Vehicle system

• US 6,647,886 B2
• Filed: 05/30/2002
• Issued: 11/18/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 01/29/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv AB (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Bourcart, Denis, Demersseman, Bernard, Darraba, Roger
• Primary Examiner(s): Carone, Michael J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BLACKNER, HENRY A
• Application Number:
  US10/157,035
• Publication Number:
  US 20020195016A1
• Time in Patent Office: 537 Days
• Field of Search: 102/200, 102/206, 102/217, 102/218, 280/735
• US Class Current: 102/206
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01034 Controlling a plurality of restraint devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/017 including arrangements for providing electric power to safety arrangements or their actuating means, e.g. to pyrotechnic fuses or electro-mechanic valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/4671 characterised by spring actuators B60R22/4623 takes precedence

Abstract

A safety system for a motor vehicle includes a plurality of safety devices each adapted to be activated in the event that an accident should occur. Each safety device includes at least one element selected from the group comprising an electric activator for activating the safety device and a sensor to sense a parameter related to the safety device. The system includes a first conductive arrangement comprising at least one first conductor and a first group of a plurality of switches, with each switch of the first group being connected to one of the first conductors. The system includes a second conductive arrangement comprising at least one second conductor, and a second group of a plurality of switches, with each switch of the second group being connected to one of the second conductors. The elements are connected in a circuit so that each element is connected between one switch of the first group of switches and one switch of the second group of switches. At least one switch in each group is connected to at least two elements, with each of the two elements being connected to different switches of the other group of switches.

Claims

1. A safety system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one safety device, each safety device adapted to be activated in the event that an accident should occur, each safety device including at least one element selected from a group comprising an electric activator for activating the safety device and a sensor to sense a parameter related to the safety device, the safety system including a plurality of the elements;

a first conductive arrangement comprising at least one first conductor and a first group of a plurality of switches, each switch of the first group being connected to a said first conductor; and

a second conductive arrangement comprising at least one second conductor and a second group of a plurality of switches, each switch of the second group being connected to a said second conductor;

wherein the elements are connected in a circuit, with each element being connected between one switch of the first group of switches and one switch of the second group of switches, and wherein at least one switch in each group is connected to at least two elements, with each of said two elements being connected to different switches of the other group of switches.

2. The safety system according to claim 1, wherein each said element is connected to a unique combination of one switch from the first group of switches and one switch from the second group of switches.

3. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least some of said elements comprise electric activators including squibs each comprising a resistor associated with a respective pyrotechnic charge.

4. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least one element comprises an electric activator including a solenoid.

5. The system according to claim 1, wherein the first conductive arrangement is adapted to be connected to at least one source of the first potential and the second conductive arrangement is adapted to be connected to at least one source of a potential which is different from said first potential.

6. The system according to claim 1, wherein at least some of the elements comprise sensors.

7. The system according to claim 6, wherein each sensor comprises an element selected from the group including a switch and a resistor.

8. The system according to claim 6, wherein each switching arrangement connects each sensor in circuit with a parameter sensor.

9. The system according to claim 8, wherein the parameter sensor comprises an ohm-meter.

10. The system according to claim 3, further including a plurality of command controlled switches and a command signal generator adapted to generate at least one command signal to close each command controlled switch, wherein at least some of said electrical activators are connected in series with a respective one of the command controlled switches.

11. A safety system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one safety device, each safety device adapted to be activated in the event that an accident should occur, each safety device including at least one electrical activator for activating the safety device, each activator including a respective command signal controlled switch, wherein the safety system includes a plurality of activators;

a first conductive arrangement comprising at least one first conductor and a first group of a plurality of switches, each switch of the first group being connected to a said first conductor;

a second conductive arrangement comprising at least one second conductor, and a second group of a plurality of switches, each switch of the second group of switches being connected to a said second conductor;

wherein the activators are connected in a circuit, with each activator being connected between one switch of the first group of switches and one switch of the second group of switches, and wherein at least one switch in each group is connected to at least two activators, with each of said two activators being connected to different switches of the other group of switches, and

the system further including a command signal generator adapted to generate at least one command signal to close said command signal controlled switches.

12. The safety system according to claim 11, wherein at least one safety device includes a plurality of activators, the identity of the activator or activators utilised to activate the safety device determining the mode of operation of the safety device.

13. The safety system according to claim 11, wherein each switch in each group of switches is connected to the same number of activators as there are switches in the other group of switches.

14. The safety system according to claim 13, further including a first group of rails and a second group of rails, wherein each switch of the first group is connected to a respective rail in the first group of rails and each switch of the second group is connected to a respective rail in the second group of rails, individual rails in the first group of rails being connected to individual rails in the second group of rails by means of respective activators.

15. The safety system according to claim 11, further including a control unit, wherein the switches of the two groups of switches are individually controlled by the control unit, the control unit being responsive to sensors adapted to provide signals in the event that an accident is about to occur or is occurring.

16. The safety system according to claim 15, wherein the control unit is responsive to signals from a sensor indicating the presence of or position of an occupant of the vehicle.

17. The safety system according to claim 11, wherein each command signal controlled switch responds to a unique command signal.

18. A safety system for a motor vehicle, comprising:

at least one safety device adapted to be activated in the event that an accident should occur;

at least one electric activator for activating the safety device, there being a plurality of said activators in the complete safety system;

at least one source of a first potential and a first group of a plurality of switches, each being connected to a said source of first potential, and at least one source of a different potential, and a second group of a plurality of switches, each being connected to a said source of different potential, the activators being connected in circuit, with each activator being connected between one switch of the first group of switches and one switch of the second group of switches, the arrangement being such that at least one switch in each group is connected to at least two activators, with each of said two activators being connected to different switches of the other group of switches.

19. The safety system according to claim 18, wherein at least one of said activators comprises a squib in the form of a resistor associated with a pyrotechnic charge.

20. The safety system according to claim 18, wherein at least one activator comprises a solenoid.

21. The safety system according to claim 20, wherein said solenoid is adapted to release a spring biased belt pre-tensioner.

22. The safety system according to claim 20, wherein said solenoid is adapted to release the closure of a compressed gas bottle to activate the safety device.

23. The safety system according to claim 18, wherein the said first potential is a negative potential and each source of different potential is a source of positive potential.

24. The safety system according to claim 18, wherein there are a plurality of sources of second potential, the sources of second potential having the same potential.

25. The safety system according to claim 18, wherein there are a plurality of sources of second potential, the sources of second potential having different potentials.

26. The safety system according to claim 18, wherein the sources of potential comprise at least one charged capacitor.

27. The safety system according to claim 26, wherein the sources of potential comprise a plurality of charged capacitors, the capacitors being charged to different voltages.

28. The safety system according to claim 18, wherein there is only one single source of the said different potential.

29. The safety system according to claim 18, wherein at least one safety device is provided with a plurality of activators, the identity of each activator of said plurality of activators being utilised to activate the safety device determining the mode of operation of the safety device.

30. The safety system according to claim 18, wherein each switch in each group of switches is connected to the same number of activators as there are switches in the other group of switches.

31. The safety system according to claim 30, wherein each switch of the first group is connected to a respective rail, forming a first group of rails, and each switch of the second group is connected to a rail, forming the second group of rails, each individual rail in the first group of rails being connected to each individual rail in the second group of rails by means of a respective activator.

32. The safety system according to claim 18, wherein each activator comprises a resistor which is in series with a diode.

33. The safety system according to claim 18, wherein the number of switches in the first group of switches is equal to the number of switches in the second group of switches.

34. The safety system according to claim 18, wherein the switches of the two groups of switches are individually controlled by means of a control unit, the control unit being responsive to sensors adapted to provide signals in the event of an accident about to occur or is occuring.

35. The safety system according to claim 34, wherein the control unit is further responsive to signals from sensor means indicating the presence of or position of an occupant of the vehicle.