Occupant Safety-Restraint System and Method for Fully Deploying an Airbag Prior to Occupant Contact
First Claim
1. A safety restraint system for a vehicle, comprising:
- a seatbelt restraint system including a seatbelt restraint for restraining an occupant and a seatbelt tension sensor for detecting a seatbelt load in said seatbelt restraint;
a variable-output airbag system for fully deploying an airbag substantially proximate to when said seatbelt restraint receives a maximum seatbelt load; and
a controller coupled to said seatbelt restraint system and said variable-output airbag system, said controller for actuating said variable-output airbag system to deploy said airbag at an output rate during a crash event, said controller for throttling said output rate based on a current seatbelt load rate in said seatbelt during a crash event.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An occupant safety restraint system (“OSR system”) (10) and method for fully deploying an airbag (20) before an occupant contacts the airbag (20). In one embodiment, the OSR system (10) includes a seatbelt restraint system (12), a variable-output airbag system (14), and a controller (16) coupled to the seatbelt restraint system (12) and the airbag system (14). The seatbelt restraint system (12) includes a seatbelt restraint (24) for restraining the occupant and a seatbelt-tension sensor (28) for detecting a load or tension in the seatbelt restraint (24). The controller (16) utilizes the seatbelt load for determining a current seatbelt-tension rate and actuating the airbag system (14) to deploy the airbag (20) at one or more output rates. In other words, the controller (16) can utilize the seatbelt restraint system (12) and the airbag system (14) in combination for regulating the output rate of the airbag system (14).
13 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A safety restraint system for a vehicle, comprising:
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a seatbelt restraint system including a seatbelt restraint for restraining an occupant and a seatbelt tension sensor for detecting a seatbelt load in said seatbelt restraint;
a variable-output airbag system for fully deploying an airbag substantially proximate to when said seatbelt restraint receives a maximum seatbelt load; and
a controller coupled to said seatbelt restraint system and said variable-output airbag system, said controller for actuating said variable-output airbag system to deploy said airbag at an output rate during a crash event, said controller for throttling said output rate based on a current seatbelt load rate in said seatbelt during a crash event. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9)
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10. A method for utilizing a seatbelt restraint system and a variable-output airbag system in combination for protecting an occupant of a vehicle, comprising:
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determining an output rate of the variable-output airbag system for deploying an airbag;
detecting a crash event; and
determining a current seatbelt-tension rate in a seatbelt restraint during said crash event; and
throttling said output rate during said crash event based on said current seatbelt-tension rate;
wherein the occupant contacts said airbag when said seatbelt load reaches a maximum load. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 20)
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16. A method for utilizing a seatbelt restraint system and a variable-output airbag system in combination for protecting an occupant of a vehicle, comprising:
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detecting a crash event; and
measuring a vehicle velocity at said crash event;
determining an output rate of the variable-output airbag system for deploying an airbag based on said vehicle velocity;
determining a current seatbelt-tension rate in a seatbelt restraint during said crash event; and
throttling said output rate during said crash event based on said current seatbelt-tension rate;
wherein the occupant contacts said airbag when said seatbelt load reaches a maximum load. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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Specification