Restraint system especially for an occupant of a vehicle

• US 6,186,261 B1
• Filed: 09/14/1999
• Issued: 02/13/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Stocker, Stefan, Mehler, Gerhard, Mattes, Bernhard, Groesch, Lothar
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US09/381,152
• Time in Patent Office: 518 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 180/271, 180/274, 180/282, 701/45, 342/72
• US Class Current: 180/274
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01311 monitoring the braking system, e.g. ABS
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01315 monitoring occupant displacement
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems

Abstract

A restraint system is disclosed which with high reliability trips one or more restraint devices, if in a collision there is the risk of injury to vehicle occupants. This restraint system is equipped with at least one seat position senor (SPS1, SPS2, . . . , SPSm), with which a change in the seat position of at least one vehicle occupant can be ascertained, and a control unit (SE) forms a first criterion for tripping one or more restraint devices (R1, R2, . . . , Rk) if the rate of change of the seat position exceeds a predeterminable threshold. The control unit (SE) forms a second criterion for tripping one or more restraint devices (R1, R2, . . . , Rk) if one or more precrash sensors (PCS1, PCS2, . . . , PCSn) signal an incipient collision. The control unit (SE) does not cause the tripping of one or more restraint devices (R1, R2, . . . , Rk) unless both tripping criteria are satisfied and also a braking datum (BI), advantageously generated by a brake light switch, is present.

Claims

1. A restraint system for occupants of a vehicle, said restraint system comprising

at least one restraint device (R1, R2, . . . , Rk) for holding-back or restraining at least one occupant of said vehicle;

at least one seat position sensor (SPS1, SPS2, . . . , SPSm), said at least one seat position sensor including means for determining a change in a seat position of said at least one occupant of said vehicle;

at least one precrash sensor (PCS1, PCS2, . . . , PCSn) for generating at least one precrash signal indicative of an incipient collision; and

a control unit (SE) including

means for forming a first criterion for tripping said at least one restraint device if a rate of change of said seat position of said at least one occupant exceeds a predetermined threshold;

means for forming a second criterion for tripping said at least one restraint device if said at least one precrash sensor generates a precrash sensor signal indicative of said incipient collision; and

means for tripping said at least one restraint device if and only if both of said tripping criteria are simultaneously satisfied and a braking datum is present.

2. The restraint system as defined in claim 1, wherein the braking datum is generated in response to a brake light switch signal from a brake light switch provided in said vehicle.

3. The restraint system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one seat position sensor is an optical sensor.

4. The restraint system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one seat position sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

5. The restraint system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one seat position sensor is a microwave sensor.

6. The restraint system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one precrash sensor is an optical sensor.

7. The restraint system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one precrash sensor is an ultrasonic sensor.

8. The restraint system as defined in claim 1, wherein said at least one precrash sensor is a microwave sensor.

9. The restraint system as defined in claim 1, further comprising a common housing accommodating both said control unit (SE) and said at least one seat position sensor (SPS1, SPS2, . . . , SPSm).