Overhead Vehicle Occupant Restraint System

• US 20090174174A1
• Filed: 03/13/2009
• Published: 07/09/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 10/10/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: McCoy, Robert William
• Application Number:
  US12/404,266
• Publication Number:
  US 20090174174A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/749
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01322 comprising variable thresholds, e.g. depending from other collision parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01325 Vertical acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01327 Angular velocity or angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23192 Roof bags, i.e. protecting the occupant in a roll-over situation
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/08 automatically movable from an inoperative to an operative position, e.g. in a collision electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 in roof panels

Abstract

The present disclosure relates to an overhead vehicle occupant restraint system. Exemplary overhead vehicle occupant restraint systems include a panel configured to deploy and retract with respect to a vehicle roof, an electric motor configured to deploy and/or retract the panel and a control circuit configured to control deployment of the panel according to a first predetermined condition and to control retraction the panel according to a second predetermined condition.

Claims

1. An overhead vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising:

a panel configured to deploy and retract with respect to a vehicle roof;

an electric motor configured to deploy and/or retract the panel; and

a control circuit configured to control deployment of the panel according to a first predetermined condition and to control retraction of the panel according to a second predetermined condition.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the control circuit includes a processor configured to calculate a probability of a vehicle rollover crash.

3. The system of claim 2, wherein the first predetermined condition is a probability of vehicle rollover crash greater than a threshold amount.

4. The system of claim 2, wherein the second predetermined condition is a probability of rollover crash less than a threshold amount.

5. The system of claim 2, further comprising:

inflatable chambers included in the panel; and

an inflator configured to inflate the chambers.

6. The system of claim 5, wherein the control circuit is configured to control the inflator according to a third predetermined condition.

7. The system of claim 6, wherein the third predetermined condition is a probability of vehicle rollover crash greater than a threshold amount.

8. The system of claim 1, wherein the panel is inflatable and wherein the control circuit is configured to control inflation of the panel according to whether a vehicle has rolled over.

9. The system of claim 1, wherein the second predetermined condition is whether a vehicle has rolled over.

10. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a sensor connected to the control circuit, configured to determine a yaw rate and/or roll rate of a vehicle.

11. The system of claim 10, where the first predetermined condition is a yaw rate or roll rate greater than a threshold amount.

12. The system of claim 10, where the second predetermined condition is a yaw rate or roll rate less than a threshold amount.

13. The system of claim 1, further comprising:

a guide rail configured to direct the panel at least partially across the vehicle roof.

14. The system of claim 13, further comprising:

a locking mechanism attached to the guide rail, configured to selectively secure the panel.

15. A vehicle, comprising:

a roof with an opening;

an occupant restraint device attached to the roof, the occupant restraint device including;

a panel configured to deploy and retract across the opening; and

a control circuit configured to govern movement of the panel across the opening according to vehicle conditions.

16. The vehicle of claim 15, wherein the control circuit includes a processor configured to calculate a probability of a vehicle rollover crash;

and

wherein movement of the panel is governed according to the probability of vehicle rollover crash.

17. The vehicle of claim 16, wherein the panel is inflatable and wherein the control circuit is configured to control inflation of the panel according to the probability of vehicle rollover crash.

18. A control circuit for use with an overhead vehicle occupant restraint device, the control circuit comprising:

a sensor configured to assess a vehicle condition; and

a processor in communication with the sensor, configured to calculate a probability of vehicle rollover crash based upon the vehicle condition;

wherein the processor is configured to activate the overhead vehicle occupant restraint device when the probability of vehicle rollover crash is greater than a predetermined amount and to deactivate the overhead vehicle occupant restraint device when the probability of vehicle rollover crash is less than a predetermined amount.

19. The control circuit of claim 18, further comprising:

an electric motor in communication with the processor and configured to activate and/or deactivate the overhead vehicle occupant restraint device;

wherein the processor is configured to instruct the electric motor to activate and/or deactivate the panel.

20. The control circuit of claim 19, further comprising:

an inflator in communication with the processor and configured to inflate the overhead vehicle occupant restraint device;

wherein the processor is configured to instruct the inflator to inflate the overhead vehicle occupant restraint device.