Air bag system for saving life in a crash

• US 5,472,232 A
• Filed: 11/29/1993
• Issued: 12/05/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: ROHM Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Fukuda, Kazuyuki
• Primary Examiner(s): FERRITER, KARIN L
• Application Number:
  US08/158,274
• Time in Patent Office: 736 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/728 R, 330/282, 330/286, 307/10.1, 340/436, 340/438
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01286 Electronic control units
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value

Abstract

An air bag system is provided with a gain variable amplifier which corrects an output from an acceleration sensor by amplifying it with a set gain and a microcomputer which controls a gain of the gain variable amplifier so that a desired output is obtained when a predetermined input is supplied to the sensor and stops the gain control under a mounted condition after the gain has been set. For the gain control by the microcomputer, a shift register is used.

Claims

1. An air bag system for use in a vehicle, comprising:

an acceleration sensor;

an amplifier of gain variable type which amplifies an output from the acceleration sensor;

storing means for storing as a gain signal a gain obtained when a desired output is obtained from the amplifier in response to a predetermined input supplied to the acceleration sensor;

means for providing the amplifier with the gain signal stored in the storing means;

an air bag driving circuit which is activated in accordance with an output from the amplifier;

an air bag driven by the air bag driving circuit; and

wherein the gain signal stored in the storing means is a gain obtained when the output from the amplifier coincides with a predetermined reference value.

2. An air bag system according to claim 1, wherein said amplifier is constituted by an operational amplifier having a feedback resistor, and a value of the feedback resistor depends on the gain signal from the storing means.

3. An air bag system according to claim 2, wherein said feedback resistor includes a plurality of resistors connected in series, a plurality of switches are provided in parallel with the resistors, respectively, and ON/OFF condition of the switches depends on the gain signal from the storing means.

4. An air bag system according to claim 3, wherein a shift register which supplies each switch with an ON/OFF signal is provided, and the shift register operates in response to the gain signal from the storing means.

5. An air bag system for use in a vehicle, comprising:

an acceleration sensor;

an amplifier of gain variable type which amplifies an output from the acceleration sensor;

controlling means which has a gain setting mode and a mounted mode, said controlling means controlling a gain of the amplifier so as to substantially coincide with a reference value in the gain setting mode;

storing means for storing as a gain signal a gain obtained when an output from the amplifier substantially coincides with the reference value, said storing means providing the amplifier with the gain signal in the mounted mode of the controlling means;

an air bag driving circuit which is activated in accordance with the output from the amplifier; and

an air bag driven by the air bag driving circuit.