Boots – shoes – and leggings
Patent
1991-03-15
1996-01-09
Zanelli, Michael
Boots, shoes, and leggings
180282, 180274, 280735, 280736, 2807301, 280753, 340436, 340438, 340636, 340653, 73492, 307 101, 307121, 200 6145R, 200 6145M, 200 6153, 200 6148, B60R 2100, B60R 2200
Patent
active
054834473
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
STATE OF THE ART
The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for actuating a safety system for a motor vehicle based upon the signals generated by an acceleration sensor.
In known vehicle occupant restraining devices, such as inflatable airbags, the devices are actuated when the acceleration of the vehicle, as measured by an accelerometer, is above a certain value which indicates that the vehicle has crashed. However, the known sensor systems often actuate the restraining devices too late if the impact is oblique (e.g. 30.degree.) or if the impact is a slow offset crash. This is due, mainly to the greatly differing energy-absorption behavior of vehicles having a crumple zone in the case of frontal and oblique impacts.
Known systems for determining the acceleration of the vehicle are either in the form of a central sensor system or in the form of a plurality of decentralized sensors. However, in both cases, the acceleration signal is measured only in the longitudinal direction of motion of the vehicle, resulting in problems in actuating the occupant restraining device when a significant acceleration is experienced along an axis other than the longitudinal direction of motion of the vehicle.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,851,305 (column 8, lines 14-23) an electric collision detecting system is described wherein a collision detector is provided for producing a collision signal when an object contacts the motor vehicle, and wherein a deceleration dectector is provided for producing a real deceleration signal. Both detector types are arranged apart from each other in the front part of the vehicle.
It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus and method of triggering vehicle occupant restraining devices which will be effective in actuating the devices even if an impact on the vehicle is not a frontal impact.
DRAWINGS
By way of example only, specific embodiments of the present invention will now be described, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a diagrammatic representation of a first embodiment of a triggering apparatus for an inflatable airbag, in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic representation of a second embodiment of a triggering apparatus for an inflatable airbag in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic representation of a third embodiment of a triggering apparatus for an inflatable airbag, in accordance with the present invention; and
FIG. 4 is a diagrammatic representation of a fourth embodiment of a triggering apparatus for an inflatable airbag, in accordance with the present invention.
DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS
Referring firstly to the first embodiment, illustrated in FIG. 1, the apparatus comprises a sensor 10 for detecting the acceleration of a vehicle along an axis parallel to the forward direction of motion of the vehicle (hereinafter referred to as the longitudinal direction), and a sensor 12 for detecting the acceleration of the vehicle along an axis inclined at right angles to the longitudinal axis (hereinafter referred to as the transverse direction). The longitudinal acceleration sensor 10 and the transverse acceleration sensor 12 feed signals a.sub.x and a.sub.y to respective evaluation devices 14, 16. The evaluation devices 14, 16 may, for example, be in the form of electronic integrators.
If the evaluation means 14 determines that the longitudinal acceleration is greater than a predetermined threshold value then the evaluation means 14 sends a signal b to an output stage 18 which is in the form of a transistor switch. The output stage 18 is effectively an electrical or electronic switch actuated by the signal b, and sends a further signal c which actuates actuation capsules 20, the present example being for the case of an inflatable restraining bag.
It will be noted from FIG. 1 that the output of the evaluation means 16 relating to the transverse acceleration is fed into the evaluation means 14 relating to the longitudinal acceleration. The signal from the evaluat
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Condne Claus
Henne Michael
Jeenicke Edmund
Mattes Bernhard
Louis-Jacques Jacques H.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
Zanelli Michael
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