Actuator of passenger protecting system
First Claim
1. An actuator for a vehicular passenger protecting member including a power source, comprising:
- an acceleration sensor for providing an acceleration signal;
a determination mechanism configured to provide a vehicle collision signal when said acceleration signal is greater than a predetermined level;
a propulsion mechanism configured to actuate said passenger protecting member when energized;
an electronic switch unit connected in series to said power source and said propulsion means;
a drive circuit for driving said electronic switch unit to connect said power source and said propulsion mechanism when said determination mechanism provides said vehicle collision signal; and
a serial signal generator for generating a serial signal composed of a prescribed number of serial bit signals in a prescribed order at least when said determination mechanism provides said collision signal;
wherein said drive circuit comprises;
a converter for converting said serial signal to a parallel signal composed of the same number of parallel bit signals as said prescribed number of serial bit signals after said serial signal generator provides said serial signal; and
a prevention mechanism configured to prevent said electronic switch unit from connecting said power source and said propulsion mechanism when said parallel bit signals do not coincide with a prescribed signal pattern corresponding to said prescribed order.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An actuator for inflating a vehicle air bag includes an acceleration sensor, a computer for judging a vehicle collision according to a signal of the acceleration sensor, a plurality of squibs for inflating the air bag, an electronic switch unit connected in series to a power source and the squibs, a drive circuit for driving the electronic switch unit to connect the power source and the squibs when the computer judges a vehicle collision. The drive circuit has a serial signal generator, a serial-parallel converter and a forbidding circuit. The serial signal generator generates a serial signal composed of a prescribed number of serial bit signals in a prescribed order, and the serial-parallel converter the serial signal to the prescribed number of parallel bit signals. The forbidding circuit forbids the electronic switch unit connecting the power source and the squibs except the parallel bit signals coincide with the prescribed order of the serial signal.
19 Citations
25 Claims
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1. An actuator for a vehicular passenger protecting member including a power source, comprising:
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an acceleration sensor for providing an acceleration signal; a determination mechanism configured to provide a vehicle collision signal when said acceleration signal is greater than a predetermined level; a propulsion mechanism configured to actuate said passenger protecting member when energized; an electronic switch unit connected in series to said power source and said propulsion means; a drive circuit for driving said electronic switch unit to connect said power source and said propulsion mechanism when said determination mechanism provides said vehicle collision signal; and a serial signal generator for generating a serial signal composed of a prescribed number of serial bit signals in a prescribed order at least when said determination mechanism provides said collision signal; wherein said drive circuit comprises; a converter for converting said serial signal to a parallel signal composed of the same number of parallel bit signals as said prescribed number of serial bit signals after said serial signal generator provides said serial signal; and a prevention mechanism configured to prevent said electronic switch unit from connecting said power source and said propulsion mechanism when said parallel bit signals do not coincide with a prescribed signal pattern corresponding to said prescribed order. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17)
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18. A method of operating a passenger protecting member for a vehicle comprising:
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detecting an acceleration level of said vehicle; providing a serial signal composed of a prescribed number of serial bit signals in a prescribed order when said acceleration level is higher than a first prescribed level; converting said serial signal to a parallel signal composed of the same number of parallel bit signals as said prescribed number of serial bit signals after said serial signal is provided; mechanically actuating said passenger protecting member partially when said acceleration level is greater than a second prescribed level; and actuating said passenger protecting member completely and concurrently after the same is actuated partially when said parallel bit signals coincide with a parallel bit pattern corresponding to said prescribed order. - View Dependent Claims (19)
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20. An actuator for a passenger protecting member for a vehicle including a power source comprising:
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a propulsion mechanism configured to actuate said passenger protecting member when energized by said power source, said propulsion mechanism comprising a first propulsion element and a second propulsion element; a first switch unit comprising a series circuit of a pair of first and second electronic switches and said first propulsion element; a second switch unit comprising a series circuit of a pair of a third electronic switch and a mechanical switch and said second propulsion element, said mechanical switch closing when vehicle is given a prescribed degree of shock; an acceleration sensor for providing an acceleration signal; a collision detector mechanism configured to provide a collision signal according to said acceleration signal; an operation determining mechanism configured to determine whether to actuate said first and second propulsion elements stepwise or concurrently according to said acceleration signal; a first drive circuit for concurrently turning on said first and second switch units when said collision detection mechanism provides said collision signal and said operation determining mechanism determines to concurrently actuate said first and second propulsion elements; a second drive circuit for stepwise turning on said first and second switch units when said collision detection mechanism provides said collision signal and said operation determination mechanism determines to stepwise actuate said first and second propulsion elements; a conductor element connected between said first propulsion element and said mechanical switch to actuate said first propulsion element when said mechanical switch is closed. - View Dependent Claims (21, 22, 23, 24, 25)
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Specification