Control system for air bags in different vehicle locations
First Claim
1. A vehicle restraint system for restraining occupants during rapid deceleration of a vehicle having first and second vehicle portions in which rapid deceleration occurs in the first vehicle portion prior to rapid deceleration in the second vehicle portion and in which first and second occupants are positioned in the first and second portions, respectively, comprising:
- a first inflatable member mounted to be deployed to protect the first occupant;
a second inflatable member mounted to be deployed to protect the second occupant;
a first and second inflator for inflating the first and second inflatable members; and
a crash detector firing system comprising a deceleration detection detector and electrical conduits for controlling the first and second inflators, so that the crash detector firing system can transmit separate signals to each inflator and inflate the first inflatable member before the second inflatable member.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle restraint system for a seated occupant including a lap belt system and an inflatable member mounted on the lap belt and restrained by the belt when inflated. The restraint system is applicable to multi-row seated vehicles in which a control system controls air bag deployment in rows located at first, second and other vehicle locations. Further, the system may include a device for detecting an impending collision of the vehicle and an object and deploy bags in anticipation of such collision.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. A vehicle restraint system for restraining occupants during rapid deceleration of a vehicle having first and second vehicle portions in which rapid deceleration occurs in the first vehicle portion prior to rapid deceleration in the second vehicle portion and in which first and second occupants are positioned in the first and second portions, respectively, comprising:
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a first inflatable member mounted to be deployed to protect the first occupant;
a second inflatable member mounted to be deployed to protect the second occupant;
a first and second inflator for inflating the first and second inflatable members; and
a crash detector firing system comprising a deceleration detection detector and electrical conduits for controlling the first and second inflators, so that the crash detector firing system can transmit separate signals to each inflator and inflate the first inflatable member before the second inflatable member. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
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9. A method of restraining occupants during rapid deceleration of a vehicle having first and second vehicle portions for which deceleration occurs in the first portion prior to deceleration in the second portion, comprising the steps of:
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providing occupant seats in the first and second portions;
positioning inflatable members mounted to be deployed for protecting occupants in such occupant seats;
providing a crash detector firing system that performs the following steps;
creating and sending a first signal to a first inflator to inflate the inflatable member in the first portion at a first time;
creating and sending a second signal to a second inflator to inflate the inflatable member in the second portion at a second time after the first time;
wherein inflation of inflatable members in the first and second portions is timed to occur sufficiently in advance to protect the occupants. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
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16. A method of providing protection to occupants in an elongated movable vehicle in which rapid deceleration occurs in the forward part of the vehicle before it occurs in the rearward part of the vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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providing seats in forward and rearward parts of the vehicle;
installing inflatable members and inflators that inflate such members to serve the seats;
providing a crash detector that determines whether the vehicle will collide with an object prior to the collision;
generating a signal from the deceleration detector to the inflators to deploy the inflatable members during rapid deceleration; and
inflating the inflatable members to correspond to the time of rapid deceleration for forward and rearward parts of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18)
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19. A method of providing protection to occupants in an elongated movable vehicle in which deceleration occurs in the forward part of the vehicle before it occurs in the rearward part of the vehicle, comprising:
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providing seats in forward and rearward parts of the vehicle;
installing inflatable members to serve the seats and inflators for deploying such inflatable members;
providing a crash detector that determines whether the vehicle will collide with an object during the vehicle'"'"'s movement;
generating signals from the crash detector when the crash detector determines a collision will occur; and
transmitting such signals to the inflators to deploy the inflatable members. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21)
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Specification