Occupant and infant seat detection in a vehicle supplemental restraint system
First Claim
Patent Images
1. An automotive vehicle supplemental restraint system that includes:
- an air bag positioned within a vehicle opposite a predetermined vehicle seat position, means for activating the air bag in the event of vehicle impact, and deployment control means for preventing activation of the air bag when the seat is unoccupied or occupied by a rear-facing infant seat, said deployment control means comprising;
first means for positioning at said predetermined vehicle seat position to sense occupancy of said seat position,second means for disposition at a predetermined position on an infant seat and third means at said predetermined vehicle seat position responsive to positioning of said second means at said vehicle seat position for indicating orientation of the infant seat at said predetermined vehicle seat position,fourth means coupled to said first and third means for inhibiting deployment of said air bag when a rear-facing infant seat is disposed at said predetermined vehicle seat position, and otherwise enabling deployment of said air bag when said predetermined vehicle seat position is occupied as indicated by said first means and said third means does not indicate a rear-facing infant seat at said predetermined vehicle seat position,fifth means responsive to said fourth means for indicating to a vehicle operator that deployment of said air bag has been inhibited by said fourth means, andsixth means for a vehicle operator to override said fourth means and enable deployment of said air bag independent of said first and second means.
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Abstract
An automotive vehicle supplemental restraint system that includes an air bag positioned within the vehicle opposite the passenger side of the front seat, and electronics coupled to one or more impact sensors for activating the air bag in the event of a vehicle impact. Occupancy sensors are provided at the passenger seat for sensing seat occupancy and inhibiting activation of the air bag when the seat is either unoccupied or occupied by a rear-facing infant seat. System status is displayed to a vehicle operator, and the operator is provided with an opportunity to override the occupancy sensors and enable activation of the air bag.
106 Citations
10 Claims
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1. An automotive vehicle supplemental restraint system that includes:
- an air bag positioned within a vehicle opposite a predetermined vehicle seat position, means for activating the air bag in the event of vehicle impact, and deployment control means for preventing activation of the air bag when the seat is unoccupied or occupied by a rear-facing infant seat, said deployment control means comprising;
first means for positioning at said predetermined vehicle seat position to sense occupancy of said seat position, second means for disposition at a predetermined position on an infant seat and third means at said predetermined vehicle seat position responsive to positioning of said second means at said vehicle seat position for indicating orientation of the infant seat at said predetermined vehicle seat position, fourth means coupled to said first and third means for inhibiting deployment of said air bag when a rear-facing infant seat is disposed at said predetermined vehicle seat position, and otherwise enabling deployment of said air bag when said predetermined vehicle seat position is occupied as indicated by said first means and said third means does not indicate a rear-facing infant seat at said predetermined vehicle seat position, fifth means responsive to said fourth means for indicating to a vehicle operator that deployment of said air bag has been inhibited by said fourth means, and sixth means for a vehicle operator to override said fourth means and enable deployment of said air bag independent of said first and second means. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
- an air bag positioned within a vehicle opposite a predetermined vehicle seat position, means for activating the air bag in the event of vehicle impact, and deployment control means for preventing activation of the air bag when the seat is unoccupied or occupied by a rear-facing infant seat, said deployment control means comprising;
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8. In an automotive vehicle supplemental restraint system that includes an air bag positioned within the vehicle opposite a predetermined vehicle seat position and means for activating the air bag in the event of vehicle impact, a method of preventing activation of the air bag in the event that an infant seat is positioned at said predetermined vehicle seat position, said method comprising the steps of:
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(a) providing magnetic means on the infant seat, (b) providing magnetic sensing means in the vehicle at a position to detect said magnetic means on the infant seat when the infant seat is positioned at said predetermined vehicle seat position, (c) inhibiting activation of the air bag opposite said predetermined vehicle seat position when the magnetic means is detected in said step (b), (d) indicating to a vehicle operator that said magnetic means is detected in said step (b) and activation of the air bag is inhibited in said step (c), and (e) providing means for the vehicle operator to override said step (c) and enable activation of said air bag independent of said steps (a) and (b).
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9. An automotive vehicle supplemental restraint system that includes:
- an air bag positioned within a vehicle opposite a predetermined vehicle seat position, means for activating the air bag in the event of vehicle impact, and deployment control means for preventing activation of the air bag when the seat is unoccupied or occupied by a rear-facing infant seat, said deployment control means comprising;
first means for positioning at said predetermined vehicle seat position to sense occupancy of said seat position, second means including optically readable means affixed at a predetermined position on an infant seat, third means including optical reading means disposed opposite said predetermined vehicle seat position responsive to said optically readable means on a rearwardly facing infant seat at said vehicle seat position for indicating rear-facing orientation of the infant seat at said predetermined vehicle seat position, fourth means coupled to said first and third means for inhibiting deployment of said air bag when a rear-facing infant seat is disposed at said predetermined vehicle seat position, and otherwise enabling deployment of said air bag when said predetermined vehicle seat position is occupied as indicated by said first means and said third means does not indicate a rear-facing infant seat at said predetermined vehicle seat position, fifth means responsive to said fourth means for indicating to a vehicle operator that deployment of said air bag has been inhibited by said fourth means, and sixth means for a vehicle operator to override said fourth means and enable deployment of said air bag independent of said first and second means. - View Dependent Claims (10)
- an air bag positioned within a vehicle opposite a predetermined vehicle seat position, means for activating the air bag in the event of vehicle impact, and deployment control means for preventing activation of the air bag when the seat is unoccupied or occupied by a rear-facing infant seat, said deployment control means comprising;
Specification