Occupant protection device for vehicle

• US 7,568,544 B2
• Filed: 04/25/2005
• Issued: 08/04/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 04/27/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Original Assignee: Aisin Seiki Co., Ltd. (Aisin Corp.)
• Inventors: Aoki, Koji, Hirota, Koichi
• Primary Examiner(s): Nguyen; John Q.
• Assistant Examiner(s): BECK, KAREN JANE AMORES
• Application Number:
  US11/113,061
• Publication Number:
  US 20050236211A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,562 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/734, 280/733, 280/806, 180/274, 180/271, 180/268, 701/45, 701/301, 307/10.1, 342/70
• US Class Current: 180/274
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42736 of the whole seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42745 of the back-rest B60N2/433 takes precedence; higher part of the back-rest moving together with the headrest B60N2/888
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01034 Controlling a plurality of restraint devices
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01054 Bus
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01272 Belt tensioners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems

Abstract

An occupant protection device for vehicle includes an impact-predicting unit that predicts an impact of a vehicle, a controlling unit that controls activation of plural actuators mounted on the vehicle. The controlling unit sequentially drives, on a basis of at least an output from the impact-predicting unit, the plural actuators in accordance with a predetermined operating order.

Claims

1. An occupant protection device for vehicle comprising:

an impact-predicting means for predicting an impact of a vehicle;

a controlling unit controlling activation of plural actuators mounted on the vehicle, the plural actuators classified into plural actuator groups in accordance with a predetermined classification condition, the controlling unit sequentially providing, on a basis of at least an output from the impact-predicting unit and in accordance with a predetermined order of precedence in terms of the actuator groups, actuators classified into the respective actuator groups with electric current at different timings, so as to vary a timing of inrush current supplied to the respective actuators;

wherein said plural actuator groups comprise a first actuator group and a second actuator group, and an electric current timing of the second actuator group is provided a predetermined time after an electric current timing of the first actuator group so as to equalize, among the plural actuator groups, amounts of respective electric current that is consumed immediately after activating the respective actuators.

2. An occupant protection device for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the classification condition is determined so as to equalize an operating time from initial activation, to termination of activation of, each of the actuators classified into each of the actuator groups.

3. An occupant protection device for vehicle according to claim 2, wherein plural actuators for side windows of each vehicle seat can be classified into a same actuator group.

4. An occupant protection device for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein the classification condition is determined on a basis of an area inside a vehicle at which controlled objects corresponding to the respective actuators are arranged.

5. An occupant protection device for vehicle according to claim 4, wherein the classification condition is determined on a basis of at which vehicle seat the controlled objects are provided.

6. An occupant protection device for vehicle according to claim 1, wherein actuators for operating a seat sliding mechanism and a seat reclining mechanism for a seat are classified into a same actuator group.

7. An occupant protection device for vehicle comprising:

an impact-predicting unit predicting an impact of a vehicle;

a main controlling unit controlling, via plural auxiliary controlling units, activation of plural actuators mounted on the vehicle, the plural actuators classified into plural actuator groups in accordance with a predetermined classification condition, the main controlling unit sequentially outputting, on a basis of at least one output from the impact-predicting unit and in accordance with a predetermined order of precedence, drive commands to the respective plural auxiliary controlling units, and the respective plural auxiliary controlling unit sequentially providing, in accordance with a predetermined operating order, the respective actuators classified into the respective actuator groups with electric current at different timings, so as to vary a timing of inrush current supplied to the plural actuators;

wherein said plural actuator groups comprise a first actuator group and a second actuator group, and an electric current timing of the second actuator group is provided a predetermined time after an electric current timing of the first actuator group so as to equalize, among the plural actuator groups, amounts of respective electric current that is consumed immediately after activating the respective actuators.

8. An occupant protection device for vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the actuators that require longer operating times between initial activation and termination of activation are placed at a higher priority in the predetermined operating order.

9. An occupant protection device for vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the classification condition is determined so as to equalize an operating time from initial activation, to termination of activation of, each of the actuators classified into each of the actuator groups.

10. An occupant protection device for vehicle according to claim 9, wherein plural actuators for side windows of each vehicle seat can be classified into a same actuator group.

11. An occupant protection device for vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the classification condition is determined on a basis of an area inside a vehicle at which controlled objects corresponding to the respective actuators are arranged.

12. An occupant protection device for vehicle according to claim 11, wherein the classification condition is determined on a basis of at which vehicle seat the controlled objects are provided.

13. An occupant protection device for vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the main controlling means is connected to the plural auxiliary controlling means via a communication bus.

14. An occupant protection device for vehicle according to claim 7, wherein the controlling unit varies the operating order based on the operating times between a current position of each object and a pre-impact operation complete position of the each object.

15. An occupant protection device for vehicle according to claim 7, wherein actuators for operating a seat sliding mechanism and a seat reclining mechanism for a seat are classified into a same actuator group.