An inflatable safety belt, inflatable control method, system, device and vehicle

Abstract

The application discloses an inflatable safety belt, an inflation control method, a system, a device and a vehicle. The inflatable safety belt comprises a winder, a waist integrated assembly and an inflatable belt. The waist integrated assembly is fixedly arranged on one side of a seat. One end of the inflatable belt is connected to the winder, and the other end is connected to the waist integrated assembly. The waist integrated assembly comprises an inflation device. The inflation control method comprises the following steps: grading determination of a collision severity, and output of collision grade information; determination of a firing trigger combination and a trigger sequence of each execution component according to the collision grade information and occupant state information; and sending of a firing current according to the firing trigger combination and the trigger sequence. The inflation device is integrated in the waist integrated assembly, the inflatable safety belt and the pretensioning function are cooperated, and differential protection is realized through a grading firing strategy, so that the protection effect and adaptability of an occupant restraint system are improved. The scheme is suitable for a vehicle carrying an intelligent cabin, the safety performance of the vehicle is improved, and the driving and riding experience is optimized.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This application relates to the field of vehicle passive safety technology, and in particular to an inflatable seat belt, an inflation control method, a system, an equipment, and a vehicle. Background Technology

[0002] With the development of the automotive industry, vehicle passive safety technology has received increasing attention. Inflatable seat belts, as a new type of occupant restraint device, expand the restraint area by inflating to reduce local pressure, providing more effective protection for occupants in collisions. However, existing inflatable seat belts have significant limitations: they cannot eliminate seat belt slack in the initial stages of a collision, and the occupant's forward displacement remains substantial during the collision, failing to effectively restrain the body. Users may experience excessive forward displacement due to the large slack in the webbing, resulting in a collision with a rigid object. Therefore, the protective effect of airbag seat belts alone is very limited, or insufficient in specific seating positions. Summary of the Invention

[0003] The present invention aims to address at least one of the aforementioned deficiencies in the prior art and to provide an inflatable seat belt, inflation control method, system, device, and vehicle that integrates inflation and pretensioning functions.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, a first aspect of the present invention provides an inflatable seat belt, comprising: a retractor, a lumbar integration assembly, and an inflatable webbing; the lumbar integration assembly is fixedly disposed on one side of the seat, one end of the inflatable webbing is connected to the retractor, and the other end is connected to the lumbar integration assembly; the lumbar integration assembly includes an inflation device, and the lumbar integration assembly is adapted to tighten and inflate the inflatable seat belt. The inflatable seat belt proposed in this solution integrates the inflation device into the lumbar integration assembly on the side of the seat, achieving coordinated operation of the inflatable seat belt and the pretensioning function. This solution is suitable for vehicles equipped with smart cockpits, improving vehicle safety performance and optimizing the driving and riding experience.

[0005] In conjunction with the first aspect above, in one possible implementation, the inflation device includes a gas generator and a gas conduit. The gas generator is connected to the inflatable webbing through the gas conduit, so that the gas generated by the gas generator inflates the inflatable webbing through the gas conduit. The waist integrated assembly also includes a waist pretensioner and a traction member. When the waist pretensioner is ignited, it drives the traction member to pull back to achieve waist pretensioning.

[0006] In conjunction with the first aspect above, in one possible implementation, the retractor includes a multi-stage force limiter adapted to switch the force limit level after the waist preload generator is detonated.

[0007] In conjunction with the first aspect above, in one possible implementation, the inflatable seat belt further includes a locking tongue that passes through the inflatable webbing and can slide freely along the inflatable webbing.

[0008] A second aspect of the present invention is to provide a seat belt inflation control method, comprising the following steps: classifying and determining the severity of a collision and outputting collision level information; determining the ignition trigger combination and triggering sequence of each actuator based on the collision level information and occupant status information; and sending ignition current to each actuator according to the ignition trigger combination and triggering sequence.

[0009] In conjunction with the second aspect above, in one possible implementation, the step of classifying the severity of the collision involves dividing the collision condition into three levels: Level 1 collision, Level 2 collision, and Level 3 collision, based on the collision intensity.

[0010] In conjunction with the second aspect above, in one possible implementation, the step of determining the ignition trigger combination of each actuator includes: When the collision is determined to be a Level 1 collision, only the activation command for the inflatable seat belts is generated. When a collision is determined to be a Level 2 collision, the occupant's seating position is further determined. If the occupant is in a normal seating position, the detonation command for the pretensioner, force limiter, and inflatable seat belt is generated. If the occupant is in a reclined position, the detonation command for all components of the pretensioner, lumbar pretensioner, force limiter, and inflatable seat belt is generated. When a collision is determined to be a Level 3 collision, a detonation command is generated for all components, including the pretensioner retractor, lumbar pretensioner, force limiter, and inflatable seatbelt.

[0011] In conjunction with the second aspect above, in one possible implementation, the step of determining the triggering order of each actuator involves first triggering the retractor to tighten the webbing, then triggering the waist pretensioner, subsequently triggering the inflatable seatbelt to unfold the buffer, and finally activating the force limiter.

[0012] A third aspect of the invention is to provide an inflation control system, the system comprising: The information acquisition unit is used to collect vehicle collision condition parameters, occupant information, and seat information. The occupant protection determination unit is used to classify and determine the severity of the collision based on the vehicle collision condition parameters and output collision level information, and to make multi-dimensional determinations of the occupant status based on the occupant information and seat information and output occupant characteristic parameters. A multi-level decision-making unit is used to determine the ignition triggering combination and triggering sequence of each actuator based on the collision level information and the occupant characteristic parameters; An execution unit is used to convert the control commands output by the multi-level decision-making unit into ignition currents for the corresponding execution components, and to send the ignition currents to each execution component in a timing sequence.

[0013] A fourth aspect of the invention is to provide an electronic device comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, wherein the processor, when executing the program, implements the inflation control method as described in any one of the preceding second aspects.

[0014] A fifth aspect of the invention is to provide a vehicle comprising an inflatable seatbelt as described in any of the preceding first aspects, and / or an inflation control system as described above, and / or electronic equipment as described above. Attached Figure Description

[0015] To more clearly illustrate the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of the present invention. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0016] Figure 1 This is an assembly structure diagram of an inflatable seat belt provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 2 A flowchart illustrating the ignition logic decision-making process of an inflation control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 3 A flowchart of a graded collision determination method for an inflation control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention; Figure 4 This is a flowchart of an inflation control method provided in an embodiment of the present invention.

[0017] Component numbers in the diagram: 1-Retractor; 2-Waist integrated assembly (waist pretensioner integrated inflation device); 3-Seat belt buckle; 4-Standard locking tongue; 5-Inflatable webbing; 6-Guide component. Detailed Implementation

[0018] To make the technical problems to be solved, the technical solutions, and the beneficial effects of the present invention clearer, the present invention will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings and embodiments. It should be understood that the specific embodiments described herein are merely illustrative of the present invention and are not intended to limit the present invention.

[0019] It should be noted that when a component is referred to as being "fixed to" or "set on" another component, it can be directly on or indirectly on that other component. When a component is referred to as being "connected to" another component, it can be directly connected to or indirectly connected to that other component.

[0020] It should be understood that the terms "length", "width", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", etc., indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the accompanying drawings. They are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, and do not indicate or imply that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0021] Furthermore, the terms "first" and "second" are used for descriptive purposes only and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of technical features indicated. Thus, a feature defined as "first" or "second" may explicitly or implicitly include one or more of that feature. In the description of this invention, "a plurality of" means two or more, unless otherwise explicitly specified.

[0022] This application provides an inflatable safety belt, such as Figure 1 As shown, the inflatable seat belt includes: a retractor, a waist integration assembly, and an inflatable webbing; the waist integration assembly is fixedly mounted on one side of the seat, one end of the inflatable webbing is connected to the retractor, and the other end is connected to the waist integration assembly; the waist integration assembly includes an inflation device, and the waist integration assembly is adapted to tighten and inflate the inflatable seat belt.

[0023] In the above embodiments, by integrating the inflation device and lumbar pretensioning function into a lumbar integrated component fixed to the side of the seat back, the traditional airbag seat belt's structural layout, which places the inflation device at the buckle end, is completely changed. In traditional designs, the inflation device is rigidly integrated into the buckle, causing the latch to be mechanically locked and the webbing to be unable to slide relative to it, thus failing to achieve the pretensioning function. This increases the risk of secondary impact due to excessive forward movement of the occupant's body in the initial stage of a collision. In this solution, the lumbar integrated component is rigidly connected to the seat frame and does not move with the webbing. The inflatable webbing forms a closed-loop path extending from the retractor to the lumbar integrated component. The latch can slide freely along the webbing, allowing the retractor to independently perform the pretensioning action, eliminating webbing slack. Subsequently, the lumbar integrated component initiates inflation and lumbar pullback, achieving a three-level progressive protection of "pretensioning—inflation—force limiting".

[0024] In some embodiments, the inflation device includes a gas generator and a gas duct. The gas generator is connected to the inflatable webbing via the gas duct, allowing the gas generated by the gas generator to inflate the webbing through the gas duct. The lumbar integration assembly also includes a lumbar pretensioner and a traction component. When the lumbar pretensioner ignites, it pulls the traction component back to achieve lumbar pretensioning. This solution achieves physical integration of inflation and pretensioning by integrating a dual-function module within the lumbar integration assembly. The gas generator adopts a dual-chamber solid gas-generating agent structure, with the two separated by a temperature-controlled isolation membrane. This ensures that the gas is released in stages according to a time sequence after ignition, meeting the "fast first, stable later" pressure curve requirement of the inflatable webbing and avoiding chest injury to the occupant due to a sudden increase in initial pressure. The gas duct is a high-temperature resistant silicone composite tube, and its path is laid along the inner side of the seat back frame, avoiding the occupant's leg movement area and reducing the risk of accidental friction. The lumbar pretensioner uses a miniature explosive bolt drive mechanism. After detonation, it pulls the steel wire traction component. One end of the traction component is fixed to the housing of the lumbar integrated component, and the other end is connected to the inflatable webbing near the locking tongue end through a pulley group, forming a "reverse pull force". When the webbing is tightened by the retractor, the traction component further pulls the waist section of the webbing backward, realizing active fixation of the pelvic area, effectively reducing the "sinking effect" and avoiding secondary damage to the spine.

[0025] In some embodiments, the retractor includes a multi-stage force limiter adapted to switch the force limit level after the waist preload generator is detonated.

[0026] The retractor adopts a three-stage force-limiting structure: the first stage is a mechanical friction plate force limiter, which is activated when the webbing tension reaches 3kN, allowing the webbing to release at a constant rate; the second stage is an electromagnetic clutch force limiter with a response time of less than 15ms, which is triggered by the control system after the waist pre-tensioning action is completed, switching the force limit level to 2.2kN to adapt to the working condition of the webbing tension decreasing after inflation; the third stage is a hydraulic damping force limiter, which is activated in the case of a level 3 collision and the occupant is large in size and weight (>90kg), and achieves gradual release through hydraulic throttling to prevent premature force limit and occupant head-on impact.

[0027] In some embodiments, the inflatable seat belt further includes a locking tongue that passes through the inflatable webbing and is slidable along the inflatable webbing.

[0028] In some embodiments, a miniature pressure sensor is integrated inside the locking tongue to monitor the webbing tension in real time and feed it back to the control system. This allows for dynamic adjustment of the force limiter switching timing, preventing excessive sliding of the locking tongue and webbing slack caused by a sudden drop in tension after inflation.

[0029] This application also provides a seat belt inflation control method, such as... Figure 4As shown, the method includes the following steps: classifying and determining the severity of the collision and outputting collision level information; determining the ignition trigger combination and triggering sequence of each actuator based on the collision level information and occupant status information; and sending ignition current to each actuator according to the ignition trigger combination and triggering sequence.

[0030] In some embodiments, in the step of classifying the severity of a collision, the collision condition is divided into three levels: Level 1 collision, Level 2 collision, and Level 3 collision, based on the collision intensity.

[0031] This method achieves precise hierarchical control based on a multi-sensor fusion architecture. The collision severity determination module receives multi-dimensional signals from the front collision sensor, side collision sensor, vehicle speed change rate, and vehicle attitude angle. After Kalman filtering and fusion, a fuzzy logic inference engine is used to classify the collision into three levels: Level 1 collision is a low-speed rear-end collision (Δv=8–12km / h, acceleration<10g), which only triggers the inflatable webbing to avoid over-constraint; Level 2 collision is a medium-speed frontal collision (Δv=15–30km / h, acceleration10–25g), which needs to be determined in conjunction with the occupant's seating position; Level 3 collision is a high-speed frontal or offset collision (Δv>30km / h, acceleration>25g), which triggers the entire system. Occupant status information is jointly collected by a seat pressure distribution sensor, an infrared posture recognition camera, a shoulder strap tension sensor, and a seatbelt buckle status sensor. The system identifies four seating postures: "normal" (torso angle <100°), "reclining" (>110°), "offset" (offset from center >15cm), and "child / short-statured occupant" (height <145cm). The system generates ignition commands based on combinational logic. For example, when a level two collision is determined and the occupant is in a large-angle reclined posture, the system determines there is a combined risk of "head thrown back + pelvic slippage." Therefore, it triggers all actuators of the retractor, lumbar pretensioner, force limiter, and inflatable webbing, achieving a four-fold synergy of "tensioning-pulling-buffering-force limiting," effectively suppressing cervical hyperextension and increased intra-abdominal pressure.

[0032] In this implementation, Level 1 collision is defined as a low-energy collision scenario, such as a low-speed rear-end collision in a parking lot (Δv=8–12km / h). In this case, the occupant's forward kinetic energy is relatively small, and only the inflatable webbing is needed to provide mild cushioning to avoid discomfort caused by pretensioning. Level 2 collision corresponds to a medium-speed collision on urban roads (Δv=15–30km / h), such as a collision with a stationary vehicle or guardrail. In this case, it is necessary to determine whether to activate lumbar pretensioning based on the occupant's sitting posture to deal with the "slip-out effect" caused by the backward sitting posture. Level 3 collision is a high-speed collision or offset collision (Δv>30km / h), such as a frontal collision on a highway or A-pillar intrusion. In this case, the system determines that the occupant has a serious risk of torso displacement and all protection levels must be activated.

[0033] In some embodiments, in the step of determining the ignition trigger combination of each actuator: when a level 1 collision is determined, only the ignition command for the inflatable seat belt is generated; when a level 2 collision is determined, the occupant's seating position is further determined; if the occupant is in a normal seating position, the ignition command for the pretensioner, force limiter, and inflatable seat belt is generated; if the occupant is in a large-angle reclined seating position, the ignition command for all components of the pretensioner, lumbar pretensioner, force limiter, and inflatable seat belt is generated; when a level 3 collision is determined, the ignition command for all components of the pretensioner, lumbar pretensioner, force limiter, and inflatable seat belt is generated.

[0034] In this embodiment, for the "normal sitting posture" scenario in a level two collision, the system only triggers the retractor pretensioning (response time ≤ 50ms), the force limiter enters the first level of force limiting 3kN, and the inflatable webbing inflates at a rate of 0.8L / s, forming a buffer window of approximately 150ms to avoid rib fractures due to excessive restraint. However, in the "large-angle recline sitting posture" scenario, the gap between the occupant's pelvis and the seat back increases, and traditional seat belts cannot effectively restrain the occupant. In addition to triggering the above three components, the system further activates the lumbar pretensioner, applying a 30-50mm pull-back displacement within 20ms after the retractor pretensioning is completed via a traction component, ensuring the seat belt conforms to the front edge of the pelvis, significantly reducing the probability of the "sinking effect."

[0035] In a Level 3 collision scenario, all components are triggered synchronously, but the ignition sequence still follows the sequence of "retractor → lumbar pretensioning → inflation → force limiting switch" to ensure that the actions do not conflict. For example, in a high-speed offset collision, if the occupant's torso shifts to the left, the system detects an abnormal increase in tension in the right shoulder strap via the seat pressure sensor and automatically extends the inflation delay of the right air chamber of the inflatable webbing by 5ms, allowing the airbag to preferentially fill the left side, thus achieving asymmetric protection.

[0036] In some embodiments, in the step of determining the triggering sequence of each actuator, the retractor is triggered first to tighten the webbing, then the waist pretensioner is triggered, followed by the inflatable seat belt to unfold the buffer, and finally the force limiter is activated.

[0037] In this embodiment, the triggering sequence strictly follows the dynamic timing logic: the retractor starts within 5–10 ms after the collision signal is triggered, and the ratchet mechanism driven by the motor tightens the webbing within 30 ms to eliminate the initial slack; the waist pretensioner detonates 15–20 ms after the retractor completes the tightening, ensuring that the webbing is in a taut state and preventing the pretension force from being absorbed by the elasticity of the webbing; the inflation device starts 10–15 ms after the waist pretension is completed, at which point the webbing is stably attached to the torso, and the gas injection can directly form a buffer layer instead of filling the slack space; the force limiter starts after inflation is completed (about 80 ms), at which point the occupant's kinetic energy has been partially absorbed by the airbag, and the force limiter switches to the second level (2.2 kN) or the third level (hydraulic damping) to achieve a "tighten first, then slow down" protection strategy.

[0038] This application embodiment also provides an inflation control system for an inflatable seat belt. The system includes: an information acquisition unit for acquiring vehicle collision condition parameters, occupant information, and seat information; an occupant protection determination unit for classifying and determining the severity of the collision based on the vehicle collision condition parameters and outputting collision level information, and for making multi-dimensional determinations of the occupant status based on the occupant information and seat information and outputting occupant characteristic parameters; a multi-level decision-making unit for determining the ignition trigger combination and triggering sequence of each actuator based on the collision level information and occupant characteristic parameters; and an execution unit for converting the control commands output by the multi-level decision-making unit into ignition currents for the corresponding actuators and sending ignition currents to each actuator in a timing sequence.

[0039] This system adopts a distributed control architecture. The information acquisition unit includes a front collision sensor, a side pressure sensor, a seat pressure distribution array, an infrared camera, a seatbelt buckle status sensor, a shoulder strap tension sensor, and vehicle speed and yaw rate sensors. The occupant protection determination unit runs a lightweight neural network model based on deep learning. The input is sensor fusion data, and the output is the collision level (level 1–3) and occupant state classification (normal / rearward / offset / child), with an inference latency of <15ms. The multi-level decision unit adopts a hybrid architecture of state machine + rule engine, with 16 pre-set ignition combination strategies. Each strategy corresponds to a specific collision level and occupant state combination, and the decision output is an ignition sequence command packet containing a timestamp.

[0040] This application also provides an electronic device, including a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor. When the processor executes the program, it implements the inflation control method as described above.

[0041] This application also provides a vehicle that includes the inflatable seat belt as described above, and / or the inflation control system as described above, and / or the electronic equipment as described above.

[0042] This vehicle is equipped with this inflatable seat belt system for the front seats. The seat belt system shares collision warning signals with the vehicle's ADAS system (such as AEB, BSD) to achieve the "pre-collision active pretensioning" function: when the system predicts an impending collision (such as a vehicle braking suddenly in front), the retractor pre-tensions the webbing, and at the same time, the inflation device pre-inflates low-pressure gas (0.1MPa) to form a "pre-buffer layer". When a real collision occurs, the system can immediately enter full-power inflation mode, significantly shortening the response time.

[0043] The invention will now be described in detail with reference to specific embodiments.

[0044] Example 1: Inflatable seat belt structure like Figure 1As shown, the inflatable safety belt provided by the present invention mainly includes: a retractor 1, a waist integrated assembly 2 (waist pretensioner integrated inflation device), a common buckle 3, a common locking tongue 4, an inflatable webbing 5, and a guide 6.

[0045] The retractor 1 consists of two parts: a pre-tensioning unit and a multi-stage adjustable force limiter. After the retractor generator detonates, it drives the webbing to retract, achieving shoulder pre-tensioning; after the multi-stage force limiter generator in the retractor detonates, it completes the force limiter switching.

[0046] The lumbar support integrated component 2 is fixedly mounted on one side of the seat (not the buckle end) and is the core improvement of this invention. It comprises two parts: a lumbar pretensioner and an inflatable seatbelt inflation device. The lumbar pretensioner lock is connected to the lumbar pretensioner generator via a steel cable. When the lumbar pretensioner generator detonates, it pulls the steel cable back to complete the lumbar pretensioning, securing the occupant's lower body in the event of a collision. The inflation device includes a gas generator and an air duct. When the inflatable seatbelt gas generator detonates, the generated gas is injected into the air bag of the inflatable webbing 5 through the air duct. After inflation, the air bag expands rapidly, with the inflation length covering the area from the abdomen to above the shoulders.

[0047] A standard locking tongue 4 passes through the inflatable webbing 5 and can slide freely on the webbing. Traditional inflatable seat belts typically have the inflation end located at the buckle end, requiring the locking tongue to also function as an air guide. This results in the locking tongue being fixed in position on the webbing, preventing the retractor from retracting the webbing after the seat belt is fastened. This invention integrates the inflation device of the inflatable seat belt into the upper part of the waist integration component 2 (not the buckle end). The standard locking tongue 4 no longer needs to perform the air guiding connection function; the locking tongue hole passes through the inflatable webbing 5 and can slide freely on the webbing. The webbing can be retracted using a single retractor. This structural improvement enables the inflatable seat belt and pretensioning function to work synergistically.

[0048] The inflatable webbing 5 uses a new type of ultra-thin material and a single-layer integrated woven bag structure. Yarn that can burst when inflated is sewn onto both sides of the abdomen and shoulder areas where inflation is required. The expanded airbag area after inflation disperses pressure, simultaneously protecting the chest, abdomen, and cervical spine. Compared to existing double-layer webbing with built-in airbag structures, the thickness of the inflatable webbing of this invention is significantly reduced.

[0049] Example 2: Inflation Control Method like Figure 2 As shown, the airbag seat belt graded ignition control system of the present invention consists of four major modules: information acquisition layer, occupant protection determination layer, graded decision layer, and execution output layer.

[0050] Information collection steps: Collect vehicle collision condition parameters, occupant information, and seat information. Vehicle information includes collision acceleration, collision speed, collision direction, vehicle deceleration, and other collision condition parameters; occupant information includes occupant body type (height, weight), occupant position, occupant sitting posture (normal sitting posture / reclining sitting posture), and whether the occupant is a child / special needs individual; seat information includes seat position, seat angle, and seat adjustment status. Connected to the vehicle's external active safety systems and their sensors (cameras or radar, etc.), the impact direction can be determined, and the collision type (frontal collision, side collision, etc.) and intensity can be inferred. In-vehicle cameras or occupant sensors can better identify the type of occupant sitting inside the vehicle, their position, and sitting posture. Intelligent seatbelt restraint systems provide more adaptive and personalized protection for different types and age groups of occupants in low-to-medium speed collisions. For example, children sitting in the back seat, and elderly people at higher risk of injury due to changes in bone strength with age. It can also provide more personalized and effective protection for obese or heavy occupants in high-speed collisions.

[0051] Collision severity assessment steps: Based on vehicle collision data from the information acquisition layer, the severity of the collision is graded using preset collision thresholds, collision energy integrals, and AI algorithms. Collision conditions are divided into three levels according to collision intensity: Level 1 (mild), Level 2 (moderate), and Level 3 (severe), providing a basis for graded ignition.

[0052] Occupant status determination steps: The occupant status is determined from multiple dimensions by using occupant information and seat information transmitted from the information acquisition layer, and occupant characteristic parameters are output to provide occupant dimension basis for personalized constraint control.

[0053] Graded ignition decision-making steps: Based on the dual-dimensional input of collision level and crew status, a graded ignition triggering strategy is formulated.

[0054] The specific process of the graded ignition triggering strategy is as follows: Figure 3 As shown: When a collision is classified as a Level 1 collision (mild, such as less than 15 km / h): only the airbag seatbelt deployment command is generated, triggering the airbag seatbelts to inflate, avoiding excessive restraint that could cause occupant discomfort and increase maintenance costs. In low-speed, minor collisions, the seatbelt pretensioners are not ignited, but due to inertia and forward leaning, occupants may still experience chest and abdominal discomfort from the seatbelt tightening. In this case, igniting only the inflatable seatbelts can prevent occupant discomfort and increase maintenance costs.

[0055] When the collision is classified as a Level 2 collision (moderate, such as the gray area of ​​15-25 km / h): the occupant's sitting posture is further identified through the occupant posture determination unit. Occupant posture information is collected through seat sensors, vision sensors, etc., to determine whether the occupant is in a normal sitting posture or a reclined posture. If a normal sitting posture is determined, deployment commands are generated for the pretensioners, force limiters, and airbag seat belts to meet the restraint requirements of a normally seated occupant. If a reclined posture is determined, deployment commands are generated for the pretensioners, lumbar pretensioners, force limiters, and airbag seat belts. Because occupants in a reclined posture are more prone to strangulation (neck and abdomen constriction) than in a normal sitting posture, and the torso lacks restraint in the vehicle's forward direction, in a frontal collision, the torso will slide forward and downward along the seat back under the influence of inertia. This causes the shoulder straps to move towards the neck, resulting in a neck-cutting effect, while the lumbar belts, which restrain the lower limbs, will move from the originally firmer hip area towards the abdomen, resulting in abdominal constriction. Even if the collision intensity is moderate, the injury can still be significant. Therefore, adding a lumbar pretensioner and an inflatable seat belt can reduce injuries to occupants during descent, such as to the cervical spine and abdomen.

[0056] When the collision is classified as Level 3 (severe): the system directly generates detonation commands for all components, including the pretensioner, lumbar pretensioner, force limiter, and airbag seatbelt. The entire restraint system is triggered synchronously to maximize restraint effectiveness and reduce occupant injury in severe collisions.

[0057] Ignition decisions at vehicle speeds of 15-25 km / h require judgment based on specific circumstances. Since the energy accumulated during a collision with a flexible, movable object is typically small, information from external active safety systems and their sensors is used to further refine the collision type and make a comprehensive decision on whether to ignite the pretensioners.

[0058] Ignition timing decision steps: such as Figure 4 As shown, based on the ignition trigger combination output by the graded ignition decision unit, the ignition timing (trigger time difference) of each actuator is optimized for the determined triggering component. According to the collision condition and the occupant status, the optimal trigger sequence and time interval are designed to achieve coordinated triggering of multiple components.

[0059] In a severe collision, the pretensioner is first triggered to quickly tighten the webbing, then the lumbar pretensioner is triggered to fix the pelvis, followed by the airbag seat belt to deploy and cushion the impact, and finally the force limiter is activated to avoid protection failure caused by timing conflicts and maximize the synergistic protection effect of the restraint system.

[0060] To address the issue of female occupants in the fifth position who are prone to sinking in a moderate collision when in a large-angle sitting position, the system triggers the lumbar pretensioner to stabilize the pelvis, then triggers the pretensioner retractor to quickly tighten the webbing, followed by the airbag seat belt to prevent the webbing from tilting towards the neck and causing strangulation when in a large-angle sitting position, and finally activates the force limiter to reduce chest pressure.

[0061] Force limiter level decision-making steps: Determine the combined force limiter output based on the collision analysis unit and the occupant determination unit. A low force limiter level is matched for minor collisions to reduce chest impact on occupants; a high force limiter level is matched for severe collisions to ensure restraint strength; simultaneously, children and shorter occupants are matched with the low force limiter level, while taller occupants are matched with the high force limiter level. If the pretensioner detonates, the force limiter will also definitely detonate.

[0062] Ignition current transmission steps: The final control commands (including triggering components, ignition timing, and force limiting levels) received from the multi-level decision-making layer are sent to the corresponding ignition currents of each execution component in sequence to complete the control of the adaptive seat belt system.

[0063] Example 3: Inflation Control System like Figure 2 As shown, the inflation control system of the inflatable seat belt of the present invention includes an information acquisition unit, an occupant protection determination unit, a multi-level decision-making unit, and an execution unit.

[0064] The information acquisition unit is used to collect vehicle / occupant / seat information. Connected to the vehicle's external active safety system and its sensors (cameras or radar, etc.), it can determine the direction of the impact and further infer the possible collision type (frontal collision, side collision, etc.) and intensity. Through in-vehicle cameras or occupancy sensors, it can better identify the type of occupant sitting in the vehicle and their position and posture.

[0065] The occupant protection determination unit includes a collision level coefficient determination subunit and an occupant determination subunit. The collision level coefficient determination subunit, based on vehicle collision data from the information acquisition unit, classifies the severity of the collision using a preset collision threshold, collision energy integral, and AI algorithms. The occupant determination subunit uses occupant and seat information transmitted from the information acquisition unit to perform multi-dimensional determination of occupant status and outputs occupant characteristic parameters.

[0066] The multi-level decision-making unit comprises a graded ignition decision subunit, an ignition timing decision subunit, and a force limiter decision subunit, which are connected in series. The graded ignition decision subunit formulates a graded ignition triggering strategy based on a dual-dimensional input of collision level and occupant status. The ignition timing decision subunit designs the optimal triggering sequence and time interval based on the ignition triggering combination output by the graded ignition decision subunit, the collision condition, and the occupant status. The force limiter decision subunit matches the optimal force limiter level to the force limiter based on the graded ignition command, ignition timing, occupant information, and collision level.

[0067] The execution unit is an ignition current transmitting subunit, which converts the final control command output by the multi-level decision unit into the ignition current of the corresponding actuator, and sends the corresponding level of ignition current to each actuator in sequence.

[0068] Although one or more specific embodiments of this disclosure have been shown and described, equivalent variations and modifications will occur to those skilled in the art upon reading and understanding this specification and the accompanying drawings. This disclosure includes all such modifications and variations and is limited only by the scope of the claims. In particular, with respect to the various functions performed by the components described above (e.g., elements, resources, etc.), unless otherwise indicated, the terminology used to describe such components is intended to correspond to any component (functionally equivalent) that performs the specific function of the described component, even if structurally not equivalent to the disclosed structure. Furthermore, although specific features of this disclosure may have been disclosed with respect to only one of several implementations, such features may be combined with one or more other features of other implementations, as may be desired and advantageous for any given or particular application. Moreover, with regard to the terms “comprising,” “owning,” “having,” “having,” or variations thereof as used in the specific embodiments or claims, such terms are intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “including.”

[0069] Other embodiments of this disclosure will readily occur to those skilled in the art upon consideration of the specification and practice of the invention disclosed herein. This application is intended to cover any variations, uses, or adaptations of this disclosure that follow the general principles of this disclosure and include common knowledge or customary techniques in the art not disclosed herein. The specification and examples are to be considered exemplary only, and the true scope and spirit of this disclosure are indicated by the appended claims.

[0070] It should be understood that this disclosure is not limited to the precise structures described above and shown in the accompanying drawings, and various modifications and changes can be made without departing from its scope. The scope of this disclosure is limited only by the appended claims.

Claims

1. An inflatable safety belt, characterized in that, include: The seatbelt includes a retractor, a waist integration assembly, and an inflatable webbing. The waist integration assembly is fixedly mounted on one side of the seat. One end of the inflatable webbing is connected to the retractor, and the other end is connected to the waist integration assembly. The waist integration assembly includes an inflation device and is adapted to tighten and inflate the inflatable seatbelt.

2. The inflatable safety belt according to claim 1, characterized in that, The inflation device includes a gas generator and a gas guide pipe. The gas generator is connected to the inflatable webbing through the gas guide pipe so that the gas generated by the gas generator inflates the inflatable webbing through the gas guide pipe. The waist integrated assembly also includes a waist pretensioner and a traction component. When the waist pretensioner is ignited, it drives the traction component to pull back to achieve waist pretensioning.

3. The inflatable safety belt according to claim 2, characterized in that, The retractor includes a multi-stage force limiter adapted to switch the force limit level after the waist pretensioner is detonated; and / or, the inflatable seat belt also includes a locking tongue that passes through the inflatable webbing and can slide freely along the inflatable webbing.

4. A method for controlling seatbelt inflation, characterized in that, Includes the following steps: The severity of the collision is classified and the collision level information is output. Based on the collision level information and occupant status information, determine the ignition trigger combination and trigger sequence of each actuator; Ignition current is sent to each actuator according to the ignition trigger combination and trigger sequence.

5. The inflation control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, In the step of classifying the severity of a collision, the collision conditions are divided into three levels: Level 1 collision, Level 2 collision, and Level 3 collision, based on the collision intensity.

6. The inflation control method according to claim 5, characterized in that, In the step of determining the ignition trigger combination of each actuator: When the collision is determined to be a Level 1 collision, only the activation command for the inflatable seat belts is generated. When a collision is determined to be a Level 2 collision, the occupant's seating position is further determined. If the occupant is in a normal seating position, the detonation command for the pretensioner, force limiter, and inflatable seat belt is generated. If the occupant is in a reclined position, the detonation command for all components of the pretensioner, lumbar pretensioner, force limiter, and inflatable seat belt is generated. When a collision is determined to be a Level 3 collision, a detonation command is generated for all components, including the pretensioner retractor, lumbar pretensioner, force limiter, and inflatable seatbelt.

7. The inflation control method according to claim 4, characterized in that, In the step of determining the triggering sequence of each actuator, the retractor is triggered first to tighten the webbing, then the waist pretensioner is triggered, followed by the inflatable seat belt to unfold the buffer, and finally the force limiter is activated.

8. An inflation control system for an inflatable seat belt, characterized in that, include: The information acquisition unit is used to collect vehicle collision condition parameters, occupant information, and seat information. The occupant protection determination unit is used to classify and determine the severity of the collision based on the vehicle collision condition parameters and output collision level information, and to make multi-dimensional determinations of the occupant status based on the occupant information and seat information and output occupant characteristic parameters. A multi-level decision-making unit is used to determine the ignition triggering combination and triggering sequence of each actuator based on the collision level information and the occupant characteristic parameters; An execution unit is used to convert the control commands output by the multi-level decision-making unit into ignition currents for the corresponding execution components, and to send the ignition currents to each execution component in a timing sequence.

9. An electronic device comprising a memory, a processor, and a computer program stored in the memory and executable on the processor, characterized in that, When the processor executes the program, it implements the inflation control method as described in any one of claims 4 to 7.

10. A vehicle, characterized in that, Includes an inflatable seatbelt as described in any one of claims 1 to 3, and / or an inflation control system as described in claim 8, and / or an electronic device as described in claim 9.

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