Method for operation of a safety arrangement in a vehicle

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9604594-B2
Application number	US-201514925326-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Oct 28, 2015
Priority date	Nov 6, 2014
Publication date	Mar 28, 2017
Grant date	Mar 28, 2017

Abstract

A method is provided for operation of a safety arrangement in a vehicle. The safety arrangement comprises a seat belt, a seat belt retractor and at least one seat position adjustment arrangement for position adjustment of a seat of the vehicle and/or a portion of the seat. The method comprises a refraction of the seat belt by means of the seat belt retractor with a retraction force, and a pre-crash displacement of the seat and/or the portion of the seat resulting in a displacement force acting on the seat belt. The method further comprises adapting the pre-crash displacement and the refraction of the seat belt to each other by ascertaining that a combined seat belt force comprising the refraction force and the displacement force does not exceed a selectable level. The disclosure further relates to a safety arrangement for a vehicle and a vehicle comprising such a safety arrangement.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for operation of a safety arrangement in a vehicle, the safety arrangement comprising a seat belt, a seat belt retractor and at least one seat position adjustment arrangement for position adjustment of a seat of the vehicle and/or a portion of the seat, the method comprising:
retracting the seat belt by the seat belt retractor with a retraction force;
displacing the seat and/or the portion of the seat prior to a crash, such that a displacement force acts on the seat belt; and
adapting the pre-crash displacement and the retraction of the seat belt to each other by ascertaining that a combined seat belt force comprising the retraction force and the displacement force does not exceed a selectable level.

2. The method according to claim 1 wherein the adapting comprises stopping or slowing down the pre-crash displacement of the seat or the portion of the seat if determined that the combined seat belt force is about to reach the selectable level.

3. The method according to claim 1 wherein the adapting comprises releasing the seat belt during the pre-crash displacement, such that the releasing at least partly corresponds to a tightening of the seat belt caused by the pre-crash displacement of the seat or the portion of the seat.

4. The method according to claim 1 wherein the adapting comprises first starting the pre-crash displacement, and at a later point of time performing the retraction of the seat belt.

5. The method according to claim 4 wherein the adapting comprises performing the retraction simultaneously with a part of the pre-crash displacement.

6. The method according to claim 1 wherein the pre-crash displacement comprises displacing the seat in relation to a body of the vehicle and/or displacing a seat back in relation to a seat squab.

7. The method according to claim 1 wherein the combined seat belt force is monitored by determining if the seat belt is actually being retracted when the seat belt retractor is activated.

8. The method according to claim 1 wherein the selectable level of the combined seat belt force is selectable based on vehicle occupant data.

9. A safety arrangement for a vehicle having a seat, the safety arrangement comprising:
a seat belt;
a seat belt retractor adapted for retraction of the seat belt with a retraction force;
at least one seat position adjustment arrangement adapted for a pre-crash displacement of the seat and/or a portion of the seat, the pre-crash displacement resulting in a displacement force acting on the seat belt;
a first sensor for determining a combined seat belt force acting on the seat belt, the combined seat belt force comprising the retraction force and the displacement force; and
a processor for adapting the pre-crash displacement and the retraction of the seat belt to each other by ascertaining that the combined seat belt force does not exceed a selectable level.

10. The safety arrangement according to claim 9 wherein the at least one seat position adjustment arrangement comprises a seat back inclination adjustment arrangement adapted to displace a seat back of the seat.

11. The safety arrangement according to claim 9 wherein the first sensor comprises a sensor for determining pulled out length of the seat belt.

12. The safety arrangement according to claim 9 wherein the first sensor comprises a sensor for determining speed of a motor of the seat belt retractor.

13. The safety arrangement according to claim 9 further comprising a second sensor for determining a position of the seat, to which the seat belt is associated, or for determining a position of a portion of the seat.

14. The safety arrangement according to claim 9 further comprising a system for detecting a collision or an imminent collision involving the vehicle.

15. A vehicle comprising the safety arrangement according to claim 9 .

16. A safety arrangement for a vehicle having a seat, a seat belt associated with the seat and a seat belt retractor adapted for retraction of the seat belt with a retraction force, the safety arrangement comprising:
at least one seat position adjustment arrangement adapted for a pre-crash displacement of the seat and/or a portion of the seat, the pre-crash displacement resulting in a displacement force acting on the seat belt;
a first sensor for determining a combined seat belt force acting on the seat belt, the combined seat belt force comprising the retraction force and the displacement force; and
a processor for adapting the pre-crash displacement and the retraction of the seat belt to each other by ascertaining that the combined seat belt force does not exceed a selectable level.

17. The safety arrangement according to claim 16 wherein the at least one seat position adjustment arrangement comprises a seat back inclination adjustment arrangement adapted to displace a seat back of the seat and/or an arrangement for positioning the seat in relation to a body of the vehicle.

18. The method according to claim 1 further comprising determining pulled out length of the seat belt using a sensor.

19. The method according to claim 1 further comprising determining speed of a motor of the seat belt retractor using a sensor.

20. The method according to claim 1 further comprising sensing position of the seat or sensing position of the portion of the seat.

Assignees

• Volvo Car Corp

Inventors

• Harda Peter
• Axelson Ii Anders
• Berge Stefan
• Nilsson Par

Classifications

• B60R2300/301

  combining image information with other obstacle sensor information, e.g. using RADAR/LIDAR/SONAR sensors for estimating risk of collision · CPC title

• B60R21/01 Primary

  Electrical circuits for triggering {passive} safety arrangements, {e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners,} in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents {(electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343)} · CPC title

• B60N2/42727

  involving substantially rigid displacement · CPC title

• B60R2022/4685

  with means to adjust or regulate the tensioning force in relation to external parameters · 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