Angled vehicle crash sensor
First Claim
Patent Images
1. A safety restraint system for a vehicle, comprising a sensor, means for mounting said sensor on the vehicle other than on the steering wheel and means for mounting said sensor angularly with respect to horizontal plane, thereby said sensor being responsive to horizontal and vertical components of acceleration.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The sensor means crashes earlier and discriminates better when mounted at an angle to a horizontal plane passing through the horizontal axis of the vehicle. The sensor preferably is of the damped ball-in-tube type and the angular mounting thereof ranges from 10 to 40 degrees with respect to the horizontal axis of the vehicle, with the forward end of the sensor lower than the rear.
13 Citations
15 Claims
- 1. A safety restraint system for a vehicle, comprising a sensor, means for mounting said sensor on the vehicle other than on the steering wheel and means for mounting said sensor angularly with respect to horizontal plane, thereby said sensor being responsive to horizontal and vertical components of acceleration.
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7. A mechanical sensor with low bias for mounting within a vehicle passenger compartment and operable without electrical power for igniting the pyrotechnic element of an airbag safety restraint system for the vehicle, said sensor comprising a sensor train which includes:
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a primer; a spring biased firing pin; a means responsive to sustain acceleration above the bias for firing pin to strike the primer; said sensor being mounted downwardly and angularly with respect to the horizontal axis of said vehicle, thereby said sensor being responsive to horizontal and vertical components of acceleration.
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8. A safety restraint system for a vehicle containing an electronic sensor comprising a sensing mass;
- means responsive to the motion of the sensing mass;
said sensing mass being tilted thereby being sensitive to vertical as well as horizontal acceleration components. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10)
- means responsive to the motion of the sensing mass;
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11. A safety restraint system for a vehicle comprising a non-steering wheel mounted tilted sensor thereby having means responsive to vertical as well as horizontal acceleration components.
- 12. A safety restraint system for a vehicle comprising an electronic sensor, the sensor being tilted thereby having means responsive to vertical as well as horizontal acceleration components.
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14. A crash sensor for initiating an inflatable restraint comprising of:
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a sensing mass; a spring biasing the sensing means; a means responsive to sustain acceleration above the sensing mass bias to release the firing pin to strike the primer; said sensor being mounted downwardly and angularly with respect to a horizontal plane of said vehicle, thereby said sensor being responsive to horizontal and vertical components of acceleration.
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15. A safety restraint system for a vehicle comprising:
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a sensor mounted in a housing downwardly and angularly with respect to said housing and angularly with respect to a horizontal plane; said housing lying substantially along the horizontal axis of said vehicle and mounted other than on a steering wheel.
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Specification