Side impact sensor system and method
First Claim
1. A side impact sensor system for use in a vehicle having a side air-bag, a lower body component on an underside of the vehicle, and a body side with a front door belt line area, the system comprising:
- a body side impact sensor mounted to the body side at least as high as the front door belt line area;
a lower body side impact sensor mounted to the lower body component inboard from the body side, said lower body component comprising a vehicle floor pan;
a safing sensor secured to the vehicle; and
an electronic control module in electrical communication with the side air-bag and with said sensors for sending firing signals to the side air-bag when said safing sensor and at least one of said body and lower body side impact sensors signal a predetermined level of lateral acceleration indicative of a side impact.
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Accused Products
Abstract
A side impact sensor system is used in a vehicle having a side air-bag, a lower body component, and a body side with a front door belt line area. The system includes a body side impact sensor mounted to the body side at least as high as the front door belt-line area. A lower body side impact sensor is mounted to the lower body component inboard from the body side. A safing sensor is secured to the vehicle. Electronic control module is provided in the electrical communication with the side air-bag and with the sensors for sending firing signals to the side air-bag when the safing sensor and at least one of the body and lower body side impact sensors signal a sufficiently high lateral acceleration indicative of a side impact.
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Citations
5 Claims
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1. A side impact sensor system for use in a vehicle having a side air-bag, a lower body component on an underside of the vehicle, and a body side with a front door belt line area, the system comprising:
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a body side impact sensor mounted to the body side at least as high as the front door belt line area; a lower body side impact sensor mounted to the lower body component inboard from the body side, said lower body component comprising a vehicle floor pan; a safing sensor secured to the vehicle; and an electronic control module in electrical communication with the side air-bag and with said sensors for sending firing signals to the side air-bag when said safing sensor and at least one of said body and lower body side impact sensors signal a predetermined level of lateral acceleration indicative of a side impact. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3)
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4. A method of deploying a side air-bag in a vehicle having a vehicle floor pan an underside of the vehicle and a body side with a front door belt line area, the method comprising:
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sensing a first lateral acceleration at a body side impact sensor location on the body side at least as high as the front door belt line area; sensing a second lateral acceleration at a lower body side impact sensor location on the vehicle floor pan inboard from the body side; sensing a third lateral acceleration at a safing sensor location on the vehicle; and deploying the side air-bag if said third lateral acceleration and at least one of said first and second lateral accelerations exceed predetermined threshold values indicative of a side impact. - View Dependent Claims (5)
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Specification