OCCUPANT PROTECTION DEVICE

• US 20130317701A1
• Filed: 05/20/2013
• Published: 11/28/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Ooyabu, Shinji
• Granted Patent: US 8,676,448 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/00 Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0176 for firing circuits using only mechanical switches as collision detecting means, in series with pyrotechnic fuses
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/02 Occupant safety arrangements or fittings , e.g. crash pads seat belts with crash pads B60R22/14; removable children's seats having a front guard or barrier B60N2/2839
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1647 Explosive actuation

Abstract

An occupant protection device includes (i) an electronic control unit having a control board, (ii) a parallel connection bus having two lines, (iii) multiple satellite sensors connected to the parallel connection bus, (iv) a squib connected to the parallel connection bus, and (v) an accident prevention diode located close to the squib. The control board includes an interface and a processor. Each of the satellite sensors includes a distributed system interface which is located between the two lines. The parallel connection bus is supplied with a sensor drive voltage. The electronic control unit starts to operate at least one of the occupant protection portions based on a result of the collision determination by the control board.

Claims

1. An occupant protection device comprising:

an electronic control unit including a control board, the control board including

an interface having a communication circuit to conduct a power line superposed communication, and

a processor connected to the interface and configured to make a collision determination;

a parallel connection bus having two lines, wherein a base portion of the parallel connection bus is connected to the electronic control unit, wherein the parallel connection bus is supplied with a sensor drive voltage;

a plurality of satellite sensors connected to the parallel connection bus for collision detection, wherein each of the satellite sensors includes a distributed system interface which is located between the two lines;

a squib connected to the parallel connection bus and configured to start to operate at least one of occupant protection portions by an ignition voltage which is reverse polarity to the sensor drive voltage; and

an accident prevention diode located in vicinity of the squib and connected in series with the reverse polarity to the sensor drive voltage, wherein

the electronic control unit starts to operate at least one of the occupant protection portions based on a result of the collision determination by the control board, and

the electronic control unit includes an ignition switching element which applies the ignition voltage for the squib through the parallel connection bus.

2. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein

each of the satellite sensors has a backflow prevention diode which is connected in series to the distributed system interface and prevents application of the ignition voltage to the distributed system interface.

3. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

one of the two lines of the parallel connection bus is a power supply line;

the other of the two lines of the parallel connection bus is a ground line;

the electronic control unit includes

a power supply terminal connected to the power supply line,

a ground-side terminal connected to the ground line,

a sensor power supply terminal connected to a power supply of the sensor drive voltage,

an ignition power supply terminal connected to a power supply of the ignition voltage having a same polarity to the sensor drive voltage, and

at least one ground terminal;

the electronic control unit further includes

a power-side sensor switching element interposed between the sensor power supply terminal and the power supply terminal,

a ground-side sensor switching element interposed between the ground-side terminal and the ground terminal;

a power-side ignition switching element interposed between the ignition power supply terminal and the ground-side terminal; and

a ground-side ignition switching element interposed between the power supply terminal and the ground terminal; and

based on the result of the collision determination, the control board switches between

a first state, where a sensor drive circuit including the power-side sensor switching element and the ground-side sensor switching element is closed, and

a second state, where an ignition circuit including the power-side ignition switching element and the ground-side ignition switching element is closed.

4. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the parallel connection bus includes the squib at a termination of the parallel connection bus;

a first satellite sensor of the satellite sensors is adjacent to the squib; and

the first satellite sensor includes an accident prevention diode which is connected in a row to a terminal of the first satellite sensor, the terminal of the first satellite sensor being adjacent to the squib.

5. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the squib includes the accident prevention diode; and

the squib is either

a two-terminal squib which is connected to the termination of the parallel connection bus, or

a four-terminal squib which is connectable at a middle of the parallel connection bus or the termination of the parallel connection bus.

6. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein:

the parallel connection bus has

the squib connected at the termination of the parallel connection bus, and

an attachment including the accident prevention diode and being connected to either

a connection port of the squib, or

a connection port of a second satellite sensor of the satellite sensors, the second satellite sensor being adjacently connected to the squib.

7. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein

at least one of the power-side sensor switching element or the ground-side sensor switching element keeps a current flowing through the parallel connection bus less than or equal to a predetermined accident prevention current value.

8. The occupant protection device according to claim 1, wherein

apart from the squib connected to the parallel connection bus, the occupant protection device has at least one of squibs to which the ignition voltage is applied from the electronic control unit.