a restraint system in a vehicle, comprising:
determining an installation status of the restraint system; automatically locking a seatbelt webbing of the vehicle in an extended position to allow the seatbelt webbing to engage with and secure the restraint system; and automatically retracting the seatbelt webbing when installation of the restraint system is complete.

18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein automatically locking the seatbelt webbing in the extended position includes disengaging an auto locking retractor mode of a seatbelt retractor coupled with the seatbelt webbing.

19 . The method of claim 17 , wherein automatically retracting the seatbelt webbing is initiated when a command is received via a user interface of the vehicle.

20 . The method of claim 17 , wherein automatically retracting the seatbelt webbing is initiated when a latch plate coupled with the seatbelt webbing is received in a seatbelt buckle coupled with the vehicle.

Assignees

• Apple Inc

Inventors

• Dennis Nathaniel J

Classifications

• B60R22/343 Primary

  with electrically actuated locking means {(B60R22/3405 takes precedence)} · CPC title

• B60R22/02

  Semi-passive restraint systems, e.g. systems applied or removed automatically but not both {; Manual restraint systems (knee, leg or head belts B60R22/001; devices for releasing in an emergency, remote or automatic unbuckling devices B60R22/32)} · CPC title

• B60R22/48

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

• B60R2022/029

  Belt storage; Devices or systems for controlling winding up of unused seat belt · CPC title

• B60R2022/4833

  for sensing locking of retractor · CPC title