Passenger restraint device of motor vehicle

• US 7,441,624 B2
• Filed: 10/26/2004
• Issued: 10/28/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/27/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Original Assignee: Nissan Motor Co., Ltd.
• Inventors: Tobata, Hideo
• Primary Examiner(s): Ellis; Christopher
• Assistant Examiner(s): ROCCA, JOSEPH M
• Application Number:
  US10/972,691
• Publication Number:
  US 20050087381A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,463 Days
• Field of Search: 280/734, 280/735, 180/271, 180/282, 701/45
• US Class Current: 180/271
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/40 in the direction of an obstacle before a collision , or extending during driving of the vehicle, i.e. to increase the energy absorption capacity of the bumper inflatable bumpers B60R19/20
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01034 Controlling a plurality of restraint devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01322 comprising variable thresholds, e.g. depending from other collision parameters
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4666 characterised by electric actuators
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/33 Arrangements for non-electric triggering of inflation electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1954 characterised by fluid actuators, e.g. pyrotechnic gas generators actuating a cable B60R22/1952

Abstract

A passenger restraint device of a motor vehicle comprises a plurality of predicting devices each being able to predict or detect a collision of the vehicle with an obstacle in front of the vehicle. A sensitivity adjusting device is able to adjust a sensitivity of at least one of the predicting devices. Reversible passenger restraining devices are able to reversibly restrain a passenger in the vehicle. Non-reversible passenger restraining devices are able to non-reversibly restrain the passenger in the vehicle. A control unit, based on a signal from the one of the predicting devices that has been subjected to the sensitivity adjustment by the sensitivity adjusting device, controls operation of the reversible and non-reversible passenger restraining devices.

Claims

1. A passenger restraint device of a motor vehicle, comprising:

a plurality of predicting devices each being able to predict or detect a collision of the vehicle with an obstacle in front of the vehicle;

a sensitivity adjusting device that is able to adjust a sensitivity of at least one of the predicting devices;

reversible passenger restraining devices that are able to reversibly restrain a passenger in the vehicle;

non-reversible passenger restraining devices that are able to non-reversibly restrain the passenger in the vehicle; and

a control unit that, based on a signal from the one of the predicting devices that has been subjected to the sensitivity adjustment by the sensitivity adjusting device, controls operation of the reversible and non-reversible passenger restraining devices, in which when one of the predicting devices predicts or detects the collision of the vehicle with the obstacle, the sensitivity adjusting device adjusts the sensitivity of at least one of the predicting devices,

in which when one of the predicting devices predicts or detects the collision of the vehicle with the obstacle, the sensitivity adjusting device adjusts the sensitivity of at least one of the predicting devices that is other than the predicting device that has predicted or detected the vehicle collision, wherein the sensitivity is adjusted by changing the range of the at least one of the predicting devices that is other than the predicting device that has predicted or detected the vehicle collision.

2. A passenger restraint device as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of the predicting devices is of a contactable type that is able to detect a collision of the vehicle by contacting an obstacle, and in which the sensitivity adjusting device adjusts the sensitivity of the contactable type predicting device.

3. A passenger restraint device as claimed in claim 2, in which the contactable type predicting device has a sensor element that issues an information signal when contacting the obstacle, and in which the sensitivity adjusting device changes a distance between the sensor element and a predetermined part of the vehicle.

4. A passenger restraint device as claimed in claim 2, in which the sensitivity adjusting device adjusts the sensitivity of at least one of the predicting devices by varying a threshold value employed in an algorithm for predicting a vehicle collision with the obstacle.

5. A passenger restraint device as claimed in claim 1, in which when one of the predicting devices predicts the vehicle collision with the obstacle, the sensitivity adjusting device adjusts the sensitivity of one direction of at least one of the predicting devices that is other than the predicting device that has predicted the vehicle collision, and in which said one direction is a direction in which the obstacle is detected.

6. A passenger restraint device as claimed in claim 5, in which the sensitivity of said one direction adjusted by the sensitivity adjusting device is different from that of an other direction of the at least one of the predicting devices, and in which the other direction is a direction in which the obstacle is not detected.

7. A passenger restraint device as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of the predicting device is of a non-contactable type, in which the non-contactable type predicting device predicts a vehicle collision with the obstacle by using one of radio wave, light beam and ultrasonic wave, and in which the sensitivity adjusting device adjusts a receiving sensitivity of the non-contactable type predicting device for the radio wave, light beam or ultrasonic wave.

8. A passenger restraint device as claimed in claim 1, in which at least one of the predicting device is of a non-contactable type, in which the non-contactable type predicting device predicts a vehicle collision with the obstacle by using one of radio wave, light beam and ultrasonic wave, and in which the sensitivity adjusting device adjusts an emitting sensitivity of the non-contactable type predicting device for the radio wave, light beam or ultrasonic wave.

9. A passenger restraint device as claimed in claim 1, in which the sensitivity adjusting device adjusts the sensitivity of at least one of the predicting devices by varying a threshold value employed in an algorithm for predicting a vehicle collision with the obstacle.

10. A passenger restraint device as claimed in claim 1, in which when one of the predicting devices predicts the vehicle collision with the obstacle, the sensitivity adjusting device adjusts, based on the predicted vehicle collision, the sensitivity of at least one of the predicting devices that is other than the predicting device that has predicted the vehicle collision, and in which when the predicting device that has been adjusted in sensitivity predicts a vehicle collision with the obstacle, the sensitivity adjusting device advances an operation timing of both the reversible and non-reversible passenger restraining devices as compared with a case wherein the vehicle collision is predicted without carrying out the sensitivity adjustment of the predicting device.

11. A passenger restraint device as claimed in claim 10, in which when at least one of the reversible and non-reversible passenger restraining devices is advanced in operation timing, the sensitivity adjusting device lowers an operation speed of at least one of the reversible and non-reversible passenger restraining devices.

12. A passenger restraint device as claimed in claim 1, in which the sensitivity adjusting device increases the sensitivity of the at least one of the predicting devices with increase of a running speed of the vehicle relative to a ground on which the vehicle runs.

13. A passenger restraint device as claimed in claim 1, in which the sensitivity adjusting device increases the sensitivity of the at least one of the predicting devices with increase of a running speed of the vehicle relative to the obstacle.

14. passenger restraint device as claimed in claim 1, in which the sensitivity adjusting device increases the sensitivity of the at least one of the predicting devices with increase of a higher one between a running speed of the vehicle relative to a ground and a running speed of the vehicle relative to the obstacle.