Actuator of Passenger Protection Device

• US 20080277909A1
• Filed: 03/14/2006
• Published: 11/13/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 03/15/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Matsuda, Kazuaki
• Application Number:
  US11/886,156
• Publication Number:
  US 20080277909A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01115 specific data frames
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/015 including means for detecting the presence or position of passengers, passenger seats or child seats , and the related safety parameters therefor, e.g. speed or timing of airbag inflation in relation to occupant position or seat belt use
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/017 including arrangements for providing electric power to safety arrangements or their actuating means, e.g. to pyrotechnic fuses or electro-mechanic valves

Abstract

In an actuator of a passenger protection device, a sub ECU 200 is provided to actuate the passenger protection device in response to a normal ignition signal received from a main ECU 100 via an ignition communication line 2, and a manual cut-off switch 1 is turned on or off to selectively disable or enable operation of the passenger protection device. The actuation of the passenger protection device by the sub ECU 200 is inhibited when the manual cut-off switch 1 is turned to disable the operation of the passenger protection device. The actuator of the passenger protection device is characterized in that, when a collective-operation-specific ignition signal having a communication format different from that of the normal ignition signal is received, the sub ECU 200 actuates the passenger protection device irrespective of a switched state of the manual cut-off switch 1.

Claims

1. An actuator of a passenger protection device, comprising:

an actuating unit actuating the passenger protection device in response to reception of a first ignition signal; and

a manual cut-off unit being turned on or off to selectively disable or enable operation of the passenger protection device,

the actuation of the passenger protection device by the actuating unit being inhibited when the manual cut-off unit is turned to disable the operation of the passenger protection device,

wherein, when a second ignition signal having a communication format different from that of the first ignition signal is received, the actuating unit actuates the passenger protection device irrespective of a switched state of the manual cut-off unit.

2. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein both the first ignition signal and the second ignition signal are transmitted on an ignition communication line.

3. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the first ignition signal is transmitted by detection of an impact to a vehicle.

4. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein the actuator includes a plurality of actuating units and the second ignition signal is transmitted to collectively actuate a plurality of passenger protection devices which are respectively actuated by the plurality of actuating units.

5. The actuator according to claim 1, further comprising:

an actuate instruction unit outputting an actuate instruction signal to actuate the passenger protection device compulsorily; and

an ignition signal transmission unit transmitting the second ignition signal, wherein the ignition signal transmission unit transmits the second ignition signal in response to the actuate instruction signal.

6. The actuator according to claim 1, further comprising:

an actuate instruction unit outputting an actuate instruction signal to actuate the passenger protection device compulsorily; and

an ignition signal transmission unit transmitting the first ignition signal by detection of an impact to a vehicle, and transmitting the second ignition signal in response to the actuate instruction signal.

7. The actuator according to claim 1, wherein, when the second ignition signal having a data length different from that of the first ignition signal is received, the actuating unit actuates the passenger protection device irrespective of a switched state of the manual cut-off unit.

8. An actuator of a passenger protection device, comprising:

an actuate instruction unit outputting an actuate instruction signal to actuate the passenger protection device compulsorily;

an ignition signal transmission unit transmitting an ignition signal in response to either detection of an impact to a vehicle or reception of the actuate instruction signal;

an actuating unit actuating the passenger protection device in response to the ignition signal received from the ignition signal transmission unit; and

a manual cut-off unit being turned on or off to selectively disable or enable operation of the passenger protection device,

the actuation of the passenger protection device by the actuating unit being inhibited when the manual cut-off unit is turned to disable the operation of the passenger protection device,

wherein the actuate instruction unit is provided to supply power to the actuating unit, and, when a power supply from the actuate instruction unit to the actuating unit is detected, the actuating unit actuates the passenger protection device irrespective of a switched state of the manual cut-off unit.

9. The actuator according to claim 8, further comprising:

a vehicle power supply line from the vehicle to the actuating unit; and

a second power supply line from the actuate instruction unit to the actuating unit,

wherein the actuating unit is provided to distinguish between a power supply from the vehicle via the vehicle power supply line and a power supply from the actuate instruction unit via the second power supply line.

10. The actuator of claim 8, further comprising:

a vehicle power supply line from the vehicle to the actuating unit; and

a second power supply line from the actuate instruction unit to the actuating unit,

wherein the actuate instruction unit is provided to supply power to the actuating unit via the ignition signal transmission unit, and

wherein the actuating unit is provided to distinguish between a power supply from the vehicle via the vehicle power supply line and a power supply from the actuate instruction unit via the second power supply line.