Data processing: vehicles – navigation – and relative location – Vehicle control – guidance – operation – or indication – Vehicle subsystem or accessory control
Reexamination Certificate
2001-11-07
2003-09-02
Zanelli, Michael J. (Department: 3661)
Data processing: vehicles, navigation, and relative location
Vehicle control, guidance, operation, or indication
Vehicle subsystem or accessory control
C701S046000, C180S271000, C180S274000, C280S728100, C280S734000, C280S735000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06615122
ABSTRACT:
This application is the national phase under 35 U.S.C. §371 of PCT International Application No. PCT/JP00/01683 which has an International filing date of Mar. 17, 2000, which designated the United States of America and was not published in English.
TECHNICAL FIELD
The invention relates to a collision determination method and a passive safety device. More specifically, the invention relates to a collision determination method and a passive safety device, which are provided to protect an occupant from shocks by an air bag at the time of collision.
BACKGROUND ART
FIG. 1
is an arrangement configuration view, schematically showing the arranged position of acceleration detecting sensors used for the conventional air bag passive safety device of a car. In
FIG. 1
, reference numeral
100
denotes a car main body;
101
a first satellite sensor arranged in a predetermined position in an engine room on the right side in a traveling direction, and capable of detecting initial impact acceleration at the time of collision;
102
similarly a second satellite sensor arranged in a predetermined position in an engine room on the left side in a traveling direction, and capable of detecting initial impact acceleration at the time of collision;
103
a built-in vehicle right side sensor arranged, for example, on the right side of the vehicle, for detecting side collision from the right side in the travelling direction of the car;
104
a built-in vehicle left side sensor arranged, for example, on the left side of the vehicle, for detecting side collision from the left side in the travelling direction of the car; and
105
a car compartment sensor arranged in a front panel in a car compartment.
Next, an operation will be described.
In such a passive safety device using satellite sensors
101
and
102
, when the vehicle undergoes a head-on collision, the satellite sensors
101
and
102
, and the car compartment sensor.
105
detect deceleration caused by the head-on collision. However, as shown in
FIG. 2
, the deceleration detected by the satellite sensors
101
and
102
immediately after the occurrence of a head-on collision exhibits a steeper change than that detected by the car compartment sensor
15
. As a result, compared with a case where collision determination is made based on the deceleration detected by the car compartment sensor
105
, collision determination based on the deceleration detected by the satellite sensors
101
and
102
can be executed faster.
As the conventional collision determination method and passive safety device are constructed in the foregoing manner, collision can be determined faster by attaching the satellite sensors
101
and
102
towards the front side. However, in the case of a collision where the satellite sensors
101
and
102
are crushed during the latter half of the collision as shown in
FIG. 2
, the reliability of data regarding the deceleration or the like detected by the satellite sensors
101
and
102
is not guaranteed. Thus, in a conventional device performing collision determination based on the data regarding the deceleration or the like detected by the satellite sensors
101
and
102
, it is impossible to make accurate collision determination for a collision in which the satellite sensors are crushed in the latter half of the collision.
The present invention was made to solve the foregoing problems, and an object of the invention is to provide a collision determination method and a passive safety device capable of performing highly reliable collision determination even for a collision in which the satellite sensors are crushed in the latter half of the collision.
DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION
A collision determination method according to the invention comprises the steps of: presetting a first reference value T, the first reference value being a minimum value of, a physical quantity detected by a car compartment sensor within a range where destruction of sensor disposed in the crushable area could occur as a result of the shocks applied in the crushable area; and invalidating the sensor output detected in the crushable area, when a physical quantity of the sensor output detected in the safety area as a result of the shocks applied in the crushable area exceeds the first reference value.
With the above arrangement, collision determination can be executed promptly by the satellite sensors. When the shocks in the crushable area are so great that the satellite sensors are destroyed, the sensor output detected in the crushable area is invalidated, so that a determination is made as to whether the collision necessitates the operation of an air bag device, based on the sensor output detected in the safety area. Thus, erroneous determination caused by the destruction of the satellite sensors is prevented, making it possible to perform highly reliable collision determination with regard to the operation of the air bag device.
The collision determination method further includes the steps of: when the physical quantity of the sensor output detected in the safety area as a result of the shocks applied in the crushable area is smaller than the first reference value, comparing the sensor output detected in the crushable area with a second reference value preset as a criterion for determination of a need to operate the air bag device, under a condition that the physical quantity of the sensor output detected in the safety area has not exceeded the first reference value; and making a determination as to whether the collision necessitates an operation of the air bag device, based on a result of the comparison.
With the above arrangement, when a shock is applied which does not result in a collision of the sensor disposed in the crushable area, collision determination is made based on the sensor output of the sensor disposed in the crushable area. Thus, it is possible to perform highly reliable collision determination.
The collision determination method may further comprise the steps of: when the physical quantity of the sensor output detected in the safety area as a result of the shocks applied in the crushable area is smaller than the first reference value, comparing an integrated-value of the sensor output detected in the crushable area with a third reference value preset as a criterion for determination of a need to operate the air bag device, under a condition that the physical quantity of the sensor output detected in the safety area has not exceeded the first reference value; and making a determination as to whether the collision necessitates an operation of the air bag device, based on a result of the comparison.
With the above arrangement, when a shock is applied which does not result in a destruction of the sensor disposed in the destruction area in the crushable area, collision determination is made based on the integrated value of the sensor output of the sensor disposed in the crushable area. Thus, it is possible to perform stable and highly reliable collision determination.
The collision determination method may further comprise the step of: when the physical quantity of the sensor output detected in the safety area as a result of the shocks applied in the crushable area is smaller than the first reference value, making a determination as to whether the collision necessitates an operation of the air bag device based on an ON/OFF signal outputted when shocks necessitating an operation of the air bag device are applied in the crushable area, under a condition that the physical quantity of the sensor output detected in the safety area has not exceeded the first reference value.
With the above arrangement, when a shock is applied which does not result in a destruction of the sensor disposed in the collision area, collision determination is made based on a sensor output outputted as an ON/OFF signal from the sensor disposed in the crushable area. Thus, it is possible to perform highly reliable collision determination.
The collision determination method may further comprise the step of: making a determination as to whether the collision necessitate
Gibson Eric M
Mitsubishi Denki & Kabushiki Kaisha
Zanelli Michael J.
LandOfFree
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