Seat belt for a motor vehicle

Abstract

The invention relates to a safety belt for a motor vehicle with at least one electrical conductor embedded in the safety belt. The electrical conductor is electrically connected to a contact element on the safety belt.

Description

[0001] The present invention relates to a safety belt for a motor vehicle comprising at least one electrical conductor according to the preamble of claim 1.

[0002] Seat belts may require electrical conductors running along their length for various additional electrical functions. Besides electrical devices such as microphones, which can be attached to the belt and powered and potentially controlled via the conductor, electrical conductors are particularly relevant for the seat belt's heating function. In this case, the conductor can serve as a power supply to dedicated heating elements and / or even act as a resistance heater itself.

[0003] The variable shape and flexibility of a safety belt place high demands on the electrical contact of the electrical conductors in the safety belt in order for appropriate use of the electrical conductors in the safety belt.

[0004] It is therefore the object of the present invention to provide a safety belt for a motor vehicle with an advantageous contacting of at least one electrical conductor of a safety belt.

[0005] From DE 10 2020 115 135 A1 a safety belt for motor vehicles with plug connection is known, wherein the plug connection has at least two rigid electrical plug contacts oriented transversely to the flexible support element, which extend through a fabric layer of the webbing.

[0006] Furthermore, from DE 10 2021 110 993 A1 a webbing for a safety belt system is known which has an electrical conductor and a flexible circuit board which are electrically contacted together.

[0007] DE 10 2018 108 341 A1 discloses a further seat belt arrangement for a motor vehicle.

[0008] To solve the problem, a safety belt with the features of claim 1 is proposed. Further preferred embodiments of the invention can be found in the dependent claims, the figures, and the accompanying description.

[0009] A safety belt for a motor vehicle is proposed, comprising at least one electrical conductor embedded within the belt, the electrical conductor being electrically connected to a contact element on the belt. An electrical conductor can be, for example, a wire or a metallized or carbonized plastic filament.

[0010] An embedded electrical conductor can, for example, be woven into the seat belt. Furthermore, the electrical conductor can be drawn into and / or guided within the seat belt. The contact element establishes an electrical connection on the surface of the webbing to the at least one electrical conductor in the seat belt. The contact element can therefore be used to establish an electrical connection to a power source. Additionally, the contact element can be used to connect two electrical conductors within the seat belt.

[0011] According to an advantageous further development, it is proposed that the electrical conductor is led out of and back into the seat belt in a loop, and that the loop is electrically connected to the contact element.

[0012] The loop provides an enlarged contact area for electrical contact with high geometric tolerance. The loop is preferably created during the manufacturing of the seatbelt. This allows the seatbelt to be produced in a continuous process. Furthermore, the loop is very easy to grip and can therefore be positioned for contacting with minimal effort.

[0013] In some possible embodiments, the loop is cut open. This allows contact to be made with the electrical conductor at one free end. Furthermore, this allows the electrical conductor to be electrically disconnected further along its length. The electrical contact can therefore be limited to a specific area.

[0014] In an advantageous embodiment, the loop is soldered to the contact element. This allows for a particularly good electrical contact.

[0015] According to an advantageous further development, it is proposed that the electrical conductor is embroidered with an electrically conductive embroidery thread.

[0016] This allows for simple and flexible contact with an electrical conductor embedded in the seat belt. Using the electrically conductive embroidery thread, an electrical contact can be easily established with the conductor on the outside of the seat belt. At the same time, the seat belt's flexibility in this area is largely maintained. The flexible embroidery thread preferably has an electrical resistance of less than 100 ohms per meter.

[0017] Furthermore, the electrical conductor can also be embroidered with electrically conductive thread in the area of ​​a loop placed on the outside of the seat belt. This fixes the loop in position and prevents unwanted threading into it. The available contact area can be significantly increased by embroidering the loop with electrically conductive thread, thus simplifying further electrical contact.

[0018] It is still preferred that the conductive embroidery thread on the embroidered electrical conductor forms a contact pad on the seat belt. The contact pad enables easy contact between the electrical conductor in the seat belt and the contact element over a large area, thus ensuring contact on the flexible seat belt.

[0019] It is further proposed that the contact pad be formed on a loop of the electrical conductor. This allows the loop to be fixed particularly well and facilitates further contacting of the electrical conductor.

[0020] According to an advantageous further development, it is proposed that the contact element be attached to the contact pad. This allows the electrical conductor in the seat belt to be connected particularly well to the contact element. The contact pad enables good contact with the contact element, for example via surface contact. Preferably, electrical connections can be made to the contact element in the usual manner, e.g., by means of plugs, sockets, and / or terminals.

[0021] Preferably, the contact element has at least one covering element that covers the electrical connection between the contact element and the electrical conductor. This prevents unwanted electrical contact and parasitic currents.

[0022] In advantageous embodiments, the safety belt has markings for positioning the contact element. This allows for easy mounting of the contact element on the safety belt.

[0023] It is further proposed that the contact element be attached to the seat belt on both sides. This would ensure a very durable connection between the contact element and the seat belt.

[0024] Furthermore, it is proposed that the contact element have guide pins that extend through the seat belt. This allows for a particularly stable fastening of the contact element on both sides.

[0025] In advantageous embodiments, the seat belt incorporates several electrical conductors which are connected to the contact element along a line perpendicular to the belt's path. This allows the multiple electrical conductors to be easily connected and / or linked, for example, for electrical heating of the seat belt. For instance, two adjacent electrical conductors can be connected together.

[0026] In an alternative embodiment, it is proposed that the safety belt incorporate several electrical conductors which are contacted with the contact element on at least two different lines perpendicular to the belt's path. This allows for separate contacting of multiple electrical conductors in a simple manner with higher positioning tolerances. Furthermore, incorrect contacting can be avoided through appropriate geometric coding.

[0027] Preferably, the contact element comprises a flexible printed circuit board. A flexible printed circuit board can, for example, be a flexible PCB.

[0028] Electrical conductors, for example those leading out from the webbing in a loop, can be soldered onto the flexible circuit board and thus made contact. In advantageous embodiments, the flexible circuit board is folded over after contact is made, so that the electrical contact to the flexible circuit board is protected by the flexible circuit board and the webbing of the seat belt. In advantageous embodiments, an additional cover is provided.

[0029] The webbing of the proposed safety belt is preferably hydrophobic.

[0030] The invention is explained below with reference to preferred embodiments and the accompanying figures. Fig. 1 a safety belt with electrical conductors and two contact elements; Fig. 2 a safety belt with embroidered contact pads on the electrical conductors, which are arranged in an offset pattern; Fig. 3 a safety belt with embroidered contact pads on the electrical conductors arranged in a line; Fig. 4 a safety belt with loops of the electrical conductor in a line; Fig. 5 a safety belt with offset loops of the electrical conductor; Fig. 6 a safety belt with embroidered contact pads on loops of the electrical conductors; Fig. 7 a contact element arranged on both sides of the safety belt in an exploded view; Fig. 8 a flexible printed circuit board as a contact element on a safety belt; and Fig. 9 a safety belt with conductive warp and weft threads.

[0031] Fig. Figure 1 shows an advantageous embodiment of a seat belt 10 for a motor vehicle in which two electrical conductors 11 are embedded. In this embodiment, the electrical conductors 11 are woven into the seat belt 10. The seat belt 10 has two contact elements 12 that establish electrical contact with the electrical conductors 11 within the seat belt 10. The lower contact element 12 has a terminal 19 for connection to a vehicle, so that the electrical conductors 11 can, for example, be energized and thus electrically heated. The upper contact element 12 also contacts and connects the two electrical conductors 11 in this embodiment, forming a closed circuit and allowing the seat belt 10 to be heated via the lower contact element 12 and its terminal 19.

[0032] In other possible embodiments, the number of embedded electrical conductors 11 can also be more than two, for example 4, 6 or 8. Furthermore, in an alternative embodiment, the connection 19 can also be provided on an upper contact element 12 or in another position.

[0033] Fig. Figure 2 shows a section of an embodiment of a safety belt 10 with four electrical conductors 10, which are embroidered with electrically conductive thread in the area of ​​the contact element 12 for contact purposes. The electrically conductive thread forms contact pads 14, allowing the embedded conductors 11 to be easily electrically contacted by the contact element 12. In this embodiment, the contact pads 14 are each offset from a line perpendicular to the path of the safety belt 10 and the electrical conductors 11, thus increasing the distance between the contact pads 14.

[0034] Fig. Figure 3 shows a further embodiment of a safety belt 10 with four electrical conductors 11, wherein, in contrast to the embodiment of the Fig. 2 The contact pads 14 made of conductive embroidery thread are arranged in a line perpendicular to the course of the safety belt 10 and the electrical conductors 11 to establish electrical contact with the embedded electrical conductors 11. This reduces the space required for the contact element 12.

[0035] Fig. Figure 4 shows an alternative embodiment of a section of a safety belt 10 with four electrical conductors 11, wherein the electrical conductors 11 are provided as loops 13 for contact, preferably during the manufacture of the webbing. The loops 13 can, for example, be laid flat. Furthermore, the loops 13 enable simple electrical contact with the contact element 12. The contact can be made, for example, by clamp connections or solder connections. In possible advantageous embodiments, the loops 13 are cut open so that the electrical conductor 11 can be contacted at a free end by clamping or soldering. The remaining part of the electrical conductor 11 preferably remains embedded in the safety belt 10 and, due to the separation of the electrical conductor 11 in the loop 13, is also preferably no longer electrically connected.In this embodiment, the loops 14 are arranged in a line perpendicular to the path of the safety belt 10. Furthermore, the loops 13 are covered by the contact element 12.

[0036] Fig. Figure 5 shows a section of a safety belt 10 in a further embodiment, in which the loops 13 are arranged offset from one another with respect to a line perpendicular to the course of the electrical conductors 11 and the safety belt 10. The contact element 12 covers the loops 13, so that the electrical contact and the exposed electrical conductor 11 are protected.

[0037] In Fig. Figure 6 shows a further embodiment of a safety belt 10 in a section. The electrical conductors 11 are as in the embodiments of the Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 each lead out of the surface of the safety belt 10 in a loop 13. In this advantageous embodiment, contact pads 14 are embroidered onto each of the loops 13 with conductive yarn, on which electrical contact is made by the contact element 12. The contact element 12 is attached to the contact pads 14 for this purpose.

[0038] Fig. Figure 7 shows an exploded view of a section of a safety belt 10 with a contact element 12 attached to both sides. In this embodiment, the safety belt 10 has two electrical conductors 11 onto which two contact pads 14 are embroidered with electrically conductive thread. The contact element 12 is arranged on both sides of the safety belt 10, with the electrical contact of the conductors 11 taking place in the upper part of the contact element 12. The contact pads 14 are covered and insulated from the environment by a cover element 15 of the contact element 12, the cover element 15 being non-conductive. Four markings 16 are applied to the webbing of the safety belt 10 to simplify the positioning of the contact element 12.In this advantageous embodiment, the lower part of the contact element 12 has four guide pins 17 which are inserted through the safety belt 10 in the area of ​​the markings 16 and connected to the upper part of the contact element 12, so that the contact element 12 is permanently fixed. A connection 19 is provided on the upper part of the contact element 12, so that the contact element 12 can be connected, for example, with a plug. In this way, for example, a contact element 12 can be connected to a connection 19, as is also the case in the . Fig. 1 is shown, will be provided.

[0039] Fig. Figure 8 shows a further embodiment of a contact element 12 in which no connection 19 is provided for connection to a vehicle system or a power source. The contact element 12 of the Fig. 8 serves to connect the embedded electrical conductors 11 to each other in such a way that a closed circuit is created for heating the safety belt 10. The contact element 12 can, for example, be used for the upper contact element 12 in the exemplary embodiment of the Fig. 1. The contact element 12 can, for example, comprise a flexible printed circuit board (PCB) on which soldered connections of adjacent electrical conductors 11 are arranged to create a closed circuit for heating the safety belt 10.

[0040] Fig.Figure 9 shows the safety belt 10, which is designed for electrical resistance heating, in a further embodiment. In addition to electrical conductors 11 running parallel to the warp threads in possible embodiments, in this embodiment parts of the weft threads are also designed as electrical conductors, so that a network of conductive warp and weft threads is formed. In this advantageous embodiment, the resistance of the weft threads is preferably more than 100 times greater than the resistance of the electrical conductors 11 parallel to the warp threads. The electrical conductors 11 parallel to the warp threads are alternately supplied with different electrical potentials, which is symbolized by the + and - signs.The heating preferably occurs primarily through the conductive conductors 11 perpendicular to the warp threads, which connect the electrical conductors 11 parallel to the warp threads and exhibit a higher resistance in the network. The electrical conductors 11 parallel to the warp threads are preferably in direct electrical contact with the electrical conductors 11 parallel to the weft threads.

[0041] The conductive weft threads, acting as electrical conductors 11, preferably have a resistance of 500 kΩ per meter. These conductive weft threads alternate with the other non-conductive weft threads of the safety belt. For example, one conductive weft thread, acting as electrical conductors 11, can follow ten non-conductive weft threads. Other sequences are also possible, such as 20 non-conductive weft threads followed by two conductive weft threads. Furthermore, the spacing of the weft threads, acting as electrical conductors 11, within the safety belt 10 can be variable in possible embodiments, for example, in the range of 3 to 10 mm. The electrical conductors 11 in the warp threads preferably have a resistance of 5 Ω per meter and can preferably be embedded individually or in bundles within the safety belt 10.

Claims

[1] Seat belt (10) for a motor vehicle comprising at least one electrical conductor (11) embedded in the seat belt (10), wherein the electrical conductor (11) is electrically connected to a contact element (12) on the seat belt (10), characterized by , that the electrical conductor (11) is embroidered with an electrically conductive embroidery thread, and that the conductive embroidery thread on the embroidered electrical conductor (11) forms a contact pad (14) on the safety belt (10). [2] Safety belt (10) according to claim 1, characterized by , that the contact pad (14) is formed on a loop (13) of the electrical conductor (11). [3] Safety belt according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by , that the contact element (12) is attached to the contact pad (14). [4] Safety belt (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by, that the contact element (12) has at least one cover element (15) which covers the electrical connection of the contact element (12) with the electrical conductor (11). [5] Safety belt (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the safety belt (10) has markings (16) for the positioning of the contact element (12). [6] Safety belt (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the contact element (12) is attached to the safety belt (10) on both sides. [7] Safety belt (10) according to claim 6, characterized by , that the contact element (12) has guide pins (17) which pass through the safety belt (10). [8] Safety belt (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that several electrical conductors (11) are provided in the safety belt (10), which are contacted with the contact element (12) on a line perpendicular to the belt path. [9] Safety belt (10) according to one of claims 1 to 7, characterized by , that several electrical conductors (11) are provided in the safety belt (10), which are contacted with the contact element (12) on at least two different lines perpendicular to the belt path. [10] Safety belt (10) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the contact element (12) comprises a flexible printed circuit board (18). [11] Safety belt (10) according to any of the preceding claims, characterized by , that the electrical conductor (11) is led out of and back into the safety belt (10) in a loop (13), and the loop (13) is electrically connected to the contact element (12). [12] Safety belt (10) according to claim 11, characterized by , that the loop (13) is cut open. [13] Safety belt (10) according to claim 11 or 12, characterized by , that the loop (13) is soldered to the contact element (12).

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