Side impact sensor systems
First Claim
1. A vehicle, comprising a longitudinally extending outer skin arranged on a side of the vehicle;
- a system housing arranged inward of said outer skin and having an opening facing a portion of a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
an inflatable airbag arranged in said system housing;
an inflator arranged in connection with the system housing; and
a sensor system for detecting an impact into a side of the vehicle and comprising a sensor housing and a mass arranged in said sensor housing and movable relative to said sensor housing in response to acceleration in excess of a predetermined threshold value, movement of said mass relative to said sensor housing providing an indication of a side impact for which deployment of said airbag is desired;
said inflator being actuated in response to a detected side impact by said sensor system in order to expel said airbag through said opening into the passenger compartment.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
Vehicle including a side impact sensor system having a longitudinally extending outer skin arranged on a side of the vehicle, a system housing arranged inward of the outer skin and having an opening facing a portion of a passenger compartment, an inflatable airbag arranged in the system housing, an inflator arranged in connection with the system housing, and a sensor system for detecting an impact into a side of the vehicle. The sensor system includes a sensor housing and a mass arranged therein and movable relative thereto housing in response to acceleration in excess of a threshold value. Movement of the mass relative to the sensor housing provides an indication of a side impact for which deployment of the airbag is desired. The inflator is actuated in response to a side impact by the sensor system in order to expel the airbag through the opening into the passenger compartment.
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Citations
24 Claims
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1. A vehicle, comprising
a longitudinally extending outer skin arranged on a side of the vehicle; -
a system housing arranged inward of said outer skin and having an opening facing a portion of a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
an inflatable airbag arranged in said system housing;
an inflator arranged in connection with the system housing; and
a sensor system for detecting an impact into a side of the vehicle and comprising a sensor housing and a mass arranged in said sensor housing and movable relative to said sensor housing in response to acceleration in excess of a predetermined threshold value, movement of said mass relative to said sensor housing providing an indication of a side impact for which deployment of said airbag is desired;
said inflator being actuated in response to a detected side impact by said sensor system in order to expel said airbag through said opening into the passenger compartment. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
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12. A method for deploying a side airbag of a vehicle having an outer skin, comprising:
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providing a system housing having an opening;
mounting the system housing with the opening facing a portion of a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
arranging an inflatable airbag in the system housing;
arranging an inflator in connection with the system housing;
sensing a side impact by detecting motion of a mass situated in a sensor housing relative to the sensor housing and in response to acceleration in excess of a predetermined threshold value; and
actuating the inflator in response to the detected side impact to expel the airbag through the opening in the system housing into the passenger compartment. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24)
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Specification