Vehicle passenger restraining system
First Claim
1. A vehicle passenger restraining system comprising:
- a plurality of passenger restraining devices configured and arranged to restrain a passenger inside a passenger compartment of a vehicle;
an upper deformation detecting device disposed in a generally central upper end section of a first lateral side of the passenger compartment, the upper deformation detecting device being configured and arranged to selectively output at least one of a first signal indicative of a first load input from a first direction and a second signal indicative of a second load input from a second direction that is different from the first direction upon detection of at least one of the first and second load inputs;
a lower deformation detecting device disposed in a generally central lower end section of the first lateral side of the passenger compartment, the lower deformation detecting device being configured and arranged to output at least a third signal indicative of a third load input from a third direction upon detection of the third load input; and
a passenger restraining device operating unit configured to determine a load input characteristic based on the first, second and third signals, and to operate at least one of the passenger restraining devices in accordance with the load input characteristic.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle passenger restraining system comprises a plurality of passenger restraining devices, upper and lower deformation detecting devices, and a passenger restraining device operating unit. The upper deformation detecting device is disposed in a generally central upper end of a first lateral side of a cabin to output one of a first signal indicative of a first load input from a first direction and a second signal indicative of a second load input from a second direction. The lower deformation detecting device is disposed in a generally central lower end of the first lateral side to output a third signal indicative of a third load input from a third direction. The passenger restraining device operating unit is configured to determine a load input characteristic based on the first, second and third signals to operate at least one of the passenger restraining devices in accordance with the load input characteristic.
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Citations
23 Claims
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1. A vehicle passenger restraining system comprising:
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a plurality of passenger restraining devices configured and arranged to restrain a passenger inside a passenger compartment of a vehicle;
an upper deformation detecting device disposed in a generally central upper end section of a first lateral side of the passenger compartment, the upper deformation detecting device being configured and arranged to selectively output at least one of a first signal indicative of a first load input from a first direction and a second signal indicative of a second load input from a second direction that is different from the first direction upon detection of at least one of the first and second load inputs;
a lower deformation detecting device disposed in a generally central lower end section of the first lateral side of the passenger compartment, the lower deformation detecting device being configured and arranged to output at least a third signal indicative of a third load input from a third direction upon detection of the third load input; and
a passenger restraining device operating unit configured to determine a load input characteristic based on the first, second and third signals, and to operate at least one of the passenger restraining devices in accordance with the load input characteristic. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A vehicle passenger restraining method, comprising:
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selectively outputting at least one of a first signal indicative of a first load input from a first direction and a second signal indicative of a second load input from a second direction that is different from the first direction upon detection of at least one of the first and second load inputs to an upper part of a first lateral side of a passenger compartment of a vehicle;
outputting at least a third signal indicative of a third load input from a third direction upon detection of the third load input to a lower part of the first lateral side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle;
determining a load input characteristic based on the first, second and third signals; and
operating at least one of a plurality of passenger restraining devices in accordance with the load input characteristic.
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22. A vehicle passenger restraining system, comprising:
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passenger restraining means for restraining a passenger in a passenger compartment of a vehicle;
upper deformation detecting means for selectively outputting at least one of a first signal indicative of a first load input from a first direction and a second signal indicative of a second load input from a second direction that is different from the first direction upon detection of at least one of the first and second load inputs to an upper part of a first lateral side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle;
lower deformation detecting means for outputting at least a third signal indicative of a third load input from a third direction upon detection of the third load input to a lower part of the first lateral side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle;
load input characteristic determining means for determining a load input characteristic based on the first, second and third signals; and
passenger restraining operating means for operating the passenger restraining means in accordance with the load input characteristic.
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23. A vehicle comprising:
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a vehicle body structure forming a passenger compartment;
a plurality of passenger restraining devices coupled to the vehicle body structure, and configured and arranged to restrain a passenger inside the passenger compartment;
an upper deformation detecting device disposed in a generally central upper end section of a first lateral side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle body structure, the upper deformation detecting device being configured and arranged to selectively output at least one of a first signal indicative of a first load input from a first direction and a second signal indicative of a second load input from a second direction that is different from the first direction upon detection of at least one of the first and second load inputs;
a lower deformation detecting device disposed in a generally central lower end section of the first lateral side of the passenger compartment of the vehicle body structure, the lower deformation detecting device being configured and arranged to output at least a third signal indicative of a third load input from a third direction upon detection of the third load input; and
a passenger restraining device operating unit configured to determine a load input characteristic based on the first, second and third signals, and to operate at least one of the passenger restraining devices in accordance with the load input characteristic.
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Specification