Daimler Chrysler Ag

Daimler Ag

Wilfried Bullinger

Walter Eberle

Markus Woldrich

Markus Hartlieb

Florent Paviot

Christian Michael Mayer

Frank Zerrweck

Kai Wustlich

Michael Meyer

Luigi Brambilla

Manfred Mueller

Harald Rudolf

Alfred Wagner

Juergen Gimbel

Karl Moehle

Josef B&uuml;chler

A motor vehicle, such as a passenger car, having a preventive action protection system is provided, which includes safety devices which are actuated as a function of features which are based on input variables from a safety sensor system in a data evaluation and control device, wherein, when a critical driving state is detected, the data evaluation and control device actuates at least one safety device which is assigned to the driving state. The features are each assigned a specific weighting relating to the criticality of the driving state.

Motor vehicle having a preventive action protection system

Method for actuating a reversible belt pretensioner for pretensioning a belt webbing, unwound from a belt reel, of a seat belt in a motor vehicle, the belt pretensioner having a drive which acts on the belt reel, and the seat belt having, as a belt extraction lock, a locking device which acts on the belt reel in the unwinding direction and whose locking can be released only if the belt reel is rotated about a certain angle of rotation in the winding-on direction. After a triggering of the belt pretensioner caused by a hazardous situation and if a variable indicative of the belt force indicates a decrease in the belt force, an opening mode is initiated in which the belt pretensioner drive is actuated in order to open the blocking device in such a manner that, at the beginning of the opening mode, the belt reel rotates about the specific angle of rotation in the winding-on direction.

Method for actuating a reversible belt pretensioner

Method for actuating a reversible belt pretensioner for pretensioning a belt webbing, the belt pretensioner having a drive which acts on the belt reel, and the seat belt having, as a belt extraction lock, a locking device which acts on the belt reel in the unwinding direction and whose locking can be released only if the belt reel is rotated through a specific angle of rotation in the winding-on direction. After the triggering of the belt pretensioner, the drive of the belt pretensioner for opening the locking device is actuated in an opening mode such that firstly, in a winding-on phase, the belt reel rotates through the specific angle of rotation in the winding-on direction. In a subsequent holding phase, the drive of the belt pretensioner is actuated for a predefinable holding time Tsuch that the belt reel is held in its angular position.

The invention relates to a method for actuating a reversible belt pretensioner for pretensioning a belt webbing, wound around a belt reel, of a seat belt in a motor vehicle, the belt pretensioner having a drive which acts on the belt reel. The seat belt has a locking device, acting on the belt reel in the unwinding direction, as a belt extraction lock. After the triggering of the belt pretensioner and when a predefinable condition is met, the belt pretensioner is actuated in such a way that the belt reel rotates at least to such an extent in the winding-up direction that the locking device of the belt reel opens and releases the belt webbing for unwinding.

In a method and apparatus for activating vehicle-occupant protection devices, an approach speed to a collision object is determined within a predefined proximity range of the vehicle surroundings. If the approach speed is above a threshold value, an anticipated impact time for a collision with the object is determined. A time range is determined on the basis of the anticipated impact time, a signal quality of at least one proximity sensor, driving dynamics and the geometry of a collision object being taken into account in this time range. The assigned vehicle-occupant protection devices are activated after occurrence of a positive plausible-confirmation check within the time range.

Method and device for activating passenger protection device

A belt tightener of a seat belt in a vehicle, in particular a motor vehicle, is provided with a retracting spring in order to return the belt. A counterspring, which can be adjusted by a motor, is connected in parallel with the retracting spring in order to be able to reduce the tensile force of the belt for comfort considerations. The motor can also be connected in drive terms to the belt via a coupling arrangement to give reversible belt tightening.

Belt tightener

In a belt tensioner of a seat belt in a vehicle, particularly a motor vehicle, for the return movement of the belt, a return spring is provided which is able to be tensioned by a motor as a function of parameters. The motor may also be used for a reversible tightening of the belt.

Belt tensioner

A method senses the readiness of a driver of a motor vehicle to brake. The position of the feet of the driver are sensed by a sensor arrangement at the foot well of the motor vehicle in order to determine the position of the right-hand foot and the left-hand foot of the driver and/or the leg posture of the driver. In order to sense the feet and/or leg posture of the driver, a pressure-sensitive film with a matrix of pressure-sensitive cells may be arranged in the foot well of the motor vehicle. An expected time which the driver takes to activate the brake in a hazardous situation can be derived from the position of the feet at a particular time.

Method for sensing the readiness of a driver to brake

The invention relates to a method for sensing the readiness to steer or the steering behavior of the driver of a motor vehicle, at least one pressure and/or contact sensor which supplies an electrical signal when it is touched and/or pressure is exerted being integrated into the steering wheel or mounted on the steering wheel. The pressure sensor and/or contact sensor has a multiplicity of sensor elements or segments arranged along the circumference of the steering wheel. Each of the sensor elements or sensor segments has, in the cross section of the steering wheel rim, a multiplicity of pressure-sensitive and/or contact-sensitive zones so that it is possible to detect whether the driver's hand grasps the steering wheel from the inside, outside, top or bottom. A signal which represents the readiness to steer can be used to generate in an evaluation unit, for example, an audible, optical, haptic or similar warning to the driver as a function of the travel situation at a particular time or the events on the road detected around the vehicle.

Method for sensing the readiness of a driver to steer

A method and system for restraining an occupant on a vehicle seat, the occupant being pulled into the vehicle seat is provided with a force by a belt tensioner when a critical driving state is detected and then held in a pulled-back position on the vehicle seat with a holding force. The holding force selected is lower than the force for pulling the occupant back. A forward-looking detection system for a dangerous driving state and an occupant-position detection system unprovided, in which, when a dangerous driving state is detected, a belt tensioner is subjected to a force and the occupant is thereby pulled into the vehicle seat, and in which the occupant is held in a pulled-back position on the vehicle seat with a holding force which is lower than the force for pulling the occupant back.

Method and safety restraint device for restraining an occupant on a vehicle seat

A vehicle impact detection sensor for providing an input variable for an activation logic unit or for generating an activation signal for an active occupant protection system, has a radar transmitter and a radar receiver which are arranged on a sensor-carrying superstructure of the vehicle. The radar receiver receives radar waves which are emitted by the radar transmitter and reflected at an impact-relevant reflexion surface that moves relative to the sensor-carrying superstructure in the event of an impact. A Doppler frequency evaluation unit uses the frequency of the transmitted radar waves and the frequency of the radar waves reflected from the impact-relevant reflexion surface to determine the associated Doppler frequency and detects therefrom a relative movement of the impact-relevant reflexion surface with reference to the sensor-carrying vehicle superstructure. The impact-relevant reflexion surface is a surface permanently connected to the vehicle, preferably, an outer surface of the vehicle.

Vehicle impact detection sensor system

In a brake control system for mitigating the consequences of an accident in the case of a rear-on collision of a motor vehicle, it is provided that a comparison signal assigned to the positive longitudinal acceleration of the vehicle is determined, that the comparison signal is compared with a threshold value and that, in the event that the comparison signal exceeds the threshold value, a braking signal triggering the vehicle brake is generated.

Brake control system for a motor vehicle

The invention relates to a triggering control device for occupant restraint systems in a vehicle whose triggering readiness can be influenced as a function of collision-relevant parameters. According to the invention, collision parameter detection comprises object detection, which can detect a collision object before a collision occurs in an area near the vehicle, and can determine at least a relative speed. Whenever a collision object is detected, a signal generator delivers a collision parameter signal that depends on the relative speed determined. In a preferred embodiment the collision parameter detection unit also determines the intrinsic speed of the vehicle and whenever no collision object is detected, the signal generator supplies a collision parameter signal influenced by the intrinsic speed.

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Korntal-Muenchingen, Germany

Wilfried Bullinger