Method for operating an occupant restraint device of a vehicle
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023792986
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-10-24
- Filing Date
- 2023-10-19
- Publication Date
- 2025-09-03
- Estimated Expiration
- Not applicable · inactive patent
AI Technical Summary
Existing occupant restraint systems in vehicles are inadequate in protecting occupants in non-standard seating positions, particularly the lying position, during collisions, as they fail to effectively activate and coordinate restraint elements to reduce injury risk.
A method that utilizes a control unit to detect the belt status and seat position, activating seat belt tensioners and airbags in a coordinated manner to optimize occupant restraint, including pyrotechnic and electromotive mechanisms to adjust the seat back and maintain optimal belt tension, ensuring effective protection in both upright and lying positions.
Significantly reduces the risk of injury by ensuring optimal restraint and positioning of occupants during collisions, meeting legal requirements and minimizing forces on the spine and cervical area, while maintaining controlled deceleration and reducing peak loads.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] Method for operating an occupant restraint device of a vehicle
[0002] The invention relates to a method for operating an occupant restraint device for protecting an occupant on a vehicle seat in an automated vehicle, wherein the occupant restraint device has at least one airbag and a safety belt with at least one belt tensioner as restraint elements and a control unit of the occupant restraint device distinguishes at least between an upright position and a reclining position of a seat back of the vehicle seat.
[0003] DE 102017 116 905 A1 discloses a vehicle occupant restraint device and a method for operating a vehicle occupant restraint device. The vehicle occupant restraint device for protecting a vehicle occupant on a vehicle seat comprises a plurality of restraint elements and a control device. A first restraint element comprises a gas bag module with a gas bag, and a second restraint element comprises a seat belt with a belt retractor, the seat belt being operatively connected to a tensioning device.The control device has at least one sensor element for determining the position of the vehicle seat, so that in a restraint situation the control device distinguishes between a first situation in which the vehicle seat with the vehicle occupant is in a position within the range of a standard position relative to the gas bag of the first restraint element, and a second situation in which the vehicle seat with the vehicle occupant is in a position outside the standard position. In the first situation, the control device activates only the first and second restraint elements, whereas in the second situation, a third restraint element, which is integrated into the vehicle seat and / or is operatively connected to the vehicle seat, can be activated and / or switched on by the control device, so that the vehicle seat is initially moved via the third restraint element into a position within the range of the standard position.The invention is based on the object of providing a novel method for operating an occupant restraint device of a vehicle.
[0004] The object is achieved according to the invention by a method which has the features specified in claim 1.
[0005] Advantageous embodiments of the invention are the subject of the subclaims.
[0006] A method for operating an occupant restraint device for protecting an occupant on a vehicle seat, in particular an integral belt seat, in an automated vehicle, wherein the occupant restraint device has at least one airbag and a safety belt with at least one belt tensioner as restraint elements, is furthermore distinguished by a control unit of the occupant restraint device at least between an upright position and a reclining position of a seat back of the vehicle seat. According to the invention, in order to activate automated driving of the vehicle, a belt status of at least occupants of a front row of seats in the vehicle's longitudinal direction is detected.When the belt buckle tongue is inserted into a belt buckle assigned to the vehicle seat, the automated driving mode of the vehicle is activated and the restraint elements of the occupant restraint device are controlled and activated or triggered in a coordinated manner depending on a set position of the vehicle seat and depending on a situational collision status from a time of a detected collision imminent to the vehicle, in particular a frontal collision.
[0007] One application of the method is based on conventional, proven restraint elements that are usually installed in the vehicle, by means of which the risk of injury to an occupant on the vehicle seat in the adjusted reclining position can be significantly reduced in the event of a collision with the vehicle.
[0008] The procedure can largely meet all legal and so-called rating requirements with relative certainty.
[0009] The vehicle seat with the reclining position does not require any additional adaptation to the occupant restraint system to apply the method, so it can be used both for the upright position of the seat back and for the reclining position of the seat back and the occupant. The vehicle seat structure and its connection to the vehicle floor assembly must generally meet the strength requirements for the integral belt seat, so no additional effort is required to implement the method.
[0010] Both simulation and prototype studies to determine potential are comparatively easy to carry out.
[0011] In one embodiment of the method, when the reclined position of the vehicle seat is detected and an imminent collision is detected, a seat belt pretensioner is activated, and the seat belt is tightened in the shoulder belt area by an electric motor. After the collision occurs, a lap belt pretensioner and a seat-integrated retractor pretensioner are also activated and pyrotechnically activated. By tightening the seat belt by activating all existing seat belt pretensioners assigned to the seat belt, the occupant is optimally secured to the vehicle seat, thus reducing the load on the occupant at the time of the collision and any collision-related deceleration of the vehicle. The occupant participates in the collision-related acceleration of the vehicle.
[0012] Another embodiment provides that, at the time of activation of the pyrotechnic belt tensioning system, the upright positioning of the vehicle seat backrest is pyrotechnically released by releasing the seat backrest lock. The goal here is a force-controlled uprighting of the occupant, driven by the impact energy at the time of the collision. Upon impact, the seat backrest typically straightens without the application of any further force, with the method providing for the controlled uprighting of the seat backrest. Due to the uprighting of the seat backrest, comparatively serious injuries to the occupant's lumbar spine can be largely avoided.
[0013] If the vehicle seat, particularly the seat backrest, is in a reclining position, a collision will result in relatively high forces acting on the occupant's spine, which are absorbed by the seat surface, in particular through compression caused by the occupant's pelvis being supported by the seat. This compression of the spine can be largely eliminated by uprighting the seat backrest. In a further development, the upright positioning of the seat backrest is braked before the seat backrest reaches its upright end position, so that the load acting on the occupant due to the upright positioning and an undamped, abrupt braking of the seat backrest and the associated risk of injury, particularly to the occupant's cervical spine, can be reduced.
[0014] Another possible embodiment of the method provides that, while the seat backrest is positioned upright until it reaches its final upright position, the electromotive belt tensioning of the shoulder belt area and a lap belt area of the seat belt is maintained at a predetermined force level. The occupant is thus still secured to the vehicle seat, with the lap belt area being tightened at a maximum force level to essentially prevent the occupant from slipping beneath the lap belt area of the seat belt. This slipping or submerging is also referred to as the submarining effect.
[0015] In one embodiment, once the seat backrest has reached its upright end position, the vehicle seat lock is pyrotechnically released to execute a controlled longitudinal movement in the direction of travel of the vehicle. After the seat backrest is raised, the occupant assumes an upper body position optimized for a collision, in which the vehicle seat lock is released. The occupant initially decelerates with a specific force level below a belt force limiter and is braked uniformly within the vehicle. Thus, the deceleration does not exhibit an extreme value, but rather a constant force level.
[0016] The occupant can experience a lower deceleration due to the released forward movement, i.e. the longitudinal movement of the vehicle seat in the direction of travel, whereby acceleration peaks acting on the vehicle can be filtered, i.e. the acceleration peaks do not act on the occupant.
[0017] The starting point of an internal deceleration caused by the longitudinal movement of the vehicle seat can be selected such that an initial moderate vehicle deceleration initially occurs without the internal deceleration, and the longitudinal movement of the vehicle seat is released by the pyrotechnic release of the locking mechanism as soon as a maximum deceleration is applied to the vehicle. This maximum deceleration is reached when the vehicle is no longer moving during the collision. In a possible further development, the vehicle seat is braked in a damped manner in the region of its longitudinal end position in the direction of travel. In other words, the vehicle seat is braked in a damped manner at the end of an internal deceleration path.The longitudinal movement of the vehicle seat is therefore not stopped abruptly, so that any load resulting from an abrupt stopping of the longitudinal movement of the vehicle seat does not act on the occupant, thus largely eliminating any additional risk of injury to the occupant.
[0018] In addition, one embodiment provides that when the vehicle seat reaches its longitudinal end position, the force level of the electromotive seat belt tensioning in the shoulder belt area is reduced by a predetermined amount. By setting the shoulder belt force, i.e. the force level for tensioning a belt force limiter, to a lower force level, the occupant, in particular their upper body, is allowed to move forward in order to dissipate residual body energy, in particular acceleration energy. Thus, a decay of movement occurs in the vehicle seat. It is possible to specify a force level to which the seat belt tensioning in the shoulder belt area is reduced, depending on the weight of the occupant on the vehicle seat.
[0019] In a further embodiment, a driver airbag and / or a front passenger airbag are or will be deployed in a first stage depending on the detected seat occupancy. In particular, the driver airbag and / or the front passenger airbag are or will be deployed in the first stage to ensure additional impact protection for the occupant in the vehicle seat against the relatively hard contours of a vehicle interior. A lower inflation level of the driver airbag and / or the front passenger airbag and the resulting lower hardness of the respective airbag deployed in the first stage can adaptively dissipate the relatively low residual energy of the respective occupant more specifically. The respective airbag is therefore less inflated, which reduces the risk of injury for the occupant impacting the airbag.
[0020] If the occupant is a driver of the vehicle in manual ferry operation, who is sitting in a driver's seat, the driver's airbag is triggered, for example, when the steering wheel is retracted.
[0021] In another embodiment, in addition to the deployment of the driver airbag and / or the passenger airbag, a respective knee airbag is deployed in a first stage to provide additional impact protection for the occupant in the vehicle seat against the relatively hard contours of the vehicle interior. This further reduces the risk of injury to the occupant.
[0022] Embodiments of the invention are explained in more detail below with reference to drawings.
[0023] Showing:
[0024] Fig. 1 schematically shows a section of a vehicle with an occupant on a vehicle seat in an upright position,
[0025] Fig. 2 schematically shows a section of the vehicle with the occupant on a vehicle seat in a lying position,
[0026] Fig. 3 shows schematically a section of the vehicle with the occupant in the lying position in the event of a detected collision imminent to the vehicle,
[0027] Fig. 4 shows schematically a section of the vehicle with the occupant on the vehicle seat in the lying position after the collision,
[0028] Fig. 5 shows schematically a section of the vehicle with the backrest of the occupant’s vehicle seat positioned upright,
[0029] Fig. 6 schematically shows a section of the vehicle after the seat back of the occupant’s vehicle seat has been raised,
[0030] Fig. 7 shows schematically a section of the vehicle when performing a longitudinal movement of the vehicle seat in the direction of travel and
[0031] Fig. 8 shows a schematic section of the vehicle with the occupant on the vehicle seat and the driver airbag and knee airbag deployed.
[0032] Corresponding parts are provided with the same reference numerals in all figures. Figure 1 shows a section of a vehicle 1 with an occupant 2 on a vehicle seat 3 with the seat backrest 3.1 in the upright position, so that the occupant 2 has an upright seating position on the vehicle seat 3. For example, this seating position of the occupant 2 can be referred to as the driving position.
[0033] Figure 2 shows a section of the vehicle 1 with the occupant 2 on the vehicle seat 3 in a lying position.
[0034] Figures 3 to 8 each show a section of the vehicle 1 with the occupant 2 on his vehicle seat 3 before and during a collision, in particular a frontal collision.
[0035] By means of a generally known, existing vehicle-mounted
[0036] With the occupant restraint device comprising restraint elements R1 to Rn, a comparatively high level of injury protection for the occupant 2 on the vehicle seat 3 can be achieved, provided that the vehicle seat 3 has an upright position and the occupant 2 on the vehicle seat 3 has an upright sitting position.
[0037] With regard to variable seating positions, in particular a lying position of the occupant 2 on the vehicle seat 3, the seat back 3.1 of which is correspondingly inclined, a functioning and thus a protective effect of the restraint elements R1 to Rn of the occupant restraint device shown in more detail in the following figures is limited.
[0038] Particularly in the lying position, a so-called relaxed position, the restraint elements R1 to Rn cannot or only inadequately fulfil their protective function for the occupant 2, so that despite activated or triggered
[0039] Restraint elements R1 to Rn pose a comparatively high risk of injury for occupant 2.
[0040] The vehicle 1 has an assistance system for automated, in particular autonomous ferry operation, in which a driving task is fully performed by the vehicle 1, in particular by the assistance system. Thus, a driver as occupant 2 of the vehicle 1 has the option of pursuing another activity, for example, relaxing in the reclining position of the vehicle seat 3. The following describes a method for operating an occupant restraint device of the vehicle 1, which optimizes injury protection for the occupant 2 in the reclining position of the vehicle seat 3 and thus a protective function for the reclining occupant 2 can be largely ensured. In particular, the method enables comparatively safe kinematic restraint for a driver and a front passenger as occupants 2 from the reclining position in the event of a collision of the vehicle 1, in particular a head-on collision.
[0041] The vehicle seat 3 is an integral seat belt, in which the safety belt 4 and its components are arranged on the vehicle seat 3 or integrated into it. The connection of the vehicle seat 3 to a main floor of the vehicle 1 is designed with regard to its strength to meet the requirements for load cases related to the vehicle seat 3.
[0042] As restraint elements R1 to Rn, the occupant restraint device of the vehicle 1 has the safety belt 4 with an electromotive retractor tensioner R1, a pyrotechnic retractor tensioner (not shown in detail), an electromotive pelvic tensioner R2, a two-stage triggerable driver airbag R3, a two-stage triggerable passenger airbag (not shown in detail), a telescopic and / or deformable steering column R4, a seat slide R5 with a pyrotechnic triggerable movement mechanism, the seat back 3.1 as a so-called kinematic back R6 with a pyrotechnic triggerable kinematic mechanism and a knee airbag R7.
[0043] To activate automated ferry operation, in particular the autonomous ferry operation of vehicle 1, the occupants 2 of a first row of seats, i.e., the driver and, if applicable, a front passenger, must have their seat belts 4 fastened, with a belt buckle tongue (not shown) inserted into a corresponding belt buckle. A belt status, whether the respective occupant 2 of the first row has fastened their seat belt 4, is detected, for example, by means of a belt buckle switch. If such a belt status is detected, the autonomous ferry operation of vehicle 1 can be activated.
[0044] Furthermore, the method for operating the occupant restraint device requires that there are no other occupants in the rear seat area. Figure 3 shows a section of vehicle 1 with occupant 2 in the reclining position when a detected collision, particularly a frontal collision, is imminent with vehicle 1.
[0045] It is provided that, before the collision occurs, the fastened safety belt 4 is tightened by an electric motor by means of the activated A ufro II tensioner R1, whereby the occupant 2 is fixed to the vehicle seat 3, in particular to the seat back 3.1.
[0046] In particular, the activation of the retractor tensioner R1 takes place depending on detected signals from an environmental sensor system of the vehicle 1, for example based on detected signals from at least one radar-based sensor.
[0047] After the collision of vehicle 1 has occurred, the seat-integrated
[0048] A ufro II tensioner R1 is pyrotechnically triggered and the electromotive pelvic tensioner R2 is activated. This tightens the seat belt 4 at all three end points, as shown in Figure 4.
[0049] Simultaneously with the electromotive and pyrotechnic belt tensioning, a movement of the seat back 3.1, i.e., the kinematic back R6, is pyrotechnically released. In particular, the release occurs via an airbag unit, for example, an airbag control unit. For this purpose, a locking mechanism, which comprises, for example, two locking bolts, is pyrotechnically released, so that the occupant 2 is propped upright by the kinematic back R6, i.e., assumes an upright sitting position.
[0050] The aim is therefore to force-controlledly prop up occupant 2, driven by a collision-related impact energy.
[0051] As a result of the collision, i.e., the impact, the seat backrest 3.1 straightens without any further force being applied. The upright positioning is controlled, with the upright positioning of the seat backrest 3.1 being decelerated before the seat backrest 3.1 reaches its upright end position. In particular, a dampened deceleration of the seat backrest 3.1 occurs by means of at least one end-position damper (not specified in more detail). Such end-position damping upon reaching the upright end position of the seat backrest 3.1 reduces the peak load acting on the occupant 2.
[0052] Consumable elements for controlling the force of the upright positioning of the seat back 3.1 can be implemented directly on the recliner, i.e., on the vehicle seat 3, using known technologies, such as cutting, wire drawing, etc. The end-position damping can also be implemented in this way.
[0053] By raising the seat backrest 3.1, the risk of injury to the occupant 2, in particular to his lumbar spine, can be significantly reduced, since compression of the spine in the upright end position of the seat backrest 3.1 can be largely avoided.
[0054] A belt force acting on the occupant 2 by means of the safety belt 4 is greater than a force for upright positioning of the seat back 3.1, wherein the belt force can be very large due to a switchability in relation to a force level.
[0055] During the upright positioning of the seat back 3.1 shown in Figure 5, the occupant 2 is secured to a seat cushion 3.2 of the vehicle seat 3 forming a seat surface with the maximum force level of the pelvic tensioner R2 to prevent slipping under a lap belt area of the safety belt 4, as shown in Figure 6. A tensioning force acting on a shoulder belt area of the safety belt 4 also remains comparatively high until the upright end position of the seat back 3.1 is reached.
[0056] After the seat backrest 3.1 has reached its upright end position and the occupant 2 thus has an upper body position optimized for the collision, a controlled longitudinal movement of the vehicle seat 3 in the direction of travel of the vehicle 1 is pyrotechnically released, as shown in Figure 7. For this purpose, for example, a locking of the vehicle seat 3, in particular a locking of the seat slide R5 by means of bolts with respect to the seat rails, is pyrotechnically released. The longitudinal movement of the vehicle seat 3 with the occupant 2 is referred to as internal deceleration, since it takes place inside the vehicle 1.
[0057] In this case, the occupant 2 initially decelerates with the vehicle seat 3 only at a certain force level below the force level of a belt force limiter and is braked uniformly within the vehicle 1. Occupant 2 experiences a lower deceleration due to a forward movement, whereby load peaks acting on the occupant 2 can be largely avoided.
[0058] A starting time for the internal deceleration can be selected, with an initial moderate vehicle deceleration initially occurring without any internal deceleration. The internal deceleration, i.e., the release of vehicle seat 3 to execute the longitudinal movement, occurs when vehicle 1 reaches its maximum deceleration. The maximum deceleration of vehicle 1 is reached when vehicle 1 is no longer moving during the collision—i.e., the accident. An approximately rectangular characteristic curve can be modulated based on a uniform deceleration.
[0059] At the end of an inner deceleration path of the vehicle seat 3 with the occupant 2, i.e., in the region of a longitudinal end position of the vehicle seat 3, the occupant 2 is braked in a damped manner. A tensioning force acting on the shoulder belt area of the safety belt 4 is reduced to a predetermined force level, allowing a forward displacement of the upper body of the occupant 2 on the vehicle seat 3 and thus dissipating residual energy caused by the collision, in particular kinetic energy, as shown in Figure 8.
[0060] For example, the force level can be adjusted depending on the weight of the occupant 2, so that a certain forward displacement path can be made available to the occupant 2 at the end of his movement.
[0061] According to the exemplary embodiment shown in Figure 8, the driver airbag R3 and the knee airbag R7 are also deployed in a first stage. By deploying the driver airbag R3 in the first stage, when the steering column R4 is retracted and the steering wheel 5 of the vehicle 1 is retracted, impact and / or collision with the relatively hard contours of a vehicle interior is largely prevented. Thus, additional impact and / or collision protection is ensured, while ensuring relatively soft cushioning of the head and chest of the occupant 2.
[0062] If a seat occupancy detection system determines that a passenger seat in vehicle 1 is occupied alternatively or additionally, a passenger airbag is triggered in a first stage.
[0063] The knee airbag R7, deployed in the first stage, also provides additional impact protection for occupant 2 in vehicle seat 3 against the comparatively hard contours of the vehicle interior, with the knee airbag R7 supporting the kinematics of occupant 2. This further reduces the risk of injury to occupant 2. In the first stage of deployment, the driver airbag R3 and the knee airbag R7 are less inflated and therefore less hard when occupant 2 impacts.
[0064] List of reference symbols
[0065] 1 vehicle
[0066] 2 inmates
[0067] 3 vehicle seat
[0068] 3.1 Seat back
[0069] 3.2 Seat cushion
[0070] 4 seat belt
[0071] 5 Steering wheel
[0072] R1 Retaining element / retractor tensioner
[0073] R2 restraint element / pelvic tightener
[0074] R3 Restraint element / driver airbag
[0075] R4 Retaining element / steering column
[0076] R5 Restraint element / seat slide
[0077] R6 restraint element / kinematic backrest
[0078] R7 Restraint element / knee airbag
Claims
Patent claims Method for operating an occupant restraint device for protecting an occupant (2) on a vehicle seat (3) in an automated vehicle (1), wherein the occupant restraint device has at least one airbag and a safety belt (4) with at least one belt tensioner as restraint elements (R1 to Rn) and a control unit of the occupant restraint device distinguishes at least between an upright position and a lying position of a seat back (3.1) of the vehicle seat (3), characterized in that - to activate an automated ferry operation of the vehicle (1), a belt status of at least passengers (2) of a front row of seats of the vehicle (1) in the longitudinal direction of the vehicle is detected, - if the belt buckle tongue is inserted into a belt buckle assigned to the vehicle seat (3) and is recorded as the belt status, the automated ferry operation of the vehicle (1) is activated and - the restraint elements (R1 to Rn) of the occupant restraint device are controlled and activated or triggered in a coordinated manner as a function of a set position of the vehicle seat (3) and as a function of a situational collision status from a time of a detected imminent collision with the vehicle (1), and when the reclining position of the vehicle seat (3) is detected and an imminent collision with the vehicle (1) is detected, a retractor tensioner (R1) of the safety belt (4) is controlled and the safety belt (4) is tightened in the shoulder belt area by an electric motor, and after the occurrence of the collision, a lap belt tensioner (R2) and a seat-integrated retractor tensioner (R1) are additionally controlled and pyrotechnically activated. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that at a time of activation of the pyrotechnic belt tensioning, an upright positioning of the seat back (3.1) of the vehicle seat (3) is pyrotechnically released by removing a locking of the seat back (3.1). Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the upright positioning of the seat back (3.1) is braked before reaching an upright end position of the seat back (3.1). Method according to claim 3, characterized in that during the upright positioning of the The seat back (3.1) is maintained at a predetermined force level until its upright end position is reached by maintaining the electromotive belt tensioning of the shoulder belt region and a lap belt region of the safety belt (4). Method according to claim 3 or 4, characterized in that after the upright end position of the seat back (3.1) is reached, a locking mechanism of the vehicle seat (3) is pyrotechnically released to execute a longitudinal movement in the direction of travel of the vehicle (1). Method according to claim 5, characterized in that the vehicle seat (3) is braked in a damped manner in the region of a longitudinal end position. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that upon reaching the region of the longitudinal end position of the vehicle seat (3), a force level of the electromotive tensioning of the safety belt (4) in the shoulder belt region is reduced by a predetermined amount.Method according to claim 6, characterized in that a driver airbag (R3) and / or a passenger airbag is or will be triggered in a first stage depending on a detected seat occupancy. Method according to claim 8, characterized in that in addition to the deployment of the driver airbag (R3) and / or the passenger airbag, a respective knee airbag (R7) is deployed in a first stage.