Exterior Airbag Deployment Techniques
First Claim
1. A motor vehicle, comprising:
- at least one inflatable airbag deployable outside of the vehicle;
an anticipatory sensor system for determining that an impact involving the vehicle is about to occur based on data obtained prior to the impact and determining whether the impact requires deployment of at least one of said at least one airbag, said anticipatory sensor system being arranged to determine which of said at least one airbag is to be deployed to provide for protection of any occupants of the vehicle; and
an inflator system coupled to said anticipatory sensor system and said at least one airbag for inflating said at least one airbag in response to the determinations by said anticipatory sensor system that an impact involving the vehicle is about to occur and that the impact requires deployment of said at least one airbag.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Externally deployed airbag system for a vehicle including one or more inflatable airbags deployable outside of the vehicle, an anticipatory sensor system for assessing the probable severity of an impact involving the vehicle based on data obtained prior to the impact and initiating inflation of the airbag(s) in the event an impact above a threshold severity is assessed, and an inflator coupled to the anticipatory sensor system and the airbag for inflating the airbag when initiated by the anticipatory sensor system. The airbag may be housed in a module mounted along a side of the vehicle, in a side door of the vehicle (both for side impact protection), at a front of the vehicle (for frontal impact protection) or at a rear of the vehicle (for rear impact protection). Also, the externally deployed airbag can be deployed to cushion a pedestrian'"'"'s impact against the vehicle.
-
Citations
20 Claims
-
1. A motor vehicle, comprising:
-
at least one inflatable airbag deployable outside of the vehicle; an anticipatory sensor system for determining that an impact involving the vehicle is about to occur based on data obtained prior to the impact and determining whether the impact requires deployment of at least one of said at least one airbag, said anticipatory sensor system being arranged to determine which of said at least one airbag is to be deployed to provide for protection of any occupants of the vehicle; and an inflator system coupled to said anticipatory sensor system and said at least one airbag for inflating said at least one airbag in response to the determinations by said anticipatory sensor system that an impact involving the vehicle is about to occur and that the impact requires deployment of said at least one airbag. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
-
-
14. A method for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an impact between the vehicle and an object, comprising:
-
arranging at least one airbag on the vehicle for deployment outside of the vehicle; detecting an impending impact between the vehicle and the object prior to the impact; determining the probable severity of the impending impact prior to the impact; and determining which of the at least one airbag is to be deployed to provide for protection of any occupants of the vehicle prior to the impact and then inflating the airbag exterior of the vehicle between the vehicle and the object prior to impact in the event the impending impact is determined to be above a threshold severity. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
-
Specification