Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Patent
1997-04-10
1999-10-19
Ellis, Christopher P.
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
180282, 701 45, B60R 2132
Patent
active
059675489
DESCRIPTION:
BRIEF SUMMARY
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
THE PRESENT INVENTION relates to a safety arrangement, and more particularly relates to a safety arrangement in a motor vehicle.
It has been proposed to provide a motor vehicle with an accelerometer adapted to provide a signal indicative of the acceleration being experienced by a central part of the vehicle, that signal, or its integrated valve, being used to control the activation of a safety device, such as an air-bag. A problem with an arrangement of this type is that the accelerometer is not able to distinguish sufficiently quickly between impacts of different degrees of severity. The accelerometer can only respond to the deceleration of the central part of the motor vehicle which is separated from the point of impact by a "crumple zone". Thus the deceleration experienced by the central part of the vehicle or its integrated valve may be substantially the same at the time when the safety device has to be triggered, regardless of the degree of severity of the impact.
Whilst an accelerometer provided at the front of the vehicle would be able to distinguish between impacts of different severity sufficiently quickly, there would be a grave risk that a front-mounted accelerometer would be substantially damaged during an impact and thus would not prove to be reliable.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention seeks to provide an improved safety arrangement.
According to the present invention there is provided a safety arrangement in a motor vehicle, the safety arrangement comprising a processor, a central accelerometer adapted to provide an input signal to the processor indicative of the acceleration being experienced by a central part of the vehicle, at least one front sensor mounted adjacent the front of the vehicle adapted to provide an input signal to the processor in response to an impact at the front of the vehicle, the front sensor being able to distinguish between differing degrees of severity of the impact, the processor being adapted to control at least one safety device, which safety device has different modes of performance, the processor being adapted to activate the safety device in response to a predetermined signal generated by the central accelerometer, the processor also being adapted to select or control the mode of performance of the safety device in dependence upon the signal from the front sensor.
In the preferred arrangement the processor will be adapted to select or control the mode of performance of the safety device in a predetermined manner in the absence of a signal from the front sensor--for example, if the front sensor is totally destroyed during the first instant of an impact. Thus whenever the central accelerometer generates the predetermined signal the safety device is activated and the mode of operation will be the predetermined mode unless a signal from the front sensor causes the processor to select a different mode.
Preferably the safety device comprises an air bag.
Conveniently the processor is adapted to select or control the time of inflation of the air bag and the degree of inflation of the air bag.
Advantageously the air bag is provided with a plurality of gas generators, the processor being adapted to select or control which gas generator is activated and the time of activation of the gas generator.
Preferably the air bag is provided with a venting valve, the venting valve being controlled by the processor.
Conveniently the venting valve is an adjustable venting valve.
Preferably the front sensor is responsive to displacement of the front bumper or part of the vehicle at the front of the vehicle relative to the chassis or monocoque shell of the vehicle.
Advantageously the front sensor comprises an accelerometer responsive to acceleration of a front part of the vehicle.
Preferably the front sensor provides two or more signals each representative of a discrete level of severity of impact.
Conveniently the processor is adapted to measure the time delay between the different signals representative of discrete levels of severity of imp
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patent: 5390951 (1995-02-01), Iyoda
patent: 5428534 (1995-06-01), Wetzel et al.
patent: 5439249 (1995-08-01), Steffens, Jr. et al.
patent: 5573269 (1996-11-01), Gentry et al.
Autoliv Development AB
Ellis Christopher P.
Spencer George H.
Voorhees Catherine M.
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