Passenger protection system which detects closeness of passenger to inner side surface of interior

• US 20060082111A1
• Filed: 10/12/2005
• Published: 04/20/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 10/18/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Takemura, Naotoshi, Eguchi, Yoshimasa, Tobaru, Shigeo, Takahata, Osamu
• Granted Patent: US 7,427,081 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01532 using electric or capacitive field sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

A passenger protection system for a vehicle having a door opening to which a door is attached. The system has an airbag attached in a folded form along an upper edge of the door opening, wherein when being expanded, the airbag is deployed along an inner side surface of an interior of the vehicle in a drawn curtain form; a contact detecting device for detecting a contact action of a passenger in the vehicle with the contact detecting device; and a control device for determining whether a passenger is close to the inner side surface based on a result of detection of the contact detecting device, and prohibiting deployment of the airbag while determining that a passenger is close to the inner side surface. The contact detecting device may have an elongated form in a length direction of the vehicle and consist of divided portions separated in a vertical direction.

Claims

1. A passenger protection system for a vehicle having a door opening to which a door is attached, the system comprising:

an airbag attached in a folded form along an upper edge of the door opening, wherein when being expanded, the airbag is deployed along an inner side surface of an interior of the vehicle in a drawn curtain form;

a contact detecting device for detecting a contact action of a passenger in the vehicle with the contact detecting device; and

a control device for determining whether a passenger is close to the inner side surface based on a result of detection of the contact detecting device, and prohibiting deployment of the airbag while determining that a passenger is close to the inner side surface.

2. The passenger protection system according to claim 1, wherein the contact detecting device has an elongated form in a length direction of the vehicle.

3. The passenger protection system according to claim 2, wherein:

the vehicle has a sliding seat beside the door, which can slide in the length direction of the vehicle; and

the contact detecting device has a length by which the contact action of the passenger can be detected wherever the sliding seat is positioned.

4. The passenger protection system according to claim 1, wherein the contact detecting device consists of a plurality of divided portions separated in a vertical direction, wherein each divided portion independently detects the contact action of the passenger.

5. The passenger protection system according to claim 4, wherein each divided portion includes a plurality of spot touch sensors aligned in a length direction of the vehicle.

6. The passenger protection system according to claim 4, wherein only when every divided portion detects the contact action, the control device determines that a passenger is close to the inner side surface and prohibits the deployment of the airbag.

7. The passenger protection system according to claim 1, wherein when an angle of inclination of the vehicle is equal to or greater than a predetermined value, the control device deploys the airbag regardless of a result of detection by the contact detecting device.

8. The passenger protection system according to claim 1, wherein:

the vehicle has a plurality of doors along a side of the vehicle, and the air bag is attached along an upper edge of door openings of the doors;

the contact detecting device is provided for each door;

the control device prohibits the deployment of the airbag while determining that a passenger is close to the inner side surface based on a result of detection of any contact detecting device.

9. The passenger protection system according to claim 8, wherein:

each contact detecting device consists of a plurality of divided portions separated in a vertical direction, wherein each divided portion independently detects the contact action of the passenger;

for each contact detecting device, the control device determines that a passenger is close to the inner side surface only when every divided portion of the contact detecting device detects the contact action; and

the control device prohibits the deployment of the airbag while determining that any passenger is close to the inner side surface based on a result of detection of any contact detecting device.