Abstract
A pre-collision system for an occupant protection system of a vehicle, includes a predictive sensor system, a vehicle seat, a restraint system, and an evaluation and control unit that evaluates output signals of the predictive sensor system and activates a belt tensioning function of the restraint system if the evaluation of the output signals indicates an imminent collision, where the belt tensioning function generates a tensile force in the belt, which presses a corresponding occupant into the vehicle seat, with a resulting kinetic energy of the occupant that releases a pre-trigger mechanism, which is integrated into a mounting of the vehicle seat, and that enables a blocked degree of freedom of the vehicle seat so that the entire vehicle seat tilts about a defined tilt axis in the direction of an expected impact force.
Claims
1-10. (canceled)
11. An occupant protection system of a vehicle, the system comprising: a predictive sensor system; a vehicle seat; a mounting on which the vehicle seat is mounted and that includes a tilt trigger; a belt corresponding to the seat; and a processor, wherein the processor is configured to: evaluate output signals of the predictive sensor system; determine based on the evaluation that a collision is imminent; and responsive to the determination of the imminent collision, activate a belt tensioning function that generates in the belt a tensile force that presses an occupant into the seat and results in a kinetic energy of the occupant that causes the tilt trigger to enable the seat to tilt about a defined tilt axis in a direction of an expected impact force of the collision.
12. The system of claim 11, wherein the tilt trigger includes at least one hinged bearing on which the vehicle seat is supported so as to be tiltable about the tilt axis.
13. The system of claim 11, wherein the tilt trigger includes at least one rail in which there is a guide opening in which a mount of the seat is guidable between a starting position during a normal operation and an end position into which the mount is guided in response to the kinetic energy.
14. The system of claim 13, wherein: the at least one hinged bearing and the at least one rail are positioned longitudinally movably in the mounting; and the at least one hinged bearing is situated behind or in front of the at least one rail with respect to a front end of the vehicle.
15. The system of claim 13, wherein the guide opening is a slotted hole that extends upwards with an inclination in the direction of the expected impact force.
16. The system of claim 13, wherein the at least one rail includes a lock that retains the mount in the starting position during normal operation and releases the mount in response to the kinetic energy.
17. The system of claim 16, wherein the lock is constructed as a conical narrowing of the guide opening.
18. The system of claim 16, wherein the lock is constructed as a spring element that is arranged to act perpendicularly to a longitudinal extension of the guide opening.
19. The system of claim 16, wherein the lock is a switchable detent that is arranged to, at different times, free and block the guide opening.
20. An occupant protection device of a vehicle, the device comprising: a processor that is configured to: evaluate output signals of a predictive sensor system; determine based on the evaluation that a collision is imminent; and responsive to the determination of the imminent collision, activate a belt tensioning function that generates in a belt of a vehicle seat a tensile force that presses an occupant into the seat and results in a kinetic energy of the occupant that causes a tilt trigger to enable the seat to tilt about a defined tilt axis in a direction of an expected impact force of the collision.
Description
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of a pre-collision system for an occupant protection system of a vehicle, where a vehicle seat is in a starting position, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.
[0020] FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of the pre-collision system where he vehicle seat is in an end position, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.
[0021] FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a pre-collision system for an occupant protection system of a vehicle, where the vehicle seat is in the end position, according to another example embodiment of the present invention.
[0022] FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of a rail piece for the pre-collision system of FIGS. 1-3, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.
[0023] FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of a rail piece for the pre-collision system of FIGS. 1-3, according to another example embodiment of the present invention.
[0024] FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of a rail piece for the pre-collision system of FIGS. 1-3, according to another example embodiment of the present invention.
[0025] FIG. 7 is a block diagram of an occupant protection system for a vehicle, according to an example embodiment of the present invention.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0026] As is apparent from FIGS. 1-7, the depicted example embodiments of a pre-collision system 7 of the present invention, for an occupant protection system 1 of a vehicle, each includes a predictive sensor system 40, a vehicle seat 20, an evaluation and control unit 60, and a restraint system 10. In this connection, evaluation and control unit 60 evaluates output signals of predictive sensor system 40 and activates a belt tensioning function GSF of restraint system 10 if the evaluation of the output signals indicates an imminent collision. In belt 12, belt tensioning function GSF generates a tensile force, which presses a corresponding occupant 3 into vehicle seat 20. A kinetic energy of occupant 3 resulting from belt tensioning function GSF releases a pre-trigger mechanism 30, 30A, which is integrated into a mounting 28 of vehicle seat 20, and enables a blocked degree of freedom of vehicle seat 20, so that the entire vehicle seat 20 tilts about a defined tilt axis in the direction of an expected impact force FA. In this connection, impact force FA is the force that acts upon the vehicle due to the collision and causes the vehicle to decelerate. In the frame of reference of the vehicle, an accelerated movement of occupant 3 is directed oppositely to this force FA.
[0027] For example, a pyrotechnic or electromotive or mechanical actuating system or a pressure reservoir can be used for belt tensioning function GSF.
[0028] As is further apparent from FIGS. 1-3, in the example embodiments depicted, the vehicle seat 20 situated behind a windshield 5 in the direction of travel includes, in each instance, a seat cushion 22, a seat back 24, a headrest 26, and a seat mounting 28. On the two sides of vehicle seat 20, seat mounting 28 has seat rails 28.1, which are rigidly connected to the vehicle floor, and of which one is visible. In the example embodiments depicted, the pre-trigger mechanism 30, 30A integrated in seat mounting 28 includes, in each instance, two hinged bearings 32, of which one is visible. At hinged bearings 32, vehicle seat 20 is supported so as to be able to tilt about the tilt axis. In addition, the pre-trigger mechanism 30, 30A in the depicted example embodiments includes, in each instance, two rail pieces 34, which have a guide opening 34.1, and of which one is visible. A mounting element 28.2 of vehicle seat 20 is guided in each of guide openings 34.1.
[0029] As is further apparent from FIGS. 1-3, in each instance, a hinged bearing 32 and a rail piece 34 are positioned in one of the seat rails 28.1 so as to be able to move longitudinally. Using seat rails 28.1, the vehicle seat can be moved and locked in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle.
[0030] As is further apparent from FIGS. 1 and 2, the hinged bearings 32 in the first example embodiment depicted are situated in back of rail pieces 34 with respect to a vehicle front end. This means that hinged bearings 32 are situated at the rear end of the seat and rail pieces 34 are situated at the front end of the seat. In this manner, mounting elements 28.2 move up in guide openings 34.1 at the front end of the seat, and vehicle seat 20 tilts back about the tilt axis situated at the rear end of the seat.
[0031] As is further apparent from FIG. 3, the hinged bearings 32 in the second example embodiment depicted are situated in front of rail pieces 34 with respect to a vehicle front end. This means that hinged bearings 32 are situated at the front end of the seat, and rail pieces 34 are situated at the rear end of the seat. In this manner, mounting elements 28.2 move down in guide opening 34.1 at the rear end of the seat, and vehicle seat 20 tilts back about the tilt axis situated at the front end of the seat; the tilting movement of vehicle seat 20 being assisted by the gravitational acceleration acting downwards.
[0032] In the case of a head-on collision, the kinetic energy of occupant 3 is reduced on an available restraining path, the so-called ride down space. Excluding pre-collision system 7 of the present invention, a restraining force F.sub.R1 acting upon occupant 3 is yielded from the law of conservation of energy, in accordance with equation (1).
[00001]
[0033] In this case, m.sub.I represents a mass, v.sub.I.sub._.sub.abs represents an absolute velocity of occupant 3, and s.sub.R represents an available deceleration path.
[0034] Using example embodiments of the pre-collision system 7 according to the present invention, it is possible to successfully give occupant 3 a preliminary impulse prior to the effect of the impact, so that restraining force F.sub.R2 is reduced during the deceleration event in accordance with equation (2).
[00002]
[0035] In this case, Av represents a displacement velocity, and Ax represents an additional displacement path. As is further apparent from FIGS. 2 and 3, using the example embodiments of pre-collision system 7 according to the present invention, both the available restraining path s.sub.R is increased by additional displacement path x, and the absolute velocity v.sub.I.sub._.sub.abs of occupant 3 is reduced by displacement velocity v. In this manner, the kinetic energy of occupant 3 is also reduced.
[0036] As is apparent from FIGS. 4-6, in each of the depicted example embodiments of rail piece 34, 34A, 34B, 34C, guide opening 34.1 is constructed as a slotted hole, which is formed between a starting position 34.3 and an end position 34.4. As is further apparent from FIGS. 1-3, the guide opening 34.1 taking the form of a slotted hole is inclined in the direction of expected impact force FA. In addition, in the example embodiments depicted, rail pieces 34, 34A, 34B, 34C include locking devices 34.2, which retain mounting element 28.2 in starting position 34.3 during normal operation and release it in response to a detected, imminent collision.
[0037] As is further apparent from FIG. 4, the locking device 34.2 in the depicted example embodiment is constructed as a narrowing 34.2A of guide opening 34.1 running conically inwards. Since mounting element 28.2 deforms the narrowing 34.2A running conically inwards, during the transition from starting position 34.3 to end position 34.4, the belt pressure generated by belt tensioning function GSF can be absorbed gently.
[0038] As is further apparent from FIG. 5, the locking device 34.2 in the depicted example embodiment is implemented as a spring element 34.2B, which acts perpendicularly to the longitudinal extension of guide opening 34.1. In this manner, after the spring force is overcome, mounting element 28.2 can lock into place in a stable manner in both starting position 34.3 and end position 34.4. In addition, after activation, vehicle seat 20 can easily be pushed back again into starting position 34.3.
[0039] As is further apparent from FIG. 6, the locking device 34.2 in the depicted example embodiment is constructed as a switchable detent 34.2C, which frees or blocks guide opening 34.1. In this manner, pre-collision system 7 can advantageously be prevented from being unintentionally triggered during normal vehicle operation. Switchable detent 34.2C can be actuated, for example, by a solenoid or pyrotechnically, in order to free guide opening 34.1 for moving mounting element 28.2.
[0040] In addition, the different example embodiments 34.2A, 34.2B, 34.2C of locking device 34.2 can be combined with each other.
[0041] As is apparent from FIG. 7, the depicted example embodiment of an occupant protection system 1 for a vehicle includes the above-described, pre-collision system 7 having predictive sensor system 40, vehicle seat 20, evaluation and control unit 60, restraint system 10, pre-trigger mechanism 30, 30A, a contact sensor system 50, a driver block 65, and further restraining devices 70, such as various airbags, etc. Evaluation and control unit 60 evaluates output signals of predictive sensor system 40 and of contact sensor system 50 and, as a function of the evaluation, activates belt tensioning function GSF of restraint system 10, switchable detent 34.2C of pre-trigger mechanism 30, 30A, and/or further restraining devices 70, via driver block 65.
[0042] Example embodiments of the present invention can advantageously be integrated in the functional landscape and architecture of personal protection systems in a motor vehicle and combined with other occupant protection functions. The decision to use the belt tensioning function is advantageously not made independently of other functions, such as pre-crash positioning, which brings an occupant into an advantageous position prior to a collision, or individual occupant sensing, which determines the current position of the individual occupants, but is made in a coordinated manner.
