JP2021181252A - Add-on buckle switch and seat belt wearing assist system - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an add-on buckle switch which enables functions of a buckle switch to be easily added later.SOLUTION: An add-on buckle switch 10 is attached to a buckle 1 which may engage with a tongue 4 connected to a seat belt 5 and includes: a cover 11 which may be attached to the outer side of the buckle 1; and a distance sensor 12 which is provided at the cover 11, is disposed on a side surface 1D which connects a pair of major surfaces 1B, 1C of the buckle 1 when the cover 11 is attached to the buckle 1, and detects the tongue 4 engaging with the buckle 1.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

The present disclosure relates to a retrofit buckle switch and a seatbelt wearing support system.

A buckle switch is known that detects that the tongue connected to the seatbelt is engaged with the buckle in order to detect the seatbelt wearing of the occupant. The existing technology of the buckle switch includes a slide switch, and the slide switch built in the buckle detects the change in the contact state between the movable contact and the fixed contact due to the insertion of the tongue, and the tongue locks to the buckle. There is one that detects whether or not it has been done (for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-062423

By the way, in recent years, it has become mandatory to wear seat belts in all seats, and drivers must drive with all occupants wearing seat belts. For this reason, it is desirable to provide the driver with a configuration for notifying the driver whether or not a seatbelt is fastened, such as a buckle switch, in all seats of the vehicle, but in many cases, conventional vehicles do not have a buckle switch other than the driver's seat and the passenger seat. Especially in the service industry such as taxi and bus, there are many vehicles without a buckle switch because the vehicle update cycle is long. Therefore, there is a need to retrofit a buckle switch to each seat of the vehicle.

However, in the conventional technique described in Patent Document 1 and the like, it is necessary to incorporate a sensor at the time of manufacturing the buckle, and it is impossible to retrofit the buckle to which the buckle switch is not set. Further, in the case of a switch having a mechanical structure, it is expected that the design according to the shape is required, the versatility is lowered, and the number of parts is increased.

It is an object of the present disclosure to provide a retrofit buckle switch and a seatbelt wearing support system that can easily add the function of the buckle switch after the fact.

The retrofit buckle switch according to one aspect of the embodiment of the present invention is a retrofit buckle switch to be mounted on a buckle that can be engaged with a tongue connected to a seat belt, and has a cover that can be mounted on the outside of the buckle and the above. A mounting detection unit provided on the cover, arranged on the side surface connecting the pair of main surfaces of the buckle when the cover is mounted on the buckle, and detecting that the tongue is engaged with the buckle. , Equipped with.

Similarly, the seatbelt wearing support system according to one aspect of the embodiment of the present invention is a seatbelt wearing support system that supports the seatbelt wearing of a vehicle occupant and engages with a tongue connected to the seatbelt. A retrofit buckle switch mounted on a flexible buckle and a terminal device communicably connected to the retrofit buckle switch to indicate whether or not the occupant's seat belt is worn are provided, and the retrofit buckle switch is located on the outside of the buckle. A mountable cover and a side surface that is provided on the cover and connects the pair of main surfaces of the buckle when the cover is mounted on the buckle, and the tongue is engaged with the buckle. The terminal device has a wearing detection unit for detecting, and when the wearing detection unit detects that the tongue is not engaged with the buckle, the information that the occupant prompts the wearing of the seat belt. Is displayed, and when the mounting detection unit detects that the tongue is engaged with the buckle, the information is hidden.

According to the present disclosure, it is possible to provide a retrofit buckle switch and a seatbelt wearing support system that can easily add the function of the buckle switch after the fact.

Perspective view of the retrofit buckle switch according to the first embodiment A perspective view showing a state in which the retrofit buckle switch shown in FIG. 1 is attached to the buckle. Top view showing the positional relationship between the tongue and the retrofitted buckle switch attached to the buckle View of the retrofit buckle switch attached to the buckle from the z positive direction side Schematic diagram showing the directivity of the distance sensor and motion sensor of the retrofit buckle switch Schematic diagram showing an example of mounting a retrofit buckle switch Perspective view showing the first modification of the retrofit buckle switch Perspective view showing a second modification of the retrofit buckle switch Block diagram of the seatbelt wearing support system according to the second embodiment Flow chart of the operation of the seatbelt wearing support system when the occupant is on board Flow chart of the operation of the seatbelt wearing support system when the occupant gets off

Hereinafter, embodiments will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In order to facilitate understanding of the description, the same components are designated by the same reference numerals as possible in each drawing, and duplicate description is omitted.

In the following description, the x-direction, the y-direction, and the z-direction are perpendicular to each other. The z-direction is the insertion / detachment direction of the tongue 4 into the buckle 1. The y direction is the extending direction of the light emitting surface of the light guide plate 14.

[First Embodiment]
The first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 8.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the retrofit buckle switch 10 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a state in which the retrofit buckle switch 10 shown in FIG. 1 is attached to the buckle 1. FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the positional relationship between the retrofit buckle switch 10 mounted on the buckle 1 and the tongue 4. FIG. 4 is a view of the retrofitted buckle switch 10 mounted on the buckle 1 as viewed from the z positive direction. FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing the directivity of the distance sensor 12 and the motion sensor 13 of the retrofit buckle switch 10.

The retrofit buckle switch 10 shown in FIG. 1 is a device that can be attached to the buckle 1 that can be engaged with the tongue 4 (see FIG. 3) connected to the seat belt 5 of the vehicle as shown in FIG. The retrofit buckle switch 10 simply imparts the functions of a seatbelt reminder and a buckle switch to the buckle 1 in which the buckle switch is not set by adding a sensor as a retrofit. Here, the buckle switch function means a function of detecting that the tongue 4 connected to the seat belt 5 is engaged with the buckle 1, for example, as shown in FIG. If it is possible to detect whether or not the tongue 4 is engaged with the buckle 1 by the buckle switch function, it is also possible to detect whether or not the occupant is wearing a seatbelt. As a result, when the occupant is not wearing the seatbelt 5, the seatbelt reminder function for urging the occupant to fasten the seatbelt 5 can also be executed.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, the retrofit buckle switch 10 includes a cover 11, a distance sensor 12 (mounting detection unit), a motion sensor 13 (seating detection unit), a light guide body 14 as a light emitting unit, and a light guide body 14. It includes an LED light source 15.

The cover 11 is a member that can be attached to the outside of the buckle 1. The cover 11 is a tubular member provided with a through hole 11A penetrating in the z direction, and the buckle is in a state where the buckle 1 is inserted through the through hole 11A and the tongue insertion port 2 is exposed from the end portion on the z positive direction side. Can be attached to 1.

The distance sensor 12 detects that the tongue 4 is engaged with the buckle 1. More specifically, the distance sensor 12 is provided toward the insertion direction (z direction) of the tongue 4 into the buckle 1 and measures the distance between the tongue 4 and the tongue 4 to detect the position of the tongue 4. The distance sensor 12 detects that the tongue 4 is engaged with the buckle 1 when it detects that the tongue 4 is within a certain distance. The distance sensor 12 is provided on the cover 11, and when the cover 11 is attached to the buckle 1, the side surfaces connecting the pair of main surfaces 1B and 1C of the buckle 1 (in FIGS. 1 to 4, the y negative direction side). It is arranged on the side of the side surface 1D).

As the distance sensor 12, for example, a reflective infrared sensor can be applied, but the distance sensor 12 is not limited to this. For example, an element that can measure the distance to the tongue 4 by a method other than infrared rays such as sound waves and radio waves may be used.

Further, it is preferable that the distance sensor 12 is surrounded by a wall portion erected in the direction of the tongue 4 (z positive direction side) at the time of insertion into the buckle 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, a recess 11B is formed in a portion of the end surface 11D on the z positive direction side of the cover 11 on the y negative direction side from the through hole 11A so as to be recessed in the z negative direction side, and the recess 11B is formed. A distance sensor 12 is provided on the bottom surface. As a result, the side surface of the recess 11B has a structure that surrounds the distance sensor 12 as a wall portion erected on the z positive direction side.

When the distance sensor 12 is a reflective infrared sensor, if the distance to the tongue 4 to be measured is too close, the distance measurement may be out of the detection range. However, in the present embodiment, since the distance sensor 12 is arranged on the bottom surface of the recess 11B according to the above configuration, as shown in FIG. 3, the tongue 4 and the distance sensor 12 are even when the tongue 4 is completely engaged with the buckle 1. The distance from the tongue 4 can be kept at a constant distance d, and the tongue 4 can be prevented from being out of the detection range of the distance sensor 12. Further, by setting the range in which the distance sensor 12 detects the tongue 4 to be the same as the distance d between the sensor surface (bottom surface of the recess 11B) and the tongue 4 (for example, about 3 mm to 10 mm), the tongue 4 can be surely buckled. Only the area locked to 1 can be detected.

Further, by arranging the distance sensor 12 on the bottom surface of the recess 11B, a wall higher than the sensor surface is provided around the distance sensor 12, which causes an obstacle to enter between the distance sensor 12 and the tongue 4 and disturbance. False detection due to light or the like can be prevented.

The motion sensor 13 detects that the occupant is seated in the seat where the buckle 1 is installed. The motion sensor 13 is provided on the cover 11 and is arranged on the side of the side surface of the buckle 1 (side surface 1D similar to the distance sensor 12) when the cover 11 is attached to the buckle 1.

Further, the motion sensor 13 can be applied with, for example, a pyroelectric infrared sensor, and has directivity toward the occupant side (x positive direction side in FIG. 1 and the like) seated in the seat when the cover 11 is attached to the buckle 1. Arranged like this. By using a pyroelectric infrared sensor, far infrared rays emitted from the human body are detected, so that it is possible to distinguish between a person and an object, and it is possible to determine the presence or absence of an occupant.

That is, both the distance sensor 12 and the motion sensor 13 are provided on the sensor portion 11C on the y-negative direction side of the cover 11. As shown in FIG. 5, in the sensor portion 11C, the directivity direction of the distance sensor 12 is the z positive direction, and the directivity direction of the motion sensor 13 is the x positive direction. The directivity of the motion sensor 13 may be any direction in which infrared rays can be received from the occupant when the occupant is seated, and the angle can be adjusted from the positional relationship between the buckle and the occupant.

When the cover 11 is attached to the buckle 1, the light guide body 14 is formed so that the light emitting surface extends along the extending direction of the tongue insertion port 2 of the buckle 1 as shown in FIG. It emits light according to the lighting of the light source 15. The light guide body 14 is provided on the end surface 11D of the cover 11 formed along the outer peripheral side of the front end side end surface 1A including the tongue insertion port 2 of the buckle 1 when the cover 11 is attached to the buckle 1. This allows the occupant to easily see the position of the buckle 1 even when the inside of the vehicle is dark.

Further, if the light guide body 14 is turned on / off according to whether or not the tongue 4 is inserted, the visibility of whether or not the seat belt is worn is improved. In the present embodiment, a configuration in which the light guide body 14 and the LED light source 15 are provided as a light emitting unit for emitting light in the vicinity of the tongue insertion port 2 to make the tongue insertion port 2 easier to see is illustrated, but the light emitting unit is illustrated. Other elements may be used as long as they can exhibit the functions of.

In the present embodiment, since the retrofit buckle switch 10 includes both the distance sensor 12 and the motion sensor 13, the buckle switch function can be controlled by combining the distance sensor 12 and the motion sensor 13. For example, when the motion sensor 13 does not detect the seating of the occupant, the power supply to the distance sensor 12 is stopped to stop the operation, while when the motion sensor 13 detects the seating of the occupant, the distance sensor 12 Can be configured to power and perform operations. As a result, the operating period of the distance sensor 12 can be shortened when the occupant is seated, and the power consumption of the distance sensor 12 can be suppressed. The details of the operation / stop switching control of the distance sensor 12 will be described later with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11.

Further, the retrofit buckle switch 10 has a built-in battery 16 (see FIG. 9), and supplies power from the battery 16 to the elements (distance sensor 12, motion sensor 13, LED light source 15, etc.) built in the cover 11. Is preferable. As a result, the power supply of the retrofit buckle switch 10 can be made independent from the vehicle, and it is not necessary to connect the wiring from the vehicle side for power supply, so that the retrofit buckle switch does not make any new changes on the vehicle side. 10 can be easily used.

As described above, the retrofit buckle switch 10 of the present embodiment can detect whether or not the tongue 4 is engaged with the buckle 1 only by attaching the distance sensor 12 as a mounting detection unit to the buckle 1 side. Since no additional sensor or the like needs to be attached to the tongue 4, the structure is simple and it is easy to attach to the vehicle.

Further, when the retrofit buckle switch 10 is attached, it can be attached only by covering the buckle 1 with the tubular cover 11. For example, the buckle 1 is inserted into the through hole 11A of the cover 11 from the z positive direction side of the buckle 1 and inserted until the end surface 1A on the tip end side of the buckle 1 is exposed as shown in FIGS. The buckle switch 10 can be attached to the buckle 1. In addition, it is easy to remove because it does not adhere to the buckle body. As described above, the retrofit buckle switch 10 of the present embodiment can easily add the function of the buckle switch after the fact.

Further, the retrofit buckle switch 10 of the present embodiment attaches a retrofit sensor to the existing buckle 1, detects whether or not there is an occupant in the seat (human sensor 13), and detects the wearing of the seat belt 5. It is possible to easily realize the seatbelt reminder function by also having a sensor (distance sensor 12).

FIG. 6 is a schematic view showing an example of mounting the retrofit buckle switch 10. FIG. 6 shows an example of mounting the rear seat of the vehicle on the seat 6 for three people. In FIG. 6, the buckle 1 is arranged on the right side of the seat 6 in the rightmost seat in the left-right direction of the vehicle, and the buckle 1 is arranged on the left side of the seat 6 in the other two seats.

As described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5, in the retrofit buckle switch 10 of the present embodiment, the sensor portion 11C is arranged on the side surface of the buckle 1 when the buckle switch 10 is attached to the buckle 1. As shown in FIG. 6, the through hole 11A and the sensor portion of the cover 11 are arranged so that the sensor portion 11C of the cover 11 is arranged on the rear side of the vehicle with respect to the buckle 1 according to the mounting position of the buckle 1 with respect to the seat 6. The arrangement with 11C may be adjusted. As described above, by setting the mounting surface of the sensors as the side surface of the buckle 1, it is possible to easily secure a mounting place for the sensors even in the buckle 1 of the type to be embedded in the seat 6.

On the other hand, unlike the present embodiment, when the sensor is attached to the main surface 1B of the buckle 1 (the main surface opposite to the tongue removal button 3), the sensor is attached to the occupant side, so that the occupant's clothes, etc. May become an obstacle. In addition, depending on the size of the sensor, mounting it on the occupant side may affect the restraint performance in an emergency. In the present embodiment, the mounting surface of the sensor is the side surface of the buckle 1, so that the mounting surface of the sensor is not affected by these.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a first modification of the retrofit buckle switch 10. As shown in FIG. 7, the cover 11 may be an open / close type. For example, an opening / closing portion 11F extending in the z direction is provided on the side surface 11E on the side opposite to the sensor portion 11C of the cover 11 (y positive direction side), and the side surface 11E is divided into two in the y direction from the opening / closing portion 11F and a through hole is provided. It may be configured to open 11A. In this case, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, the cover 11 covers the portion from the boundary portion 11G with the sensor portion 11C to the opening / closing portion 11F in the main surface portion on the opposite side (x negative direction side) to the surface having the light guide plate 14. The movable portion 11H of a separate member may be used, and the movable portion 11H may be configured to rotate around the z-axis with the boundary portion 11G as the center of rotation. With the movable portion 11H rotated in the x negative direction and the opening / closing portion 11F opened, the buckle 1 is inserted into the through hole 11A from the y positive direction side via the opening / closing portion 11F, and the movable portion 11H is inserted in the x positive direction. It is attached to the buckle 1 by rotating it to the side and closing the opening / closing portion 11F.

Further, urethane or a cushioning material having a grip property may be arranged on the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 11A, and the thickness may be changed to absorb various shapes of the buckle 1. Further, a non-slip feature may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the through hole 11A to prevent the buckle 1 from coming out of the through hole 11A.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a second modification of the retrofit buckle switch 10. As shown in FIG. 8, a part of the cover 11 may be an elastic portion 11J made of a material having elasticity and high grip, such as rubber, mesh, or a net. In the example of FIG. 8, the main surface portion on the side opposite to the surface having the light guide plate 14 (x negative direction side) and the side surface portion on the opposite side (y positive direction side) from the sensor portion 11C are replaced with the expansion / contraction portion 11J. ing. The retrofit buckle switch 10 can be attached to the buckle 1 by bringing the expansion / contraction portion 11J into close contact with the main surface or the side surface of the buckle 1 inserted into the through hole 11A. Further, by using such an expansion / contraction portion 11J, the cover 11 of the retrofit buckle switch 10 can be made into a shape that can follow the shape of the buckle 1.

The cover 11 of the retrofit buckle switch 10 is not limited to the integrated type in which each element such as the distance sensor 12, the motion sensor 13, the light guide body 14, and the LED light source 15 as described above is built in the cover 11. The components may be assembled around the buckle 1 in order to finally form the retrofit buckle switch 10.

[Second Embodiment]
The second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 to 11.

FIG. 9 is a block diagram of the seatbelt wearing support system 30 according to the second embodiment. As shown in FIG. 9, the seatbelt wearing support system 30 includes a retrofit buckle switch 10 according to the first embodiment. The seatbelt wearing support system 30 is a system for supporting the seatbelt wearing of a vehicle occupant by using the retrofit buckle switch 10.

As shown in FIG. 9, the seatbelt wearing support system 30 includes one or a plurality of retrofit buckle switches 10 mounted on buckles 1 of seats 1 to N of the vehicle, and a tablet terminal 20 (terminal device).

The tablet terminal 20 is communicably connected to the retrofit buckle switch 10 and displays whether or not the occupant is wearing a seatbelt. The tablet terminal 20 is a device independent of the vehicle system, and preferably has a configuration that is not connected to the vehicle by wiring or the like. The tablet terminal 20 may be a terminal device such as a smartphone or a notebook PC.

In the present embodiment, the retrofit buckle switch 10 and the tablet terminal 20 are connected so as to be communicable by wireless communication in order to reduce signal lines. As a specific method of wireless communication, Bluetooth (registered trademark), BLE (Bluetooth Low Energy), Wi-Fi (registered trademark) and the like can be used.

The information transmitted from the retrofit buckle switch 10 to the tablet terminal 20 has three patterns: "1: absent", "2: with occupants (without seatbelts)", and "3: with occupants (with seatbelts)". be. The application software (hereinafter referred to as “application”) 22 of the tablet terminal 20 controls and displays the notification of the seatbelt reminder from the contents of the received information.

The retrofit buckle switch 10 includes a distance sensor 12 (reflection type infrared sensor) built in the cover 11, a motion sensor 13 (focal infrared sensor), an LED light source 15, a battery 16, and a wireless communication unit 17. , Have.

The tablet terminal 20 has a wireless communication unit 21 and an application 22. The application 22 can display / hide the indicator 23, which is a mark representing a state in which the occupant is wearing a seatbelt, as illustrated in FIG. 9, for example.

The application 22 can switch the display / non-display of the indicator 23 based on, for example, the occupant information received from the retrofit buckle switch 10 and the information regarding whether or not the seatbelt is fastened. For example, the app 22 of the tablet terminal 20 displays information prompting the occupant to fasten the seatbelt when the distance sensor 12 detects that the tongue 4 is not engaged with the buckle 1. That is, the indicator 23 shown in FIG. 9 is displayed to urge the occupant to fasten the seat belt. On the other hand, when the distance sensor 12 detects that the tongue 4 is engaged with the buckle 1, the information prompting the occupant to fasten the seat belt, that is, the indicator 23 shown in FIG. 9 is hidden.

Information on the presence or absence of an occupant detected by the motion sensor 13 and the presence or absence of the tongue 4 inserted into the buckle 1 detected by the distance sensor 12 in the retrofit buckle switch 10 of each seat 6 is, for example, "seat belt not attached". It is transmitted to the tablet terminal 20 via the wireless communication unit 17 as an "alarm" and is transmitted to the driver on the application 22 of the tablet terminal 20. In addition, the occupants of each seat 6 can be notified by an LED 15 installed on the retrofit buckle switch 10 or other indicators such as indicators, thereby encouraging each occupant to wear a seatbelt. ..

The battery 16 is a drive power source for each element built in the retrofit buckle switch 10, and is, for example, a button battery or a small secondary battery.

The retrofit buckle switch 10 can control the drive of the distance sensor 12 of the buckle switch function based on the occupant information detected by the motion sensor 13. For example, power consumption can be suppressed by setting the distance sensor 12 to the standby mode when the occupant is absent. Further, by controlling the transmission cycle of wireless communication based on the occupant information detected by the motion sensor 13, the power consumption of the wireless communication unit 17 can be suppressed. These controls will be described later with reference to FIGS. 10 and 11.

The seatbelt wearing support system 30 can be configured without making new changes to the vehicle by making the signal line and the power supply independent from the vehicle. In addition, there is no need to consider wiring or the like. Further, by providing an individual channel for each sensor of the retrofit buckle switch 10 of each seat, it is possible to distinguish a plurality of seats with one tablet terminal 20 and detect whether or not a seatbelt is worn.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart of the operation of the seatbelt wearing support system 30 when the occupant gets on the vehicle.

First, in the retrofit buckle switch 10, wireless communication with the tablet terminal 20 is started by the wireless communication unit 17 (S101). First of all, wireless communication is performed in a normal two-second cycle.

The motion sensor 13 detects whether or not the occupant is seated (S102). When it is detected that the occupant is absent, the distance sensor 12 is set to the standby mode, and the wireless communication unit 17 transmits the information of "occupant absent" to the tablet terminal 20 (S103).

In the tablet terminal 20, the application 22 turns off the indicator 23 of the seatbelt reminder in response to the reception of the information that the occupant is absent (S104). On the other hand, in the retrofit buckle switch 10, the communication cycle of the wireless communication unit 17 is changed to a longer cycle of 5 seconds than usual (S105).

On the other hand, when it is detected in step S102 that the occupant is present, the buckle switch drive current is turned on, a current is supplied to the distance sensor 12 and the LED light source 15 (S106), and the LED light source 15 lights up. (S107). As a result, the light guide plate 14 (buckle LED) around the tongue insertion slot 2 of the buckle 1 emits light.

Then, the distance sensor 12 detects whether or not the tongue 4 is attached to the buckle 1. While the wearing is not detected (wearing detection is OFF), the wireless communication unit 17 transmits the information of "the occupant is present and the seatbelt is not worn" to the tablet terminal 20 (S109). In the tablet terminal 20, the application 22 turns on (lights up) the indicator 23 of the seatbelt reminder in response to the reception of this information (S110).

On the other hand, when the attachment of the tongue 4 to the buckle 1 is detected in step S108 (attachment detection ON), the LED light source 15 of the retrofit buckle switch 10 is turned off (S111). Information on "the occupant is present and the seatbelt is fastened" is transmitted (S112). In the tablet terminal 20, the application 22 turns off (turns off) the indicator 23 of the seatbelt reminder in response to the reception of this information (S113).

FIG. 11 is a flowchart of the operation of the seatbelt wearing support system 30 when the occupant gets off the vehicle.

First, in the retrofit buckle switch 10, when the distance sensor 12 detects that the tongue 4 is detached from the buckle 1 (mounting detection OFF) (S201), the LED light source 15 is turned on (S202), and the tongue insertion port 2 of the buckle 1 is turned on. The light guide plate 14 (buckle LED) around the light source emits light.

Next, the motion sensor 13 detects whether or not the occupant is seated (S203). While the presence of the occupant is detected, the information of "the occupant is present and the seatbelt is not fastened" is transmitted to the tablet terminal 20 by the wireless communication unit 17 (S204). In the tablet terminal 20, the application 22 turns on (lights up) the indicator 23 of the seatbelt reminder in response to the reception of this information (S205).

On the other hand, when it is detected in step S203 that the occupant is absent, the buckle switch drive current is turned off (S206), and the LED light source 15 is turned off (S207). Then, the distance sensor 12 is set to the standby mode, and the information of "absence of occupant" is transmitted to the tablet terminal 20 by the wireless communication unit 17 (S208).

In the tablet terminal 20, the application 22 turns off the indicator 23 of the seatbelt reminder in response to the reception of the information that the occupant is absent (S209). On the other hand, in the retrofit buckle switch 10, the communication cycle of the wireless communication unit 17 is changed to a longer cycle of 5 seconds than usual (S210).

The present embodiment has been described above with reference to specific examples. However, the present disclosure is not limited to these specific examples. These specific examples with appropriate design changes by those skilled in the art are also included in the scope of the present disclosure as long as they have the features of the present disclosure. Each element included in each of the above-mentioned specific examples, its arrangement, conditions, a shape, and the like are not limited to those exemplified, and can be appropriately changed. The combinations of the elements included in each of the above-mentioned specific examples can be appropriately changed as long as there is no technical contradiction.

In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the retrofit buckle switch 10 includes both the distance sensor 12 and the motion sensor 13 is exemplified, but a configuration in which only the distance sensor 12 is provided may be used. Even with this configuration, it is possible to detect whether or not the tongue and the buckle are engaged, and it is possible to detect whether or not the seatbelt is fastened.

1 Buckle 1A Tip side end face 2 Tongue insertion slot 4 Tongue 5 Seat belt 10 Retrofit buckle switch 11 Cover 11A Through hole 11B Recess (wall part)
11D End face 12 Distance sensor (mounting detection unit)
13 Motion sensor (seating detector)
14 Light guide plate (light emitting part)
15 LED light source (light emitting part)
16 Battery 20 Tablet terminal (terminal device)
30 Seatbelt wearing support system

Claims (12)

A retrofit buckle switch that attaches to a buckle that can be engaged with the tongue connected to the seat belt.
A cover that can be attached to the outside of the buckle,
A mounting detection unit provided on the cover, arranged on the side surface connecting the pair of main surfaces of the buckle when the cover is mounted on the buckle, and detecting that the tongue is engaged with the buckle. When,
Equipped with a retrofit buckle switch. The mounting detection unit includes a distance sensor that is provided toward the insertion direction of the tongue into the buckle and measures the distance between the tongue and the tongue.
When the distance sensor detects that the tongue is within a certain distance, it detects that the tongue is engaged with the buckle.
The retrofit buckle switch according to claim 1. The distance sensor is provided so as to be surrounded by a wall portion erected in the direction of the tongue when inserted into the buckle.
The retrofit buckle switch according to claim 2. A seating detection unit provided on the cover, arranged on the side surface of the buckle when the cover is attached to the buckle, and detecting that an occupant is seated on the seat on which the buckle is installed is provided.
The retrofit buckle switch according to any one of claims 1 to 3. The seating detection unit includes a motion sensor provided so as to have directivity toward an occupant who sits on the seat when the cover is attached to the buckle.
The retrofit buckle switch according to claim 4. When the seating detection unit does not detect the seating of the occupant, the operation of the mounting detection unit is stopped.
When the seating detection unit detects the seating of the occupant, the operation of the mounting detection unit is executed.
The retrofit buckle switch according to claim 4 or 5. When the cover is attached to the buckle, it is provided on the end surface of the cover formed along the outer peripheral side of the end surface on the distal end side including the tongue insertion port of the buckle, and is provided along the extending direction of the tongue insertion port. It has a light emitting part formed by
The retrofit buckle switch according to any one of claims 1 to 6. The cover is a tubular member that inserts the buckle into the through hole to expose the tongue insertion slot from one end.
The retrofit buckle switch according to any one of claims 1 to 7. A battery that supplies power to the elements built into the cover.
The retrofit buckle switch according to any one of claims 1 to 8. It is a seatbelt wearing support system that supports the seatbelt wearing of vehicle occupants.
A retrofit buckle switch attached to a buckle that can be engaged with the tongue connected to the seat belt, and
A terminal device that is communicably connected to the retrofit buckle switch and displays whether or not the occupant is wearing a seatbelt.
Equipped with
The retrofit buckle switch is
A cover that can be attached to the outside of the buckle,
A mounting detection unit provided on the cover, arranged on the side surface connecting the pair of main surfaces of the buckle when the cover is mounted on the buckle, and detecting that the tongue is engaged with the buckle. When,
Have,
When the wearing detection unit detects that the tongue is not engaged with the buckle, the terminal device displays information prompting the occupant to wear the seatbelt.
When the mounting detection unit detects that the tongue is engaged with the buckle, the information is hidden.
Seat belt wearing support system. The retrofit buckle switch is
It has a seating detection unit provided on the cover, arranged on the side surface of the buckle when the cover is attached to the buckle, and detecting that an occupant is seated on the seat on which the buckle is installed.
When the seating detection unit does not detect the seating of the occupant, the retrofit buckle switch stops the operation of the mounting detection unit, and the terminal device hides the information prompting the occupant to fasten the seatbelt. ,
When the seating detection unit detects the seating of the occupant, the retrofit buckle switch executes the operation of the mounting detection unit.
The seatbelt wearing support system according to claim 10. The retrofit buckle switch and the terminal device are connected by wireless communication.
The seatbelt wearing support system according to claim 10 or 11.

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