JP2006327395A - Seat belt device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a seat belt device which can halt warning operation promptly and securely without providing discomfort to a passenger when the possibility of collision is switched to nothing after the warning operation is once started. <P>SOLUTION: A means 38 of judging a possibility of collision and a control means 40 are provided. The means 38 for judging the possibility of collision judges the possibility of collision of a vehicle, and the control means 40 performs warning operation control of repeating the retraction and release of a webbing 5 when the judging means 38 judges that there is a possibility of collision. When the means 38 for judging the possibility of collision judges that there is no possibility of collision after the warning operation control has started, a means 41 for releasing the warning operation, and a release-mode selection part 42 are provided. The warning operation resetting means 41 for issuing a command to reset the warning operation control to the control means 40. When the control means 40 receives the reset command from the warning operation resetting means 41, the reset-mode selection part 42 selects a warning-operation reset mode, which is in accordance with the timing at which the reset command is received, from a plurality of warning-operation reset modes. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2007,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a seat belt device that restrains an occupant seated on a vehicle seat by webbing, and more particularly, to a seat belt device having a function of giving a warning to the occupant when the possibility of a vehicle collision increases.

  As a vehicle collision safety device, the situation ahead of the vehicle is detected by a radar or the like, and the possibility of a collision (in this specification, “collision” includes not only an objective collision but also a fall of the own vehicle or a rollover). When it is determined that there is, there has been developed a device that controls the braking force of the brake and the retracting of the seat belt device. The seat belt device used here includes a motor for retracting the webbing, and when the collision possibility determination means determines that there is a possibility of collision, the motor is driven to retract the webbing. Yes.

In addition, as a seat belt device of this type, a warning operation that repeatedly pulls in and releases the webbing in a short cycle at the initial stage when the possibility of a collision is determined is proposed, thereby informing the occupant of the possibility of a collision. (For example, see Patent Documents 1 and 2).
JP-A-9-175327 JP-A-11-348730

  However, in this conventional seat belt device, once the collision possibility determination means determines that there is a possibility of a collision, even if the possibility of the collision is resolved immediately after that, the webbing pull-in and release that is a warning operation is performed a set number of times. Therefore, there is a concern that the occupant may feel uncomfortable by continuing unnecessary warning operations.

  Therefore, the present invention provides a seat belt device capable of quickly and surely canceling the warning operation without causing a sense of incongruity when the warning operation is switched once after the warning operation is started. It is something to try.

  As means for solving the above problems, the invention according to claim 1 is a webbing for restraining an occupant seated on a seat (for example, a seat 2 in an embodiment described later) (for example, a webbing 5 in an embodiment described later). ) And a collision possibility determination means (for example, a collision possibility determination means 38 in an embodiment described later) for determining the possibility of a vehicle collision, and when the collision possibility determination means determines that there is a possibility of a collision. And a seat belt control means (for example, a seat belt control means 40 in an embodiment to be described later) that performs warning operation control that repeatedly applies tension to the webbing and releases the tension, and warns the seat belt control means After the start of the operation control, when the collision possibility determination means determines that there is no possibility of collision, the seat belt control means Warning operation canceling means (for example, warning operation canceling means 41 in an embodiment described later) for issuing a notification operation control cancel command, and a plurality of warnings when the seat belt control means receives a cancel command from the warning operation canceling means. A release mode selection unit (for example, a release mode selection unit 42 in an embodiment described later) for selecting a warning operation release mode corresponding to the timing at which the release command is received from the operation release mode is provided.

  In the case of the present invention, when the collision possibility determination means determines that there is a possibility of collision while the vehicle is running, the seat belt control means starts the warning operation control, and is canceled from the warning operation release means to the seat belt control means. If no command is issued, the webbing is pulled back and released a set number of times to alert the occupant of the possibility of a collision. Further, when the collision possibility determination means determines that there is no possibility of collision during the warning operation control, and the release command is issued from the warning operation release means to the seat belt control means, the release mode selection unit receives the release command. The release operation mode is selected in accordance with the selected timing, and the warning operation is released in the selected optimum release operation mode.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, the warning operation includes a tension applying step for maintaining the webbing in a tension applied state and a release step for releasing the tension of the webbing, and the plurality of warning operation release modes include: When a release command is received at the timing of the tension application process, the process immediately shifts to the release process, and when the release command is received at the timing of the release process, the release mode stops the warning operation after that In addition, a release mode in which the warning operation is stopped in a state where the tension of the webbing is released may be included.

  According to the present invention, when the warning operation is switched once after the warning operation is started, the warning operation can be canceled in the release operation mode suitable for the switching timing. It is possible to quickly and surely cancel the warning operation without giving a sense of incongruity.

Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
FIG. 1 shows an overall schematic configuration of a seat belt device 1 according to the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 2 denotes a seat on which an occupant 3 is seated. The seat belt device 1 of this embodiment is a so-called three-point seat belt device, and a webbing 5 is drawn upward from a retractor 4 attached to a center pillar (not shown), and the webbing 5 is supported on the upper side of the center pillar. The tip of the webbing 5 is fixed to the vehicle body floor via an outer anchor 7 near the outside of the passenger compartment of the seat 2. A tongue plate 8 is inserted between the through anchor 6 and the outer anchor 7 of the webbing 5, and the tongue plate 8 can be attached to and detached from the buckle 9 fixed to the vehicle body floor of the seat 2 on the inner side of the vehicle body. It has become.
The webbing 5 is wound around the retractor 4 in the initial state, and the occupant 3 pulls it out by hand to fix the tongue plate 8 to the buckle 9, thereby restraining the chest and abdomen mainly of the occupant 3 with respect to the seat 2. To do. In the case of the seat belt device 1, the webbing 5 is retracted by an electric motor 10 at the time of a collision, and this motor 10 constitutes a pretension mechanism.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the retractor 4 has a webbing 5 wound around a reel 12 rotatably supported by a casing 11, and a planetary gear on a shaft 12 a of the reel 12 protruding to one end side of the casing 11. A reduction mechanism 13 of the type is engaged, and the reduction mechanism 13 is linked to the rotating shaft 10a of the motor 10 through a motor side power transmission system 22 composed of a plurality of gear groups.

  In the speed reduction mechanism 13, the sun gear 14 is integrally coupled to the drive input external teeth 15, and the carrier 17 that supports the plurality of planetary gears 16 is coupled to the shaft 12 a of the reel 12. A plurality of ratchet teeth 19 are formed on the outer peripheral side of the ring gear 18 meshed with the planetary gear 16, and the ratchet teeth 19 constitute a part of a clutch 20 described later. The clutch 20 appropriately connects and disconnects the power transmission system between the motor 10 and the reel 12 under the control of the controller 21.

  The motor-side power transmission system 22 has a small-diameter first connect gear 23 that is always meshed with an external tooth 15 that is integral with the sun gear 14, and a large-diameter that is provided coaxially with the first connect gear 23 and can rotate integrally. A second connect gear 24, and first and second idler gears 26, 27 that are between the second connect gear 24 and the motor gear 25 (integrated with the rotating shaft 10a of the motor 10) and are always meshed so that power can be transmitted. Yes. The driving force in the forward rotation direction of the motor 10 is transmitted to the second and first connection gears 24 and 23 through the gears 25, 27 and 26 as indicated by solid arrows in FIG. After being transmitted to the sun gear 14, it is transmitted to the reel 12 through the planetary gear 16 and the carrier 17. The driving force in the forward direction of the motor 10 rotates the reel 12 in the direction in which the webbing 5 is pulled. However, the driving force transmitted from the sun gear 14 to the planetary gear 16 is all transmitted to the carrier 17 side as described above when the ring gear 18 is fixed. However, when the ring gear 18 is free to rotate, the planetary gear is used. The ring gear 18 is idled by 16 rotations. The clutch 20 controls on / off the transmission of the motor driving force to the reel 12 (carrier 17) by controlling the locking and unlocking of the rotation of the ring gear 18.

Here, the clutch 20 will be described with reference to FIGS.
The clutch 20 is rotatably supported by a casing (not shown), and can be engaged with a pawl 29 having a locking claw 28 at the tip, a clutch spring 30 for operating the pawl 29, and a locking claw 28 of the pawl 29. And the ratchet teeth 19 of the ring gear 18, and when the pawl 29 is operated in the direction of the ratchet teeth 19, the locking claw 28 abuts against a surface substantially orthogonal to the inclined surface of the ratchet teeth 19, It is designed to lock the rotation in one direction.

  In addition, the clutch spring 30 is bent in a circular arc shape at the base portion side, and the bent portion 31 is locked in a state of being wound around the outer periphery of the shaft portion of the first connect gear 23. The leading end of the clutch spring 30 extends in the direction of the pawl 29 and engages with the operation window 32 of the pawl 29. The curved portion 31 of the clutch spring 30 is engaged with the shaft portion of the first connect gear 23 by friction, and when a torque greater than a set value acts between the first connect gear 23 and the first connect gear 23, Slips between the two.

Therefore, in the clutch 20, when the motor 10 rotates in the forward rotation direction (see the solid line arrow in FIG. 3), the clutch spring 30 changes from the posture shown by the solid line in FIG. 4 to the posture shown by the chain line. As shown in FIG. 3, the pawls 29 of the pawl 29 mesh with the ratchet teeth 19 to lock the rotation of the ring gear 18. At this time, since the ratchet teeth 19 are inclined in one rotation direction, the rotation of the ring gear 18 in one direction can be reliably locked, but when the ring gear 18 tries to rotate in the reverse direction, In order for the ratchet teeth 19 to push up the locking claws 28, a certain level of force is required. For this reason, the clutch spring 30 imparts a certain level of resistance to the reverse rotation of the ring gear 18.
When the rotation of the ring gear 18 is thus locked, all the rotational force transmitted to the sun gear 14 as described above is transmitted to the reel 12 as the rotation of the carrier 17 (clutch-on state).

On the other hand, when the motor 10 rotates in the reverse direction from this clutch-on state, the first connect gear 23 rotates as indicated by the dotted line arrow in FIG. 3 and rotates the clutch spring 30 as indicated by the solid line in FIG. As a result, the pawl 28 of the pawl 29 is pulled away from the ratchet teeth 19 and the lock of the ring gear 18 is released.
When the lock of the ring gear 18 is released in this way, the rotational force transmitted to the sun gear 14 rotates the planetary gear 16 as described above. At this time, the ring gear 18 is idled and power is supplied to the carrier 17 (reel 12) side. Prevent transmission (clutch off state).

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the retractor 4 is provided with a known emergency lock mechanism 33 that mechanically locks the drawer of the webbing 5 when a deceleration greater than a set value acts on the vehicle. Yes.

  By the way, as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle is provided with a radar 35 (forward situation detecting means) that detects a stationary object ahead, a traveling vehicle, and the like, and this radar 35 is connected to the controller 21. The controller 21 includes a collision possibility determination unit 38 that determines whether or not there is a collision possibility based on the detection signal of the radar 35, and the motor 10 when the collision possibility determination unit 38 determines that there is a collision possibility. The seat belt control means 40 for performing the warning operation and the emergency pull-in operation by the control, and when the collision possibility determination means 38 determines that there is no possibility of the collision after the seat belt control means 40 starts the warning operation control. Warning operation release means 41 for outputting a signal (command) for releasing the warning operation control to the belt control means 40.

  In this embodiment, a by-wire brake device (not shown) and a warning sound generator (not shown) such as a buzzer are mounted on the vehicle, and the collision possibility determination means 38 may collide. When it is determined that the controller 21 is present, the controller 21 performs braking control according to the vehicle state with respect to the brake device, and the warning sound is generated by the warning sound generating device as a previous stage of the warning operation (warning operation by the webbing 5). It has become.

  FIG. 5A shows the operation of the warning sound generating device, the seat belt device, and the brake device when a vehicle (hereinafter referred to as “driving vehicle”) 50 on which the device of this embodiment is mounted approaches the forward vehicle 51. It shows the situation. As shown in the figure, when the driving vehicle 50 approaches the set distance range a with respect to the preceding vehicle 51, a warning sound is emitted by the warning sound generating device. When the driving vehicle 50 approaches the range b from this state, the brake device The relatively weak braking and warning operation by the webbing 5 are performed, and when approaching the closer range c, the strong braking by the brake device and the emergency pull-in by the webbing 5 are performed.

  Here, the warning operation control by the controller 21 (seat belt control means 40) is a control for controlling the motor 10 so that the drawing and releasing of the webbing 5 are repeated a set number of times (for example, three times) in a short cycle, It is executed in the range of b in FIG. Then, when the warning operation control is performed, vibration in the pull-in direction is periodically applied to the occupant 3 through the webbing 5, thereby making it possible to notify the occupant 3 that the possibility of a collision is high.

  The warning operation by the webbing 5 will be described in more detail. This warning operation is made up of, for example, 15 stages of stages 1 to 15 as shown in FIG. 5B, and includes stages 1 to 5, stages 6 to 10, and stages. In 11-15, the control of the same pattern is repeated. Hereinafter, the control of the same pattern will be described using the stages 1 to 5 as an example.

<Stage 1> Tension application process This is a process in which the motor 10 is driven forward to start applying tension to the webbing 5. During this process, loosening of the webbing 5 and play of each gear of the power transmission system are eliminated. The
<Stage 2>... Tension applying step This is a step of driving the motor 10 in the normal direction similarly to the stage 1, and a stable pulling force acts on the occupant 3 through the webbing 5 during this step.
<Stage 3>... Tension application step In this step, the motor 10 in the normal rotation driving state of the stage 2 is temporarily stopped. During this step, the tension of the webbing 5 is maintained. That is, at this time, the clutch 20 is maintained in the ON state, and the rotational resistance of the motor-side power transmission system 22 acts as a drag that prevents the webbing 5 from being pulled out through the speed reduction mechanism 13.
<Stage 4>... Release process This is a process of reversely driving the motor 10 temporarily stopped in the stage 3. During this process, the clutch 20 is turned off and the webbing 5 is released.
<Stage 5>... Release process This is an interval process in which the motor 10 is stopped while the clutch 20 is off.

  The stages 1 to 3 correspond to a tension applying step for maintaining the webbing 5 in a tension applying state, and the stages 4 and 5 correspond to a releasing step for releasing the pulling of the webbing 5, respectively.

  Further, the controller 21 shown in FIG. 1 has a release mode selection unit that selects an optimal mode from a plurality of warning operation release modes when a release signal is input from the warning operation release means 41 to the seat belt control means 40. 42, the warning operation is canceled in the optimal warning operation cancellation mode according to the timing of receiving the release signal. Hereinafter, each warning operation release mode will be described.

(1) First release mode When a release signal is input at the timing of the tension application process (stages 1 to 3), the application of the tension to the webbing 5 is immediately interrupted and the process proceeds to the release process (stage 4). Release mode to stop the warning operation after the end of the process. When shifting to the releasing step, the clutch 20 can be quickly and surely turned off by driving the motor 10 in the reverse direction in consideration of the cumulative pull-in amount of the webbing 5.
(2) Second release mode When the release signal is input at the timing of the release process (stage 4), a release mode in which the subsequent warning operation is stopped after the release process ends.
(3) Third release mode In this mode, when a release signal is received immediately after completion of the release process (stage 5), the subsequent warning operation is immediately stopped.

  Note that the situation where the determination changes without the possibility of collision after the collision possibility determination means 38 determines that there is a possibility of collision is, for example, when the front vehicle 51 turns to the left while the driving vehicle 50 is traveling. This is a time when a temporary approach to the vehicle 51 is first determined as having a possibility of a collision, and then the vehicle 51 is turned to the left by the left turn of the vehicle ahead.

Hereinafter, the outline of the control by the controller 21 after the start of the warning operation will be described with reference to the flowchart of FIG.
When the collision possibility determining means 38 determines that there is a possibility of collision and the warning operation control is started in S101, next, in S102, whether or not a release signal (command) is input from the warning operation releasing means. judge. If there is a cancel command input, the process proceeds to S103. If there is no cancel signal input, the process proceeds to S104 to continue the warning operation.
In S103, it is determined whether or not the timing at which the release signal is input is stages 1 to 3 or 6 to 8. If any of these stages, the process proceeds to S105 and the motor 10 is turned on. After the reverse rotation driving, the control of the motor 10 is stopped in S106, and if it is not any of the above stages, that is, if it is the stage 4, 5 or 9, 10, the process proceeds to S106 and the tension of the webbing 5 is released. In this state, the control of the motor 10 is stopped.

  That is, in S103 and the subsequent steps, it is determined whether or not the tension application process is currently being performed. At the timings of stages 1 to 3 and 6 to 8 which are the tension application process, the clutch 20 is immediately released and the tension of the webbing 5 is determined. Is released, the control of the motor 10 is stopped. On the other hand, at the timing of the stages 4, 5, 9, and 10, which is the release process, the control of the motor 10 is stopped in a state where the tension of the webbing 5 is released.

  As described above, the seat belt device 1 is determined to have a collision possibility by the collision possibility determination unit 38, and after the warning operation control by the seat belt control unit 40 is started, the collision possibility determination unit 38 determines that there is no collision. When the determination is made, the warning operation can be quickly and reliably released in the release mode corresponding to the timing at which the warning operation is executed. Therefore, when there is no possibility of a collision during the warning operation, the unnecessary warning operation can be quickly stopped to eliminate the problem that gives the passenger a sense of incongruity. In particular, since an appropriate release operation mode is selected according to the timing at which the warning operation is executed, there is no problem such as the motor control being stopped while the webbing 5 is in a tensioned state.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to said embodiment, A various design change is possible in the range which does not deviate from the summary. For example, in the above-described embodiment, the radar 35 is used as means for detecting the front situation of the vehicle. However, instead of the radar 35, a detection device using infrared rays may be used.

Further, in the above embodiment, the warning is released through a minimum release process in all release operation modes. However, when the warning is released at the timing immediately after the start of the warning operation, one cycle is used. The warning operation may be canceled after the minute warning operation is performed. In this case, the warning effect for the passenger can be enhanced.
Further, when releasing the warning, the pulling tension may gradually weaken every cycle.

  Further, when releasing the warning operation, the clutch 20 may be turned on to always hold the webbing 5 for the set time, and then the webbing 5 may be released. In this case, when the possibility of a collision increases again while the webbing 5 is in the holding state, the holding of the webbing 5 is released and the operation proceeds to the warning operation again.

1 is an overall schematic configuration diagram illustrating a seat belt device according to an embodiment of the present invention. The schematic block diagram which looked at the seatbelt apparatus of the embodiment from the side surface side. The schematic block diagram which looked at the power transmission system of the seatbelt apparatus of the embodiment from the front side. The expansion part of a part of power transmission system of the embodiment. FIG. 2A shows the embodiment, and FIG. 2A shows the operation statuses of the warning sound generator, the seat belt device, and the brake device when the driving vehicle approaches the preceding vehicle, and FIG. The figure which also described figure (B) which showed the operating condition of the seatbelt apparatus in the range in detail. The flowchart which shows the flow of control of the seatbelt apparatus of the embodiment.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Seat belt apparatus 2 ... Seat 5 ... Webbing 38 ... Collision possibility determination means 40 ... Seat belt control means 41 ... Warning operation cancellation means 42 ... Release mode selection part

Claims (2)

A webbing that restrains an occupant seated in the seat;
A collision possibility determination means for determining a collision possibility of the vehicle;
When this collision possibility determination means determines that there is a possibility of collision, a seat belt control means that performs warning operation control that repeats the application of tension to the webbing and the release thereof, and
In a seat belt device comprising:
Warning operation release means for issuing a warning operation control release command to the seat belt control means when the collision possibility determination means determines that there is no possibility of collision after the start of warning operation control of the seat belt control means;
When the seat belt control means receives a release command from the warning operation release means, a release mode selection unit that selects a warning operation release mode according to the timing of receiving the release command from among a plurality of warning operation release modes; ,
A seatbelt device comprising: The warning action is
A tensioning step for maintaining the webbing in a tensioned state;
A release process to release the webbing tension;
Have
The plurality of warning deactivation modes are:
When the release command is received at the timing of the tension application process, the process immediately shifts to the release process, and after the release process ends, the release mode for stopping the warning operation thereafter,
When receiving a release command at the timing of the release process, a release mode that stops the warning operation with the webbing tension released, and
The seat belt device according to claim 1, comprising:

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