US 12,280,735 B2Granted

Safety belt D-ring positioning for front and rear seats

AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC

InventorsClara M. Bennie, Brian Bennie

Life of this patent

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Abstract

Guidance to a vehicle occupant is directed to manual adjustment of a height of a D-ring mechanism of a safety belt. First data of the occupant is collected which is indicative of a target height for the D-ring mechanism. Second data is collected indicative of a current height of the D-ring mechanism. The target height and the current height are compared to generate an adjustment amount whenever their difference is greater than a predetermined threshold. Visual guidance is presented to the occupant on an HMI display panel wherein the visual guidance describes taking an particular action to achieve the manual height adjustment of the D-ring mechanism. A further visual instruction is presented to the occupant on the HMI display panel wherein the visual instruction identifies the adjustment amount.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A vehicle comprising:

a safety belt system for a seated occupant having a belt webbing passing through a D-ring mechanism, wherein the D-ring mechanism has a manually adjustable height;
a sensing system configured to detect the seated occupant and to collect A) first data of the seated occupant indicative of a target height for the D-ring mechanism, and B) second data indicative of a current height of the D-ring mechanism;
a controller coupled to the sensing system and configured to 1) determine the target height in response to the collected first data, 2) determine the current height in response to the second data, and 3) compare the target height to the current height to generate an adjustment amount if a difference between the target height and the current height is greater than a predetermined threshold;
and
an HMI display panel responsive to the controller to present to the seated occupant A) a visual guidance describing an action to achieve the manual height adjustment of the D-ring mechanism, and B) a visual instruction identifying the adjustment amount.

2 more elements

A method of guiding a seated occupant of a vehicle to manually adjust a height of a D-ring mechanism of a safety belt, comprising the steps of:

collecting first data of the seated occupant indicative of a target height for the D-ring mechanism;
collecting second data indicative of a current height of the D-ring mechanism;
determining the target height in response to the collected first data;
determining the current height in response to the second data;
comparing the target height to the current height to generate an adjustment amount if a difference between the target height and the current height is greater than a predetermined threshold;
presenting a visual guidance to the seated occupant on an HMI display panel wherein the visual guidance describes taking an action to achieve the manual height adjustment of the D-ring mechanism;
and
presenting a visual instruction to the seated occupant on the HMI display panel wherein the visual instruction identifies the adjustment amount.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 17/875,914Filed 28 Jul 2022 · continuation in part
Priority: 25 Aug 2021
Published: US 2023/0063157 A12 Mar 2023
Granted: 22 Apr 2025
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification8 codes

B60R 22/48
Safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles: control systems, alarms, or interlock systems, for the correct application of the belt or harness
B60R 22/201
Adjustable in position, e.g. in height: with the belt anchor connected to a slider movable in a vehicle-mounted track
B60R 22/24
Anchoring devices: secured to the side, door, or roof of the vehicle
B60R 2022/208
Adjustable in position, e.g. in height: by automatic or remote control means