JP4752739B2 - Control method and device for occupant restraint device - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a control method and apparatus for a vehicle occupant restraint device.

Patent Document 1 discloses an adjusting means for adjusting a regulation value of a load limiter when a pulling output exceeding a regulation value of a load limiter that regulates the seat belt being pulled out acts on the seat belt at the time of a frontal collision of a vehicle. A control method for a vehicle occupant restraint device is disclosed in which the impact energy acting on the occupant from the seat belt at the time of a frontal collision is effectively absorbed by a road limiter and the impact acting on the occupant from the seat belt is reduced.
JP-A-11-170974

The conventional occupant restraint device control methods such as Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2003-228561 are intended for a frontal collision of a vehicle, and are not methods or devices for controlling a seat belt pull-out force at the time of a side collision.
However, in an oblique side collision, an impact from the front is input in addition to an impact input from the side.
In order to prevent the occupant from moving forward and out of the protection area of the side airbag due to the impact from the front, that is, in order to restrain the occupant with the seat belt in the protection area of the side airbag, I want to operate the pretensioner to restrict the movement of the passengers.
In that case, in addition to the input to the side of the occupant's chest from the side door or side airbag, the input from the seat belt to the front of the chest of the occupant who moves in inertia in the front is added, causing a problem that the burden on the chest increases. .
This problem arises because “suppressing the forward movement of the occupant” and “reducing input from the seat belt to the occupant's chest” are contradictory.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a control method for an occupant restraint device and an apparatus for the same that can suppress the forward movement of the occupant during a side collision of the vehicle and can suppress an increase in the burden on the chest of the occupant from the seat belt. is there.

The present invention for solving the above problems and achieving the above object is as follows.
(1) A control method for an occupant restraint device that controls the level of a limit load of a seat belt load limiter based on output signals of a side collision sensor and a front collision sensor,
Determining whether a side impact calculation value is greater than a predetermined side impact threshold at the time of a side collision of the vehicle;
Determining whether the vehicle front impact calculation value is greater than a predetermined front impact threshold when the side impact calculation value is greater than the side impact threshold;
When the front impact calculation value is larger than the front impact threshold, the step of increasing the limit load of the seat belt load limiter, turning on the seat belt pretensioner, and turning on the side airbag device;
When the front impact calculation value is less than or equal to the front impact threshold, lowering the limit load of the seat belt load limiter, turning on the seat belt pretensioner, and turning on the side airbag device;
A control method for an occupant restraint device.

(2) A control device for an occupant restraint device that controls the level of a limit load of a seat belt load limiter based on output signals of a side collision sensor and a front collision sensor,
Side impact calculation value determination means for determining whether or not the side impact calculation value based on the side impact signal is greater than a predetermined side impact threshold value, and whether or not the front impact calculation value based on the front impact signal is greater than a predetermined front impact threshold value a front impact calculated value determining means for determining whether the limit load of the seat belt load limiters when large a and front impact operation value from side impact operation value is a predetermined side impact threshold is greater than the predetermined front shock threshold high west, and oN the seat belt pretensioner, a first indicating means to oN Sa id airbag device, side impact calculated value and the front impact calculation value larger than the predetermined side impact threshold is predetermined front impact a second instruction means for seat belt load limiter to limit the load low west, and oN the seatbelt pretensioner, turns oN the sub id airbag device when the threshold value or less, Has, the controller of the occupant restraint system.

According to the control method for an occupant restraint device of the present invention described in (1) above, when the side impact strength is larger than the side impact threshold at the time of a side collision of the vehicle, the seat belt pretensioner is turned on and the side airbag device is turned on. Since it is turned on, even in the case of an oblique collision, it is possible to restrain the occupant from moving forward and hold the occupant in the protective area of the side airbag, thereby reducing occupant obstacles. In this case, when the strength of the front impact is equal to or less than the front impact threshold value, the step of reducing the seat belt load limiter is included, so that the input from the seat belt to the passenger chest can be reduced. As a result, the burden on the chest due to input from the seat belt to the front of the chest can be minimized.

According to the control device for an occupant restraint device of the present invention of (2) above, since the means for turning on the seat belt pretensioner is included when the side impact calculation value is larger than a predetermined side impact threshold, Even if it exists, a passenger | crew's movement to front can be restrained and a passenger | crew can be hold | maintained in the protection area of a side airbag, and a passenger | crew trouble can be reduced. In this case, since the second instruction means for lowering the seat belt load limiter is included when the strength of the front impact is equal to or less than the front impact threshold, input from the seat belt to the passenger chest can be reduced. . As a result, the burden on the chest due to input from the seat belt to the front of the chest can be minimized.

  A control method for an occupant restraint device according to the best mode of the present invention and a control device for an occupant restraint device according to the present invention that is directly used to implement the method will be described with reference to FIGS.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4 and 7, the control device 1 for an occupant restraint device according to the present invention can change the side collision sensor 11 and the front collision sensor 12, the seat belt pretensioner 20, and the limit load to high and low. The seatbelt load limiter 30, the side airbag device 40 having the inflator 41, the seatbelt pre-tensioner 20 is turned on and off based on the output signals of the side collision sensor 11 and the front collision sensor 12, and the seatbelt load limiter 30 is limited. And an electronic control unit (ECU, ECU is an abbreviation of Electronic Control Unit) 10 in which a control routine for controlling the load level and ON / OFF of the side airbag 42 is installed.

The electronic control unit 10 includes a CPU 10a, a ROM 10b, a RAM 10c, an input interface 10d, and an output interface 10e that are connected to each other via a bidirectional bus. The control routine of FIG. 2 is installed in the ROM 10b, and the control routine is stored in the CPU 10a. The CPU is read and the calculation is executed by the CPU.
As shown in FIG. 2, the control routine installed in the electronic control unit 10 includes a side impact signal reading unit 101 that reads a side impact signal from the side impact sensor 11 and a front surface that reads a front impact signal from the front impact sensor 12. Impact signal reading means 103; side impact computed value judging means 102 for judging whether or not the side impact computed value (side computed value) based on the side impact signal is greater than a predetermined side impact threshold (side threshold); Front impact calculation value determining means 104 for determining whether or not the front impact calculation value (pre-calculation value) based on the signal is larger than a predetermined front impact threshold (pre-threshold), and the side impact calculation value (side calculation value) are predetermined. The seat belt pretensioner 20 is turned on when the side impact threshold value (side threshold value) is larger and the front impact calculation value (pre-calculation value) is larger than the predetermined front impact threshold value (pre-threshold value). The first instruction means 105 that increases the limit load of the seat belt load limiter 30 and turns on the side airbag device 40, and the side impact calculated value (side calculated value) are larger than a predetermined side impact threshold (side threshold). When the front impact calculation value (pre-calculation value) is less than or equal to a predetermined front impact threshold value (pre-threshold value), the seat belt pretensioner 20 is turned on and the limit load of the seat belt load limiter 30 is reduced (first instruction). And a second instruction means 106 for turning on the side airbag device 40.

  Here, the side impact threshold value is equal to or substantially equal to the conventional side impact threshold value (which varies depending on the weight of the vehicle) in which the side airbag device is turned on. The front impact threshold is equal to or substantially equal to the conventional front impact threshold (which varies depending on the weight of the vehicle, etc.) in which the pretensioner of the seat belt with a pretensioner is turned on. The high load of the limit load of the seat belt load limiter is equal to or substantially equal to the limit load of the seat belt load limiter in the case of a conventional frontal collision (which varies depending on the weight of the vehicle, etc.). The low load of the limit load of the seat belt load limiter is smaller than the limit load of the seat belt load limiter in the case of the conventional frontal collision (however, it varies depending on the weight of the vehicle) (for example, 30 to 70% of the above high load) However, it is not limited to 30 to 70% of the high load).

  The side collision sensor 11 is an acceleration sensor that is provided, for example, on the side of the vehicle and detects and outputs vehicle lateral acceleration, and an output signal thereof is input to the ECU 10. The front collision sensor 12 is an acceleration sensor that is provided, for example, in the center of the vehicle and detects and outputs vehicle longitudinal acceleration (or both vehicle longitudinal acceleration and lateral acceleration), and its output signal is input to the ECU 10. The

  As shown in FIG. 6, the seat belt pretensioner 20 is provided in the winding portion 23 of the seat belt 21 to increase the tension of the seat belt (webbing) 21 to remove the slack. The drive source 22 of the seat belt pretensioner 20 includes an inflator, a motor, or an inflator and a motor. The seat belt pretensioner 20 is turned on in response to instructions from the first and second instruction means 105 and 106 of the electronic control unit 10, winds up the seat belt 21, and increases the tension. Conventionally, the seat belt pretensioner does not operate even when the side collision sensor detects a side collision. However, in the present invention, when the side collision sensor 11 detects a side collision, the seat belt pretensioner 20 is turned on and the seat is activated. The tension of the belt 21 is increased. The seat belt pretensioner 20 is not limited to this structure.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the seat belt load limiter 30 can change the pull-out load of the seat belt 21 in a plurality of stages, for example, in two stages. The seat belt load limiter 30 includes, for example, a pair of clamps 31 and 32 provided opposite to each other with the seat belt 21 interposed therebetween, a swing type lock lever 33 that presses one clamp 31 against the other clamp, When the pair of clamps 31 and 32 are lifted by the pulling out of the seat belt 21 and the actuator 34 that swings the lever 33, the clamps 31 and 32 come into contact with the clamps to regulate the swing range of the lock lever 33 and the pair of clamps 31. , 32, a stopper 35 for adjusting the clamping force, a screw shaft 36 for adjusting the position of the stopper 35, and a servo motor 37 for rotating the screw shaft 36. Then, by changing the rotation angle of the servo motor 37 in accordance with the instruction signals from the first and second instruction means 105 and 106 of the electronic control unit 10, the position of the stopper 35 and the pull-out load of the seat belt 21 are changed in a plurality of stages. For example, the size is changed in two steps. The seat belt load limiter 30 is not limited to this structure.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the side airbag device 40 includes an inflator 41 and a side airbag 42 that is deployed and inflated when the inflator starts up. The inflator 41, the side airbag 42, and the guide 47 are supported by a seat frame 48. The side airbag device 40 is installed in the side support 43 of the seat, and is turned on by an instruction signal from the first and second instruction means 105 and 106 of the electronic control unit 10 at the time of a side collision. The side airbag 42 breaks the stitching portion 44 and develops and inflates between the occupant 45 and the side door 46, and keeps the occupant 45 away from the entering side door 46 to protect the occupant 45. The side airbag device 40 is not limited to this structure.

  The control method of the passenger | crew restraint apparatus of this invention has step S101-S106, as shown in FIG. Steps S101 to S106 are executed by means 101 to 106, respectively.

  In the control method for an occupant restraint device according to the present invention, in the case of a side collision of the vehicle, the step S102 for determining whether or not the side impact calculated value is larger than a predetermined side impact threshold, and the side impact calculated value is larger than the side impact threshold. If the front impact calculation value of the vehicle is greater than a predetermined front impact threshold value, step S104 determines whether the front impact calculation value is greater than the front impact threshold value. When the limit load of the seat belt load limiter 30 is made high (large) and the side airbag device 40 is turned on, the first instruction step S105, and when the front impact calculation value is less than or equal to the front impact threshold, the seat belt pretensioner 20 Is turned on, the limit load of the seat belt load limiter 30 is lowered, and the second instruction step S106 for turning on the side airbag device 40 is included.

  In the occupant restraint device control method of the present invention, the control routine of FIG. 1 is always interrupted at predetermined time intervals, and the calculation is executed.

  In step S101, a side impact signal is read from the side collision sensor 11. The side impact signal is time-integrated to obtain a side impact calculation value.

  Next, in S102, it is determined whether or not the side impact calculation value is larger than a predetermined side impact threshold. This side impact threshold is a threshold at which the side airbag device 40 is turned on when the impact exceeds a side impact. When the side impact calculation value is less than or equal to the side impact threshold, it is determined that the lateral acceleration applied to the vehicle is large enough to prevent the seat belt pretensioner 20 and the side airbag device 40 from being turned on. To complete one cycle. When the side impact calculation value is larger than the side impact threshold, it is determined that the side acceleration or the lateral acceleration applied to the vehicle is large enough to turn on the side airbag device 40, and the process proceeds to step S103.

  In many cases, the side collision is an oblique side collision. In the oblique side collision, in addition to the lateral acceleration, the longitudinal acceleration occurs, and the occupant tries to move forward by the inertial force. In order to hold in the region, it is necessary to turn on the seat belt pretensioner 20. In order to detect the longitudinal acceleration at the time of a side collision, a front impact signal is read from the front collision sensor 12 in step 103. The front impact signal is time-integrated to obtain a front impact calculation value.

  Next, in S104, it is determined whether or not the front impact calculation value is larger than a predetermined front impact threshold. This front impact threshold is a threshold at which the seat belt pretensioner 20 is turned on by a front impact that includes an impact in an oblique side impact beyond that.

  If the front impact calculation value is larger than the front impact threshold value, the process proceeds to step S105, the seat belt pretensioner 20 is turned on, the limit load of the seat belt load limiter 30 is set to a high load, and the side airbag device 40 is turned on. To. By setting the limit load of the seat belt load limiter 30 to a high load, the pull-out load of the seat belt 21 becomes large regardless of the large front impact threshold, and the forward movement of the occupant is suppressed, so that the occupant 45 is side-aired. The bag 42 can be held in the expanded and inflated region. The process proceeds from step S105 to an end step.

  If the front impact calculation value is less than or equal to the front impact threshold value, the process proceeds to step S106, the seat belt pretensioner 20 is turned on, and the limit load of the seat belt load limiter 30 is set to a low load (a load lower than the high load of step 105). Then, the side airbag device 40 is turned on. When the limit load of the seat belt load limiter 30 is set to a low load, the pull-out load of the seat belt 21 becomes small, and the occupant 45 moves forward by inertia regardless of turning on the seat belt pretensioner 20. In addition, the load applied to the occupant 45 from the seat belt 21 can be reduced. The process proceeds from step S106 to an end step.

  According to the above control method for an occupant restraint device of the present invention, when the side impact strength is greater than the side impact threshold at the time of a side collision of the vehicle, the seat belt pretensioner 20 is turned on and the side airbag device 40 is turned on. Since the vehicle is turned on, even if inertia is applied to the occupant 45 due to an oblique collision, the forward movement of the occupant 45 can be restrained and the occupant 45 can be held in the protection area of the side airbag 42. The occupant 45 is pushed and moved in the direction away from the side door 46 by the bag 42, and occupant obstacles at the time of a side collision can be reduced.

  In this case, if the front impact strength is greater than the front impact threshold, the seat belt pretensioner 20 is turned on with the same strength as in the conventional front impact to restrain the occupant 45 from moving forward. Can do. Further, when the front impact strength is less than or equal to the front impact threshold value, the step 106 of lowering the load on the seat belt load limiter 30 is included, so the input from the seat belt 21 to the occupant chest can be reduced. This makes it possible to minimize the burden on the chest due to input from the seat belt 21 to the front of the chest even though the seat belt pretensioner 20 is turned on even in a side collision.

  According to the control device 1 for an occupant restraint device of the present invention described above, since the means for turning on the seat belt pretensioner 20 is included when the side impact calculation value is larger than the predetermined side impact threshold, it is an oblique collision. However, it is possible to hold the occupant 45 in the protection area of the side airbag 42 by restraining the movement of the occupant 45 forward due to inertia, and the occupant 45 is moved away from the side door 46 by the deployed and inflated side airbag 42. 45 can be pushed and moved to reduce occupant obstacles at the time of a side collision.

  In this case, when the strength of the front impact is equal to or less than the front impact threshold, the means 106 for reducing the limit load of the seat belt load limiter 30 is included, so that the input from the seat belt to the passenger chest can be reduced. it can. This makes it possible to minimize the burden on the chest due to input from the seat belt 21 to the front of the chest even though the seat belt pretensioner 20 is turned on even in a side collision.

  As described above, it is possible to achieve both “suppressing the forward movement of the occupant” and “reducing input from the belt to the chest”. In addition, this compatibility can be achieved only by changing the control program installed in the ECU 10, and can be achieved with little or no addition of parts and design changes.

It is a flowchart of the control routine of the control apparatus of the passenger | crew restraint apparatus which implements the control method of the passenger | crew restraint apparatus which concerns on one Example of this invention. 1 is a block diagram of a control device for an occupant restraint device that implements a control method for an occupant restraint device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. It is a top view of the vehicle carrying the side collision sensor and the front collision sensor among the control apparatuses of the passenger restraint apparatus which implements the control method of the passenger restraint apparatus which concerns on one Example of this invention. 1 is a side view of a vehicle equipped with a control device for an occupant restraint device that implements a control method for an occupant restraint device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a schematic side view of a seat belt pretensioner and a seat belt load limiter in the apparatus of FIG. 4. FIG. 5 is a schematic plan view of a seat belt pretensioner in the apparatus of FIG. 4. It is a fragmentary sectional view of the side airbag apparatus among the apparatuses of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

1 Control Device for Passenger Restraint Device 10 Electronic Control Unit (ECU)
10a CPU
10b ROM
10c RAM
10d Input interface 10e Output interface 20 Seat belt pretensioner 21 Seat belt 22 Drive source 23 Winding part 30 Seat belt load limiters 31, 32 Clamp 33 Lock lever 34 Actuator 35 Stopper 36 Screw shaft 37 Servo motor 40 Side airbag device 41 Inflator 42 Side Airbag 43 Seat Side Support 44 Stitching Section 45 Crew 46 Side Door 47 Guide 48 Seat Frame 101S, 101 Side Impact Signal Reading Step and Its Means 102S, 102 Side Impact Calculation Value Determination Step, and Its Means 103S, 103 Front Impact signal reading process and its means 104S, 104 Front impact calculation value determination process, and its means 105S, 105 First instruction process, and its hand Stages 106S, 106 Second instruction step and means thereof

Claims (2)

A control method for an occupant restraint device that controls the level of a limit load of a seat belt load limiter based on output signals of a side collision sensor and a front collision sensor,
Determining whether a side impact calculation value is greater than a predetermined side impact threshold at the time of a side collision of the vehicle;
Determining whether the vehicle front impact calculation value is greater than a predetermined front impact threshold when the side impact calculation value is greater than the side impact threshold;
When the front impact calculation value is larger than the front impact threshold, the step of increasing the limit load of the seat belt load limiter, turning on the seat belt pretensioner, and turning on the side airbag device;
When the front impact calculation value is less than or equal to the front impact threshold, lowering the limit load of the seat belt load limiter, turning on the seat belt pretensioner, and turning on the side airbag device;
A control method for an occupant restraint device. A control device for an occupant restraint device that controls the level of a limit load of a seat belt load limiter based on output signals of a side collision sensor and a front collision sensor,
Side impact calculation value determination means for determining whether or not the side impact calculation value based on the side impact signal is greater than a predetermined side impact threshold value, and whether or not the front impact calculation value based on the front impact signal is greater than a predetermined front impact threshold value a front impact calculated value determining means for determining whether the limit load of the seat belt load limiters when large a and front impact operation value from side impact operation value is a predetermined side impact threshold is greater than the predetermined front shock threshold high west, and oN the seat belt pretensioner, a first indicating means to oN Sa id airbag device, side impact calculated value and the front impact calculation value larger than the predetermined side impact threshold is predetermined front impact a second instruction means for seat belt load limiter to limit the load low west, and oN the seatbelt pretensioner, turns oN the sub id airbag device when the threshold value or less, Has, the controller of the occupant restraint system.

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