Supplemental inflatable restraint disabling system

• US 5,803,491 A
• Filed: 02/28/1997
• Issued: 09/08/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 02/28/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Kolhoff, Lenore Walczak, Barnes, William Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/808,751
• Time in Patent Office: 557 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/734, 280/732, 280/730.1, 280/728.1, 296/68.1, 297/344.1, 340/438
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01566 Devices for warning or indicating mode of inhibition

Abstract

A disabling system is provided for a supplemental inflatable restraint system in a vehicle. The disabling system includes a seat movable forward and rearward in the vehicle. The seat has a predetermined seat position. The disabling system automatically disables the supplemental inflatable restraint system when the seat is moved forward of the predetermined seat position and automatically enables the supplemental inflatable restraint system when the seat is moved rearward of the predetermined seat position. In a preferred form of the invention, the predetermined seat position occurs when the seat is fully forward in the vehicle such that the supplemental inflatable restraint system is automatically disabled when the seat is at the fully forward position.

Claims

1. A disabling system for a supplemental inflatable restraint system in a vehicle, the disabling system comprising:

a seat movable forward and rearward in the vehicle, the seat having a predetermined seat position;

means for automatically disabling the supplemental inflatable restraint system when the seat is moved forward of the predetermined seat position and for automatically enabling the supplemental inflatable restraint system when the seat is moved rearward of the predetermined seat position.

2. The disabling system of claim 1 wherein the predetermined seat position occurs when the seat is fully forward in the vehicle and wherein the supplemental inflatable restraint system is automatically disabled when the seat is at the fully forward position.

3. The disabling system of claim 1 wherein the means includes a switch movable between a triggered condition to deactivate the supplemental inflatable restraint system when the seat is forward of the predetermined seat position and an untriggered condition when the seat is rearward of the predetermined seat position to enable activation of the supplemental restraint system.

4. The disabling system of claim 3 wherein the disabling system includes diagnostics for determining if there is a fault in the switch and wherein the disabling system includes a telltale light which is lit when the fault in the switch is detected.

5. The disabling system of claim 1 wherein the means includes a sensor for sensing the position of the seat relative to the predetermined seat position.

6. The disabling system of claim 5 wherein the disabling system includes diagnostics for determining if there is a fault in the sensor and wherein the disabling system includes a telltale light which is lit when the fault in the sensor is detected.

7. The disabling system of claim 1 wherein the disabling system includes means for indicating when the supplemental inflatable restraint system is disabled.

8. The disabling system of claim 7 wherein the means for indicating that the supplemental inflatable restraint system is disabled includes an indicator light indicating that the supplemental inflatable restraint system is currently disabled.

9. A disabling system for a supplemental inflatable restraint system in a vehicle, the disabling system comprising:

a seat movable forward and rearward in the vehicle, the seat having a predetermined seat position;

a switch which is movable between a triggered condition to deactivate the supplemental inflatable restraint system when the seat is at or forward of the predetermined seat position and an untriggered condition to permit activation of the supplemental restraint system when the seat is rearward of the predetermined seat position.

10. The disabling system of claim 9 wherein the vehicle includes a track and wherein the seat includes a base movable along the track and wherein the predetermined seat position occurs only when the base of the seat is moved fully forward in the track.

11. The disabling system of claim 10 wherein the track has a forward end and wherein the switch is located on the forward end of the track.

12. The disabling system of claim 10 wherein the base has a forward end and wherein the switch is located on the forward end of the base.

13. The disabling system of claim 9 wherein the vehicle includes a track and wherein the seat includes a base movable along the track and wherein the predetermined seat position occurs when the base of the seat is moved at least nearly fully forward in the track.