Air bag suppression system

• US 6,270,115 B1
• Filed: 09/23/1999
• Issued: 08/07/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Aptiv Technologies Limited (Aptiv PLC)
• Original Assignee: Delphi Technologies, Inc. (Aptiv PLC)
• Inventors: Andreen, Margaret M., Barnes, William Joseph
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US09/404,482
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 180/282, 701/45, 340/438
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0156 by deceleration

Abstract

A dual stage air bag suppression system based upon seat position. A deceleration sensor senses the deceleration of the vehicle during a crash/collision. If the deceleration exceeds a first threshold value, and the seat is rearward of a predetermined value, then the SIR Controller initiates a first/low stage inflation. If the deceleration exceeds a second higher threshold value, and the seat is rearward of a predetermined value, then the SIR Controller initiates both first/low and second/high stages of inflation. If the seat is positioned at a point forward of a predetermined position, then the SIR Controller initiates the first/low stage inflation only when the deceleration exceeds the first/lower or second/higher threshold value and suppresses deployment of the second stage. Thus the SIR Controller initiates the inflation stages not only based on the severity of the collision or deceleration, but also based on the position of the vehicle seat.

Claims

1. An air bag suppression system for a vehicle having a seat movable forward and rearward within said vehicle and having a predetermined seat position within said vehicle, said system comprising:

a seat position detector generating a position signal representative of a position of said seat relative to said vehicle;

a supplemental inflatable restraint system having an air bag inflatable in at least a first low inflation stage and a second high inflation stage;

a collision sensor generating a collision signal representative of at least a low severity and a high severity collision event of said vehicle;

a controller connected to said collision sensor and said seat position detector and receiving said collision signal and said position signal, said controller being connected to said supplemental restraint system and sending a signal to initiate either of said first low and said second high inflation stages, wherein said controller selectively initiates at least one of said first and second inflation stages in response to said collision signal when said seat position signal indicates said seat is positioned rearward of said predetermined position, and when said seat position signal indicates said seat is positioned forward of said predetermined position said controller prohibits initiation of said high inflation stage and selectively initiates said low inflation stage in response to said collision signal.

2. The air bag suppression system according to claim 1, wherein said collision sensor comprises a deceleration sensor generating a deceleration signal representative of a deceleration of said vehicle.

3. The air bag suppression system according to claim 2, wherein when said seat is positioned rearward of said predetermined position said controller initiates said first low inflation stage only when said deceleration signal is not less than a first threshold value and initiates said second high inflation stage only when said deceleration signal is not less than a second threshold value higher than said first threshold value, and when said seat is positioned forward of said predetermined position said controller initiates said first low inflation stage only when said deceleration signal is not less than said second threshold value and prohibits inflation of said second high inflation stage.

4. The air bag suppression system according to claim 2, wherein when said seat is positioned rearward of said predetermined position said controller initiates said first low inflation stage only when said deceleration signal is not less than a first threshold value and initiates said second high inflation stage only when said deceleration signal is not less than a second threshold value higher than said first threshold value, and when said seat is positioned forward of said predetermined position said controller initiates said first low inflation stage only when said deceleration signal is not less than said first threshold value and prohibits inflation of said second high inflation stage.

5. The air bag suppression system according to claim 2, wherein said seat position detector includes a switch movable to a triggered position when said seat is positioned forward of said predetermined position and sends a signal to said controller indicating said seat is positioned forward of said predetermined position.

6. The air bag suppression system according to claim 1, wherein said seat position detector includes a sensor sensing said position of said seat relative to said predetermined position and said sensor sends a signal to said controller indicating said seat position.

7. A method of controlling a dual stage air bag in a vehicle having a first low inflation stage and a second higher inflation stage, said method comprising the steps of:

sensing a position of a seat within said vehicle;

sensing a severity of a collision event of said vehicle;

controlling a deployment of said dual stage air bag dependent on said position of said seat and said severity of said vehicle, wherein when said position of said seat is positioned rearward of a predetermined position said controller initiates said first low inflation stage only when said severity of said collision event equals or exceeds a first threshold value indicative of a moderate collision event and initiates said second higher inflation stage only when said severity of said collision event equals or exceeds a second higher threshold value indicative of a severe collision event and when said seat is positioned forward of said predetermined position said controller initiates said first low inflation stage only when said severity of said collision event equals or exceeds one of said first and said second threshold values and prohibits initiation of said second higher inflation stage.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein when said seat is positioned forward of said predetermined position said controller initiates said first low inflation stage when said severity of said collision event equals or exceeds said first threshold value indicative of said moderate collision event.

9. The method according to claim 7, wherein when said seat is positioned forward of said predetermined position said controller initiates said first low inflation stage when said severity of said collision events equal or exceeds said second threshold value indicative of said severe collision event.

10. The method according to claim 7, wherein said step of sensing said severity of said collision event includes sensing a deceleration of said vehicle.

11. An air bag suppression system in a vehicle comprising:

a supplemental inflatable restraint system including an air bag deployable in a first low inflation stage and a second high inflation stage;

a seat position detecting means for detecting a position of a seat within said vehicle;

a sensing means for sensing a severity of a collision event of said vehicle; and

a controller for selectively initiating said first low and said second high inflation stages of said air bag dependent on said seat position detecting means and said sensing means, wherein when said seat position detecting means detects said position of said seat rearward of a predetermined position said controller initiates said first low inflation stage only when said sensing means senses a severity not less than a first threshold value and initiates said second high inflation stage only when said sensing means senses a severity not less than a second threshold value, and when said seat position detecting means detects said position of said seat forward of said predetermined position said controller initiates said first low inflation stage only when said sensing means senses a severity not less than said second threshold value and prohibits initiation of said second high inflation stage.

12. The air bag suppression system according to claim 11, wherein said sensing means comprises a deceleration sensor to sense the deceleration of said vehicle to determine said severity of said collision event.