Title: Method and apparatus for deploying airbags
Abstract: Apparatus and method for deploying airbags in a vehicle in which a first inflatable airbag protects an occupant in a seating location during a crash and a second inflatable airbag moves the occupant in the seating location away from an interior surface of the vehicle upon inflation. A crash sensor system determines that a crash involving the vehicle will occur or is occurring and initiates inflation of the first and second airbags. The second airbag may be inflated prior to inflation of the first airbag such that inflation of the second airbag causes the occupant to be moved away from the interior surface of the vehicle and into a better position for deployment of the first airbag. In one exemplary embodiment, the first airbag is a side curtain airbag and the second airbag is arranged in a door of the vehicle to move the occupant away from the door.
Patent Number: 6,918,459 Issued on 07/19/2005 to Breed
| Inventors:
|
Breed; David S. (Boonton Township, NJ)
|
| Assignee:
|
Automotive Technologies International, Inc. (Denville, NJ)
|
| Appl. No.:
|
180466 |
| Filed:
|
June 26, 2002 |
| Current U.S. Class: |
180/282; 280/730.1; 280/734 |
| Intern'l Class: |
B60R 021/22 |
| Field of Search: |
180/274,282
280/730.1,730.2,734
|
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|
Primary Examiner: Dickson; Paul N.
Assistant Examiner: Rosenberg; Laura B.
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Roffe; Brian
Parent Case Text
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No.
10/097,082 filed Mar. 13, 2002 which in turn is a continuation-in-part of U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 09/825,173 filed Apr. 3, 2001 now U.S. Pat. No. 6,623,033
which in turn is:
1) a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/024,085 filed
Feb. 17, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,209,909, which is a continuation-in-part of
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 08/247,760 filed May 23, 1994 now abandoned ; and
2) a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/307,883 filed
May 10, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,810, which is also a continuation-in-part
of the '085 application. These applications are incorporated by reference herein
in their entirety.
This application is related to, on the grounds that it includes common subject
matter, U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/097,086 filed Mar. 13, 2002.
Claims
1. In a motor vehicle, an apparatus for deploying airbags comprising:
a first inflatable airbag for protecting an occupant in a seating location in
the vehicle in a crash;
a second inflatable airbag structured and arranged to move the occupant in the
seating location away from an interior surface of the vehicle upon inflation;
a crash sensor system arranged to determine that a crash involving the vehicle
will occur or is occurring; and
an occupant position sensor system coupled to said crash sensor system for determining
the position of the occupant in the seating location,
said second airbag being inflated prior to inflation of said first airbag when
the occupant is determined to be improperly positioned for deployment of said first
airbag such that inflation of said second airbag causes the occupant to be moved
away from the interior surface of the vehicle and into a better position for deployment
of said first airbag.
2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said first airbag is a side curtain airbag
and said second airbag is arranged in a door, seat or side of the vehicle to move
the occupant away from the door of the vehicle.
3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said crash sensor system comprises an anticipatory sensor.
4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein said second airbag is inflated prior to a
crash upon a determination by said anticipatory sensor that a crash involving the
vehicle will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash.
5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said crash sensor system comprises a rollover sensor.
6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a control unit coupled to said
crash sensor system and said occupant sensor system for initiating inflation of
said first and second airbags based on output from said crash sensor system and
said occupant position sensor system.
7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said second airbag is arranged to inflate
in a direction perpendicular to a direction of inflation of said first airbag.
8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said second airbag is inflated only when the
occupant is determined to be improperly positioned for deployment of said first airbag.
9. A method for deploying airbags in a vehicle to protect a vehicle occupant,
comprising the steps of:
determining that a crash involving the vehicle will occur or is occurring;
determining the position of the occupant;
inflating a first airbag to move the occupant away from an interior surface of
the vehicle when the occupant is improperly positioned for deployment of a second
airbag; and then or more slowly
inflating the second airbag to protect the occupant from injury in the crash.
10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:
arranging the second airbag as a side curtain airbag along a side of the vehicle;
and
arranging the first airbag in a door, seat or side of the vehicle to move the
occupant away from the door of the vehicle.
11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of determining that a crash involving
the vehicle will occur or is occurring comprises the step of determining that a
crash will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash, the step of inflating
the first airbag comprising the step of inflating the first airbag prior to the crash.
12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of determining that a crash involving
the vehicle will occur or is occurring comprises the step of determining that a
rollover is occurring.
13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:
monitoring the position of the occupant after inflation of the first airbag;
and
suppressing inflation of the second airbag when the occupant is still improperly
positioned for deployment of the second airbag after inflation of the first airbag.
14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of arranging the first
and second airbags to deploy in perpendicular directions.
15. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:
determining the position of the occupant; and
controlling the timing between the inflation of the first and second airbags
based on the position of the occupant.
16. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:
determining a morphological property of the occupant; and
controlling the timing between the inflation of the first and second airbags
based on the determined morphological property of the occupant.
17. The method of claim 9, wherein the first airbag is inflated only when the
occupant is improperly positioned for deployment of a second airbag.
18. A method for deploying a side curtain airbag in a vehicle to protect an occupant,
comprising the steps of:
detecting a crush or rollover condition requiring deployment of the side curtain
airbag;
determining the occupant's position;
determining whether the occupant is out of position for deployment of the side
curtain airbag;
when the occupant is not out of position, deploying the side curtain airbag;
and
when the occupant is out of position, deploying a positioning airbag to move
the occupant into a proper position for deployment of the side curtain airbag and
then or more slowly deploying the side curtain airbag.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining whether the occupant
is out of position for deployment of the side curtain airbag comprises the step
of determining whether the occupant is too close to the side of the vehicle along
which the side curtain airbag will deploy.
20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of confirming that the
occupant is moving toward the proper position for deployment of the side curtain
airbag after deployment of the positioning airbag.
21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:
monitoring the position of the occupant after inflation of the positioning airbag;
and
suppressing inflation of the side curtain airbag when the occupant is still improperly
positioned for deployment of the side curtain airbag.
22. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of controlling the timing
between the inflation of the positioning airbag and the side curtain airbag based
on the position of the occupant.
23. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:
determining a morphological property of the occupant; and
controlling the timing between the inflation of the positioning airbag and the
side curtain airbag based on the determined morphological property of the occupant.
24. In a motor vehicle, an apparatus for deploying airbags in a vehicle to protect
occupants in the vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of protective airbags for protecting the occupants in a crash, each
of said protective airbags being arranged to protect an occupant in a specific
deployment area;
a plurality of positioning airbags each arranged to inflate prior to or in conjunction
with the deployment of a respective one of said protective airbags, each of said
positioning airbags being arranged to move the occupant away from an area in which
the respective one of said protective airbags will deploy;
a crash sensor system arranged to determine that a crash involving the vehicle
will occur or is occurring;
an occupant sensor system for determining the position of the occupant; and
a control unit coupled to said crash sensor system, said plurality of protective
airbags, said plurality of positioning airbags and said occupant sensor system
and arranged to determine which of said protective airbags and said positioning
airbags should be deployed in the crash based on the determined position of the
occupant.
25. The vehicle of claim 24, wherein said protective airbags include a side curtain
airbag and said positioning airbags include an airbag associated with said side
curtain airbag and arranged in a door, seat or side of the vehicle to move the
occupant away from the door upon inflation.
26. A vehicle including an apparatus for deploying multiple airbags, the vehicle
having a front, rear and left and right sides and at least one seat, comprising.
a side curtain airbag arranged in a ceiling of a passenger compartment of the
vehicle to deploy in a downward direction along the loft or right side of the vehicle
and between a seating location above the seat and the left or right side of the
vehicle;
a positioning airbag arranged below said side curtain airbag to deploy below
said side curtain airbag and inward from a side door of the vehicle into the seating
location above the seat; and
a rollover sensor for determining that the vehicle is experiencing a rollover,
said rollover sensor being coupled to said aide curtain airbag and said positioning
airbag and arranged to initiate inflation of said side curtain airbag and said
positioning airbag when the vehicle experiences a rollover.
27. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein said rollover sensor is arranged to initiate
inflation of said positioning airbag prior to inflation of said side curtain airbag.
28. The vehicle of clam
26, wherein said positioning airbag is arranged
in the side door of the vehicle or in a seat of the vehicle.
29. In a motor vehicle, an apparatus for deploying airbags in a vehicle to protect
occupant in the vehicle, comprising:
a plurality of protective airbags for protecting the occupants in a crash;
a plurality of positioning airbag&s arranged to inflate to move an occupant in
a desired direction into a deployment area of one of said protective airbags;
a crash sensor system arranged to determine that a crash involving the vehicle
will occur or is occurring;
an occupant sensor system for determining the position of at least one of the
occupants of the vehicle; and
a control unit coupled to said occupant sensor system, said crash sensor system,
said plurality of protective airbags and said plurality of positioning airbags
and arranged to determine which of said positioning airbags should be deployed
in the crash based on the position of at least one of the occupants in the vehicle.
30. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein said protective airbags include a side curtain
airbag and said positioning airbags include an airbag associated with said side
curtain airbag and arranged in a door, seat or side of the vehicle to move the
occupant away from the door upon inflation.
31. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein said crash sensor system includes an anticipatory
sensor for determining that a crash involving the vehicle will occur prior to the
crash based on data obtained prior to the crash such that said positioning airbags
are inflatable based on an anticipation of a crash.
32. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein said control unit is arranged to determine
which of said protective airbags should be deployed in the crash based on the position
of the occupants in the vehicle.
33. A vehicle including multiple airbags, comprising:
a side curtain airbag arranged to deploy in a downward direction along a left
or right side of the vehicle and between a seating location above a seat and the
left or right side of the vehicle;
a positioning airbag arranged to deploy inward from a door of the vehicle in
conjunction with deployment of said side curtain airbag such that whenever said
side curtain airbag is deployed, said positioning airbag is deployed;
a crash sensor for determining that the vehicle is experiencing a crash or rollover;
a control unit coupled to said side curtain airbag, said positioning airbag and
said crash sensor for determining whether deployment of said side curtain airbag
is necessary for the crash; and
an activation mechanism coupled to said control unit and arranged to deploy said
positioning airbag when said control unit determines that deployment of said side
curtain airbag is necessary such that said control unit initiates deployment of
both said side curtain airbag and said position airbag when it determines that
deployment of said side curtain airbag is necessary,
said control unit being arranged to initiate inflation of said side curtain airbag
at a slower rate than inflation of said positioning airbag.
34. The vehicle of claim 33, wherein said crash sensor is arranged to determine
that the vehicle is experiencing a rollover.
35. The vehicle of claim 33, wherein said control unit is arranged to initiate
inflation of said aide curtain airbag before inflation of said positioning airbag.
36. The vehicle of claim 33, wherein said positioning airbag is arranged below
said side curtain airbag to deploy below said side curtain airbag and inward from
a side door of the vehicle into the seating location above the seat.
37. The vehicle of claim 33, wherein said side curtain airbag is arranged in
a ceiling of a passenger compartment of the vehicle and said positioning airbag
is arranged in the side door of the vehicle or in a seat of the vehicle.
38. A method for deploying airbags in a vehicle to protect a vehicle occupant,
comprising the steps of:
determining that a crash involving the vehicle will occur or is occurring;
determining the position of the occupant;
inflating a first airbag to move the occupant away from an interior surface of
the vehicle when the occupant is proximate or against the interior surface; then
or more slowly
inflating a second airbag to protect the occupant from injury in the crash; and
controlling the timing between the inflation of the first and second airbags
based on the position of the occupant.
39. A method for deploying airbags in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
determining that a crash involving the vehicle will occur or is occurring;
determining a morphological property of the occupant;
inflating a first airbag to move an occupant away from an interior surface of
the vehicle when the occupant is proximate or against the interior surface; then
or more slowly
inflating a second airbag to protect the occupant from injury in the crash; and
controlling the timing between the inflation of the first and second airbags
based on the determined morphological property of the occupant.
40. A vehicle including multiple airbags, comprising:
a side curtain airbag arranged to deploy in a downward direction along a left
or right side of the vehicle and between a seating location above a seat and the
left or right side of the vehicle;
a positioning airbag arranged to deploy inward from a door of the vehicle in
conjunction with deployment of said side curtain airbag such that whenever said
side curtain airbag is deployed, said positioning airbag is deployed, said positioning
airbag being arranged below said side curtain airbag to deploy below said side
curtain airbag and inward from a side door of the vehicle into the seating location
above the seat;
a crash sensor for determining that the vehicle as experiencing a crash or rollover;
a control unit coupled to said side curtain airbag, said positioning airbag and
said crash sensor for determining whether deployment of said side curtain airbag
is necessary for the crash; and
an activation mechanism coupled to said control unit and arranged to deploy said
positioning airbag when said control unit determines that deployment of said side
curtain airbag is necessary such that said control unit initiates deployment of
both said side curtain airbag and said positioning airbag when it determines that
deployment of said side curtain airbag is necessary.
41. A vehicle including multiple airbags, comprising:
a side curtain airbag arranged in a ceiling of a passenger compartment of the
vehicle to deploy in a downward direction along a left or right side of the vehicle
and between a seating location above a seat and the left or right side of the vehicle;
a positioning airbag arranged in a side door of the vehicle or in a seat of the
vehicle to deploy inward from the side door of the vehicle in conjunction with
deployment of said side curtain airbag such that whenever said side curtain airbag
is deployed, said positioning airbag is deployed;
a crash sensor for determining that the vehicle is experiencing a crash or rollover;
a control unit coupled to said side curtain airbag, said positioning airbag and
said crash sensor for determining whether deployment of said side curtain airbag
is necessary for the crash; and
an activation mechanism coupled to said control unit and arranged to deploy said
positioning airbag when said control unit determines that deployment of said side
curtain airbag is necessary such that said control unit initiates deployment of
both said side curtain airbag and said positioning airbag when it determines that
deployment of said side curtain airbag is necessary.
Description
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates generally to apparatus and methods for deploying
airbags in a vehicle and more particularly to apparatus and methods wherein one
or more airbags are deployed to position an occupant for subsequent deployment
of another airbag. The airbags which are deployed to position the occupant are
generally referred to herein as "positioning" airbags.
The present invention also relates to combined airbag inflation and occupant
displacement enabling method and apparatus in which an occupant is permitted to
be displaced in conjunction with the inflation of the airbag.
The present invention also relates to airbag inflation control systems and methods
and more particularly, to inflation control systems and methods including multiple
crash sensors, each of which affects the accumulation of gas in an airbag.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
Frontal impacts were the number one killer of vehicle occupants in automobile
accidents with about 16,000 fatalities each year. Side impacts were the second
cause of automobile related deaths with about 8,000 fatalities each year. The number
of fatalities in frontal impacts as well as side impacts has been decreasing due
to the introduction of airbags and mandatory seatbelt use laws.
Several automobile manufacturers are now using side impact airbags to attempt
to reduce the number of people killed or injured in side impacts. The side impact
problem is considerably more difficult to solve in this way than the frontal impact
problem due to the lack of space between the occupant and the side door and to
the significant intrusion of the side door into the passenger compartment which
typically accompanies a side impact.
Some understanding of the severity of the side impact problem can be obtained
by a comparison with frontal impacts. In the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard
(FMVSS) 208 49 kph crash test which applies to frontal impacts, the driver, if
unrestrained, will impact the steering wheel at about 30 kph. With an airbag and
a typical energy absorbing steering column, there is about 40 cm to about 50 cm
of combined deflection of the airbag and steering column to absorb this 30 kph
difference in relative velocity between the driver and vehicle interior. Also,
there is usually little intrusion into the passenger compartment to reduce this
available space.
In the FMVSS 214 standard crash for side impacts, the occupant, whether restrained
or not, is impacted by the intruding vehicle door also at about 30 kph. In this
case there is only about 10 to 15 cm of space available for an airbag to absorb
the relative velocity between the occupant and the vehicle interior. In addition,
the human body is more vulnerable to side impacts than frontal impacts and there
is usually significant intrusion into the passenger compartment. A more detailed
discussion of side impacts can be found in a paper by Breed et al, "Sensing Side
Impacts", Society of Automotive Engineers Paper No. 940651, 1994, which is incorporated
by reference herein.
Ideally, an airbag for side impact protection would displace the occupant
away from the intruding vehicle door in an accident and create the required space
for a sufficiently large airbag. Sensors used for side impact airbags, however,
usually begin sensing the crash only at the beginning of the impact at which time
there is insufficient time remaining to move the occupant before he is impacted
by the intruding door. Even if the airbag were inflated instantaneously, it is
still not possible to move the occupant to create the desired space without causing
serious injury to the occupant. The problem is that the sensor that starts sensing
the crash when the impact has begun, is already too late, i.e., once the sensor
detects the crash, it is usually too late to properly inflate the airbag.
There has been discussion over the years in the vehicular safety community
about the use of anticipatory sensors so that the side impact accident could be
sensed before it occurs. Prior to 1994, this was not practical due to the inability
to predict the severity of the accident prior to the impact. A heavy truck, for
example, or a tree is a much more severe accident at low velocity than a light
vehicle or motorcycle at high velocity. Further, it was not possible to differentiate
between these different accidents with a high degree of certainty.
Once a sufficiently large airbag is deployed in a side impact and the driver
displaced away from the door and the steering wheel, he will no longer be able
to control the vehicle that could in itself cause a serious accident. It is critically
important, therefore, that such an airbag not be deployed unless there is great
certainty that the driver would otherwise be seriously injured or killed by the
side impact. Anticipatory sensors have heretofore not been used because of their
inability to predict the severity of the accident. As discussed more fully below,
the present invention solves this problem and therefore makes anticipatory sensing
practical. This permits side impact airbag systems that can save a significant
percentage of the people who would otherwise be killed as well as significantly
reducing the number and severity of injuries. This is accomplished through the
use of pattern recognition technologies such as neural networks such as discussed
in U.S. Pat. No. 5,829,782, incorporated by reference herein.
Neural networks, and more recently modular neural networks, are capable of
pattern recognition with a speed, accuracy and efficiency heretofore not possible.
It is now possible, for example, to recognize that the front of a truck or another
car is about to impact the side of a vehicle when it is one to three meters or
more away. This totally changes the side impact strategy since there is now time
to inflate a large airbag and push the occupant out of the way of the soon to be
intruding vehicle. Naturally, not all side impacts are of sufficient severity to
warrant this action and therefore, there will usually be a dual inflation system
as described in more detail below.
Although the main application for anticipatory sensors is in side impacts,
frontal impact anticipatory sensors can also be used to identify the impacting
object before the crash occurs. Prior to going to a full frontal impact anticipatory
sensor system, neural networks can be used to detect many frontal impacts using
data in addition to the output of the normal crash sensing accelerometer. Simple
radar or acoustic imaging, for example, can be added to current accelerometer based
systems to give substantially more information about the crash and the impacting
object than possible from the acceleration signal alone.
The side impact anticipatory sensor of this invention can use any of a variety
of technologies including optical, radar (including noise radar, Micropower inpulse
radar, and ultra wideband radar), acoustical, infrared or a combination of these.
The sensor system typically contains a neural network processor to make the discrimination
however a simulated neural network, a fuzzy logic or other algorithm operating
on a microprocessor can also be used.
With respect to prior art related to the subject matter of this application,
reference is made to European Patent Publication No. 0 210 079 (Davis). Davis describes,
inter alia, a radar system for use in connection with an airbag deployment apparatus
to prevent injury to passengers when impact with an approaching object is imminent.
Voltage level inputs representative of the distance between an object and the vehicle,
the approach rate of the object with respect to the vehicle, the vehicle speed
and driving monitor inputs, e.g., steering angles, turning rates and acceleration/deceleration,
are all generated by appropriate detectors, weighted according to their importance
to a normal vehicle operators' sensed safe or danger levels and then the weighted
input voltages are summed to provide an "instantaneous voltage level". This instantaneous
voltage level is compared with a predetermined voltage level and if the instantaneous
voltage level falls within a predetermined safe zone, output signals are not produced.
On the other hand, if the instantaneous voltage level falls outside of the safe
zone, i.e., within a danger zone, then the system can be designed to initiate deployment
of the airbag on the additional condition that the vehicle speed is above a predetermined
level. For example, the system can be programmed to deploy the airbag when the
vehicle speed is between 35 and 204 miles per hour at a time of about 0.2 second
prior to impact thereby enabling the airbag sufficient time to fully inflate.
As far as structure, Davis includes a radar system that includes an antenna assembly,
a signal-processing unit and an output monitor. Davis relies on a radar signal
generated by an antenna in the antenna assembly and which causes a return signal
to be produced upon reflection of the radar signal against the approaching object.
The return signal is received by a transceiver to be processed further in order
to determine the distance between the object and the vehicle and the rate the object
is approaching the vehicle. The return signal from the radar signal generated by
the antenna is a single pulse, i.e., a single pixel. The elapsed time between the
emission of the radar signal by the antenna and the receipt of the return signal
by the transceiver determines the distance between the object and the vehicle and
based on the elapsed time for a series of radar signals generated at set intervals,
it is possible to determine the approach rate of the object relative to the vehicle.
In operation, the approach rate of the object relative to the vehicle, the distance
between the object and the vehicle, the vehicle speed as well as other driving
parameters are converted to voltage levels. Davis then uses an algorithm to weigh
the voltage levels and compare the voltage levels to predetermined conditions for
which airbag deployment is desired. If the conditions are satisfied by the results
of the algorithm operating on the weighted voltage levels, then the airbag is deployed.
In one embodiment, by appropriate manipulation of the voltage levels, false-triggering
of the airbag can be prevented for impacts with objects smaller than a motorcycle,
i.e., the voltage corresponding to a motorcycle at a certain distance from the
vehicle is smaller than the voltage corresponding to a truck, for example at that
same distance.
Davis does not attempt to recognize any pattern of reflected waves, i.e., a
pattern formed from a plurality of waves received over a set period of time, from
many pixels simultaneously (light and CCDs) or of the time series of ultrasonic
waves. A tree, for example can have a smaller radar reflection (lower voltage in
Davis) than a motorcycle but would have a different reflected pattern of waves
(as detected in the present invention). Thus, in contrast to the inventions described
herein, Davis does not identify the object exterior of the vehicle based on a received
pattern of waves unique to that object, i.e., each different object will provide
a distinct pattern of reflected or generated waves. The radar system of Davis is
incapable of processing a pattern of waves, i.e., a plurality of waves received
over a period of time, and based on such pattern, identify the object exterior
of the vehicle. Rather, Davis can only differentiate objects based on the intensity
of the. signal.
International Publication No. WO 86/05149 (Karr et al.) describes a
device to protect passengers in case of a frontal or rear collision. The device
includes a measurement device mounted in connection with the vehicle to measure
the distance or speed of the vehicle in relation to an object moving into the range
of the vehicle, e.g., another vehicle or an obstacle. In the event that prescribed
values for the distance and/or relative speed are not met or exceeded, i.e., which
is representative of a forthcoming crash, a control switch activates the protection
and warning system in the vehicle so that by the time the crash occurs, the protection
and warning system has developed its full protective effect. Karr et al. is limited
to frontal crashes and rear crashes and does not appear to even remotely relate
to side impacts. Thus, Karr et al. only shows the broad concept of anticipatory
sensing in conjunction with frontal and rear crashes.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,966,388 (Warner et al.) relates to an inflatable system for
side impact crash protection. The system includes a folded, inflatable airbag mounted
within a door of the vehicle, an impact sensor also mounted within the door and
an inflator coupled to the impact sensor and in flow communication with the airbag
so that upon activation of the inflator by the impact sensor during a crash, the
airbag is inflated.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,584 (Arai) shows a pressurized air container and two air
lines leading to a protective air bag. An air line passes through a first valve
which is controlled by an anticipatory sensor and the other air line passes through
a second valve controlled by an impact detector. The purpose of having two sensors
associated with different valves is to ensure that the protective bag will inflate
even if one of the crash sensors does not operate properly.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,861,710 (Okubo) shows an airbag inflation system with a single
airbag which is partially inflated based on a signal from an obstacle detecting
sensor and then fully inflated based on a signal from an impact detecting sensor.
The obstacle detecting sensor controls release of gas from a first gas supply source
into the gas bag whereas the impact detecting sensor controls release of gas from
a second gas supply source into the gas bag. The first gas supply source includes
a first gas container filled with a proper volume of gas for inflating the gas
bag to a semi-expanded condition, a first valve mechanism, a pipe between the first
gas container and the first valve mechanism and a pipe between the first valve
mechanism and the gas bag. The second gas supply source includes a second gas container
filled with gas in a volume supplementing the volume of gas in the first gas container
so that the contents of both gas containers will fully inflate the gas bag, a second
valve mechanism, a pipe between the second gas container and the second valve mechanism
and a pipe between the first valve mechanism and the gas bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,874,695 (Abe et al.) shows an inflating arrangement including
two inertia-responsive switches and coupled gas-generators. The gas-generators
are triggered by the switches to inflate an airbag. The switches are both crash
sensors and measured acceleration produced during the collision, and thus are not
anticipatory sensors. The purpose of the two switches operative to trigger respective
gas-generators is to enable the airbag to be inflated to different degrees. For
example, if the crash involving the vehicle is a low speed crash, then only switch
is actuated and gas-generated is triggered and the airbag will be inflated to part
of its full capacity.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,667,246 (Scholz et al.), there are two accelerometers, each
of which provides a signal when the value of the increase in deceleration exceeds
a respective threshold value. The signal from the accelerometer is set to a first
ignition stage and through a delay member to a second ignition stage. The second
ignition stage also receives as input, a signal from the accelerometer and provides
an inflation signal only when it receives a signal from both accelerometers. In
operation, when the accelerometer sends a signal it serves to partially inflate
the airbag while full inflation of the airbag is obtained only by input from both
accelerometers Taniguchi (JP 4-293641) describes an apparatus for detecting a body
moving around another body, such as to detect a car thief moving around a car.
The apparatus includes a detection section supported on a support toll to the roof
of the car. Taniguchi states that the detection section may be based on an infrared,
microwave or ultrasonic sensor.
OBJECTS AND SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
It is an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved apparatus
and method for deploying multiple airbags in a vehicle wherein at least one airbag
is provided to inflate and cause the occupant to be moved into a better position
for subsequent deployment of another, protective airbag.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved apparatus
and method for deploying airbags during a rollover in order to prevent injury to
an occupant.
It is yet another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved
apparatus and method for deploying airbags in particular during a rollover, but
also for other types of crashes, in order to prevent an occupant from being positioned
on the externally-facing side of a deploying side curtain airbag.
Additional objects and advantages of this invention and/or other inventions
disclosed herein are:
1. To provide for the enhanced protection of occupants in side impacts by
determining the probable severity of a pending accident and inflating an airbag
prior to the impact to displace the occupant away from the vehicle door.
2. To provide for a method of identifying and classifying an object which
is about to impact a vehicle.
3. To adapt pattern recognition techniques, and particularly neural networks
(and modular neural networks), to permit the identification of objects external
to an automotive vehicle and the determination of their approach speed and angle
of potential collision.
4. To provide a method for assessing the probable severity of a pending
accident based on the identification of the class of an object which is about to
impact the vehicle plus stored information about the class of such objects such
as its mass, strength and attachment to the earth.
5. To provide a method using an ultrasonic system for use in illuminating
an object which is about to impact a vehicle and using the reflection of the ultrasonic
illumination in combination with a pattern recognition system to identify the object.
6. To determine the approach velocity of an object which is about to impact
a vehicle.
7. To identify that a truck is about to impact a vehicle.
8. To identify that an automobile is about to impact a vehicle.
9. To identify that a vehicle is about to impact with a tree.
10. To provide a method using an electromagnetic wave system for use in
illuminating an object which is about to impact a vehicle and using the reflection
of the electromagnetic wave illumination in combination with a pattern recognition
system to identify the object.
11. To provide a method using the passive infrared electromagnetic waves
radiating from an object such as a motor vehicle in combination with a pattern
recognition system to identify the object.
12. To provide a system for identifying an object which is about to impact
a vehicle in a substantially side impact.
13. To provide a system for identifying an object which is about to impact
a vehicle in a substantially frontal impact and/or rear impact.
14. To provide a system comprising a variable inflation airbag system where
the control of the inflation of the airbag is determined by a
