System for detecting vehicle rollovers

• US 20010007962A1
• Filed: 01/08/2001
• Published: 07/12/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Original Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke AG
• Inventors: Griessbach, Robert
• Granted Patent: US 6,496,763 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/36
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01313 monitoring the vehicle steering system or the dynamic control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over

Abstract

In a system for detecting imminent or occurring rollovers in a vehicle having at least one rollover sensor for detecting a vehicle rollover and for emitting a corresponding signal, at least one rotational wheel speed sensor is provided which emits a signal corresponding to the respective rotational wheel speed to a control unit which is indirectly or directly connected with the at least one rollover sensor. The control unit is constructed such that a triggering signal can be generated for a safety system on the basis of the rollover signal, taking into account the at least one rotational wheel speed signal.

Claims

1. A vehicle rollover detection system, comprising:

at least one rollover sensor (10) for detecting an imminent or occurring vehicle rollover and for emitting a corresponding rollover signal;

at least one rotational wheel speed sensor (16a-16d) which emits a signal corresponding to rotational speed of an associated wheel; and

a control unit (14) which is indirectly or directly connected with the at least one rollover sensor (10);

wherein

the control unit (14) generates a triggering signal for a safety system (20) based on the rollover signal and the at least one rotational wheel speed signal.

2. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein rotational wheel speed sensors (16a-16d) are provided on all vehicle wheels.

3. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein one of a vehicle rotation rate sensor and acceleration sensors are used as said rollover sensors (10).

4. The system according to

claim 1

, further comprising a steering angle sensor by which different signals of different rotational wheel speed sensors (16a-16d) which occur can be compensated.

5. The system according to

claim 1

, comprising:

a plurality of rollover sensors; and

a separate analyzing unit (12) for analyzing a respective rollover signal for each rollover sensor;

wherein the analyzing unit (12) is connected with the control unit (14).

6. The system according to

claim 1

, wherein one of an air bag, a belt tightening device and a rollover bar can be activated as the safety system.

7. A method for detecting a rollover of a vehicle, comprising:

detecting conditions indicative of a rollover via a first rollover detection unit, and generating a rollover signal based thereon;

measuring wheel speed of at least one wheel of said vehicle; and

determining occurrence of a rollover based on said rollover signal and said measured wheel speed.