7 144 043

7,144,043 Title:

Seat belt

Abstract:

The present invention relates to a seat belt including a function for ensuring a minimum tension, a function for taking up superfluous seat belt slack during a crash and a function for limiting a user friendly seat belt force that has an optimum effect on the person to be secured. The invention is characterized by an electric multifunction seat belt retractor including an electric drive device that is controlled in accordance with a control unit.

Claims:

I claim:

1. A seat belt system comprising: means for ensuring a minimum tension; means for taking up any superfluous seat belt slack during a crash; means for limiting a user-friendly maximumseat belt force exerted on a person to be secured; and an electric multi-functional seat belt retractor with an electrical drive device controlled by a control unit, the belt retractor comprising an electric motor arranged to facilitate the means forensuring, means for taking, and means for limiting; wherein the retractor comprises a trigger function having a threshold set to cause a slackening of the belt in response to signals indicative of a non-dangerous vehicle operation, and wherein the meansfor taking up any superfluous seat belt slack operates in accordance with a mass or weight of a person to be secured by the seat belt.

2. The seat belt system according to claim 1, wherein the trigger function tensions the belt in response to signals indicating of a pending accident.

3. the seat belt system according to claim 2, wherein the trigger function relaxes the belt in response to signals indicating at least one of accident avoidance and accident completion.

4. The seat belt system according to claim 1, wherein the trigger function tensions the belt in response to signals indicating sporty driving.

5. The seat belt system according to claim 1, wherein the trigger function tensions the belt in response to signals indicating aggressive driving.

6. The seat belt system according to claim 1, wherein the non-dangerous vehicle operation is a journey vehicle operation.

7. The seat belt system according to claim 6, wherein the journey vehicle operation comprises at least one of extended and quiet vehicle operation.

8. A seat belt system comprising: means for ensuring a minimum tension; an electric multi-functional seat belt retractor with an electrical drive device controlled by a control unit, the belt retractor comprising an electric motor arranged tofacilitate the means for ensuring, wherein the retractor comprises a trigger function having a threshold set to cause a slackening of the belt in response to signals indicative of a non-dangerous vehicle operation; and means for taking up anysuperfluous seat belt slack during a crash, wherein the means for taking is arranged to operate in accordance with a mass or weight of a person to be secured by the seat belt.

9. The seat belt system according to claim 8, wherein the trigger function tensions the belt in response to signals indicating a pending accident.

10. the seat belt system according to claim 9, wherein the trigger function relaxes the belt in response to at least one of accident avoidance and accident completion.

11. The seat belt system according to claim 8, wherein the trigger function tensions the belt in response to signals indicating sporty driving.

12. The seat belt system according to claim 8, wherein the trigger function tensions the belt in response to signals indicating aggressive driving.

13. The seat belt system according to claim 8, wherein the non-dangerous vehicle operation is a journey-vehicle operation.

14. The seat belt system according to claim 13, wherein the journey vehicle operation comprises at least one of extended and quiet vehicle operation.