Electrical transmission or interconnection systems – Vehicle mounted systems – Automobile
Patent
1997-09-25
1999-05-11
Elms, Richard T.
Electrical transmission or interconnection systems
Vehicle mounted systems
Automobile
180282, 280735, B66K28/14
Patent
active
059030623
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention concerns an electronic device, and in particular, a safety device for occupants of a vehicle.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
An electronic safety device-for occupants of a vehicle is known, for example, from the journal article 1141 in Ingenieurs de l'Automobile (1982) No. 6, pp. 69-77. For conventional safety devices of this type, the protection means for the occupants, such as an air bag and/or seat belt tensioner or the like is released by activating a "squib," or firing pellet, at the output element of an electronic circuit. The squib, basically in the form of a resistor wire, is activated using a current generated by the car battery itself or by a capacitor provided as a reserve power source. In response to a sensor signal indicating an accident situation provided by an acceleration-sensitive sensor, the entire current necessary to activate the squib is supplied at once to the squib. Normally, no interruption of the ignition process is provided or possible.
Recently the applicant has developed some particularly smart safety devices, wherein the amount of energy required for activating the ignition element or squib is supplied not at one time, but as if in packets in the form of a number of current pulses over time. This principle, known in the industry as AC ignition, allows for a particularly sensitive ignition of the ignition elements, allowing intervention in and influencing the ignition process even after the start of the ignition process. It is even possible to interrupt an ignition process already initiated if, for example, on the basis of the current measured values of the acceleration-sensitive sensor it is established that an acceleration signal initially deemed as particularly critical was not actually caused by a critical accident situation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The solution according to the present invention allows a particularly simple design of an electronic device to be implemented using the novel AC ignition principle developed by the applicant. The present invention is based on the principle that AC ignition can also be implemented in a simple manner by providing a signal generator that activates the ignition elements of the various protection means for the occupants of the vehicle, which in turn can be controlled by a simple mechanical acceleration switch. A particularly inexpensive mechanical acceleration switch, to control a relatively low supply current for the signal generator control electronics, can be used for controlling the signal generator. The current for the ignition elements proper does not have to pass through these mechanical acceleration switches. The electronic device is also characterized by an exceptionally simple design and a relatively low cost. Thus it is possible to use a plurality of such electronic devices in an automobile if needed without a substantial increase in cost. This is particularly advantageous, since currently even mass-produced automobiles have a large number of passenger safety devices for the occupants and consequently output elements assigned thereto. In addition, the electronic device has, of course, the advantages basically associated with AC ignition. This provides considerably increased assurance, in particular compared to conventional safety devices, against undesirable faulty triggering. Even short-circuits of the ignition lines downstream from the positive or negative terminal of the supply voltage cause no faulty triggering.
Furthermore, no short-circuit bridges are needed in the ignition circuit connectors to suppress voltage injections and undesirable currents over the squibs. Even faults in the vehicle's cable harness will not cause faulty triggering of the safety devices.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment of the electronic device as a block diagram, including the acceleration-sensitive sensor, from the battery terminal to the connecting lines leading from the output element to the protection devices (not shown in the drawing)
FIG. 2 shows a pulse dia
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Ingenieurs de 1'Automobile, 1982, vol. 6, pp. 69-77.
Malicki Siegfried
Mattes Bernhard
Schumacher Hartmut
Elms Richard T.
Robert & Bosch GmbH
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