Belt assembly including plus-two-point belt reminder
AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC
InventorsJialiang Le, Manoharprasad K. Rao, Raed Essa EL-Jawahri, Robert William McCoy
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A plus-two-point belt system is disclosed. The plus-two-point belt system includes a longitudinal webbing anchored at a first end to a seat and fixed at a second end to a retractor. The webbing is extendable from the retractor to allow an occupant to slip their arm under the webbing to provide a supplemental restraint. The webbing includes first and second portions where the second portion is retractably coiled on the retractor and the second portion has at least one conductive marker. A sensor is provided to sense the marker and a processor is provided to set an alarm when the marker is not detected.
Claims17
An occupant restraint system comprising:
- a plus-two-point belt having longitudinal first webbing anchored at a first end to a seat and fixed at a second end to a plus-two retractor;
- the webbing including first and second portions, wherein the second portion is retractably coiled on the plus-two retractor;
- the second portion having at least one conductive plus-two marker, a plus-two sensor positioned adjacent the second end of the webbing and configured to sense the marker;
- a releasably lockable belt assembly having a second webbing with a plurality of markers being equally spaced along the webbing a processor configured to set an alarm when the plus-two marker is not detected and further configured to determine the length of second webbing paid out.
A method for estimating the size of an occupant and for determining whether a plus-two-point belt system is engaged, the plus-two-point belt having a plus-two webbing anchored at a first end and coiled on a retractor at a second end, and a releasably lockable belt assembly the releasably lockable belt assembly including a second webbing with a plurality of equally spaced markers;
- the method comprising:
- determining whether an occupant is in a seat and an ignition of a vehicle occupied by the occupant is in an on position;
- and
- sensing with a sensor proximate the retractor a plus-two marker in a second portion of the plus-two webbing,
- determining the length of second webbing paid out, and
- estimating the size of the occupant.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.