Airbag system for a motor vehicle

• US 20030052479A1
• Filed: 05/01/2002
• Published: 03/20/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 09/14/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Specht, Martin, Heckmayr, Thomas
• Granted Patent: US 6,736,424 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01081 Transmission medium
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01231 control of expansion timing or sequence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343

Abstract

An airbag system for a motor vehicle has an airbag that is deployed upon inflation with a gas from a folded state into the vehicle interior. An inflation device supplies gas for inflating the airbag. A sensing device senses deployment of the airbag to the effect that the temporal and spatial sequence involved in opening the folds of the airbag is detected. A control device controls the inflation process as a function of deployment sensing.

Claims

1. An airbag system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a fabric airbag that is deployed upon inflation with a gas from a folded state into an interior of the vehicle;

an inflation device that supplies the gas for inflating the airbag;

a sensing device that senses deployment of the airbag;

an electronic memory device a desired temporal and spatial deployment sequence is stored; and

a control device that controls the inflation process as a function of deployment sensing, wherein the sensing device senses the temporal and spatial sequence involved in opening the folds of the airbag and compares the sensed temporal and spatial sequence to the desired temporal and spatial deployment sequence for controlling the inflation process.

2. The airbag system according to claim 1 wherein at least or at least one electrical conductor is associated with the fabric of the airbag, through which conductor an electrical signal is passed, wherein passage of the electrical signal through the entire length of the conductor is monitored.

3. The airbag system according to claim 1 wherein at least one optical fiber is associated with the fabric of the airbag through which a light signal is passed, wherein passage of the light signal through the entire length of the optical fiber is monitored.

4. The airbag system according to claim 1 wherein deployment of the airbag is sensed in contactless manner.

5. The airbag system according to claim 4 wherein the sensing device comprises a device that transmits signals into the inside of the airbag and receives signals reflected inside the airbag.

6. The airbag system according to claim 5 wherein a frequency variation of the reflected signals is measured.

7. The airbag system according to claim 6 wherein a rate of deployment of the airbag is calculated from the frequency variations during inflation of the airbag.

8. The airbag system according to claim 1 wherein a plurality of pressure chambers are arranged on the outside of the airbag, an internal pressure of which chambers is measured as a measure of the temporal and spatial sequence involved in opening the folds.