Air bag system for motor vehicle, and method of controlling the same
First Claim
1. An air bag system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
- an inflator that is installed on the vehicle;
a control device that causes said inflator to emit gas when an impact that is greater than a predetermined level is applied to a vehicle body of the motor vehicle;
an air bag that deploys to fill space between a vehicle occupant and said inflator when the gas emitted from the inflator is supplied to the air bag, said air bag having a plurality of sections that are formed independently of each other including at least a first air bag section and a second air bag section; and
a sensor that detects whether the vehicle occupant wears a seat belt;
wherein said control device changes an amount of the gas supplied from said inflator to each of a plurality of sections;
by deploying the first air bag section when the sensor detects seat belt use;
and by deploying the second air bag section and then deploying the first air bag section after a predetermined time has elapsed when the sensor detects no seat belt use.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An air bag is divided by a partition wall into an upper section and a lower section. When the vehicle occupant is wearing a seat belt, gas is supplied from an inflator only to the upper section, so that the air bag mainly restrains the head of the vehicle while applying a reduced restraining force of the chest of the occupant. When the vehicle occupant is not wearing the seat belt, gas is initially supplied from the inflator to the lower section, until the upper section and the lower section are brought into communication with each other as a result of expansion of the lower section, and then the gas is also led to the upper section, so that the air bag accurately and effectively restrains the head and chest of the vehicle occupant.
67 Citations
24 Claims
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1. An air bag system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
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an inflator that is installed on the vehicle;
a control device that causes said inflator to emit gas when an impact that is greater than a predetermined level is applied to a vehicle body of the motor vehicle;
an air bag that deploys to fill space between a vehicle occupant and said inflator when the gas emitted from the inflator is supplied to the air bag, said air bag having a plurality of sections that are formed independently of each other including at least a first air bag section and a second air bag section; and
a sensor that detects whether the vehicle occupant wears a seat belt;
wherein said control device changes an amount of the gas supplied from said inflator to each of a plurality of sections;
by deploying the first air bag section when the sensor detects seat belt use;
and by deploying the second air bag section and then deploying the first air bag section after a predetermined time has elapsed when the sensor detects no seat belt use. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
wherein the first air bag section is an upper section and the second air bag section is a lower section; wherein an inner space of said air bag is divided by a partition wall into the upper section and the lower section, and wherein said control device controls said inflator so as to supply the gas to the upper section and the lower section when the result of detection of said sensor indicates that the vehicle occupant fails to wear the seat belt.
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3. An air bag system according to claim 2, wherein said control device controls said inflator to supply an amount of gas to said lower section when the result of detection of said sensor indicates that the vehicle occupant wears the seat belt, which is lesser than an amount of gas supplied to the lower section when the result of detection of the sensor indicates that the vehicle occupant fails to wear the seat belt.
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4. An air bag system according to claim 2, wherein supply of the gas to said upper section is delayed with respect to supply of the gas to said lower section.
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5. An air bag system according to claim 2, wherein said partition wall includes a relief portion that allows said upper section and said lower section to communicate with each other when a pressure in the lower section becomes higher than that in the upper section by at least a predetermined value.
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6. An air bag system according to claim 5, wherein said relief portion is provided at an engaging portion between said partition wall and an inner surface of the air bag.
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7. An air bag system according to claim 6, wherein said partition wall of the air bag that has deployed includes an extended end portion that faces the vehicle occupant, and two side edges that extend from said inflator to said end portion, said extended end portion of the partition wall and the inner surface of the air bag engaging with each other with a lower binding strength than that of engagement between said two side edges of the partition wall and the inner surface of the air bag.
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8. An air bag system according to claim 7, wherein said partition wall is sewn to the inner surface of the air bag.
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9. An air bag system according to claim 7, wherein said end portion of said partition wall on the side of the vehicle occupant is bent upwards, and tentatively attached to the inner surface of the air bag.
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10. An air bag system according to claim 9, wherein said end portion of said partition wall on the side of the vehicle occupant is coupled to the inner surface of said air bag with a fastener.
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11. An air bag system according to claim 5, wherein said relief portion comprises a valve that restricts gas flow from said upper section to said lower section.
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12. An air bag system according to claim 2, wherein said inflator comprises an upper inflator that supplies gas to said upper section, and a lower inflator that supplies gas to said lower section.
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13. An air bag system according to claim 12, wherein said control device operates said upper inflator when the result of detection of said sensor indicates that the vehicle occupant wears the seat belt.
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14. An air bag system according to claim 13, wherein said control device operates said upper inflator and said lower inflator when the result of detection of said sensor indicates that the vehicle occupant fails to wear the seat belt.
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15. An air bag system according to claim 14, wherein an operation of said upper inflator is delayed with respect to an operation of said lower inflator.
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16. An air bag system according to claim 2, wherein said lower section has a smaller capacity than said upper section.
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17. An air bag system according to claim 2, wherein said upper section of the air bag is located in front of a head of the vehicle occupant during deployment thereof.
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18. An air bag system according to claim 2, wherein said lower section of the air bag is located in front of a chest of the vehicle occupant during deployment thereof.
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19. A method of controlling an air bag system for a motor vehicle, said air bag system including an inflator capable of emitting gas, and an air bag that deploys to fill space between said inflator and a vehicle occupant when the gas emitted from the inflator is supplied to the air bag, said air bag having a plurality of sections that are formed independently of each other including at least a first air bag section and a second air bag section, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting an impact force that is applied to a vehicle body of the motor vehicle, to determine whether the impact force is greater than a predetermined value;
detecting whether the vehicle occupant wears a seat belt; and
changing an amount of gas supplied from the inflator to each of said plurality of sections, to thereby deploy the first air bag section when it is detected that the vehicle occupant is wearing the seat belt, and to thereby deploy the second air bag section and then the first air bag section after a predetermined time has elapsed when it is detected that the vehicle occupant is not wearing a seat belt, when the impact force is greater than the predetermined value. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
wherein said step of changing an amount of gas comprises a step of supplying the gas to said upper section and said lower section when it is determined that the vehicle occupant fails to wear the seat belt. -
21. A method according to claim 20, wherein said partition wall includes a relief portion that allows said upper section and said lower section to communicate with each other when a pressure in the lower section becomes higher than a pressure in the upper section by at least a predetermined value, and
wherein said step of supplying the gas to said upper section and said lower section comprises a step of delaying supply of the gas to the upper section with respect to supply of the gas to the lower section. -
22. A method according to claim 20, wherein said step of changing an amount of gas comprises a step of reducing an amount of gas supplied to the lower section when it is determined that the vehicle occupant fails to wear the seat belt, than an amount of gas supplied to the lower section when it is determined that the vehicle occupant wears the seat belt.
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23. An air bag system for a motor vehicle, comprising:
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an inflator that is installed on the vehicle;
a control device that causes said inflator to emit gas when an impact that is greater than a predetermined level is applied to a vehicle body of the motor vehicle;
an air bag that deploys to fill space between a vehicle occupant and said inflator when the gas emitted from the inflator is supplied to the air bag, said air bag having a plurality of sections that are formed independently of each other and said air bag having a total inflated volume that is variable; and
a sensor that detects whether the vehicle occupant wears a seat belt;
wherein said control device varies the total inflated volume of the air bag by changing an amount of the gas supplied from said inflator to each of plurality of sections depending upon a result of detection of said sensor.
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24. A method of controlling an air bag system for a motor vehicle, said air bag system including an inflator capable of emitting gas, and an air bag that deploys to fill space between said inflator and a vehicle occupant when the gas emitted from the inflator is supplied to the air bag, said air bag having a plurality of sections, said method comprising the steps of:
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detecting an impact force that is applied to a vehicle body of the motor vehicle and determining whether the impact force is greater than a predetermined value;
detecting whether the vehicle occupant wears a seat belt; and
changing an amount of gas supplied from the inflator to each of said plurality of sections, depending upon whether the vehicle occupant wears the seat belt or not, when the impact force is greater than the predetermined value;
wherein the air bag has a total inflated volume that is variable; and
wherein the total inflated volume of the air bag is varied by changing the amount of gas supplied from the inflator to each of the plurality of sections.
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Specification