Restraining system, vehicle seat and corresponding method

Abstract

The invention relates to a restraint system (10) for installation in a backrest (21) of a motor vehicle, where the restraint system (10) has an airbag (11), where the airbag (11) is configured to restrain an occupant behind the backrest (21). The restraint system (10) has a radar sensor (12) configured to detect an occupant behind the backrest (21). The invention also relates to a corresponding vehicle seat and to a corresponding control method.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a restraint system for installation in the backrest of a motor vehicle, a corresponding backrest, and a corresponding method for controlling the restraint system.

[0002] Due to their design, restraint systems for occupants in the rear seats of motor vehicles are subject to different requirements than those for restraint systems for drivers and front passengers. The very different circumstances arise from the possible positions of occupants in the rear seats and the typically variable distance between the front and rear seats due to the adjustability of the front seats in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle, making it difficult to effectively restrain occupants in the rear seats.

[0003] Therefore, the object of the present invention is to provide a restraint system for occupants in the rear seats of a motor vehicle, which allows for adaptation to the relevant conditions in the vehicle and the position of the occupants. Furthermore, the object of the present invention is to provide a corresponding vehicle seat including the restraint system and a corresponding control method.

[0004] To address this objective, a restraint system for installation in the backrest of a motor vehicle is proposed. The restraint system includes an airbag configured to restrain an occupant behind the backrest. The proposed restraint system also includes a radar sensor configured to detect the occupant behind the backrest.

[0005] Arranging radar sensors and airbags within the restraint system enables the detection of occupants directly in front of the airbags, thus effectively detecting the situation and conditions in front of the airbags. Therefore, airbags for occupants in vehicle seats, located behind the restraint system or behind the vehicle seats including such a restraint system, can deploy adaptively as needed. For example, this can compensate for different seating positions of the front vehicle seats. Preferably, an electronic control unit is provided, configured to control the radar sensors and airbags using open-loop and / or closed-loop control.

[0006] In an advantageous implementation, radar sensors are positioned adjacent to the airbag. This allows the measured distances to be correlated particularly effectively with the actual situation in front of the airbag, such as the distance between the occupant and the airbag before deployment. This enables highly advantageous adaptive deployment behavior of the airbag.

[0007] According to an advantageous improvement, it is proposed to secure the airbag and radar sensor to the seatbelt retractor. For example, the airbag, radar sensor, and seatbelt retractor can be housed in a single module or component. This allows for simple installation in or on the back of the vehicle seat. The airbag and radar sensor are preferably secured to the housing of the seatbelt retractor. Furthermore, in the installed state, the airbag and radar sensor are preferably arranged below the winding shaft of the seatbelt retractor.

[0008] In an advantageous embodiment, the seatbelt retractor, particularly the seatbelt retractor housing, forms a transverse member for the rear seat. Such a seatbelt retractor can, for example, structurally connect two vertical structural elements of the backrest in the upper region of the backrest, making the seatbelt retractor an integral part of the seat structure itself. This allows for weight reduction and simplifies the structural integration of the airbag, especially when the airbag and radar sensors are secured to the seatbelt retractor.

[0009] Furthermore, the restraint system incorporates an electronic control unit designed to control the airbags, radar sensors, and seatbelt retractors. Therefore, the control unit can be used to actuate the seatbelt retractors for front-seat passengers, which utilize the backrest where the restraint system is mounted, and the radar sensors and airbags for rear-seat passengers can be actuated by the same control unit. This allows for a reduction in the number of control units and the necessary electrical and data connections.

[0010] Preferably, the radar sensor is configured to measure the distance to the occupant. This enables adaptive control of the restraint system, in particular, so that the airbag can deploy based on the measured distance.

[0011] Furthermore, preferably, the airbag can be controlled based on data recorded by radar sensors. This allows for adaptive control of the airbag, adapting to the relevant conditions.

[0012] Furthermore, in order to achieve the objectives of the present invention, a vehicle seat for a motor vehicle is proposed, the vehicle seat including a backrest, wherein the backrest has a restraint system according to any one of claims 1 to 7.

[0013] The aforementioned advantages and features of this restraint system also apply to vehicle seats that include such restraint systems. Therefore, occupants in vehicle seats behind vehicles with such restraint systems can be protected by airbags provided by the restraint system, which can be adaptively controlled based on radar sensors.

[0014] Furthermore, to achieve the objectives of this invention, a method for controlling a restraint system according to any one of claims 1 to 7 is proposed. This method proposes controlling the airbag ignition time and / or the airbag's inflation behavior over time and / or its inflation behavior in terms of geometry based on radar sensors. Thus, occupants can be advantageously restrained with reduced load through adaptive control of the airbag. For example, the load can be reduced by adjusting the airbag's ignition time and / or pressure and / or size.

[0015] Furthermore, it is proposed that radar sensors detect the distance to the occupant and / or the occupant's body shape. The distance to the occupant relates to the occupant's position behind the restraint system and who can be restrained by the airbag during inflation. Detecting the occupant's body shape allows for further improvements in the adaptive deployment of the airbag.

[0016] The invention will now be explained using preferred embodiments with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the drawings:

[0017] Figure 1 A restraint system is shown, comprising an airbag, radar sensors, and a seatbelt retractor mounted on two vertical structural elements of a vehicle seat; and

[0018] Figure 2 The image shows a vehicle seat with a restraint system included in the backrest, where an inflatable airbag is located in front of the rear vehicle seat.

[0019] Figure 1 An advantageous embodiment of a restraint system 10 for a motor vehicle is schematically shown. The restraint system 10 is intended for installation in the backrest 21 of a vehicle seat 20, wherein two vertical structural elements 22 of the backrest 21 are shown, on which the restraint system 10 is placed in this advantageous embodiment.

[0020] The restraint system 10 includes a rearward-facing airbag 11 for the rear occupants. In addition to the airbag 11, a radar sensor 12 is also provided, which is also rearward-facing towards the occupants behind the restraint system 10 in the direction of travel.

[0021] In this advantageous embodiment, the radar sensor 12 and the airbag 11 are mounted on the seatbelt retractor 13, which forms a structural connection between the vertical structural elements 22 of the backrest 21. The restraint system 10 can be mounted in a modular form with the seatbelt retractor 13 on the vehicle seat 21, particularly on the backrest 21 of the vehicle seat 20.

[0022] In this advantageous embodiment, the restraint system 10 and the seatbelt retractor 13 share a common electronic control unit 14 (see also...). Figure 2The electronic control unit controls the functions of the restraint system 10 and the seatbelt retractor 13. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the seatbelt retractor 13 and the restraint system 10 can be connected to the same electrical connector.

[0023] In an alternative embodiment, the restraint system may also be mounted on the backrest 21 independently of the seatbelt retractor 13. Furthermore, the restraint system 10 may also have an electronic control unit 14 that controls only the functions of the restraint system 10.

[0024] Figure 2 This is a schematic side view of the restraint system 10 in vehicle seat 20. The restraint system 10, located in the backrest 21 of vehicle seat 20, faces the rear seat 23 along with the airbag 11 and radar sensor 12. Figure 2 In the illustration, the airbag 11 is shown as deployed.

[0025] according to Figure 1 and Figure 2 The restraint system 10 uses radar sensor 12 to detect the distance to the occupant during operation. Furthermore, the distance measurement can also be used to determine, for example, whether the passenger is actually seated in the rear seat 23. Therefore, in the event of a collision, the deployment behavior of the airbag 11 can be adaptively adjusted. For example, the deployment time, depth, and inflation behavior of the airbag 11 can be adaptively controlled based on radar data detected by radar sensor 12.

[0026] Furthermore, in one possible implementation, the seatbelt retractor for the occupants in the rear seat 23 can also be controlled based on its load-limiting curve using data recorded by the radar sensor 12 (e.g., the distance from the radar sensor 12 to the occupant).

Claims

1. A restraint system (10) for installation in a backrest (21) of a motor vehicle, the restraint system (10) having an airbag (11) designed to restrain an occupant behind the backrest (21), characterized in that, The restraint system (10) has a radar sensor (12) designed to detect an occupant behind the backrest (21).

2. The restraint system (10) of claim 1, characterized in that The radar sensor (12) is arranged next to the airbag (11).

3. A restraint system (10) according to claim 1 or claim 2, characterized in that The airbag (11) and the radar sensor (12) are fastened to a seat belt retractor (13).

4. The restraint system (10) of claim 3, characterized in that The seat belt retractor (13) forms a transverse member for a rear seat (21).

5. A restraint system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The restraint system (10) has an electronic control unit (14) designed to control the airbag (11), the radar sensor (12) and the seat belt retractor (13).

6. A restraint system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The radar sensor (12) is designed to measure a distance to an occupant.

7. A restraint system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that The airbag (11) is controllable on the basis of recorded data of the radar sensor (12).

8. Vehicle seat (20) for a motor vehicle, comprising a backrest (21), characterized in that The backrest (21) has a restraint system (10) according to any one of the preceding claims.

9. A method for controlling a restraint system according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that, The ignition time of the airbag (11) and / or the inflation behavior of the airbag (11) is controlled over time, and / or the inflation behavior of the airbag (11) in terms of geometry is controlled on the basis of the radar sensor (12).

10. The method for controlling a restraint system according to claim 9, characterized in that, The radar sensor detects a distance and / or a body size of an occupant.

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