Method for operating a vehicle occupant restraint system and a device for carrying out the method
First Claim
1. A method of operating a vehicle occupant restraint system which comprises a gas bag having a deflated condition and an inflated condition and a multiple stage gas generator having a plurality of individually ignitable propellant charges, said method comprising the steps of:
- sensing a vehicle crash;
igniting at least one of said propellant charges and not igniting any remaining propellant charge;
inflating the gas bag;
restraining the vehicle occupant with the inflated gas bag;
after restraining the vehicle occupant with the inflated gas bag, sensing the position of the vehicle occupant; and
igniting any remaining non-ignited propellant charge when the vehicle occupant is located spaced apart from the gas bag so that the gas bag has no restraining effect on the vehicle occupant due to ignition of any remaining propellant charge.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The invention relates to a method for operating a vehicle occupant restraint system in which, after igniting of the first stage of the gas generator, the second stage not necessary to achieve the desired restraining effect is ignited when through its igniting no further restraining effect can be produced on the occupant in the case of an accident. Thereby, it is ruled out that the non-ignited stage can ignite itself in an uncontrolled manner. Further the invention relates to a device for carrying out the invention.
37 Citations
16 Claims
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1. A method of operating a vehicle occupant restraint system which comprises a gas bag having a deflated condition and an inflated condition and a multiple stage gas generator having a plurality of individually ignitable propellant charges, said method comprising the steps of:
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sensing a vehicle crash;
igniting at least one of said propellant charges and not igniting any remaining propellant charge;
inflating the gas bag;
restraining the vehicle occupant with the inflated gas bag;
after restraining the vehicle occupant with the inflated gas bag, sensing the position of the vehicle occupant; and
igniting any remaining non-ignited propellant charge when the vehicle occupant is located spaced apart from the gas bag so that the gas bag has no restraining effect on the vehicle occupant due to ignition of any remaining propellant charge. - View Dependent Claims (2)
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3. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising;
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a gas bag having a deflated condition and an inflated condition, a multiple stage gas generator having a plurality of individually ignitable propellant charges, and a control unit for controlling the ignition of said propellant charges, said control unit igniting at least one of said propellant charges and not igniting any remaining propellant charge in response to the occurrence of a vehicle crash, said at least one ignited propellant charge inflating said gas bag to said inflated condition to restrain said vehicle occupant, said control unit igniting said any remaining non-ignited propellant charge when the position of the vehicle occupant is spaced apart from the gas bag so that the gas bag has no restraining effect on the vehicle occupant due to ignition of any remaining propellant charge. - View Dependent Claims (4, 5)
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6. A method of operating a vehicle occupant restraint system which comprises a gas bag having a deflated condition and an inflated condition and a multiple stage gas generator having a plurality of individually ignitable propellant charges, said method comprising the steps of:
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sensing a vehicle crash;
igniting at least one of said propellant charges and not igniting any remaining propellant charge;
inflating the gas bag;
restraining the vehicle occupant with the inflated gas bag;
after restraining the vehicle occupant with the inflated gas bag, igniting any remaining non-ignited propellant charge at a predetermined time delay after ignition of the at-least one propellant charge and when the vehicle occupant is located spaced apart from the gas bag so that the gas bag has no restraining effect on the vehicle occupant due to ignition of any remaining propellant charge. - View Dependent Claims (7, 8)
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9. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:
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a gas bag having a deflated condition and an inflated condition;
a multiple stage gas generator having a plurality of individually ignitable propellant charges; and
a control unit for controlling ignition of said propellant charges, said control unit igniting at least one of said propellant charges and not igniting any remaining propellant charge in response to sensing a vehicle crash, said at least one ignited propellant charge inflating said gas bag to said inflated condition to restrain said vehicle occupant, said control unit igniting said any remaining non-ignited propellant charge at a predetermined time delay from ignition of said at least one propellant charge and when the vehicle occupant is located spaced apart from the inflated gas bag so the gas bag has no restraining effect on the vehicle occupant due to ignition of any remaining propellant charge. - View Dependent Claims (10, 11)
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12. A method of operating a vehicle occupant restraint system which comprises a gas bag having a deflated condition and an inflated condition and a multiple stage gas generator having a plurality of individually ignitable propellant charges, said method comprising the steps of:
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sensing a vehicle crash;
igniting at least one of said propellant charges and not igniting any remaining propellant charge;
inflating the gas bag;
restraining the vehicle occupant with the inflated gas bag;
after restraining the vehicle occupant with the inflated gas bag, detecting the rearward movement of the vehicle occupant and, igniting any remaining non-ignited propellant charge after detecting that the occupant is in a rearward movement. - View Dependent Claims (13)
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14. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:
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a gas bag having a deflated condition and an inflated condition;
a multiple stage gas generator having a plurality of individually ignitable propellant charges; and
a control unit for controlling ignition of said propellant charges, said control unit igniting at least one of said propellant charges and not igniting any remaining propellant charge in response to sensing a vehicle crash, said at least one ignited propellant charge inflating said gas bag to said inflated condition to restrain said vehicle occupant, said control unit igniting said any remaining non-ignited propellant charge after detecting the rearward movement of the vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (15, 16)
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Specification