VEHICLE OCCUPANT PROTECTION APPARATUS AND STARTUP METHOD OF SAME

• US 20100100285A1
• Filed: 12/21/2009
• Published: 04/22/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/07/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Honda Motor Co., Ltd. (Honda Motor Company)
• Inventors: Tobaru, Shigeo
• Application Number:
  US12/643,347
• Publication Number:
  US 20100100285A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/134 movable from a retracted to a protection position
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/138 using external airbags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/13 Roll-over protection electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01

Abstract

An apparatus for protecting occupants when a vehicle having an openable and closeable roof overturns, which apparatus includes an occupant rollover protection member that supports a vehicle frame when the vehicle overturns, and first buffering members that buffer the occupants. A first buffering member control unit controls the deployment of the first buffering members on the basis of information from a vehicle state detection mechanism that detects the behavior of the vehicle.

Claims

1. A startup method for a vehicle occupant protection apparatus for protecting an occupant by detecting the behavior of a vehicle in which at least part of the roof can be opened and closed, and controlling a buffering member that buffers the occupant when the vehicle is overturning;

wherein

the buffering member is disposed in an occupant rollover protection member that supports a frame of the vehicle;

collisions, overturning, and other such behavior of the vehicle are detected by a vehicle state detection mechanism attached to the vehicle frame;

an occupant roll protection member startup control unit determines whether or not overturn information from the vehicle state detection mechanism exceeds a specific value;

startup signals are output in cases in which the overturn information exceeds the specific value;

first drive force generating means that moves the occupant rollover protection member from a storage position to a support position are controlled based on the startup signals; and

second drive force generating means of a buffer mechanism that deploys the buffering member into a deployed position are controlled based on the startup signals.

2. The startup method of the vehicle occupant protection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the startup signals are composed of a first startup signal that is output to the first drive force generating means, and a second startup signal that is output to the second drive force generating means;

and

the startup signals separately control the occupant rollover protection member and the buffering member.

3. The startup method of the vehicle occupant protection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein

the startup signals provide a specific time difference between the start of output of the first startup signal and the start of output of the second startup signal.