Apparatus for aiding escape of passenger

• US 5,975,231 A
• Filed: 08/14/1996
• Issued: 11/02/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 09/26/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Hirato, Sakiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis, Christopher P.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US08/696,597
• Time in Patent Office: 1,175 Days
• Field of Search: 180/268, 180/274, 180/281, 180/282, 180/286, 280/777, 280/735, 701/45, 296/68.1
• US Class Current: 180/274
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2220/20 using a deterministic algorithm
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/321 using electric means
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/181 with power actuated adjustment, e.g. with position memory
• CPC Class Codes: E05B 77/12 Automatic locking or unlocking at the moment of collision
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/40 Safety devices, e.g. detection of obstructions or end positions
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/611 for swinging wings
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/695 Control circuits therefor
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/70 with automatic actuation
• CPC Class Codes: E05F 15/72 responsive to emergency conditions, e.g. fire
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2400/42 for multiple openings
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2800/407 plastic deformation
• CPC Class Codes: E05Y 2900/55 Windows

Abstract

An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers having an impact detection unit for detecting an impact which is generated when a vehicle has come into collision, vehicle state detection units for detecting a state of the vehicle realized after the vehicle has come into collision, and operation control units for controlling operations of units mounted on the vehicle in accordance with the impact generated when the vehicle has come into collision and detected by the impact detection unit and the state of the vehicle realized after the vehicle has come into collision and detected by the vehicle state detection units.

Claims

1. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers comprising:

an impact detection unit configured to detect a signal for determining the occurrence of an impact which is generated when a vehicle has come into collision;

a comparison unit configured to compare the detected signal with first and second thresholds, the second threshold being larger than the first threshold;

a first operation control unit configured to control operation of a first unit mounted on the vehicle in accordance with the comparison of the detected signal and the first threshold, wherein the first unit is a locking/unlocking unit of the vehicle; and

a second operation control unit configured to control operation of at least one second unit mounted on the vehicle in accordance with the comparison of the detected signal and the second threshold, wherein the at least one second unit allows for escape of the passengers from the vehicle.

2. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 1, wherein said impact detection unit detects deceleration of the vehicle as the impact which is generated when the vehicle has come into collision.

4. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 1, wherein said second units mounted on the vehicle include a power window, a sun roof, a child safety lock, a seat belt, an automatic driving position system and a trunk opener.

6. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 1, wherein said at least one second unit includes an opener for an alternate escape, wherein said second operation control unit opens the opener when a determination is made that the detected signal is greater than the second threshold.

7. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 6, wherein said opener includes a sunroof opener.

8. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 6, wherein said opener includes a power window opener.

9. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 6, wherein said opener includes a trunk opener.

10. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 6, wherein said second operation control unit operates a passenger access device when a determination is made that the detected signal is less than the second threshold.

11. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 10, wherein said passenger access device includes a child safety lock, and wherein said at least one second operation control means unlocks said child safety lock.

12. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 10, wherein said passenger access device includes a safety belt release, and wherein said at least one second operation control means releases said safety belt release.

3. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers comprising:

an impact detection unit configured to detect an impact which is generated when a vehicle has come into collision;

a vehicle state detection unit configured to detect a state of the vehicle realized after the vehicle has come into collision; and

an operation control means unit configured to control operations of units mounted on the vehicle in accordance with the impact generated when the vehicle has come into collision and detected by said impact detection unit and the state of the vehicle realized after the vehicle has come into collision and detected by said vehicle state detection unit,

wherein said vehicle state detection unit includes a first state detection unit configured to detect a state where doors of the vehicle are locked, a second state detection unit configured to detect a state where doors of the vehicle are opened and a third state detection unit configured to detect a state where a foot brake is applied so that the state of the vehicle realized after the vehicle has come into collision is detected by said first to third state detection units.

5. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers comprising:

an impact detection unit configured to detect a signal for determining the occurrence of an impact which is generated when a vehicle has come into collision;

a comparison unit configured to compare the detected signal with first and second thresholds, the second threshold being larger than the first threshold;

a first operation control unit configured to control operation of a first unit mounted on a vehicle in accordance with the comparison of the detected signal and the first threshold; and

a second operation control unit configured to control operation of at least one second unit mounted on the vehicle in accordance with the comparison of the detected signal and the second threshold,

wherein said at least one second operation control unit operates a seat belt actuator to release a seat belt after a determination is made that an operation of unlocking doors has been successful.

13. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers comprising:

an impact detection unit configured to detect an impact which is generated when a vehicle has come into collision;

a first operation control unit configured to control a first operation by a first unit mounted on the vehicle in accordance with said impact detected by said impact detection unit;

a vehicle state detection unit configured to detect a result of the first operation; and

a second operation control unit configured to control operation of at least one second unit mounted on the vehicle in accordance with said result of the first operation detected by said vehicle state detection unit,

wherein said first unit includes a power door lock system, wherein said first operation control unit performs an unlock operation, and wherein said vehicle state detection unit detects a result of the unlock operation.

14. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 13, wherein said at least one second unit includes an opener for an alternate escape, wherein said second operation control unit opens the opener when a determination is made that an operation of unlocking doors has been unsuccessful.

15. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 14, wherein said opener includes a sunroof opener.

16. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 14, wherein said opener includes a power window opener.

17. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 14, wherein said opener includes a trunk opener.

18. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 13, wherein said at least one second operation control unit operates a passenger access device when a determination is made that an operation of unlocking doors has been successful.

19. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 18, wherein said passenger access device includes a child safety lock, and wherein said at least one second operation control unit unlocks said child safety lock.

20. An apparatus for aiding escape of passengers according to claim 18, wherein said passenger access device includes a safety belt release, and wherein said at least one second operation control unit releases said safety belt release.