SEAT BELT RETRACTOR FOR A VEHICLE, VEHICLE COMPRISING THE SEAT BELT RETRACTOR AND METHOD FOR REGULATING A SEAT BELT RESTRAINING FORCE AND/OR SEAT BELT TENSIONER FORCE LEVEL

Abstract

A seat belt retractor is provided for a vehicle and includes a safety seat belt strap for buckling up an occupant on a vehicle seat of the vehicle. The seat belt retractor also includes a regulator for regulating a seat belt restraining force level and/or a seat belt tensioner force level for the safety seat belt strap. A sensor detects restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data. A controller actuates the regulator on the basis of the restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data such that the seat belt retractor generates and/or includes the restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data.

Claims

1-15. (canceled)

16. A seat belt retractor for a vehicle comprising: a safety seat belt strap for buckling up an occupant on a vehicle seat of the vehicle; a regulator configured to regulate at least one of a seat belt restraining force level or a seat belt tensioner force level for the safety seat belt strap; a sensor configured to detect at least one of restraining force data or tensioning force data; and a controller in data communication with the sensor and configure to actuate the regulator based on the restraining force data or the tensioning force data for controlling the safety seat belt strap.

17. The seat belt retractor according to claim 16, wherein the safety seat belt strap comprises a measuring system for the restraining force data or tensioning force data.

18. The seat belt retractor according to claim 17, wherein the measuring system includes at least one of a scaling, a coding, a bar code or a measurement from which the restraining force data or tensioning force data can be determined.

19. The seat belt retractor according to claim 18, wherein the measuring system is fastened to the safety seat belt strap.

20. The seat belt retractor according to claim 18, wherein the measuring system is integrated in the safety seat belt strap.

21. The seat belt retractor according to claim 16, wherein the seat belt retractor comprises a seat belt reel on which the safety seat belt strap is arranged and from which the safety seat belt strap can be extended, wherein the restraining force data or tensioning force data includes a length of a strap extension of the safety seat belt strap from the seat belt reel.

22. The seat belt retractor according to claim 16, wherein the sensor comprises a touchless sensor which operates in a contact-free manner,

23. The seat belt retractor according to claim 22, wherein the touchless comprises an optical sensor.

24. The seat belt retractor according to claim 16, wherein the sensor is configured to detect the restraining force data or tensioning force data from a measuring system having at least one of a scaling, a coding, a bar code or a measurement and transmit a sensor signal representative of the data to the controller.

25. The seat belt retractor according to claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to continuously evaluate the sensor signal and determine therefrom a strap extension length for the safety seat belt strap.

26. The seat belt retractor according to claim 25, wherein the controller is configured to determine time-dependent values of the strap extension length.

27. The seat belt retractor according to claim 24, wherein the controller is configured to evaluate the sensor signal, generate a control signal based on the evaluated sensor signal, and actuate the regulator based on the control signal.

28. The seat belt retractor according to claim 27, wherein the control signal adjusts at least one of a seat belt restraining force or a seat belt tensioner force generated by the regulator on the safety seat belt strap.

29. The seat belt retractor according to claim 16, wherein the regulator comprises a torsion bar for selectively releasing a seat belt extension of the safety seat belt strap.

30. The seat belt retractor according to claim 16, wherein the regulator comprises a belt strap tensioner for selectively tensioning the safety seat belt strap.

31. The seat belt retractor according to claim 16, wherein the regulator comprises a braking device for selectively decelerating relative movement between the safety seat belt strap and the seat belt reel.

32. The seat belt retractor according to claim 16, wherein the regulator comprises a rotary lock for selectively blocking the rotation of the rotary reel.

33. The seat belt retractor according to claim 16, wherein the seat belt retractor comprises a housing for the regulator, wherein the sensor is arranged on the housing.

34. A seat belt retractor for a vehicle comprising: a regulator housing; a safety seat belt strap for buckling up an occupant on a vehicle seat of the vehicle; a seat belt reel on which the safety seat belt strap is arranged and from which the safety seat belt strap can be extended; a regulator having configured to regulate at least one of a seat belt restraining force level or a seat belt tensioner force level for the safety seat belt strap, the regulator including a torsion bar for selectively releasing a seat belt extension of the safety seat belt strap, a belt strap tensioner for selectively tensioning the safety seat belt strap, a braking device for selectively decelerating relative movement between the safety seat belt strap and the seat belt reel, and a rotary lock for selectively blocking the rotation of the rotary reel; a sensor arranged on the housing and configured to detect at least one of restraining force data or tensioning force data, wherein the restraining force data or tensioning force data includes a length of a strap extension of the safety seat belt strap from the seat belt reel; and a controller in data communication with the sensor and configure to selectively actuate at least one of the torsion bar, the belt strap tensioner, the braking device or the rotary lock based on the restraining force data or the tensioning force data for controlling the safety seat belt strap.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0033] The present disclosure will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the following drawing figures, wherein like numerals denote like elements.

[0034] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a seat belt retractor 1 for a vehicle.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0035] The following detailed description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the invention or the application and uses of the invention. Furthermore, there is no intention to be bound by any theory presented in the preceding background of the invention or the following detailed description.

[0036] FIG. 1 shows a schematic illustration of a seat belt retractor 1 for a vehicle. The vehicle may be configured as a passenger car, truck or bus. The seat belt retractor 1 includes a safety seat belt strap 2, by which an occupant sitting on a vehicle seat of the vehicle can be buckled up.

[0037] The vehicle seat may be configured as a seat of a rear row of seats of the vehicle. In the alternative, the vehicle seat may also be configured as a seat of a front row of seats, in particular as a driver's seat or a passenger's seat of the vehicle. The seat belt retractor 1 is assigned to the vehicle seat as safety device for the occupant sitting on the vehicle seat.

[0038] The seat belt retractor 1 includes a seat belt reel 5, on which the safety seat belt strap 2 is arranged. The safety seat belt strap 2 can be unrolled and/or extended from the seat belt reel 5 to buckle up the occupant on the vehicle seat. In response to and/or after buckling up the occupant, the safety seat belt strap 2 can be rolled onto the seat belt reel 5 again. The seat belt reel 5 is rotatably supported for unrolling and rolling up. The seat belt reel 5 is configured as a hollow body.

[0039] The seat belt retractor 1 includes an electrically and/or electromechanically switchable device or regulator 11, which is configured to regulate a seat belt restraining force level and/or seat belt tensioner force level. The regulator 11 may regulate, increase or decrease a seat belt restraining force and/or seat belt tensioner force.

[0040] The regulator 11 has an electrically and/or electromechanically switchable seat belt strap tensioner 3, which is configured as a pyrotechnical device or as a spring device. In a preferred embodiment, the seat belt strap tensioner 4 is configured as a pyrotechnical actuator. The seat belt strap tensioner 4 is configured to lock the seat belt reel 5 in response to an abrupt retraction movement of the safety seat belt strap 2, which may be caused, for example, by a frontal impact of the vehicle, and to block the safety seat belt strap 2 against a further extension.

[0041] The regulator 11 includes a rotatable, electrically and/or electro-mechanically switchable torsion bar 12. The torsion bar 12 is arranged in the seat belt reel 5, which is configured as hollow body, and coaxially thereto. When the seat belt reel 5 is locked, the torsion bar 11 makes it possible to extend the safety seat belt strap 2 a bit further from the seat belt reel 5 by rotation.

[0042] The regulator 11 has an electrically and/or electro-mechanically switchable braking device 13, which can be configured as a drum or disk brake. The braking device 13 is configured to decelerate a seat belt extending speed or acceleration on the seat belt reel 5. In the alternative or optionally additionally, the braking device 13 is configured to decelerate a seat belt retraction speed or acceleration into the seat belt reel 5.

[0043] In an alternative embodiment, the regulator 11 may also have at least one electrically and/or electro-mechanically switchable rotary lock and/or rotary stop for blocking the rotation of the seat belt reel 5.

[0044] The seat belt retractor 1 includes a housing 3, in or on which the regulator 11, the torsion bar 12, the braking device 13, the seat belt tensioner 3 and the seat belt reel 5 are arranged. Optionally, the rotary lock and/or the rotary stop can also be arranged in or on the housing 3.

[0045] The seat belt retractor 1 has a sensor 6, which is arranged on the housing 3 above the safety seat belt strap 2. The sensor 6 is for example configured as at least one sensor, which operates in a contact-free manner, as at least one electro-magnetic sensor and/or optical sensor.

[0046] The sensor 6 is configured to detect restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data 7 of the seat belt retractor 1. The sensor 6 hereby detects the restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data 7 prior to and during the impact of the vehicle. The seat belt retractor 1 includes the restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data 7. In the alternative or in addition, the restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data 7 is generated in the seat belt retractor 1.

[0047] The safety seat belt strap 2 has the restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data 7. The restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data 7 is detected and/or integrated in a measuring system 14 having scaling, coding, bar code and/or measurements, which are arranged on the safety seat belt strap 2. For example, the measuring system 14 is applied to the safety seat belt strap 2 by sewing and/or embroidering. It is also possible that the measuring system 14 is adhered and/or secured onto the safety seat belt strap 2. In the alternative, it is possible that the measuring system 14 is integrated in the safety seat belt strap 2, for example in that the safety seat belt strap 2 includes a plurality of seat belt layers and one of the layers supports the measuring system 14.

[0048] The restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data 7 includes information about an absolute and/or relative length of a strap extension of the safety seat belt strap from the seat belt reel 5. Further data, which is a function of the length of the strap extension, can furthermore also be detected and/or determined from the restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data. Such data is, e.g. a strap extension speed and/or a strap extension acceleration.

[0049] By way of the length of the strap extension and/or the temporally-derived variables as absolute values, a conclusion can be drawn to a build, corpulence and/or weight of the occupant, who is buckled up on the vehicle seat by the safety seat belt strap. The seat belt retractor 1 thus provides for the regulation of the seat belt restraining force level and/or of the seat belt tensioner force level as a function of the build, corpulence and/or weight of the occupant.

[0050] A body position of the occupant on the vehicle seat can also be determined from the length of the strap extension. This is advantageous in the case of a body position, which is displaced forward, because the type and an extent of the seat belt tensioning and/or a deployment of an airbag, which is assigned to the occupant, can be actuated accordingly. The restraining force level can thus be actuated in a prescribed way. Such a seat belt retractor 1 is advantageous in particular for the rear row of seats of the vehicle, because the respective front seat typically does not have a frontal airbag and the space between the rear row of seats and the front seat is limited.

[0051] The seat belt retractor 1 includes a control, regulating and/or evaluation device or simply controller 9, which is connected to the sensor 6 in terms of signaling. The sensor 6 transmits the restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data 7 as at least one sensor signal 8 to the controller 9.

[0052] The controller 9 evaluates the restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data 7 as a function of the received sensor signal 8 based on an algorithm as a control signal 10. The algorithm is stored in memory associated with the controller 9 or a processor, which is connected to the controller 9.

[0053] The controller 9 transmits the control signal 10 to the regulator 11. The control signal 10 is directed to triggering the regulation of the seat belt restraining and/or seat belt tensioner force. In particular, the regulation, increase or decrease of the seat belt restraining force and/or seat belt tensioner force of the regulator 11 is controlled as a function of the information relating to the length of the strap extension and relating to the information, which is time-dependent on the length of the strap extension, which is gathered from the restraining and/or tensioning-relevant data 7. The regulator is actuated to change or regulate the seat belt restraining force and/or seat belt tensioner force or the time-dependent values derived therefrom as a function of the sensor signal 8 and by the control signal 10, which is based thereon. The actuation occurs prior to and/or during a collision event. It can also occur repeatedly within a closed loop.

[0054] The torsion bar 12, the braking device 13, the seat belt strap tensioner 3 and optionally additionally the rotary lock and/or the rotary stop are in particular actuated to regulate, increase or decrease the seat belt restraining force and/or seat belt tensioner force via the control signal 10. This occurs for example by a systematic release of the safety seat belt strap 2 in the case of a locked seat belt reel 5 by the torsion bar, by a deceleration of the seat belt retraction and/or seat belt extension speed and/or acceleration by the braking device, by a time-adapted triggering of the lock of the seat belt reel 5 by the seat belt tensioner 3 and/or by a blockade of the rotation of the seat belt reel 5 by the rotary lock and/or the rotary stop.

[0055] While at least one exemplary embodiment has been presented in the foregoing detailed description, it should be appreciated that a vast number of variations exist. It should also be appreciated that the exemplary embodiment or exemplary embodiments are only examples, and are not intended to limit the scope, applicability, or configuration of the invention in any way. Rather, the foregoing detailed description will provide those skilled in the art with a convenient road map for implementing an exemplary embodiment as contemplated herein. It should be understood that various changes may be made in the function and arrangement of elements described in an exemplary embodiment without departing from the scope of the invention as set forth in the appended claims.