Noise-resistant circuit and apparatus using same

• US 7,398,852 B2
• Filed: 02/19/2004
• Issued: 07/15/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 02/24/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Original Assignee: DENSO Corporation
• Inventors: Higashiyama, Yoji
• Primary Examiner(s): To; Toan C
• Application Number:
  US10/780,725
• Publication Number:
  US 20040164534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,608 Days
• Field of Search: 280/734, 280/735, 180/271, 180/282, 701/45, 707/10.1
• US Class Current: 180/282
• 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: H03K 17/94 characterised by the way in which the control signals are generated

Abstract

An airbag apparatus for safety includes an airbag inflating in response to a signal, and a sensor sensing a movement and generating the signal in response to the movement. A controller is configured to issue a command for squibbing a squib based on the signal. The airbag apparatus also includes a plurality of drivers operating in response to the command and a plurality of independent channels connecting the controller and the drivers to transmit the command from the controller to the drivers and a plurality of switching elements to squib the squib for inflating the airbag, for example, in a vehicle.

Claims

1. A noise-resistant circuit for squibbing a squib mounted on an object to be moved,

said circuit comprising:

a sensor sensing a physical quantity applied to the circuit to generate a signal corresponding to the applied physical quantity;

a controller configured to issue a command for squibbing the squib based on the signal;

a plurality of independent channels connecting the controller and a plurality of drivers to transmit the command from the controller to the plurality of drivers, the plurality of independent channels comprising a first channel and a second channel, the first channel being connected to a higher voltage electric power line of the squib and the second channel being connected to a lower voltage electric power line of the squib; and

a plurality of switching elements, mutually connected in series and driven, by the plurality of drivers respectively, to squib the squib.

2. A noise-resistant circuit as claimed in claim 1, wherein, at least one of the first channel and the second channel is in charge of transmitting the command for driving two or more switching elements among the plurality of switching elements.

3. An airbag apparatus for safety comprising:

an airbag inflating in response to a signal;

a sensor sensing a movement and generating the signal in response to the movement;

a controller configured to issue a command for squibbing the squib based on the signal;

a plurality of drivers operating in response to the command;

a plurality of independent channels connecting the controller and a plurality of drivers to transmit the command from the controller to the plurality of drivers, the plurality of the independent channels comprising a first channel and a second channel, the first channels being connected to a higher voltage electric power line of the squib and the second channel being connected to a lower voltage electric power line of the squib; and

a plurality of switching elements, mutually connected in series and driven by the plurality of drivers respectively, to squib the squib.

4. An airbag apparatus for safety as claimed in claim 3, wherein at least one of the first channel and the second channel is in charge of transmitting the command for driving two or more switching elements among the plurality of switching elements.

5. An airbag apparatus for safety as claimed in claim 3, wherein the apparatus comprises a plurality of squibs the first channels being connected to higher voltage electric power lines of the plurality of squibs, the second channels being connected to lower voltage electric power lines of the plurality of squibs.