Positioning system for head restraint in vehicle

Abstract

A positioning system for a head restraint in a vehicle, the system including one or more head restraint actuators, one or more proximity sensors, and one or more controllers, the one or more proximity sensors are positioned oriented to detect an anterior-posterior distance of an occupant's head relative to the head restraint. The one or more controllers include one or more processors that execute instructions to determine an anterior-posterior position of the head restraint based on the anterior-posterior distance and compare the anterior-posterior position of the head restraint to an anterior-posterior boundary range of the head restraint. In response to determining that the fore-aft position of the head restraint falls outside the fore-aft boundary range, the one or more controllers instruct the one or more head restraint actuators to adjust the fore-aft position of the head restraint to fall within the fore-aft boundary range. In an embodiment, the positioning system includes one or more force sensors.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a positioning system for a head protection device in a vehicle, which continuously monitors the front - to - rear distance measured by one or more proximity sensors, the generalized contact force between an occupant's head and the head protection device detected by one or more force sensors, or both the front - to - rear distance and the generalized contact force. The positioning system continuously adjusts the front - to - rear position of the head protection device based on at least one of the front - to - rear distance and the generalized contact force.

[0002] The present disclosure provides a head protection device for a vehicle seat that restricts the backward movement of an occupant's head relative to his or her torso during sudden acceleration or deceleration events. It should be understood that the occupant can adjust the position of the head protection device in various directions, such as, for example, the front - to - rear direction and the vertical direction. When the head protection device is positioned in its default front - to - rear position, the rearward displacement distance measured between the back of the occupant's head and the front surface of the head protection device is as small as possible to minimize the movement and rotation of the occupant's head and neck during sudden acceleration or deceleration events. Background Art

[0003] Placing the head protection device in its correct position, especially in its correct front - to - rear position, may cause discomfort to some occupants. Specifically, positioning the head protection device in its correct front - to - rear position tends to position some occupants' heads in a forward and downward direction, which may lead to long - term neck fatigue. For example, relatively petite female occupants, occupants with neck injuries, or individuals wearing certain hairstyles (such as ponytails) that interfere with the head protection device may have their heads pushed forward and downward when their head protection device is in its correct position. Therefore, these occupants can deviate from the correct position of their head protection device by adjusting it to improve their comfort.

[0004] Therefore, although current head protection devices for vehicle seats achieve their intended purpose, there is a need in the art for an improved method of adjusting the position of the head protection device to enhance occupant comfort while also ensuring that the head protection device is in its correct position. Summary of the Invention

[0005] According to several aspects, the present invention discloses a positioning system for a head restraint in a vehicle. The positioning system includes one or more head restraint actuators, wherein the head restraint is movable relative to a seat via the one or more head restraint actuators. The positioning system also includes one or more proximity sensors positioned and oriented to detect the fore-aft distance of an occupant's head relative to the head restraint. The positioning system also includes one or more controllers in electronic communication with the one or more head restraint actuators and the one or more proximity sensors. The one or more controllers include one or more processors that execute instructions to continuously monitor the fore-aft distance of the one or more proximity sensors. The one or more controllers determine a fore-aft position of the head restraint based on the fore-aft distance. The one or more controllers compare the fore-aft position of the head restraint with a fore-aft boundary range of the head restraint, wherein the fore-aft boundary range is defined relative to the position of the occupant's head. In response to determining that the fore-aft position of the head restraint falls outside the fore-aft boundary range, the one or more controllers instruct the one or more head restraint actuators to adjust the fore-aft position of the head restraint to fall within the fore-aft boundary range.

[0006] In another aspect, the length of the fore-aft boundary range extends between lower and upper limits for the fore-aft position of the head restraint.

[0007] In yet another aspect, the lower and upper limits of the fore-aft position of the head restraint are defined relative to protruding features of the occupant's head.

[0008] In one aspect, the protruding feature is the back of the occupant's head.

[0009] In another aspect, one or more processors of one or more controllers adjust the lower limit value of the fore-aft position of the head restraint by executing a minimum function that selects an upper limit value of a user preference parameter or correction and setting a minimum value determined by the minimum function as the lower limit value of the fore-aft position.

[0010] In yet another aspect, the minimum function is expressed as:

[0011] Δ min =min{Δ p ,αΔ max}

[0012] where Δ min Indicates the lower limit of the front-back position of the head protection device, Δ p represents the user preference parameter, and aΔ max Indicates the upper limit of the correction.

[0013] In one aspect, α represents a multiplier whose value ranges from 0 to 1, and is selected as a limiting lower value in the case where the value of the occupant-selected user preference parameter exceeds the upper limit value of the front and rear positions.

[0014] In another aspect, the upper limit value is dynamically updated based on a plurality of head protection device positioning factors.

[0015] In yet another aspect, the positioning system further includes one or more force sensors in electronic communication with one or more controllers.

[0016] In one aspect, the one or more force sensors are positioned to detect a generalized contact force between the back of the occupant's head and the front surface of the head protection device.

[0017] In another aspect, one or more processors of the one or more controllers execute instructions to continuously monitor the generalized contact force obtained from the one or more force sensors, compare the generalized contact force with a maximum contact force, wherein both the generalized contact force and the maximum contact force include one or more force components. In response to determining that one or more force components of the generalized contact force are greater than the corresponding force components of the maximum contact force, the one or more controllers instruct one or more head protection device actuators to adjust the front and rear position of the head protection device in a rearward direction until the generalized contact force is less than or equal to the maximum contact force, or the front and rear position of the head protection device falls within the front and rear boundary ranges, whichever occurs first.

[0018] In yet another aspect, the maximum contact force is a default value determined based on a population average on a representative example of the vehicle's customer base.

[0019] In yet another aspect, the present invention discloses a positioning system for a head protection device in a vehicle. The positioning system includes one or more head protection device actuators, wherein the head protection device is movable relative to the seat by the one or more head protection device actuators. The positioning system further includes one or more force sensors positioned to detect a generalized contact force between the back of an occupant's head and the front surface of the head protection device, and one or more controllers in electronic communication with the one or more head protection device actuators and the one or more force sensors. The one or more controllers include one or more processors that execute instructions to continuously monitor the generalized contact force obtained by the one or more force sensors. The one or more controllers compare the generalized contact force with a maximum contact force, wherein both the generalized contact force and the maximum contact force include one or more force components. In response to determining that one or more force components of the generalized contact force are greater than the corresponding force components of the maximum contact force, the one or more controllers direct the one or more head protection device actuators to adjust the fore-aft position of the head protection device in a rearward direction until the generalized contact force is less than or equal to the maximum contact force, or the fore-aft position of the head protection device falls within the fore-aft boundary range of the head protection device (whichever occurs first), wherein the fore-aft boundary range of the head protection device is defined relative to the position of the occupant's head.

[0020] In another aspect, the maximum contact force is a default value determined based on a population average over representative examples of the vehicle's customer base.

[0021] In yet another aspect, the present invention discloses a positioning system for a head protection device in a vehicle. The positioning system includes one or more head protection device actuators, wherein the head protection device is movable relative to the seat by the one or more head protection device actuators. The positioning system further includes one or more proximity sensors and one or more force sensors, the proximity sensors being positioned to detect the front-to-back distance of an occupant's head relative to the head protection device, and the force sensors being positioned to detect a generalized contact force between the back of the occupant's head and the front surface of the head protection device. The positioning system includes one or more controllers in electronic communication with the one or more head protection device actuators, the one or more proximity sensors, and the one or more force sensors. The one or more controllers include one or more processors that execute instructions to continuously monitor the front-to-back distance obtained from the one or more proximity sensors. The one or more controllers determine the front-to-back position of the head protection device based on the front-to-back distance. The one or more controllers compare the front-to-back position of the head protection device with a front-to-back boundary range, wherein the front-to-back boundary range is defined relative to the position of the occupant's head. In response to determining that the front-to-back position of the head protection device falls outside the front-to-back boundary range, the one or more controllers instruct the one or more head protection device actuators to adjust the front-to-back position of the head protection device to fall within the front-to-back boundary range. The one or more controllers compare the generalized contact force with a maximum contact force, wherein both the generalized contact force and the maximum contact force include one or more force components. In response to determining that one or more force components of the generalized contact force are greater than the corresponding force components of the maximum contact force, the one or more controllers instruct the one or more head protection device actuators to adjust the front-to-back position of the head protection device in a rearward direction until the generalized contact force is less than or equal to the maximum contact force or the front-to-back position of the head protection device falls within the front-to-back boundary range, whichever occurs first.

[0022] In another aspect, the length of the front-to-back boundary range extends between a lower limit value and an upper limit value of the front-to-back position of the head protection device.

[0023] In yet another aspect, the lower limit value and the upper limit value of the front-to-back position of the head protection device are defined relative to a prominent feature of the occupant's head.

[0024] In one aspect, the prominent feature is the back of the occupant's head.

[0025] In another aspect, the one or more processors of the one or more controllers adjust the lower limit value of the front-to-back position of the head protection device by executing a minimum value function that selects a user preference parameter or a corrected upper limit value and setting the minimum value determined by the minimum value function as the lower limit value of the front-to-back position.

[0026] In yet another aspect, the minimum value function is expressed as:

[0027] Δ min = min{Δ p , αΔ max}

[0028] where Δ min represents the lower limit value of the front - rear position of the head protection device, Δ p represents a user preference parameter, and αΔ max represents the corrected upper limit value.

[0029] From the description provided herein, further application areas will become apparent. It should be understood that the specification and specific examples are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0030] The drawings described herein are for illustrative purposes only and are not intended to limit the scope of the present disclosure in any way.

[0031] Figure 1 FIG. shows a schematic view of a vehicle including the disclosed positioning system for a head protection device, where the positioning system includes one or more controllers in electronic communication with a proximity sensor and a force sensor of the head protection device; and

[0032] Figure 2 is a schematic view showing a head protection device, a corresponding seat of the head protection device, a proximity sensor, a force sensor, and one or more head protection device actuators for adjusting the position of the head protection device according to an exemplary embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0033] The following description is merely exemplary in nature and is not intended to limit the present disclosure, its application, or uses.

[0034] Referring to Figure 1 , FIG. shows a vehicle 10 including a positioning system 12 for a head protection device 14 that is part of a seat 16. As described below, the positioning system 12 continuously monitors at least one of the measured front - rear distance and the generalized contact force F between the head 22 of an occupant 18 of the vehicle 10 and the head protection device 14. The positioning system 12 continuously adjusts the front - rear position of the head protection device 14 based on at least one of the front - rear distance and the generalized contact force F. The positioning system 12 continuously adjusts the front - rear position of the head protection device 14 such that the head protection device 14 is located within a front - rear boundary range 60 (as Figure 2 shown) defined by the position relative to the head 22 of the occupant 18.

[0035] It should be understood that vehicle 10 can be any type of vehicle, such as but not limited to a sedan, a truck, a sport utility vehicle, a van, or a recreational vehicle. In one embodiment, vehicle 10 is an aircraft, a ship, an earthmoving machine, or a train. Positioning system 12 includes one or more controllers 20. In Figure 1 the example shown, one or more controllers 20 communicate electronically with one or more proximity sensors 24 and one or more force sensors 26. However, it should be understood that in an embodiment, positioning system 12 may include only proximity sensors 24 or force sensors 26.

[0036] In an embodiment as Figure 1 shown, one or more proximity sensors 24 are located within the body 28 of the head protection device 14 and are oriented to detect the front-to-back distance of the head 22 of the occupant 18 relative to the head protection device 14. The front-to-back distance between the back 30 of the head 22 of the occupant 18 and the front surface 32 of the head protection device 14 is measured. Some examples of proximity sensors that can be used include but are not limited to: capacitive proximity sensors, infrared (IR) proximity sensors, and time-of-flight (TOF) proximity sensors.

[0037] One or more force sensors 26 are located within the body 28 of the head protection device 14 and are positioned to detect a generalized contact force F between the back 30 of the head 22 of the occupant 18 of the vehicle 10 and the front surface 32 of the head protection device 14. It should be understood that one or more force sensors 26 can be applied to the situation when the back 30 of the head 22 of the occupant 18 contacts the front surface 32 of the head protection device 14. One or more force sensors 26 are any type of force sensor for detecting the generalized contact force F between the head 22 and the head protection device 14, such as but not limited to pneumatic force sensors, hydraulic force sensors, piezoelectric force sensors, capacitive force sensors, magnetic sensors, and resistive sensors. In an embodiment, one or more force sensors 26 can be a multi-axis force sensor, torque sensor, or torque sensor that measures forces along the x, y, and z axes ( Figure 2 ) and moments about the x, y, and z axes.

[0038] One or more controllers 20 also communicate electronically with one or more head protection device actuators 34, one or more vehicle dynamics controllers 36, one or more active safety systems 38, one or more occupant protection device systems 40, one or more outward-facing cameras 42, and one or more vehicle sensors 44. In one non-limiting embodiment, one or more controllers 20 also communicate wirelessly with one or more vehicle networks 46. The vehicle network 46 indicates data regarding external factors such as, but not limited to, traffic conditions, road conditions, weather conditions, visibility conditions, and telemetry data regarding surrounding vehicles. Some examples of weather conditions include, but are not limited to, rain, snow, or sleet. Road conditions indicate the coefficient of friction of the road along which vehicle 10 is currently traveling and indicate the presence of snow or ice located along the road. Visibility conditions are based on weather conditions such as the presence of fog, snow, and ice. Visibility conditions are also based on the time of day and indicate lighting conditions such as, for example, daytime, dusk, or night. Some examples of the vehicle network 46 include, but are not limited to: vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication networks and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication networks. Visibility conditions are based on weather conditions such as the presence of fog, snow, and ice. Visibility conditions are also based on the time of day and indicate lighting conditions, such as daytime lighting conditions, dusk lighting conditions, or nighttime lighting conditions. Some examples of the vehicle network 46 include, but are not limited to, vehicle-to-vehicle (V2V) communication networks and vehicle-to-infrastructure (V2I) communication networks.

[0039] Continuing to refer Figure 1 , one or more controllers 20 receive one or more vehicle dynamics variables from one or more vehicle dynamics controllers 36. One or more vehicle dynamics variables represent the motion of vehicle 10 and include variables such as, but not limited to, longitudinal speed change, roll angle, pitch speed, pitch angle, and brake engagement. Referring Figure 1 and Figure 2 , one or more controllers 20 receive a front and rear boundary range 60 ( Figure 2 shown) from one or more vehicle dynamics controllers 36. Specifically, the front and rear position Δ f of the head protection device 14 is restricted between a lower limit value Δ min and an upper limit value Δ max , where the upper limit value Δ f of the front and rear position Δ max is received by one or more controllers 20 from one or more vehicle dynamics controllers 36. It should be understood that the upper limit value Δ f of the front and rear position Δ max is determined by one or more controllers located upstream of one or more vehicle dynamics controllers 36. The one or more controllers dynamically update the front and rear position Δ fUpper limit value Δ max .

[0040] One or more active safety systems 38 include any vehicle systems that prevent a collision from occurring or mitigate the effects of a collision, and include systems such as, for example, an anti-lock braking (ABS) system, an electronic stability control (ESC) system, and a lane departure warning system. One or more active safety systems 38 send an activation signal to one or more controllers 20 when activated. The activation signal indicates that the vehicle 10 may be experiencing a collision, at risk of a collision, or deviating from a normal vehicle trajectory.

[0041] One or more occupant protection systems 40 are associated with seat belts or airbags corresponding to the occupant 18 located within the seat 16. In one embodiment, the occupant protection system 40 refers to an anchor pretensioner for the seat belt, a load limiter for the seat belt, and an airbag associated with the occupant 18. One or more occupant protection systems 40 send a notification when activated. Some examples of the actuation of the protection device mechanism 30 include: when the anchor pretensioner is triggered, when the load limiter exceeds a corresponding threshold, or when one or more airbags are deployed. In one embodiment, the notification also indicates the deployment stage of the airbag (e.g., first stage deployment or dual stage deployment).

[0042] One or more outward-facing cameras 42 capture image data representative of the environment surrounding the vehicle 10. One or more outward-facing cameras 42 can provide information about current traffic conditions, road conditions, weather conditions, and visibility conditions. Some examples of weather conditions include, but are not limited to, rain, snow, or sleet. One or more additional vehicle sensors 44 include sensors such as, but not limited to, radar and lidar.

[0043] Figure 2 is a schematic diagram showing the head 22 of the occupant 18 relative to the head protection device 14, the seat 16, and one or more head protection device actuators 34. Refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , the head protection device 14 can be moved relative to the seat 16 by one or more head protection device actuators 34. Specifically, one or more controllers 20 instruct one or more head protection device actuators 34 to adjust the front-to-back position Δ f . One or more head protection device actuators 34 include a front-to-back actuator 34A for adjusting the front-to-back position of the head protection device 14. In Figure 2In the non-limiting embodiments shown, one or more head protection device actuators 34 further include one or more additional head protection device actuators 34B, 34C, 34D, 34E. Specifically, one or more head protection device actuators 34 include: a vertical actuator 34B for adjusting the vertical position of the head protection device 14; an x-axis actuator 34C for rotating the head protection device 14 about the x-axis of the vehicle 10; a z-axis actuator 34D for rotating the head protection device 14 about the z-axis of the vehicle 10; and an x-axis actuator 34E for adjusting the left-right position of the head protection device 14 along the x-axis of the vehicle 10. The x-axis is aligned with the roll axis of the vehicle 10, the y-axis is aligned with the pitch axis of the vehicle 10, and the z-axis is aligned with the yaw axis of the vehicle 10. It will be appreciated that one or more force sensors 26 may collect multi-axis data, such as multi-axis forces and torques, and then this data may be analyzed to determine whether the spatial orientation of the head protection device 14 can be changed in a direction other than the front-to-back direction to accommodate occupant comfort.

[0044] The one or more controllers 20 continuously adjust the front-to-back position Δ of the head protection device 14 based on at least one of the front-to-back distance detected by the one or more proximity sensors 24 and the generalized contact force F detected by the one or more force sensors 26. f It should be understood that in addition to the force applied in the front-to-back direction, the generalized contact force F also includes multi-axis forces and torques. As Figure 2 shown, the front-to-back position Δ of the head protection device 14 f is limited between a lower limit value Δ min and an upper limit value Δ max , or Δ min ≤Δ f ≤Δ max , where the front-to-back position Δ of the head protection device 14 is measured between the back 30 of the head 22 of the occupant 18 and the front surface 32 of the head protection device 14. f The length of the front-to-back boundary range 60 extends in the front-to-back direction between the lower limit value Δ f and the upper limit value Δ min of the front-to-back position Δ max .

[0045] The front-to-back position Δ f The lower limit value Δ min and the upper limit value Δ max are defined relative to the prominent features of the head 22 of the occupant 18. In Figure 2In the non - limiting embodiments shown, the prominent feature is the back 30 of the head 22 of the occupant 18. However, other prominent features of the head 22 of the occupant 18 can also be used. It should be understood that the prominent feature of the head 22 of the occupant 18 represents the front - to - back position Δ f of a reference. Thus, if another prominent feature of the head 22 is used as an alternative, the lower limit value Δ f and the upper limit value Δ min associated with the front - to - back position Δ max are adjusted accordingly. The lower limit Δ f for the front - to - back position Δ min of the head protection device 14 is updated dynamically and determined based on occupant comfort, while the upper limit Δ max value of the front - to - back position of the head protection device 14 is updated dynamically and represents the maximum allowable front - to - back distance of the head protection device 14 under the current operating conditions of the vehicle 10.

[0046] Now, the adjustment of the lower limit value Δ f for the front - to - back position Δ min of the head protection device 14 will be explained. One or more controllers 20 determine the lower limit value Δ p for the front - to - back position Δ max of the head protection device 14 by performing a minimum function of the selected user preference parameter Δ f or the corrected upper limit value αΔ min . Then, one or more controllers 20 set the minimum value determined by the minimum function as the front - to - back position Δ f of the head protection device 14. The minimum function is represented in Equation 1 as:

[0047] Δ min = min{Δ p , αΔ max} Equation 1

[0048] where α represents a multiplier with a value range from 0 to 1 and is described in more detail below.

[0049] It should be understood that the user preference parameter Δ p captures the minimum offset distance that is measured between the back 30 of the head 22 of the occupant 18 and the front surface 32 of the head protection device 14. The user preference parameter Δ p is based on various characteristics of the occupant 18, such as but not limited to the personal preference of the occupant 18 regarding the front - to - back position of the head protection device 14, accommodation for the hairstyle of the occupant 18, and any head and neck orthotics worn by the occupant 18. In one embodiment, the user preference parameter Δ pThe default value can be specified based on the population average for a representative example of the customer base of vehicle 10. For example, the user preference parameter Δ p can be specified based on females in a height range from the 30th to the 95th percentile and males in a height range from the 50th to the 95th percentile. In one embodiment, the occupant 18 can override the user preference parameter Δ p with a customization setting. By way of example only, the customization setting can be determined by a fitting performed at the point of sale of vehicle 10, or by averaging the values selected for the user preference parameter Δ p over a period of time.

[0050] In the case where the occupant 18 selects a value for the user preference parameter Δ f that exceeds the upper limit value Δ max for the front-to-back position Δ p , a multiplier α is selected to limit the upper limit value Δ min . That is, in other words, in the case where the occupant 18 selects an unreasonably high value for the user preference parameter Δ p , a multiplier α is selected to limit the lower limit value Δ max . In one embodiment, the multiplier α is based on the population average for a representative example of the customer base of vehicle 10.

[0051] Continuing to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , one or more controllers 20 continuously monitor one or more proximity sensors 24 to measure the front-to-back distance between the back 30 of the head 22 of the occupant 18 and the front surface 32 of the head protection device 14. Then, one or more controllers 20 determine the front-to-back position Δ f of the head protection device 14 based on the front-to-back distance. One or more controllers 20 compare the front-to-back position Δ f of the head protection device 14 with the front-to-back boundary range 60. In response to determining that the front-to-back position Δ f of the head protection device 14 falls outside the front-to-back boundary range 60, one or more controllers 20 instruct one or more head protection device actuators 34 to adjust the front-to-back position Δ f of the head protection device 14 to fall within the front-to-back boundary range 60. Specifically, one or more controllers 20 instruct the front-to-back actuator 24A ( Figure 2 ) to adjust the front-to-back position Δ f of the head protection device 14 to fall within the front-to-back boundary range 60.

[0052] In one non-limiting embodiment, one or more controllers 20 instruct the front-to-back actuator 24A to adjust the front-to-back position Δ f of the head protection device 14 to be equal to the central front-to-back position C f . AsFigure 2 As shown, the central front-rear position C f represents the lower limit value Δ of the front-rear position of the head protection device 14 min and the upper limit value Δ max and the midpoint measured therebetween.

[0053] Continuing to refer to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , one or more controllers 20 continuously monitor one or more force sensors 26 to obtain the generalized contact force F between the back 30 of the head 22 of the occupant 18 of the vehicle 10 and the front surface 32 of the head protection device 14. When the vehicle 10 is operating under normal driving conditions, one or more controllers 20 compare the generalized contact force F with the maximum contact force F * , where normal driving conditions indicate that the vehicle 10 is not experiencing sudden acceleration or deceleration. It should be understood that the maximum contact force F * is also a generalized force including forces along the x, y, and z axes and torques about the x, y, and z axes. In other words, both the generalized contact force F and the maximum contact force F * include one or more force components. In response to determining that one or more force components of the generalized contact force F are greater than the corresponding force components of the maximum contact force F * , one or more controllers 20 instruct the front-rear actuator 34A to adjust the front-rear position Δ of the head protection device 14 in the backward direction f , until the generalized contact force F is less than or equal to the maximum contact force F * or the front-rear position Δ of the head protection device 14 f falls within the front-rear boundary range 60, whichever occurs first. That is, one or more controllers 20 instruct the front-rear actuator 34A to adjust the front-rear position Δ of the head protection device 14 in the backward direction f , until whichever of the following occurs first, i.e., the generalized contact force F is less than or equal to the maximum contact force F * , or the front-rear position Δ of the head protection device 14 f is at the upper limit value Δ max . Alternatively, in response to determining that a specified functional combination of one or more force components of the generalized contact force F is greater than the corresponding specified functional combination of one or more force components of the maximum contact force F * , one or more controllers 20 instruct the front-rear actuator 34A to adjust the front-rear position Δ of the head protection device 14 in the backward direction f , until the generalized contact force F is less than or equal to the maximum contact force F * , or the front-rear position Δ of the head protection device 14 f falls within the front-rear boundary range 60, whichever occurs first.

[0054] In a non - limiting embodiment, the maximum contact force F * is a default value determined based on a population average over a representative example of the customer base of the vehicle 10. In one embodiment, the occupant 18 can exceed the default value of the maximum contact force F * through a customization setting. By way of example only, the customization setting can be determined by a fitting at the point of sale of the vehicle 10, or by averaging values determined over a period of time.

[0055] In one embodiment, the positioning system 12 includes one or more proximity sensors 24 and one or more force sensors 26. When both the proximity sensors 24 and the force sensors 26 are included, when the generalized contact force F between the rear portion 30 of the head 22 of the occupant 18 of the vehicle 10 and the front surface 32 of the head protection device 14 is not available (i.e., the head 22 of the occupant 18 is not leaning against the head protection device 14), one or more proximity sensors 24 can be used to determine the front - to - rear position Δ f . Similarly, when the generalized contact force F between the head 22 of the occupant 18 of the vehicle 10 and the head protection device 14 is available, the generalized contact force F indicates whether the occupant 18 gently rests his or her head 22 against the head protection device 14 rather than actively pressing against the front - to - rear position Δ f of the head protection device 14, and this front - to - rear position Δ f cannot be discerned by the proximity sensors 24. By way of example, the value of the user preference parameter Δ p can be selected based on the generalized contact force F between the back 30 of the head 22 of the occupant 18 of the vehicle 10 and the front surface 32 of the head protection device 14.

[0056] It should be understood that one or more controllers 20 continuously monitor one or more vehicle dynamics controllers 36, one or more active safety systems 38, one or more occupant protection systems 40, one or more outward - facing cameras 42, and one or more vehicle sensors 44 to evaluate the risk associated with the vehicle 10 deviating from a normal controlled vehicle trajectory. Some examples of deviating from a normal controlled vehicle trajectory include skidding on an icy road or colliding with another vehicle or object. When the risk associated with deviating from a normal controlled vehicle trajectory exceeds a predetermined threshold, one or more controllers 20 instruct one or more head protection device actuators 34 to stop continuously adjusting the front - to - rear position Δ f of the head protection device 14 as described above. Conversely, during a sudden acceleration or deceleration event, the position of one or more controllers 20 of the head protection device 14 minimizes the movement of the neck of the occupant 18 and the rotation of the head 22. However, once one or more controllers 20 determine that the risk no longer exceeds the predetermined threshold, one or more controllers 20 can resume continuously adjusting the front - to - rear position Δf The predetermined threshold can be adjusted based on factors such as vehicle weight and vehicle type (sedan, truck, etc.). The predetermined threshold indicates that the vehicle 10 is more likely to deviate from the normal controlled vehicle trajectory.

[0057] As described above, one or more controllers upstream of one or more vehicle dynamics controllers 36 dynamically update the front - rear position Δ based on a plurality of head - protection - device positioning factors. f The upper limit value of Δ max The plurality of head - protection - device positioning factors represent the risk associated with the vehicle 10 deviating from the normal controlled vehicle trajectory. The plurality of head - protection - device positioning factors include one or more of the following: the size of the vehicle 10, the type of the vehicle (e.g., sedan, truck, etc.), the vehicle speed, the road condition, the weather condition, the traffic condition, the height and weight of the occupant 18, the direction of a potential collision, the sensitivity of the vehicle 10 during a collision, the likelihood of the vehicle 10 colliding, a collision prediction factor, and the predicted head movement of the occupant 18. As the risk associated with the vehicle 10 deviating from the normal controlled vehicle trajectory increases, the length of the front - rear boundary range 60 decreases, causing the head - protection device 14 to gradually move closer to the head 22 of the occupant 18. Similarly, as the risk associated with the vehicle 10 deviating from the normal controlled vehicle trajectory decreases, the length of the front - rear boundary range 60 increases, so that the head - protection device 14 can be positioned further away from the head 22 of the occupant 18.

[0058] Generally referring to the drawings, the disclosed positioning system for a head - protection device provides various technical effects and benefits. Specifically, the positioning system continuously monitors the front - rear distance measured by one or more proximity sensors, the generalized contact force between the occupant's head and the head - protection device measured by one or more force sensors, or both the front - rear distance and the generalized contact force simultaneously. The positioning system adjusts the front - rear position of the head - protection device such that the head - protection device is positioned within the front - rear boundary range, where the lower limit value of the front - rear boundary range is based on the occupant comfort preference, and the upper limit value of the front - rear boundary range is dynamically updated based on a plurality of head - protection - device positioning factors. Additionally or alternatively, the positioning system can also adjust the generalized contact force between the occupant's head and the head - protection device based on the maximum contact force, where the maximum contact force is an occupant comfort preference parameter. It should be understood that as the risk associated with the vehicle deviating from the normal controlled vehicle trajectory increases, the length of the front - rear boundary range is dynamically updated to position the head - protection device to be gradually closer to the occupant's head. Similarly, as the risk associated with the vehicle deviating from the normal controlled vehicle trajectory decreases, the length of the front - rear boundary range increases, thereby allowing the occupant to adjust the position of the head - protection device to maximize his or her comfort.

[0059] The controller can refer to an electronic circuit, combinational logic circuit, field programmable gate array (FPGA), a processor (shared, dedicated, or group) that executes code, or some or all combinations of the above, or as part of it, such as in a system-on-chip. Additionally, the controller can be a microprocessor-based computer (such as a computer having at least one processor, memory (RAM and / or ROM), and associated input and output buses). The processor can operate under the control of an operating system residing in the memory. The operating system can manage computer resources such that computer program code embodied as one or more computer software applications (such as applications residing in the memory) can have instructions executed by the processor. In an alternative embodiment, the processor can directly execute the application, in which case the operating system can be omitted.

[0060] The description of the present disclosure is merely exemplary in nature, and variations that do not depart from the gist of the present disclosure are intended to be within the scope of the present disclosure. Such changes should not be regarded as a departure from the spirit and scope of the present disclosure.

Claims

1. A positioning system for a head protection device in a vehicle, the positioning system comprising: One or more head protection device actuators, wherein the head protection device is movable relative to the seat by the one or more head protection device actuators; One or more proximity sensors positioned and oriented to detect a front-to-back distance of an occupant's head relative to the head protection device; and One or more controllers in electronic communication with the one or more head protection device actuators and the one or more proximity sensors, wherein the one or more controllers include one or more processors that execute instructions to: Continuously monitor the one or more proximity sensors to obtain the front-to-back distance; Determine a front-to-back position of the head protection device based on the front-to-back distance; Compare the front-to-back position of the head protection device with a front-to-back boundary range of the head protection device, wherein the front-to-back boundary range is defined relative to a position of the occupant's head; and In response to determining that the front-to-back position of the head protection device falls outside the front-to-back boundary range, instruct the one or more head protection device actuators to adjust the front-to-back position of the head protection device to fall within the front-to-back boundary range.

2. The positioning system according to claim 1, wherein The length of the front-to-back boundary range extends between a lower limit value and an upper limit value of the front-to-back position of the head protection device.

3. The positioning system according to claim 2, wherein, The lower limit value and the upper limit value of the front-to-back position of the head protection device are defined relative to a prominent feature of the occupant's head.

4. The positioning system according to claim 3, wherein, The prominent feature is the back of the occupant's head.

5. The positioning system according to claim 2, wherein, The one or more processors of the one or more controllers adjust the lower limit value of the front-to-back position of the head protection device by: Executing a minimum value function that selects a user preference parameter or a corrected upper limit value; and Setting the minimum value determined by the minimum value function as the lower limit value of the front-to-back position.

6. The positioning system according to claim 5, wherein, The minimum value function is expressed as: Δ min = min{Δ p , αΔ max} where Δ min represents the lower limit value of the front - rear position of the head protection device, Δ p represents the user preference parameter, and αΔ max represents the upper limit value of the correction.

7. The positioning system according to claim 6, wherein, α represents a multiplier, the value of which ranges from 0 to 1, and in the case where the value of the user preference parameter selected by the occupant exceeds the upper limit value of the front-to-back position, the multiplier is selected to limit the lower limit value.

8. The positioning system according to claim 1, further comprising one or more force sensors in electronic communication with the one or more controllers.

9. The positioning system according to claim 8, wherein, The one or more force sensors are positioned to detect a generalized contact force between the back of the occupant's head and the front surface of the head protection device.

10. The positioning system according to claim 9, wherein, The one or more processors of the one or more controllers execute instructions to: Continuously monitor the generalized contact force obtained by the one or more force sensors; Compare the generalized contact force with a maximum contact force, wherein both the generalized contact force and the maximum contact force include one or more force components; and In response to determining that one or more force components of the generalized contact force are greater than the corresponding force components of the maximum contact force, instruct one or more head protection device actuators to adjust the front-to-back position of the head protection device in a rearward direction until the generalized contact force is less than or equal to the maximum contact force, or the front-to-back position of the head protection device falls within the front-to-back boundary range, whichever occurs first.

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