A side airbag system for a vehicle, consisting of: an airbag arranged to deploy in the event of an impact into a side of the vehicle; a single side impact crash sensor arranged to sense an impact into a side of the vehicle and cause deployment of said airbag based on the sensed impact, said crash sensor being an electrical sensor including a movable sensing mass which moves when the side of the vehicle is impacted and signal generating means for generating a time-varying signal representative of movement of said sensing mass, analyzing the signal representative of the movement of said sensing mass and generating a deployment signal based thereon; and an inflator for inflating said airbag, said inflator being coupled to said crash sensor and arranged to receive the deployment signal from said crash sensor and inflate said airbag only upon receipt of said deployment signal from said crash sensor. view more

The airbag system of claim 1, wherein said generating means comprise a micro-processor which processes signals representative of the movement of said sensing mass.

The airbag system of claim 2, wherein the movement of said sensing mass is recorded over time and said micro-processor includes an algorithm arranged to determine whether the movement of said sensing mass results in a calculated value which is in excess of a threshold value in order to generate the deployment signal. view more

The airbag system of claim 1, wherein said electrical sensor comprises an accelerometer.

The airbag system of claim 1, wherein said generating means comprise a piezo-electric element.

A vehicle having a front, a rear, left and right sides, at least one door arranged on each of the left and right sides, and inner and outer panels arranged along the left and right sides of the vehicle, comprising: an airbag arranged to deploy along the left or right side of the vehicle in the event of an impact into the left or right side of the vehicle; a side impact crash sensor arranged to sense an impact into the left or right side of the vehicle and for controlling said airbag in response to the sensed impact, said crash sensor being an electrical sensor including a sensing mass movable when the left or right side of the vehicle is impacted and signal generating means for generating a time-varying signal representative of movement of said sensing mass, analyzing the signal representative of the movement of said sensing mass and generating a deployment signal based thereon, said crash sensor being arranged in a door or between inner and outer panels along the left or right side of the vehicle to cause movement of said sensing mass upon an impact into the left or right side of the vehicle; and an inflator for inflating said airbag, said inflator being coupled to said crash sensor and arranged to receive the deployment signal from said crash sensor and inflate said airbag upon receipt of said deployment signal. view more

The vehicle of claim 9, wherein said airbag and said inflator are arranged in a door or seat of the vehicle or on the left or right side of the vehicle.

The vehicle of claim 9, wherein said generating means comprise a micro-processor which processes signals representative of the movement of said sensing mass.

The vehicle of claim 11, wherein the movement of said sensing mass is recorded over time and said micro-processor includes an algorithm arranged to determine whether the movement of said sensing mass results in a calculated value which is in excess of a threshold value in order to generate the deployment signal. view more

The vehicle of claim 9, wherein said electrical sensor comprises an accelerometer.

The vehicle of claim 9, wherein said generating means comprise a piezo-electric element.

The vehicle of claim 9, wherein said crash sensor is arranged in the door along the left or right side of the vehicle.

The vehicle of claim 9, wherein said crash sensor includes a housing arranged in the door or between the inner and outer side panels along the left or right side of the vehicle, said sensing mass being arranged within and movable in a lateral direction relative to said sensor housing in response to lateral accelerations of said sensor housing caused by impact into the left or right side of the vehicle. view more

A method for protecting an occupant in a vehicle, comprising: arranging an airbag in the vehicle in a position to protect the occupant in the event of an impact into a side of the vehicle; arranging a crash sensor in a door or between inner and outer panels along a left or right side of the vehicle; arranging a sensing mass in the crash sensor such that the sensing mass is movable upon an impact into the left or right side of the vehicle; sensing an impact into a side of the vehicle by continuously monitoring the sensing mass to generate a time-varying signal representative of movement of the sensing mass and analyzing the signal representative of the movement of the sensing mass to generate a deployment signal based thereon; and directing the deployment signal to an inflator to cause the inflator to inflate the airbag. view more

The method of claim 20, further comprising providing a micro-processor to process the signal representative of the movement of the sensing mass.

The method of claim 21, further comprising providing the micro-processor with an algorithm arranged to determine whether the motion over time of the sensing mass results in a calculated value which is in excess of a threshold value in order to generate the deployment signal. view more

The method of claim 20, wherein the crash sensor is arranged in the door along the left or right side of the vehicle.

A vehicle having a longitudinal axis between a front and rear of the vehicle such that a lateral direction is defined perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and an outer skin along sides of the vehicle, comprising: a side impact crash sensor arranged inward from the outer skin and to react to lateral acceleration of the outer skin of the vehicle resulting from an impact of an object with the outer skin along a side of the vehicle; means interposed between the outer skin along the side of the vehicle and said sensor for transferring the lateral acceleration to said sensor; and an occupant restraint device connected to said sensor and arranged to deploy an occupant restraint based on the lateral acceleration, said sensor including a housing defining an interior and a mass arranged in said interior of said housing and movable in said interior of said housing relative to said housing in response to lateral acceleration of said sensor housing resulting from the transference of the lateral acceleration of the outer skin of the vehicle through said means to said sensor, movement of said mass being monitored such that said sensor initiates deployment of said occupant restraint based on movement of said mass. view more

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said sensor initiates deployment of said occupant restraint based on movement of said mass in excess of a threshold value.

A vehicle having a longitudinal axis between a front and rear of the vehicle such that a lateral direction is defined perpendicular to the longitudinal axis and an outer skin along sides of the vehicle, comprising: a side impact crash sensor arranged inward from the outer skin and to react to lateral acceleration of the vehicle resulting from an impact of an object with the outer skin along a side of the vehicle; a transfer structure interposed between the outer skin along the side of the vehicle and said sensor suitable and arranged to transfer the lateral acceleration to said sensor; and an occupant restraint device connected to said sensor and arranged to deploy an occupant restraint based on the lateral acceleration, said sensor including a housing defining an interior and a mass arranged in said interior of said housing and movable in said interior of said housing relative to said housing in response to lateral acceleration of said sensor housing resulting from the transference of the lateral acceleration of the outer skin of the vehicle through said transfer structure to said sensor, movement of said mass being monitored such that said sensor initiates deployment of said occupant restraint based on movement of said mass. view more

The vehicle of claim 23, further comprising a main structural beam, said transfer structure being mounted to said main structural beam.

The vehicle of claim 23, wherein said sensor initiates deployment of said occupant restraint based on movement of said mass in excess of a threshold value.

A vehicle, comprising a longitudinally extending outer skin arranged on a side of the vehicle; a system housing arranged inward of said outer skin and having an opening facing a portion of a passenger compartment of the vehicle; an inflatable airbag arranged in said system housing; an inflator arranged in connection with the system housing; and a sensor system for detecting an impact into a side of to vehicle and comprising a sensor housing and a mass arranged in said sensor housing and movable relative to said sensor housing in response to acceleration in excess of a predetermined threshold value, movement of said mass relative to said sensor housing providing an indication of a side impact for which deployment of said airbag is desired; said inflator being actuated in response to a detected side impact by said sensor system in order to expel said airbag through said opening into the passenger compartment, and wherein said sensor system is arranged such that whenever said sensor system detects a side impact in a direction perpendicular to said outer skin of the vehicle causing movement of said mass in excess of the predetermined threshold value, said inflator is actuated and said airbag is inflated and expelled through said opening into the passenger compartment. view more

The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising an inner skin having a portion alongside the passenger compartment of the vehicle, said system housing being arranged between said outer and inner skins of the vehicle and said opening of said system housing being situated on an inward facing side of said system housing, said system housing being mounted such that said opening faces an outward facing surface of said inner skin alongside the passenger compartment. view more

The vehicle of claim 2, wherein said outer and inner skins form a door, said system housing being arranged in said door.

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said inflator is arranged at least partially within said system housing.

A vehicle, comprising a longitudinally extending outer skin arranged on a side of the vehicle; a system housing arranged inward of said outer skin and having an opening facing a portion of a passenger compartment of the vehicle; an inflatable airbag arranged in said system housing; an inflator arranged in connection with the system housing; and a sensor system for detecting an impact into a side of the vehicle and comprising a sensor housing and a mass arranged in said sensor housing and movable relative to said sensor housing in response to acceleration in excess of a predetermined threshold value, movement of said mass relative to said sensor housing providing an indication of a side impact for which deployment of said airbag is desired; said inflator being actuated in response to a detected side impact by said sensor system in order to expel said airbag through said opening into the passenger compartment, and wherein said inflator is actuated directly by said sensor system whenever said sensor system provides an indication of the side impact in a direction perpendicular to said outer skin of the vehicle for which deployment of said airbag is desired. view more

In a motor vehicle, a control system for controlling an occupant restraint system, comprising: a plurality of electronic sensors mounted at different locations on the vehicle, each of said sensors providing a measurement related to a state of said sensor or a measurement related to a state of the mounting location; and a processor coupled to said sensors and arranged to diagnose the state of the vehicle based on the measurements of said sensors, said processor being arranged to control the occupant restraint system based at least in part on the diagnosed state of the vehicle in an attempt to minimize injury to an occupant. view more

The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the state of the vehicle diagnosed by said processor includes angular motion of the vehicle.

A method for controlling an occupant restraint system in a vehicle comprising the steps of: mounting a plurality of electronic sensors at different locations on the vehicle; measuring a state of the sensor or a state of the respective mounting location of the sensor; diagnosing the state of the vehicle based on the measurements of the state of the sensors or the state of the mounting locations of the sensors, and controlling the occupant restraint system based at least in part on the diagnosed state of the vehicle in an attempt to minimize injury to an occupant in the event of a crash. view more

The method of claim 18, wherein the state of the sensor is the acceleration, angular motion, angular velocity or angular orientation of the sensor.

A method for controlling an occupant restraint system in a vehicle comprising the steps of: mounting a plurality of electronic sensors at different locations on the vehicle; measuring a state of the sensor which is the acceleration, angular acceleration, angular velocity or angular orientation of the sensor; diagnosing the state of the vehicle based on the measurements of the state of the sensors or the state of the mounting locations of the sensors, and controlling the occupant restraint system based at least in part on the diagnosed state of the vehicle in an attempt to minimize injury to an occupant in the event of a crash. view more

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