Crash detection apparatus of vehicle responsive to asymmetric collision

• US 6,426,567 B2
• Filed: 08/09/1999
• Issued: 07/30/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 03/02/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Mitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha (Mitsubishi Electric Corporation)
• Inventors: Yamashita, Toshiyuki, Ugusa, Aki
• Primary Examiner(s): Ballato, Josie
• Assistant Examiner(s): RIOS CUEVAS, ROBERTO JOSE
• Application Number:
  US09/369,828
• Publication Number:
  US 20010043011A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,086 Days
• Field of Search: 307/10.1, 307/121, 280/735, 701/45, 701/46, 701/47
• US Class Current: 307/10.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0009 Oblique collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01006 Mounting of electrical components in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0133 by integrating the amplitude of the input signal

Abstract

A crash detection apparatus of a vehicle includes acceleration sensors mounted on different positions of a vehicle, each for detecting an acceleration at its position. A crash mode identifying section identifies a crash mode of the vehicle in accordance with a time difference between timings at which integral values obtained by integrating the individual acceleration signals supplied from the acceleration detectors exceed a threshold value. In accordance with the crash mode, a reference threshold value of a comparator for making a crash decision is determined. This makes it possible to implement a crash detection apparatus of a vehicle capable of making a responsive crash decision even in an asymmetric crash in which only one side of the vehicle is deformed and the occurrence of a large acceleration signal is delayed.

Claims

1. A crash detection apparatus of a vehicle comprising:

a plurality of collision detectors mounted on different positions of a vehicle for detecting a collision of the vehicle; and

a crash mode identifying section for identifying a crash mode of the vehicle by comparing detection signals output from said plurality of collision detectors;

wherein the crash mode can be identified as being one of symmetric and asymmetric;

wherein said plurality of collision detectors each consist of an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration of the vehicle at a location at which the acceleration sensor is mounted; and

wherein said crash mode identifying section identifies the crash mode of the vehicle from a time difference between timings at which integral values obtained by integrating acceleration signals output from the acceleration sensors exceed a preset threshold value.

2. A crash detection apparatus of a vehicle comprising:

a plurality of collision detectors mounted on different positions of a vehicle for detecting a collision of the vehicle; and

a crash mode identifying section for identifying a crash mode of the vehicle by comparing detection signals output from said plurality of collision detectors;

wherein the crash mode can be identified as being one of symmetric and asymmetric;

wherein said plurality of collision detectors each consist of an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration of the vehicle at a location at which the acceleration sensor is mounted; and

wherein said crash mode identifying section identifies the crash mode of the vehicle from a time difference between peaks of integral values that are obtained by integrating acceleration signals output from the acceleration sensors.

3. A crash detection apparatus of a vehicle comprising:

a collision detector mounted on a vehicle for detecting a collision of the vehicle;

a first acceleration sensor mounted on the vehicle for detecting an acceleration of the vehicle; and

a reference time acquisition section for obtaining from a signal fed from said collision detector a reference time for making a crash mode decision of the vehicle from an acceleration signal output from said first acceleration sensor, the reference time acquisition section comprising;

an on-timer; and

a delay circuit;

wherein the crash mode decision can be identified as being one of frontal crash and rear crash.

4. The crash detection apparatus of a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

said collision detector consists of a second acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration at its mounted position; and

said reference time acquisition section determines, as the reference time for making a crash mode decision of the vehicle, a time at which an integral value obtained by integrating an acceleration signal detected by said second acceleration sensor exceeds a predetermined threshold.

5. The crash detection apparatus of a vehicle according to claim 4, further comprising a filter for filtering an acceleration signal output from said second acceleration sensor constituting said collision detector.

6. The crash detection apparatus of a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein

said collision detector consists of a mechanical sensor for generating a detection signal in response to an impact exceeding a predetermined level;

and

said reference time acquisition section determines, as the reference time for making a crash mode decision of the vehicle, a time at which the detection signal is output from the mechanical sensor.

7. The crash detection apparatus of a vehicle according to claim 3, further comprising a crash mode decision section for deciding a crash mode by comparing an integral value with a predetermined threshold value, the integral value being obtained by integrating over a predetermined period from the reference time the acceleration signal output from said first acceleration detector.

8. The crash detection apparatus of a vehicle according to claim 3, wherein said collision detector is mounted at a front of the vehicle, and said first acceleration sensor is mounted behind said collision detector.