Vehicle sensor device and seat belt retractor using the same

Abstract

The present invention provides a vehicle sensor device and a seatbelt retractor using the same, the retractor comprising: a steering wheel provided on one side of a mandrel and rotating according to insertion or extraction of a seatbelt webbing; a support plate in which the steering wheel is accommodated; a sensor housing provided so as to be rotatable based on a change in the setting angle of the support plate and the inclination of the object to be mounted; a ball that moves within the sensor housing according to changes in the inclination and acceleration of the vehicle; an upper cover provided above the ball and provided so as to be rotatable according to the movement of the ball; a guide bar that rotates by the rotation of the upper cover while being in contact with the upper cover so as to be coupled to or separated from the steering wheel; and a lock release lever that releases contact between the steering wheel and the guide lever to rotate the steering wheel, thereby enabling insertion and extraction of the seatbelt webbing, thereby simplifying the structure of the vehicle sensor device, so that operability during manufacturing is improved, and manufacturing cost can be reduced.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a seat belt retractor, and more particularly, to a vehicle sensor device that senses changes in the inclination and acceleration of a vehicle and prevents a seat belt from being pulled out, and a seat belt retractor using the vehicle sensor device. Background Art

[0002] Generally, vehicles are equipped with seat belt safety devices in the seats to ensure the safety of the occupants.

[0003] The seat belt safety device includes: a retractor that operates to allow a belt-shaped seat belt webbing (hereinafter referred to as "webbing") for fixing an occupant to be wound around a reel or pulled out; and a buckle into which a tongue fixed at one end of the webbing can be removably inserted.

[0004] When a vehicle suddenly stops or accelerates due to a vehicle accident, the retractor can prevent an occupant wearing a seat belt from bouncing forward or moving away from the seat due to driving inertia. Such a retractor may include a device that allows the webbing to be pulled out in a normal state when the occupant fastens the seat belt, but prevents the webbing from being further pulled out when a change in the pulling acceleration of the webbing or the inclination of the vehicle is detected due to a vehicle collision, and an emergency tensioning device and a pretensioning device that reduce the slack or suspension of the webbing (i.e., the slack of the webbing).

[0005] For example, in Patent Document 1 and Patent Document 2 below, a retractor technique for controlling the winding operation and unwinding operation of a seat belt webbing is disclosed.

[0006] The applicant of the present invention has filed a patent application that discloses a seat belt retractor having a vehicle sensor with an improved fixing structure as in Patent Document 3 below, and has received registration of the patent.

[0007] When an acceleration exceeding a predetermined value is applied to the retractor in the horizontal direction or the inclination of the vehicle changes, such as when a vehicle collision occurs, a vehicle sensor that detects the acceleration or inclination is applied to the retractor to prevent the seat belt from being pulled out by operating a locking device of the seat belt.

[0008] Vehicle sensors using a ball as an inertial member or using an independent inertial member are well known in the art.

[0009] For example, the vehicle sensor includes an inertial member and a sensor rod. The inertial member moves in a dangerous situation where a deceleration or inclination higher than the normal deceleration of the webbing is applied to the vehicle. The sensor rod interacts with external teeth of a control disk that is moved by the inertial member and rotates together with a reel of the seat belt retractor.

[0010] That is, the vehicle sensor of the seat belt retractor in the prior art measures the inclination of the vehicle by applying a gimbal having a weight therein. Even if the angle of the backrest provided on the seat changes, this vehicle sensor can measure the inclination of the vehicle.

[0011] Meanwhile, with the recent development of autonomous vehicles, technologies for minimizing the volume of the seats and seat belt retractors applied to vehicles and increasing the rotation angle of the backrest of the seat are being developed. In addition, an integrated seat belt (Belt In Seat (BIS)) integrated into the seat can be applied.

[0012] However, when the rotation angle of the seat (e.g., the backrest) equipped with the seat belt retractor of the prior art exceeds a predetermined angle range, there is a problem that the seat belt retractor cannot operate properly due to component interference, which restricts the mechanism.

[0013] Therefore, it is necessary to develop a seat belt retractor technology using a vehicle sensor that can expand the angle range for measuring the inclination as the rotation angle of the backrest increases.

[0014] (Patent Document 1) U.S. Patent No. 6,499,554 (registered on December 31, 2002)

[0015] (Patent Document 2) U.S. Patent No. 6,443,332 (registered on September 3, 2002)

[0016] (Patent Document 3) Korean Patent Registration No. 10-1766844 (published on August 9, 2017) Summary of the Invention

[0017] Technical problem

[0018] An object of the present disclosure is to solve the above problems and provide a vehicle sensor device for sensing changes in the inclination and acceleration of a vehicle and a seat belt retractor using the vehicle sensor device.

[0019] Another object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle sensor device and a seat belt retractor using the vehicle sensor device, the vehicle sensor device being capable of expanding the angle range in which changes in inclination can be measured as the rotation angle of the backrest increases.

[0020] Still another object of the present disclosure is to provide a vehicle sensor device having a simple structure, thereby improving the operability during the manufacturing process and reducing the manufacturing cost, and a seat belt retractor using the vehicle sensor device.

[0021] Solution to the problem

[0022] To achieve the above object, the vehicle sensor device according to the present disclosure may include: a steering wheel disposed on one side of a mandrel and rotated according to a retraction operation or a pulling operation of a seat belt webbing; a support plate in which the steering wheel is received; a sensor housing mounted to be rotatable based on changes in the mounting angle of the support plate and the inclination of an object to be mounted; a ball that moves within the sensor housing according to changes in the inclination and acceleration of the vehicle; an upper cover disposed above the ball and rotatably provided according to the movement of the ball; a guide rod that rotates in contact with the upper cover through the rotation of the upper cover, thereby coupling or separating from the steering wheel; and a lock release rod that releases the contact with the steering wheel and the guide rod, rotates the steering wheel, and enables the seat belt webbing to be retracted and pulled out.

[0023] In addition, to achieve the above object, a seat belt retractor employing the vehicle sensor device according to the present disclosure may include: a vehicle sensor device that detects changes in the inclination of the vehicle and changes in the pulling acceleration of the seat belt webbing; and a mandrel around which the seat belt webbing is wound, and the seat belt retractor may rotate the guide rod based on the detected changes in the inclination of the vehicle and the pulling acceleration of the webbing to couple or separate from the steering wheel.

[0024] Advantageous effects of the present invention

[0025] As described above, the vehicle sensor device according to the present disclosure and the seat belt retractor employing the vehicle sensor device can achieve the following effects: enhancing the structure of the oscillating gear, lock release rod, and ALR rod applied to the vehicle sensor device into a simple structure, and expanding the angle range to cope with angle changes of an object (e.g., a backrest) on which the seat belt retractor is mounted.

[0026] In addition, according to the present disclosure, the structure of the vehicle sensor device is simplified, thereby having the effects of improving operability during manufacturing and reducing manufacturing costs. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0027] Figure 1 is a view showing an example of a conventional seat belt retractor.

[0028] Figure 2 is a view showing Figure 1 an example of the sensor unit shown.

[0029] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a seat belt retractor applying the vehicle sensor device according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0030] Figure 4 isFigure 3 An enlarged perspective view of the vehicle sensor device shown.

[0031] Figure 5 is Figure 4 An exploded perspective view of the vehicle sensor device shown.

[0032] Figure 6 is a view showing the operating state of the vehicle sensor device according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0033] Figure 7 is a view showing Figure 6 the operating state of the upper cover and the guide rod in the vehicle sensor device shown. Detailed Description of the Preferred Embodiment

[0034] Hereinafter, a vehicle sensor device according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure and a seat belt retractor using the vehicle sensor device will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0035] Before describing the structure of the seat belt retractor according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, the structure of a seat belt retractor according to the prior art will be briefly described with reference to Figure 1 a view generally showing the structure of a seat belt retractor according to the prior art.

[0036] Figure 1 is a view showing an example of a seat belt retractor according to the prior art, and Figure 2 is a view showing Figure 1 an example of the sensor unit shown.

[0037] As Figure 1 shown, a seat belt retractor 1 according to the prior art may include: a spindle 3 around which a seat belt webbing (hereinafter referred to as "webbing") 2 is wound; a sensor unit 4 that detects the inclination of the vehicle; an emergency tensioning unit 5 that winds the webbing 2 to reduce slack during a vehicle collision; and a pretensioning unit 6 that smoothly pulls out the webbing 2 during normal vehicle driving and winds the webbing 2 to reduce slack just before a vehicle collision.

[0038] The sensor unit 4 detects a change in the pulling acceleration of the webbing 2 caused by a vehicle collision or a change in the inclination of the vehicle.

[0039] The emergency tensioning unit 5 may operate an inflator (not shown) embedded with gunpowder according to a detection signal for detecting a vehicle collision, and may wind the webbing 2 around the spindle 3 by using the pressure of the generated gas. Therefore, the emergency tensioning unit 5 can reduce the slack of the webbing 2 by winding the webbing 2 during a vehicle collision, thereby reducing the injury value of the occupant.

[0040] When a vehicle collision is predicted by sensors applied to a vehicle, the pretensioner unit 6 can wind the webbing 2 around the spindle by operating a motor capable of rotating and reverse-rotating. That is, when the vehicle is traveling normally, even without an accident, the pretensioner unit 6 can maintain the tension of the fastened webbing 2 and prevent the webbing 2 from slackening until the vehicle undergoes stronger acceleration or deceleration, and can reduce the slack of the webbing 2 by winding the webbing 2 before the vehicle is about to collide, thereby reducing the injury value of the occupant.

[0041] Here, the spindle 3 is installed within the fixed frame 7, and the sensor unit 4, the emergency tensioning unit 5, and the pretensioner unit 6 are disposed on both sides of the fixed frame 7, and the left and right housings are coupled to the outer sides of each unit.

[0042] That is, the respective units 4, 5, 6 are disposed on both sides of the spindle 2 in the transverse direction.

[0043] Meanwhile, the prior art seat belt retractor 1 can provide an Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) function and a lock release function. The Automatic Locking Retractor (ALR) function is used to fix an article such as a child seat to the vehicle seat by using the webbing 2, and the lock release function is used to disable the locking function that prevents the webbing from being pulled out.

[0044] When the clutch lever 8 for turning on or off the sensing function of the sensor unit 4 does not control the rotational movement of the spherical housing 9 provided in the sensor unit 4, the prior art seat belt retractor 1 configured as described above can adjust the mounting angles of the weight body and the spherical housing 9 of the sensor unit 4 within a preset angle range, for example, within a range from about 0° to about 45°.

[0045] However, during the process of adjusting the backrest angle, when the mounting angles of the weight body and the spherical housing 9 exceed the adjustable angle range, the prior art seat belt retractor 1 may have a problem that the sensor unit 4 cannot operate normally.

[0046] In addition, since the units for providing the above ALR function and lock release function are constructed by applying multiple gears, the prior art seat belt retractor 1 may have problems such as a complex structure and an increase in working time and manufacturing cost during manufacturing.

[0047] To solve these problems, the present disclosure improves the connection structure between the sensor unit 4 and the units for providing the ALR function and the lock release function to be simple, and expands the angle range in response to changes in the backrest angle.

[0048] Figure 3 is a perspective view of a seat belt retractor to which a vehicle sensor device is applied according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, Figure 4 isFigure 3 An enlarged perspective view of the vehicle sensor device shown, and Figure 5 is Figure 4 a disassembled perspective view of the vehicle sensor device shown.

[0049] Hereinafter, the direction in which the steering wheel is mounted relative to the seat is referred to as the "forward direction (F)", and the opposite direction of the steering wheel is referred to as the "backward direction (B)". In addition, terms indicating directions such as "left side (L)", "right side (R)", "upward direction (U)", and "downward direction (D)" are defined as indicating the corresponding directions relative to the above forward direction (F) and backward direction (B).

[0050] In the present embodiment, the configuration of a seat belt retractor applied to an integrated seat belt (BIS) integrally mounted on a seat is described.

[0051] Of course, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and it should be noted that seat belt retractors of various structures and shapes can be provided to be applied not only to integrated seat belts but also to ordinary vehicles or autonomous vehicles.

[0052] As Figure 3 shown, a seat belt retractor 10 applied with a vehicle sensor device according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure includes: a spindle 20 around which a seat belt webbing (hereinafter referred to as "webbing") 21 is wound; and a vehicle sensor device (hereinafter referred to as "sensor unit") 30 that detects changes in the vehicle inclination and changes in the pulling acceleration of the webbing 21.

[0053] Meanwhile, the seat belt retractor 10 applied with a vehicle sensor device according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure may further include an emergency tensioning unit (not shown) and a pretensioning unit (not shown). The emergency tensioning unit reduces slack by winding the webbing 21 when an emergency such as a vehicle collision occurs, and the pretensioning unit smoothly pulls out the webbing 21 during normal driving of the vehicle and reduces slack by winding the webbing 21 just before an emergency occurs.

[0054] The sensor unit 30 may be provided as a vehicle sensor device that includes an acceleration sensor for detecting changes in the pulling acceleration and an inclination sensor for detecting changes in the vehicle inclination.

[0055] In the present embodiment, detection of both changes in the vehicle inclination and changes in the pulling acceleration of the webbing 21 by using the sensor unit 30 is shown.

[0056] The spindle 20 may be mounted between two side walls 23 of a fixed frame 22.

[0057] The mandrel 20 can be formed into a substantially cylindrical shape, and the webbing 21 with one fixed end can be wound around the outer surface of the mandrel 20 multiple times, and in this state, it can be wound or unwound according to the driving state of the vehicle.

[0058] When viewed from above, the fixed frame 22 can be formed into a substantially "∩" shape, and the mandrel 20 can be installed by passing through two side walls 23 of the fixed frame 22.

[0059] Here, the elastic member 24 can be installed on one side of the fixed frame 22, that is, on the left end when viewed from Figure 3 above, to provide a restoring force to the mandrel 22.

[0060] The sensor unit 30 can be installed on the other side of the fixed frame 22, that is, on the right end when viewed from Figure 3 above.

[0061] A pair of covers 25 can be respectively installed at both ends of the fixed frame 22 to shield the outer surfaces of the elastic member 24 and the sensor unit 30.

[0062] As Figures 3 to 5 shown, the sensor unit 30 can include: a steering wheel 31; a swing gear 32; a center gear 33 that is coupled to the left end of the mandrel 20; a clutch lever 34 that is rotatably coupled to the center gear 33; a sensor housing 35 that rotates according to the change in inclination; a weight body 36 and an adapter 37 that apply a weight to the sensor housing 35; and a guide rod 40 that is connected to one end of the adapter 37.

[0063] The sensor unit 30 can further include a lock release lever 50 and an ALR lever 60.

[0064] Here, a pair of coupling shafts 26 can protrude from both side ends of the mandrel 20. Therefore, one end of the elastic member 24 can be coupled to the coupling shaft 26 formed at the right end of the mandrel 20, and the coupling shaft 26 formed at the left end of the mandrel 20 can be coupled to the center gear 33 through the steering wheel 31 and the swing gear 32.

[0065] Here, the center gear 33 can rotate in response to the rotation of the mandrel 20 while being coupled to the coupling shaft 26. On the other hand, the steering wheel 31 and the swing gear 32 can be connected such that the rotational force of the mandrel 20 is not directly transmitted.

[0066] The steering wheel 31 can be rotatably installed on one side of the fixed frame 22 to rotate in association with the retraction or extension operation of the webbing 21 when the webbing 21 is pulled out or retracted. A plurality of locking protrusions 311 can protrude from the outer surface of the steering wheel 31.

[0067] When the webbing 21 is retracted, the surfaces of the plurality of protrusions 311 that contact the guide rod 40 or the extension member 63 of the ALR rod 60 (which will be described later) can be formed to be inclined with respect to the tangent line, and when the webbing 21 is pulled out, the surfaces that contact the guide rod 40 or the extension member 63 can be formed to be perpendicular to the tangent line.

[0068] Therefore, when the guide rod 40 or the extension member 63 contacts the outer surface of the steering wheel 31, the steering wheel 31 can enable the webbing 21 to be retracted and can disable the pulling out of the webbing 21.

[0069] To achieve this, a plurality of locking protrusions 311 can be provided at predetermined intervals along the circumferential direction of the steering wheel 31 to quickly restrict the rotational movement of the guide rod 40.

[0070] That is, the steering wheel 31 can be selectively restricted by contact with the guide rod 40.

[0071] The steering wheel 31 can be formed in a substantially disc shape or a cylindrical shape. The steering wheel 31 can be accommodated in the internal space of the support plate 38, and the support plate is coupled to the side wall 23 provided on the left side of the fixed frame 22.

[0072] The swing gear 32 can be rotatably mounted on the plate surface of the support plate 38 to perform the functions of the rotation unlocking lever 50 and the ALR rod 60.

[0073] To achieve this, the swing gear 32 can be formed in a substantially disc shape and can have a plurality of teeth protruding from the outer circumference of the swing gear 32 at positions spaced apart by a predetermined distance from each other.

[0074] The support protrusion 381 can protrude from the inner surface of the support plate 38 (i.e., the center of the right side surface) to support the coupling shaft 26, and the outer gear portion 382 can be recessed on the outer surface of the support plate 38 (i.e., the left side surface) to be externally engaged with the teeth of the swing gear 32.

[0075] The outer gear portion 382 can have one more tooth than the teeth formed on the swing gear 32 to constitute a cycloid rotor. That is, the swing gear 32 can be arranged such that its center is eccentric from the center of the outer gear portion 382 (i.e., the coupling shaft 26) and can move upward, downward, leftward, and rightward. Therefore, the swing gear 32 can rotate in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the spindle 20, and one or more teeth formed on its upper portion are sequentially engaged with the teeth of the outer gear portion 382.

[0076] The first interlocking protrusion 321 may protrude from one side of the plate surface of the swing gear 32 to a predetermined height along the thickness direction of the swing gear 32, and the second interlocking protrusion 322 may protrude from the other side of the plate surface of the swing gear 32 to a predetermined height along the thickness direction of the swing gear 32.

[0077] The central gear 33 may be inserted into the center of the swing gear 32 to be coupled to the coupling shaft 26 and may generate friction on the contact surface with the swing gear 32. That is, the central gear 33 may have a coupling shaft portion 331 protruding from its right side surface to be coupled to the insertion hole 323 formed in the center of the swing gear 32. Here, the outer diameter of the coupling shaft portion 331 may be slightly smaller than the diameter of the insertion hole 323 formed in the swing gear 32.

[0078] Therefore, due to the rotational movement of the central gear 33 caused by the rotation of the coupling shaft 26, the swing gear 32 may move slightly up and down and left and right within the outer gear portion 382 of the support plate 38, and may rotate as the teeth of the swing gear 32 mesh with the teeth of the outer gear portion 382 in sequence.

[0079] The clutch lever 34 may include a coupling portion 341 coupled to the central gear 33 and an extension portion 342 longitudinally extending from one side of the coupling portion 341 to selectively contact the sensor housing 35.

[0080] The coupling portion 341 may be formed in a substantially annular shape with one side open, and may be coupled to the outer circumference of the central gear 33 through one side of the opening, and then may be held coupled to the outer circumference of the central gear 33 by a fixing member 343. The fixing member 343 may be provided as an elastic spring formed in a substantially arc shape.

[0081] Teeth may be formed at the end of the extension portion 342 to selectively mesh with the tooth portion 352 of the sensor housing 35, which will be described below.

[0082] Here, the stopper 383 may protrude from one side of the support plate 38 to limit the maximum rotation angle of the clutch lever 34 in a state where the teeth of the extension portion 342 are released from the tooth portion 352.

[0083] The sensor housing 35 may have a ball 351 accommodated therein to move according to a change in the inclination of the vehicle, and may rotate forward and backward in response to the movement of the ball 351.

[0084] To achieve this, the sensor housing 35 may be formed in a cylindrical shape having a substantially arcuate cross-section when viewed from the side, such that a space for accommodating the ball 351 is provided therein.

[0085] The tooth portion 352 may be formed on one side of the sensor housing 35 (when atFigure 4 When observed from the left side during the middle observation), and may have a plurality of teeth to selectively engage with the teeth formed on the extension portion 342 of the clutch lever 34.

[0086] A pair of coupling protrusions 353 may protrude leftward from the front end and the rear end of the sensor housing 35 respectively to allow the weight body 36 to be coupled thereto, and a pair of rotary shafts 354 may protrude from both sides of the center of the sensor housing 35 to be rotatably coupled to the support plate 38 and the adapter 37 respectively.

[0087] The ball 351 may be formed in a spherical shape, and may have an upper cover 39 mounted on the upper portion of the ball 351 to support the movement of the ball 351.

[0088] The upper cover 39 may have a center formed to bulge upward so as to correspond to the shape of the upper end of the ball 351, and a shaft portion 391 may be provided on one side of the upper cover 39 to be rotatably coupled to the front portion of the sensor housing 35.

[0089] To achieve this, a pair of support plates 355 may protrude upward from the front portion of the sensor housing 35 to allow the shaft portion 391 of the upper cover 39 to be coupled thereto.

[0090] Here, the shaft portion 391 of the upper cover 39 may be coupled to be inclined toward one side (for example, the lower left side) between the pair of support plates 355.

[0091] Therefore, the upper cover 39 may move up and down relative to the shaft portion 391 in response to the movement of the ball 351 while contacting the upper end of the ball 351.

[0092] The weight body 36 may be formed in an arc shape that bulges substantially downward in cross-section when observed from the side, and a pair of coupling holes 361 may be formed on the front end and the rear end of the weight body 36 to allow a pair of coupling protrusions 353 formed on the front end and the rear end of the sensor housing 35 to be coupled thereto respectively.

[0093] The adapter 37 may be coupled to the space-defining portion 394 extending from the lower portion of the support plate 38 to perform the function of shielding the lower portions of the weight body 36 and the sensor housing 35. The space-defining portion 384 may extend from the lower portion of the support plate 38 in a substantially 'U' shape so as to define a space in which the sensor housing 35 rotates. A plurality of fixing holes 385 may be formed along the edge of the space-defining portion 384 and spaced apart from each other.

[0094] Therefore, the adapter 37 may be formed in a substantially fan shape that bulges downward in cross-section when observed from the side, and a coupling groove may be formed on the upper end of the adapter 37 to be coupled to the rotary shaft 354 formed on the left end of the sensor housing 35.

[0095] The rotating shaft portion 371 can be formed on the upper part of the adapter 37 to be connected to the rear end of the guide rod 40, thereby allowing the guide rod 40 to rotate.

[0096] Meanwhile, a plurality of fixing protrusions 372 can project from the right surface of the adapter 37 along the edge to be respectively connected to the fixing holes 385 of the space defining portion 384.

[0097] The guide rod 40 can be formed in a substantially rod-like shape arranged in the front-rear direction.

[0098] A through hole 41 can be formed at the rear end of the guide rod 40 to allow the rotating shaft portion 371 of the adapter 37 to be connected thereto. A first contact protrusion 42 can project slightly downward from the approximate center of the guide rod 40 to contact the upper surface of the upper cover 39, and a second contact protrusion 43 can project leftward from the front side of the first contact protrusion 42 to contact the inclined member 53 of the unlocking lever 50.

[0099] Here, the second contact protrusion 43 can be formed to have a substantially triangular cross-section that projects sharply upward when viewed from the side. Thus, the inclined member 53 can contact the inclined surface of the second contact protrusion 43. The shape of the inclined surface of the second contact protrusion 43 can prevent collision with the inclined member 53.

[0100] An inclined portion 44 can be formed at the front end of the guide rod 40 to incline toward the front upper side. According to the rotation angle of the guide rod 40, the inclined portion 44 can be caught by any one of the plurality of locking protrusions 311 formed on the steering wheel 31 to control the rotation or non-rotation of the steering wheel 31.

[0101] The unlocking lever 50 can be rotatably mounted on one side of the swing gear and can perform the function of rotating the steering wheel 31 by releasing the contact between the steering wheel 31 and the guide rod 40 in response to the rotation of the swing gear 32.

[0102] The unlocking lever 50 can include: a fastening member 51 that is rotatably connected to the plate surface of the support plate 38; a first interlocking member 52 that extends from one side of the fastening member 51 toward the swing gear 32 and has an interlocking groove 521 formed at its end; and an inclined member 53 that is formed to incline from one end of the fastening member 51 toward the front lower side to face the guide rod 4 and contacts the second contact protrusion 43 of the guide rod 40.

[0103] The fastening member 51 can be formed in a substantially rod-like shape and can be rotatably connected to one side of the plate surface of the support plate 38 near the swing gear 32.

[0104] The first interlocking member 52 can extend a predetermined length from one side of the fastening member 51 toward the swing gear 32, and can be used to rotate the unlocking lever 50 in association with the movement of the second interlocking protrusion 322 formed on the swing gear 32.

[0105] The interlocking groove 521 can be recessed in the end of the first interlocking member 52 to allow the second interlocking protrusion 322 to be inserted therein and separated therefrom, such that the second interlocking protrusion 322 smoothly contacts and separates from the first interlocking member 52.

[0106] The inclined member 53 can be formed to incline from one end of the fastening member 51 toward the front lower side to face the guide rod 40. The inclined member 53 can contact the second contact protrusion 43 of the guide rod 40 in response to the rotation of the unlocking lever 50. Then, the guide rod 40 that contacts the locking protrusion 311 formed on the steering wheel 31 can return to its initial position, and the connection between the guide rod 40 and the locking protrusion 311 can be released, such that the pulling operation of the webbing 21 can be performed.

[0107] The ALR lever 60 can be used to limit or release the rotational movement of the steering wheel 31 by interlocking with the unlocking lever 50 or in response to the rotation of the swing gear 32, so as to contact or separate one side of the ALR lever 60 from one side of the steering wheel 31.

[0108] When an article such as a child seat is installed and fixed to the vehicle seat by using the webbing 21, when the webbing 21 is fully pulled out, the ALR lever 60 can rotate, enabling the webbing 21 to be retracted and preventing the webbing 21 from being pulled out. Therefore, the ALR lever 60 can always contact the steering wheel 31, enabling the user to easily install an article such as a child seat on the vehicle seat and firmly fix it to the seat after installation.

[0109] The ALR lever 60 can include: a fastening ring 61 that is rotatably coupled to the plate surface of the support plate 38 and has an annular shape; a second interlocking member 62 that extends from one side of the fastening ring 61 toward the swing gear 32 and has an interlocking protrusion 621 protruding from one end and a contact protrusion 622 protruding from the other end to contact the rear end of the unlocking lever 50; and an extension member 63 that extends a predetermined length from the other side of the fastening ring 61 to allow the end to selectively contact and separate from the steering wheel 31, thereby limiting and releasing the rotational movement of the steering wheel 31.

[0110] The fastening ring 61 can be set as a substantially annular member, which is rotatably coupled to the plate surface of the body 31. The plate surface is located near the swing gear 32 and the unlocking lever 50 and has a predetermined thickness. Therefore, the fastening ring 61 can enable the ALR lever 60 to rotate by interlocking with the second interlocking protrusion 323 or the unlocking lever 50.

[0111] The second interlocking member 62 can be used to interlock with the second interlocking protrusion 323 and the unlocking lever 50 that is in substantial contact therewith.

[0112] The interlocking protrusion 621 can protrude from one end of the second interlocking member 62 to contact the second interlocking protrusion 323, and the contact member 622 can protrude from the other side of the second interlocking member 62 to contact the unlocking lever 50.

[0113] The extension member 63 can extend from the other side of the fastening ring 61 to a predetermined length so that the end selectively contacts and separates from the steering wheel 31, thereby restricting and releasing the rotational movement of the steering wheel 31. To achieve this, the extension member 63 can have an end that is inclined toward the outer surface of the swing gear 32.

[0114] When contacting the first interlocking protrusion 321 formed on the outer surface of the swing gear 32, the end of the extension member 63 can bend toward the swing gear to restrict the rotational movement of the swing gear 32, and the contact surface contacting the second interlocking protrusion 323 can be formed flat to achieve firm contact.

[0115] As described above, the present disclosure can simplify the structures of the swing gear, the unlocking lever, and the ALR lever applied to the vehicle sensor device, and can expand the angle range in response to the change in the angle of an object (e.g., a backrest) on which the seat belt retractor is mounted.

[0116] In addition, the structure of the vehicle sensor device is simplified, so that the operability can be improved and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0117] Hereinafter, reference will be made to Figure 6 and Figure 7 to describe in detail a method for operating a vehicle sensor device and a seat belt retractor employing the vehicle sensor device according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure.

[0118] Figure 6 is a view showing the operating state of the vehicle sensor device according to a preferred embodiment of the present disclosure, and Figure 7 is a view showing Figure 6 the operating state of the upper cover and the guide rod in the vehicle sensor device shown. Figure 7 A to Figure 7C shows the upper covers at angles of 0°, 45°, and 60° respectively.

[0119] As Figure 6 shown, the vehicle sensor device 30, i.e., the sensor unit 30, while being installed in the seat belt retractor, rotates forward and backward in response to the forward and backward rotation of the backrest. In this case, the sensor housing 35 can always maintain a vertical arrangement state.

[0120] The clutch lever 34 can rotate to contact the tooth portion 352 of the sensor housing 35 and support the sensor housing 35, so that the sensor housing 35 can maintain its vertical arrangement state before the backrest tilts.

[0121] Before the webbing 21 is pulled out, in a state where the end of the extension portion 342 of the clutch lever 34 is separated from the tooth portion 52 of the sensor housing 35, as the webbing 21 is pulled out, the steering wheel 31 and the center gear 33 can rotate, and through the center gear 33, the oscillating gear 32 can rotate. Therefore, the clutch lever 34 can be connected to the center gear 33, and can rotate in the same direction as the center gear 33 due to the tension of the fixing member 343 set as a spring, and can rotate through the first interlocking protrusion 321 formed on the oscillating gear 32 to contact or release from the tooth portion 352 of the sensor housing 35.

[0122] Meanwhile, when the vehicle stops or is traveling normally, the ball 351 and the upper cover 39 can maintain a vertical setting. Therefore, the guide rod 40 can maintain contact with the upper surface of the upper cover 38, and the webbing 21 can be pulled out freely.

[0123] In this state, when a sudden external force is applied to the vehicle from the outside or the vehicle tilts when passing through a sharp bend portion in the width direction, the ball 351 provided in the sensor housing 33 can move, so that the upper cover 39 rotates around the shaft portion 391. Then, the guide rod 40 contacting the upper surface of the upper cover 39 can rotate up and down around the through hole 41 at the rear end.

[0124] When the guide rod 40 rotates as described above, the inclined portion 44 at the front end of the guide rod 40 can be caught by any one of the plurality of locking protrusions 311 formed on the outer circumference of the steering wheel 31, thereby locking to prevent the webbing 21 from being pulled out.

[0125] As described above, the present disclosure can detect changes in the inclination of the vehicle and the inclination of the backrest as well as changes in the pulling acceleration of the webbing by using the ball and the sensor housing, and can control the guide rod.

[0126] Here, in as Figure 7 A to Figure 7In all cases where the angle of the upper cover 39 shown in C is 0°, 45°, or 60°, the first contact protrusion 42 of the guide rod 40 can maintain contact with the upper surface of the upper cover 39.

[0127] In this case, the end of the inclined portion 44 of the guide rod 40 can maintain a constant distance from the locking protrusion 311 of the steering wheel 31.

[0128] As described above, the present disclosure can control the normal linear reciprocating motion of the guide rod by adjusting the angle of the backrest, regardless of the rotation and setting angle of the vehicle sensor device.

[0129] That is, the present disclosure can expand the angle range such that the guide rod 40 is generally controlled within the range of the vehicle sensor device 30 changed by adjusting the angle of the backrest, from approximately 0° to 60°.

[0130] When the sensor housing 35 is fixed and the unlocking function is enabled (turned on), the swing gear 32 can rotate in the counterclockwise direction as shown, and the first interlocking member 52 of the unlocking lever 50 can be pressed backward by the second interlocking protrusion 322. Figure 6 Then, when the unlocking lever 50 rotates clockwise around the fastening member 51, the front end of the inclined member 53 can press down the second contact protrusion 43 of the guide rod 40, and the inclined portion 44 provided at the front end of the guide rod 40 can rotate counterclockwise around the through hole 41 at the rear end of the guide rod 40, so as to separate from and be fixed to the locking protrusion 311 of the steering wheel 31.

[0131] Therefore, the webbing 21 can enter a state where it can be freely pulled out or retracted by the operating force of the occupant.

[0132] On the other hand, when the unlocking function is disabled (turned off), the swing gear 32 can rotate in the counterclockwise direction, and the first interlocking member 52 of the unlocking lever 50 can be pressed forward by the second interlocking protrusion 322.

[0133] Then, when the unlocking lever 50 rotates counterclockwise around the fastening member 51, the front end of the inclined member 53 can be released from contact with the second contact protrusion 43 of the guide rod 40, and the guide rod 40 can be selectively coupled to or separated from the locking protrusion 311 of the steering wheel 31 by the rotation of the upper cover 39 caused by the movement of the ball 351.

[0134] When the ALR function is enabled, the swing gear 32 can rotate in the clockwise direction, and the interlocking protrusion 621 of the second interlocking member 62 in the ALR lever 60 can be pressed backward by the first interlocking protrusion 321.

[0135] When the ALR function is enabled, the swing gear 32 can rotate in the clockwise direction, and the interlocking protrusion 621 of the second interlocking member 62 in the ALR lever 60 can be pressed backward by the first interlocking protrusion 321.

[0136] Then, when the ALR lever 60 rotates clockwise around the fastening ring 61, the extension member 63 can contact the locking projection 311 of the steering wheel 31, thereby restricting the rotational movement of the steering wheel 31.

[0137] Therefore, when an article such as a child seat is installed on the vehicle seat by using the webbing 21, the ALR lever 60 can enable the webbing 21 to be retracted and, in a state where the webbing is fully pulled out, prevent the webbing 21 from being pulled out. Thus, the ALR lever 60 can always contact the steering wheel 31, enabling a user to easily install an article such as a child seat on the vehicle seat and firmly fix it to the seat after installation.

[0138] On the other hand, when the ALR function is disabled (turned off), the oscillating gear 32 can rotate clockwise, and the first interlocking member 52 of the unlocking lever 50 can be pressed backward by the second interlocking projection 322.

[0139] Then, when the unlocking lever 50 rotates clockwise around the fastening member 51, the contact projection 622 of the second interlocking member 62 of the ALR lever 60 can be pressed downward by the unlocking lever 50.

[0140] In this case, when the ALR lever 60 rotates counterclockwise around the fastening ring 61, the extension member 63 can be separated from the locking projection 311 of the steering wheel 31. When the ALR function is disabled as described above, the steering wheel 31 enters a rotatable state.

[0141] Through the above process, the present disclosure can enhance the structures of the oscillating gear, unlocking lever, and ALR lever applied to the vehicle sensor device to be simple and can expand the angular range in response to changes in the angle of an object (e.g., a backrest) equipped with a seat belt retractor.

[0142] In addition, the structure of the vehicle sensor device is simplified, thereby improving the operability and reducing the manufacturing cost.

[0143] Although the present invention made by the inventors of the present application has been specifically described according to the above embodiments, the present disclosure is not limited to the above embodiments and can be modified in various ways within the scope of the technical essence of the present disclosure.

[0144] That is, in the above embodiments, the configuration of the integrated seat belt device integrated into the backrest of the seat has been described, but the present disclosure can be changed to be installed not only on the backrest of the seat but also on the vehicle body, for example, on the pillar on the side of the vehicle, the body panel at the rear of the seat, the roof of the vehicle, or under the vehicle body.

[0145] In addition, the present disclosure is not limited to the configuration of the seatbelt retractor described with reference to Figure 3 and can be modified to change the configuration of the seatbelt retractor and apply the vehicle sensor device to the modified seatbelt retractor.

[0146] Industrial applicability

[0147] The present disclosure is applied to a vehicle sensor device and a seatbelt retractor employing the vehicle sensor device, the vehicle sensor device enhancing the connection structure of the sensor unit 4 to a unit providing an ALR function and a lock release function to be simple and expanding the angle range in response to a change in the backrest angle.

Claims

1. A vehicle sensor device, the vehicle sensor device comprises: a steering wheel, the steering wheel being disposed on one side of a spindle and rotating according to a retraction operation or a pulling operation of a seat belt webbing; a support plate, the steering wheel being received in the support plate; a sensor housing, the sensor housing being mounted to be rotatable based on changes in the mounting angle of the support plate and the inclination of an object to be mounted; a ball, the ball moving within the sensor housing according to changes in the inclination and acceleration of the vehicle; an upper cover, the upper cover being disposed on an upper portion of the ball and rotatably provided according to the movement of the ball; a guide rod, the guide rod rotating in contact with the upper cover through rotation of the upper cover, thereby being coupled to or separated from the steering wheel; and a lock release rod, the lock release rod releasing contact with the steering wheel and the guide rod to enable rotation of the steering wheel, thereby enabling the seat belt webbing to be retracted and pulled out.

2. The vehicle sensor device according to claim 1, the vehicle sensor device further comprises: a swing gear, the swing gear being disposed on one side of the support plate and rotating in a direction opposite to the rotation direction of the spindle; a center gear, the center gear passing through the swing gear to be coupled to a coupling shaft of the spindle; and a clutch rod, the clutch rod being coupled to a sensor gear and rotated by the swing gear to selectively contact or separate from the sensor housing, wherein the swing gear has a first interlocking protrusion for rotating the clutch rod and a second interlocking protrusion for rotating the lock release rod.

3. The vehicle sensor device according to claim 2, wherein the guide rod includes a first contact protrusion contacting an upper surface of the upper cover and a second contact protrusion contacting the lock release rod, and an inclined portion, the inclined portion being selectively caught by any one of a plurality of locking protrusions formed on the steering wheel to control rotation or non-rotation of the steering wheel.

4. The vehicle sensor device according to claim 3, wherein the lock release rod comprises: a fastening member, the fastening member being rotatably coupled to the support plate; a first interlocking member, the first interlocking member extending from one side of the fastening member toward the swing gear and having an interlocking groove formed at its end; and an inclined member, the inclined member being formed to incline from one end of the fastening member toward the guide rod and selectively contacting the second contact protrusion of the guide rod.

5. The vehicle sensor device according to claim 1, the vehicle sensor device further comprises: an ALR rod, the ALR rod contacting or separating from one side of the steering wheel to limit or release rotational movement of the steering wheel, wherein the ALR rod includes: a fastening ring, the fastening ring being rotatably coupled to a plate surface of the support plate; a second interlocking member, the second interlocking member extending from one side of the fastening ring toward the swing gear and having an interlocking protrusion protruding from one end thereof and a contact protrusion protruding from the other end thereof to contact the lock release rod; and An extension member that extends a predetermined length from the other side of the fastening member to selectively contact or separate from the steering wheel at the end, thereby restricting or releasing the rotational movement of the steering wheel.

6. A seat belt retractor, the seat belt retractor comprising: A vehicle sensor device configured according to any one of claims 1 to 5 to detect changes in the inclination of the vehicle and changes in the pulling acceleration of the seat belt webbing; and A spindle around which the seat belt webbing is wound, wherein the seat belt retractor rotates a guide rod based on the detected changes in the inclination of the vehicle and the pulling acceleration of the webbing to couple or separate the guide rod from the steering wheel.

Images