Supports – Hold-down – Vehicle-mounted; for vehicle appurtenance
Reexamination Certificate
2001-03-09
2002-07-16
Ramirez, Ramon O. (Department: 3632)
Supports
Hold-down
Vehicle-mounted; for vehicle appurtenance
C024S633000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06419199
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention is directed toward the art of monitoring devices and more particularly, to a device for monitoring the locking position of a connecting device including intermateable locking and support components. The invention is especially suited for monitoring the locked condition of a connecting device for fixing a child seat in a motor vehicle.
There are several established techniques for fixing a child seat in a motor vehicle. In one method, the child is placed into the child seat and then the seat together with the child are fastened to the motor vehicle using a two-point or three-point belt system already provided in the motor vehicle. In another method, the child seat can be first attached to the motor vehicle with additional belts installed in the vehicle. Thereafter the child is restrained using auxiliary belts integrated into the child seat itself.
The motor vehicle industry has recently developed new standards and a new connection system for child seats. These special child seats have integrated locking elements which are connected with rigid support elements provided in the motor vehicle. As an example, a pair of arms may be provided on the child seat which each respectively include frontal recess openings adapted to engage suitably formed U-shaped hoops which are firmly installed in the motor vehicle. After initially inserting the arms onto the hoop-shaped support components, the seat is thereafter more securely fastened by means of a locking device provided on the locking components or elsewhere on the child seat. This attachment system enables rapid installation of the child seat. Furthermore, since the child seat is solidly anchored to the motor vehicle, for all practical purposes there is no danger that the child seat will be torn from its anchorage during a collision.
One problem associated with child seats placed in motor vehicles, particularly when the child seats are placed on the front seat of the motor vehicle, is that air bag triggering must be prevented. Several systems have been developed for that purpose including infrared and ultrasound detection systems which attempt to ascertain whether or not a child seat is installed in the motor vehicle. Air bag triggering is prevented if the infrared or ultrasound detection systems determine that a seat is present. However, such systems can offer no guarantee of 100% accuracy.
In the art of restraining systems for motor vehicles in general, monitoring devices and methods are known for monitoring the locking position of a connecting device proper. As an example, monitors are available for determining the locked condition of a belt lock of a passenger restraining system. Such monitoring systems can be employed in order to prevent the triggering of an air bag in the event that there is no person in a particular seat, for example, the passenger seat. In those systems, when the belt associated with that seat is ascertained as being opened or unlocked, it is assumed that there is no person or passenger located on that associated seat. Traditional devices for monitoring the locking position of belt lock systems include, in most cases, a terminal switch which is contacted or otherwise actuated by a component of the belt lock system which is attached to the belt.
One problem with such systems, however, is that malfunctions are not always detectable. As an example, it is not possible to differentiate whether the belt lock is open or whether the circuit closer is defective and the electrical switch contact was not closed despite the successful locking of the belt lock components. In this context, unpublished German Patent Application 198 30 229 describes a device for monitoring the locking position of connecting devices which can be integrated in a simple fashion into existing and known belt lock connecting devices. The device for monitoring the locking position of the connecting devices described in the application accounts for this error condition.
The above monitoring device ascertains two (2) relative positions between the locking component and the support component of a connecting device during joining of the components from an unlocked to a locked condition. During joining of the components of the locking device, at least one displaceable tag on one of the components is moved from a first initial position to a second end position. First and second sensor devices respectively ascertain the presence or absence of the tag in the initial and end positions. Using this approach, it is possible to not only calibrate the monitored connecting device with regard to the locked condition of the components, but to ascertain connecting phases of the connecting process. As an example, it can be determined with this device if one of the pair of sensors has failed. In addition, the monitoring device can determine whether the tag has been destroyed.
The state of the art described above is limited, however. There remains a need for a device for monitoring the locking position of a connecting device, especially the locking position of a connecting device for fixing a child seat to a motor vehicle. It is preferred that the monitoring device can be installed in a simple fashion in a motor vehicle which is suitably provided with at least one support component of the overall child seat connecting device. It is also desirable to provide such a device which can monitor the connection state of a child seat connecting device in a simple fashion yet while anticipating the essential possibilities for failure.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The subject invention provides an apparatus for monitoring a locked condition of an associated connecting device adapted for attaching a child seat to a motor vehicle. The associated connecting device includes a support component attached to said motor vehicle and a locking component attached to said child seat. The apparatus comprises a base body selectively connectable with the support component, a slider on the base body and a detection device. The slider is movable relative to the base body during transfer of the locking component from an unlocked condition to a locking position. The slider is disposed on said base body at a location to contact the locking component and is adapted to be displaced from an initial slider position corresponding to the unlocked condition of the associated connecting device to an end slider position corresponding to the locking position of the associated connecting device. The detection device on the base body is adapted to detect said locked condition of the locking component and the support component by detecting the slider in said initial slider position when the associated locking component is in the unlocked condition, and detecting the slider in said end slider position when the associated locking component is in the locking position.
In accordance with an aspect of the invention, the subject device recognizes a common failure mode of prior art switch monitoring devices, namely that even though the connecting device is in a locked position and the end switch is activated, the internal contact may not be closed correctly due to wear and tear of the contact elements, or the like. Accordingly, in order to recognize this functional failure mode, the present invention monitors at least two positions of a slider member. More particularly, the device according to the present invention monitors not only the locked end position of the slider member but, in addition, monitors at least one other position of the slider a distance spaced apart from the locking position. As a result, the functional safety of the monitoring device is drastically improved.
As examples of improved safety, the device of the present invention recognizes a failure mode of the switches when the connecting device is in a locked condition by first monitoring the switch signals when the slider member is in a position spaced apart a distance from the locking position. This initial position of the slider member indicates an unlocked or pre-locked condition of the connecting device.
Bornhorst Dieter
Lemcke Sören
Skofljanec Robert
Ramirez Ramon O.
Schultebrandt Kofi
TRW Automotive Electronics & Components GmbH & Co. KG
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