Method of triggering at least one airbag in a vehicle

• US 20030160436A1
• Filed: 04/01/2003
• Published: 08/28/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2001
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Oswald, Klaus, Loeckle, Gerhard, Mindner, Klaus, Bentele-Calvoer, Stephan, Gatzweiler, Barbara, Grotendiek, Torsten
• Granted Patent: US 7,036,845 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01231 control of expansion timing or sequence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01322 comprising variable thresholds, e.g. depending from other collision parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value

Abstract

A method of triggering at least one airbag in a vehicle is described, in which two or more criteria are used in the decision to fire the second stage of a two-stage airbag. Variables derived from measurement signals of an acceleration sensor are used as criteria. These variables must exceed threshold values within pre-defined times in order to bring about a firing decision. The criteria are chosen depending on the type of vehicle. Characteristic curves are used as threshold values. These characteristic curves may be modified depending on the use of a belt.

Claims

1. A method of triggering at least one airbag (8) in a vehicle, the at least one airbag (8) being deployed in at least two stages, an airbag controller (9) located centrally in the vehicle using at least one acceleration sensor (1, 2) to detect the acceleration of the vehicle,

wherein the second stage of the at least one airbag (8) is triggered depending on a linking of at least two criteria derived from the at least one acceleration sensor (1, 2).

2. The method according to claim 1,

wherein the second stage is triggered if each of the at least two criteria exceeds pre-defined threshold values within respective pre-defined times.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,

wherein the criteria are chosen depending on the type of vehicle.

4. The method according to claim 1, 2 or 3,

wherein the criteria are selected from the following parameters:

acceleration in the direction of travel, aggregate acceleration in the direction of travel, aggregate absolute value of the acceleration in the direction of travel, aggregate acceleration in the direction of travel in a pre-defined time window, acceleration transverse to the direction of travel, aggregate acceleration transverse to the direction of travel, sum of the aggregate acceleration in and transverse to the direction of travel, double integrated acceleration transverse to the direction of travel, acceleration determined at an angle to the direction of travel.

5. The method according to one of claims 2 through 4,

wherein if at least one criterion does not reach the respective threshold value (23) in the respective time, the second stage is then fired after a residual firing time (t_{delay disposal}).

6. The method according to one of claims 1 through 5,

wherein a minimum delay time (t_delay) is pre-defined for the firing of the second stage.

7. The method according to one of the preceding claims, wherein a time-dependent characteristic curve (23) is used in each case as the threshold values.

8. The method according to one of the preceding claims,

wherein if a respective criterion is above the respective threshold value (23) for a pre-defined decision time (t_robust) it is recognized that the respective threshold value (23) has been exceeded by the respective criterion.

9. The method according to claim 6, 7 or 8,

wherein the second stage is fired after the minimum delay time (t_delayfast) if the first stage is triggered within a pre-defined accident severity time (t_fast).

10. The method according to one of the preceding claims,

wherein the characteristic curves are modified depending on the use of a belt.

11. A device for carrying out the method according to one of claims 1 through 9,

wherein the device has at least one acceleration sensor (1, 2) for impact detection, a processor (5), a memory (6) and at least one airbag (8) that may be switched in at least two stages.

12. The device according to claim 11,

wherein the processor (5), the memory (6) and the at least one acceleration sensor (1, 2) are housed in an airbag controller (9).

13. The device according to claim 12,

wherein the airbag controller (9) is connectable to external acceleration sensors.