Triggering device for safety apparatus

• US 5,995,892 A
• Filed: 07/07/1997
• Issued: 11/30/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 06/12/1995
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Kiribayashi, Shinichi, Masegi, Mitsuhiko
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli, Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US08/888,678
• Time in Patent Office: 876 Days
• Field of Search: 701/45, 701/46, 307/10.1, 340/436, 280/728.1, 280/734, 280/735, 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0009 Oblique collision
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01332 by frequency or waveform analysis

Abstract

A triggering device for a safety apparatus includes a first detecting section and a second detecting section. The first detection section includes at least one first sensor located in a right-hand portion of a vehicle for detecting a deceleration acting on the vehicle in at least one of a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction of the vehicle. The second detecting section includes at least one second sensor located in a left-hand portion of the vehicle for detecting a deceleration acting on the vehicle in at least one of the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction of the vehicle. A controlling section is operative for triggering the safety apparatus in response to at least two out of detection values related to the longitudinal direction and detection values related to the lateral direction which are generated by the first and second sensors.

Claims

1. A triggering device for a safety apparatus, comprising:

first detection means including at least one first sensor located in a right side portion of a vehicle for detecting a deceleration acting on the vehicle in at least one of a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction of the vehicle;

second detection means including at least one second sensor located in a left side portion of the vehicle for detecting a deceleration acting on the vehicle in at least one of the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction of the vehicle; and

controlling means for triggering the safety apparatus in response to at least two of a number of detection values related to the longitudinal direction and detection values related to the lateral direction which are generated by the first and second sensors;

wherein the safety apparatus comprises at least one of a number of front air-bag devices for a driver'"'"'s seat and a front passenger'"'"'s seat, the controlling means being operative for triggering said at least one air-bag device in response to the at least two detection values related to the longitudinal direction which are generated by the first and second sensors; and

wherein the safety apparatus further comprises at least one of a number of side air-bag devices for the driver'"'"'s seat and the front passenger'"'"'s seat, the controlling means being operative for triggering said at least one side air-bag device in response to at least two detection values related to the lateral direction.

2. A triggering device as recited in claim 1, wherein each of the first detecting means and the second detecting means comprises one first sensor and one second sensor corresponding to a deceleration in the longitudinal direction and a deceleration in the lateral direction respectively.

3. A triggering device as recited in claim 1, being made into sections located in the right side portion and the left side portion of the vehicle respectively.

4. A triggering device for a safety apparatus, comprising:

first detection means including at least one first sensor located in a right side portion of a vehicle for detecting a deceleration acting on the vehicle in at least one of a longitudinal direction and a lateral direction of the vehicle;

second detection means including at least one second sensor located in a left side portion of the vehicle for detecting a deceleration acting on the vehicle in at least one of the longitudinal direction and the lateral direction of the vehicle; and

controlling means for triggering the safety apparatus in response to at least two of a number of detection values related to the longitudinal direction and detection values related to the lateral direction which are generated by the first and second sensors;

wherein the safety apparatus comprises at least one of a number of front air-bag devices for a driver'"'"'s seat and a front passenger'"'"'s seat, the controlling means being operative for triggering said at least one air-bag device in response to the at least two detection values related to the longitudinal direction which are generated by the first and second sensors;

wherein the safety apparatus further comprises at least one of a number of side air-bag devices for the driver'"'"'s seat and the front passenger'"'"'s seat the controlling means being operative for triggering said at least one side air-bag device in response to at least two detection values related to the lateral direction; and

wherein each of the first and second sensors outputs a detection value depending on the deceleration, and has a detection surface, and wherein a direction perpendicular to the detection surface of each of the first and second sensors forms a predetermined angle with respect to the longitudinal direction of the vehicle in an approximately horizontal plane, and each of the first and second sensors detects the deceleration in the longitudinal direction and the deceleration in the lateral direction.

5. A triggering device as recited in claim 4, wherein each of the first and second sensors outputs a detection value having a polarity which depends on a direction of a deceleration, and the controlling means is operative for triggering the safety apparatus in response to a combination of the polarities of the detection values generated by the first and second sensors.

6. A triggering device as recited in claim 4, wherein each of the first detecting means and the second detecting means comprises a pair of the first and second sensors outputting the detection values having the polarities which depend on a direction of a deceleration, and the controlling means is operative for triggering the safety apparatus in response to a combination of the polarities of the detection values generated by the first and second sensors in one of the first detecting means and the second detecting means.

7. A triggering device as recited in claim 4, further comprising a third sensor for detecting a deceleration caused by an oblique collision, and the controlling means is operative for triggering the safety apparatus in response to a detection value generated by the third sensor and the detection value generated by one of the first and second sensors.

8. A triggering device as recited in claim 4, being made into sections located in the right side portion and the left side portion of the vehicle respectively.