Device for triggering restraint means

• US 7,501,942 B2
• Filed: 11/18/2003
• Issued: 03/10/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/30/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Original Assignee: Robert Bosch GmbH
• Inventors: Theisen, Marc
• Primary Examiner(s): Pope; Daryl C
• Application Number:
  US10/512,729
• Publication Number:
  US 20050234623A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,939 Days
• Field of Search: 340/507, 340/425.5, 340/431, 340/438, 340/687, 340/686.1, 340/689, 738/62, 738/620.1, 738/620.41, 738/620.7
• US Class Current: 340/507
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0069 Trailers, e.g. caravans
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01313 monitoring the vehicle steering system or the dynamic control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value

Abstract

A device, for controlling a vehicle-occupant restraining device in a vehicle having a trailer, includes an arrangement for controlling the vehicle-occupant restraining device as a function of at least one signal of the trailer.

Claims

1. A device for controlling a vehicle-occupant restraining device in a vehicle having a trailer, the device comprising:

an arrangement for controlling the vehicle-occupant restraining device as a function of at least one signal of the trailer.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one signal indicates a presence of the trailer.

3. The device according to claim 2, further comprising an electrical trailer coupling and a circuit coupled to the electrical trailer coupling, the circuit generating the at least one signal.

4. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one signal indicates a weight of the trailer.

5. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one signal indicates a load distribution of the trailer.

6. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one signal indicates a movement of the trailer.

7. The device according to claim 1, wherein the at least one signal is transmitted via a signal transmission from the trailer to the vehicle.

8. The device according to claim 5, further comprising a weight sensor system situated in the trailer for generating the at least one signal.

9. The device according to claim 6, further comprising a vehicle dynamics sensor system situated in the trailer for generating the at least one signal.

10. The device according to claim 6, further comprising a friction sensor system situated on a coupling head for generating the at least one signal, wherein the friction sensor system, with the aid of friction elements on a coupling jaw, detects movements of the trailer.

11. The device of claim 1, wherein the vehicle-occupant restraining device including at least one of an airbag, a seatbelt tensioner, a seat adjustment device, and a rollover bar.

12. The device of claim 1, wherein the vehicle-occupant restraining device is at least one of a driver restraining device and a passenger restraining device.

13. The device of claim 1, wherein the arrangement for controlling the vehicle-occupant restraining device includes an arrangement for bringing a vehicle occupant to an optimum sitting position.

14. The device of claim 1, wherein the arrangement for controlling the vehicle-occupant restraining device includes an arrangement for warning a driver of increased danger.

15. The device of claim 14, wherein the arrangement for warning produces a haptic warning.

16. A device for controlling a vehicle-occupant restraining device in a vehicle having a trailer, the device comprising:

a restraining arrangement control unit to control the vehicle-occupant restraining device as a function of at least one signal of the trailer, the restraining arrangement control unit including a processor, on which an algorithm is calculated and used to control the restraining device and which uses sensor signals to control the restraining device, and including at least one of acceleration sensors and rotation-rate sensors for determining the plausibility of and identifying of at least one of crash and rollover occurrences,

wherein the control unit receives sensor signals for;

turn indicator information via a first data input from an electronic circuit which indicates whether a trailer is present,

information regarding vehicle dynamics of the trailer from a friction sensor via a second data input, the friction sensor sensing swerving movements of the trailer, wherein the friction sensor is situated at the coupling for recording swerving movements of the trailer,

information via a third data input regarding a curb weight of the trailer from at least one of a weight sensor and a memory situated on the trailer,

information regarding a load on the axles and the coupling of the trailer via a fourth data input, wherein this information is taken into consideration in activating the restraining device since the load distribution influences a rollover occurrence and the vehicle dynamics of the towing vehicle,

environment information via a fifth data input from a precrash sensor system;

wherein the processor controls the restraining device, which includes at least one of airbags, seatbelt tensioners, a seat adjustment arrangement, and a rollover bar, as a function of the sensor signals;

wherein the sensor system for detecting oscillatory movements of the trailer includes friction sensors at the coupling head, and friction elements at a coupling jaw of the trailer, has friction elements designated by reference numerals, and wherein the friction elements are to counteract oscillatory movements of the trailer.

17. The device of claim 16, wherein the vehicle includes an airbag control unit having a circuit connected to its data input, and the airbag control unit is connected via a data input/output and a data connection to the trailer and an interface, so as to allow data exchange between the trailer and the vehicle, wherein, information is transmittable to the airbag control unit from at least one of the weight sensors for determining the load distribution and a memory, in which curb weight data of the trailer is stored, so that the airbag control unit takes this sensor data into consideration when calculating the deployment algorithm for the restraining device, and wherein the airbag control unit receives the information from the circuit as to whether trailer 31 is coupled to the vehicle via the coupling head and the coupling jaw.

18. A device for controlling a vehicle-occupant restraining device in a vehicle having a trailer, the device comprising:

an arrangement for controlling the vehicle-occupant restraining device as a function of at least one signal of the trailer;

an electrical trailer coupling and at least one of a weight sensor system, a vehicle dynamics sensor system situated in the trailer, the weight sensor system and a friction sensor system situated on a coupling head, for generating the at least one signal, wherein the at least one signal indicates at least one of a presence of the trailer, a weight of the trailer, a load distribution of the trailer, and a movement of the trailer, wherein the at least one signal is transmitted via a signal transmission from the trailer to the vehicle, wherein the friction sensor system, with the aid of friction elements on a coupling jaw, detects movements of the trailer;

wherein the vehicle-occupant restraining device including at least one of an airbag, a seatbelt tensioner, a seat adjustment device, and a rollover bar, wherein the vehicle-occupant restraining device is at least one of a driver restraining device and a passenger restraining device, wherein the arrangement for controlling the vehicle-occupant restraining device includes an arrangement for bringing a vehicle occupant to an optimum sitting position, wherein the arrangement for controlling the vehicle-occupant restraining device includes an arrangement for warning a driver of increased danger, and wherein the arrangement for warning produces a haptic warning.