Airbag inflation control system and method
First Claim
1. In a motor vehicle having a side door and a seat having a seat-back, an airbag passive restraint system for protecting an adjacent occupant in an impact comprising:
- an airbag module comprising a housing and an inflatable airbag arranged within said housing;
mounting means for mounting said airbag module in combination with said seat back;
anticipatory sensor means for detecting that an impact requiring deployment of said airbag is required based on data obtained prior to the crash and initiating inflation of said airbag in the event an impact requiring deployment of said airbag is detected prior to the start of said impact; and
inflator means responsive to the detection by said anticipatory sensor that an impact requiring deployment of said airbag is required for inflating said airbag.
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Accused Products
Abstract
Airbag inflation control system and method for a vehicle including an airbag module having a housing mounted in combination with the seat back and an inflatable airbag arranged therein. An anticipatory sensor detects that an impact requiring deployment of the airbag is required based on data obtained prior to the crash and initiates inflation of the airbag in the event an impact requiring deployment of the airbag is detected prior to the start of the impact. An inflator responds to the detection by the anticipatory sensor that an impact requiring deployment of the airbag is required and inflates the airbag. The occupant may be displaced upon inflation of the airbag.
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Citations
39 Claims
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1. In a motor vehicle having a side door and a seat having a seat-back, an airbag passive restraint system for protecting an adjacent occupant in an impact comprising:
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an airbag module comprising a housing and an inflatable airbag arranged within said housing;
mounting means for mounting said airbag module in combination with said seat back;
anticipatory sensor means for detecting that an impact requiring deployment of said airbag is required based on data obtained prior to the crash and initiating inflation of said airbag in the event an impact requiring deployment of said airbag is detected prior to the start of said impact; and
inflator means responsive to the detection by said anticipatory sensor that an impact requiring deployment of said airbag is required for inflating said airbag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 10, 11, 12, 14, 18, 20)
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5. In a motor vehicle having a passive restraint system with at least one airbag, an inflator system for inflating said at least one airbag comprising:
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gas inflow means for inflating said at least one airbag with gas;
vent means for enabling removal of gas from said at least one airbag;
a first anticipatory crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash and, upon the making of such a determination, directing said gas inflow means to inflate said at least one airbag; and
a second crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur or is occurring and, upon the making of such a determination, controlling said vent means to enable the removal of gas from said at least one airbag whereby the pressure in said at least one airbag is changed by the removal of gas from said at least one airbag enabled by said vent means. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 13, 15, 16)
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17. A motor vehicle having a passive restraint system including at least one airbag and an inflator system for inflating said at least one airbag, said inflator system comprising:
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inflator means for releasing a gas into said at least one airbag, a first anticipatory crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash and, upon the making of such a determination, triggering said inflator means to release gas into said at least one airbag; and
a second crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur or is occurring and, upon the making of such a determination, changing the rate at which gas accumulates in said at least one airbag, said second crash sensor being arranged to control outflow of gas from said at least one airbag.
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19. A method for inflating at least one airbag arranged in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:
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making a first determination by means of an anticipatory crash sensor that a crash requiring deployment of the at least one airbag will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash and, upon the making of such a determination, inflating the at least one airbag; and
making a second, separate determination by means of a second crash sensor that a crash requiring deployment of the at least one airbag will occur or is occurring and, upon the making of such a determination, changing the rate at which gas accumulates in the at least one airbag, the step of changing the rate at which gas accumulates in the at least one airbag comprising the step of enabling and regulating outflow of gas from the at least one airbag.
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21. In a motor vehicle having a side door and a seat, an airbag passive restraint system for protecting an occupant sitting in the seat comprising:
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at least one airbag arranged to be inflated to protect the occupant during a crash;
sensor means for detecting that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag is required;
inflator means for releasing a gas into said at least one airbag to inflate said at least one airbag, said inflator means being coupled to said sensor means and being triggered to release gas into said at least one airbag in response to the detection by said sensor means of a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag; and
occupant displacement permitting means arranged in connection with the seat for permitting the occupant to be displaced upon inflation of said at least one airbag. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 39)
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38. In a motor vehicle having a side and an externally deployable airbag system for protecting an occupant in a side impact with an impacting object, said airbag system comprising:
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an inflatable airbag deployable outside of the vehicle between the side of the vehicle and the impacting object;
an anticipatory sensor system for determining that a side impact requiring deployment of said airbag is required based on data obtained prior to the crash and initiating inflation of said airbag in the event a side impact requiring deployment of said airbag is detected, and inflator means responsive to the detection by said anticipatory sensor system that a side impact requiring deployment of said airbag is required for inflating said airbag.
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Specification