US 6,142,524 AGranted

Seat belt pretensioner apparatus

AssigneeTRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.

InventorsLouis R. Brown, Arnold J. Herberg

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Abstract

An apparatus (10) includes a crash sensor (49) which senses a crash event and provides a signal (50) indicative of the crash event. A transmitter (54) transmits a signal (58) in response to the crash sensor signal (50). A receiver (60), which is separated from the transmitter (54), receives the transmitter signal (58) and provides a control signal (80) upon receiving the transmitter signal (58). A buckle switch (34) is operable to detect a belted or an unbelted condition of a seat belt system (18). The apparatus (10) also includes an actuatable pretensioner device (49) which actuates to help to protect a vehicle occupant during a crash event. A power switch (82) receives the control signal (80) to connect the pretensioner device (49) electrically with a power source (35, 84) in response to the power switch (82) receiving the control signal (80) while the buckle switch 34 is detecting a belted condition.

Claims12

Dependent claims

A vehicle safety apparatus for use with a seat belt system comprising:

a crash sensor which senses a crash event and provides a signal indicative of the sensed crash event
a central transmitter which broadcasts a transmitter signal in response to the crash sensor signal;
a remote receiver spaced apart from said transmitter, said receiver receiving the transmitter signal and providing a receiver signal in response to the transmitter signal;
a power source;
a buckle switch electrically connected with said power source, said buckle switch being operable to detect a belted or an unbelted condition of the seat belt system;
an actuatable pretensioner device which, when actuated, helps to protect a vehicle occupant during a crash event by tightening a seat belt around a vehicle occupant;
a power switch electrically coupled with said buckle switch and said power source, said power switch being operable to connect said pretensioner device to said power source in response to said power switch receiving said receiver signal while the buckle switch is detecting a belted condition;
and
a controller in electrical communication with said crash sensor, said controller providing a control signal to said central transmitter upon said crash sensor signal indicating a crash event which requires activation of said pretensioner device.

6 more elements

A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

a sensor for sensing a vehicle condition and providing a signal indicative of said vehicle condition;
a central transmitter responsive to said sensor signal, said central transmitter broadcasting a transmitter signal upon receiving the sensor signal;
a seat belt assembly including a buckle and a buckle tongue releasably connectable with said buckle, said seat belt assembly including a buckle switch operable to detect a belted or unbelted condition of said seat belt assembly;
a remote receiver spaced apart from said first transmitter and responsive to the transmitter signal, said remote receiver providing an activation control signal in response to the transmitter signal;.
an electrically actuatable pretensioner device operatively connected with said seat belt assembly which, when actuated, helps to protect a vehicle occupant during a crash event;
a power switch electrically connected with said receiver and said buckle switch, said power switch effecting actuation of said pretensioner device in response to receiving the activation control signal of said receiver while said buckle switch is detecting a belted condition of said seat belt assembly;
and
a controller electrically connected with said central transmitter, said controller controlling said central transmitter in response to the sensor signal and said buckle switch detecting a belted condition of said seat belt assembly, which, in turn, controls actuation of said pretensioner device.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.