Airbag with bag mounted sensor
First Claim
1. An airbag system comprising:
- an airbag housing;
an airbag mounted to the airbag housing, and having an occupant facing portion which, when the airbag is inflated, faces an occupant position;
a source of gas mounted to the airbags housing in gas supplying connection to the airbag to cause the airbag to inflate when a flow of gas is initiated;
a sensor for detecting a vehicle occupant, the sensor being mounted to the occupant facing potion of the airbag, so that when the airbag is deployed the sensor moves with the airbag toward the occupant;
a controller in electrical signal receiving relation to the sensor to detect the sensor interaction with a vehicle occupant said controller being connected in controlling relation to a vent mounted to the airbag housing, the vent being operable in response to a command from the controller to allow an escape of gas from airbag; and
a means for detecting at least one stage of airbag inflation, said means being operatively connected to the vent to inhibit opening of the vent when the at least one stage of airbag inflation is detected.
3 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle occupant position sensor is mounted on the front of an airbag which is deployed toward a vehicle occupant. The sensor comprises a capacitance sensor constructed by rendering portions of the airbag which face the vehicle occupant conductive. The airbag on which the sensor is placed is also constructed to allow venting of the airbag before it is fully deployed. The distance between the sensor and the vehicle occupant is continually determined with respect to the sensor. The output of the capacitive sensor is processed by a control system and is used to predict the interaction between the airbag and the vehicle passenger and to cause the airbag to be vented if that interaction is predicted to be more harmful than beneficial to the vehicle occupant. A system which prevents airbag venting once the airbag is inflated or nearly inflated can also be employed.
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Citations
9 Claims
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1. An airbag system comprising:
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an airbag housing;
an airbag mounted to the airbag housing, and having an occupant facing portion which, when the airbag is inflated, faces an occupant position;
a source of gas mounted to the airbags housing in gas supplying connection to the airbag to cause the airbag to inflate when a flow of gas is initiated;
a sensor for detecting a vehicle occupant, the sensor being mounted to the occupant facing potion of the airbag, so that when the airbag is deployed the sensor moves with the airbag toward the occupant;
a controller in electrical signal receiving relation to the sensor to detect the sensor interaction with a vehicle occupant said controller being connected in controlling relation to a vent mounted to the airbag housing, the vent being operable in response to a command from the controller to allow an escape of gas from airbag; and
a means for detecting at least one stage of airbag inflation, said means being operatively connected to the vent to inhibit opening of the vent when the at least one stage of airbag inflation is detected. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A method of controlling deployment of an airbag which is deployed toward a vehicle occupant, the method comprising the steps of:
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initiating the deployment of an airbag toward a vehicle occupant;
while the airbag is deploying, repeatedly determining a multiplicity of times the distance between a portion of the airbag which faces a vehicle occupant and the vehicle occupant with a sensor mounted on the portion of the airbag which faces the vehicle occupant;
processing data from the sensor using a controller in data receiving relation with the sensor to calculate at least one derivative of distance with respect to time of the distance between the portion of the airbag and the vehicle occupant; and
controlling a vent connected to the airbag with the controller to open the vent if the airbag is predicted by the controller to impact the vehicle occupant before the airbag has reached a selected percentage of full deployment. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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Specification