Airbag system

• US 7,806,221 B2
• Filed: 01/05/2006
• Issued: 10/05/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 01/05/2005
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joyson Safety Systems Acquisition, LLC
• Original Assignee: Automotive Systems Laboratory, Incorporated (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Mishra, Indu B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson; Paul N.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Spisich; George D.
• Application Number:
  US11/327,754
• Publication Number:
  US 20060169517A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,734 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/729, 280/730.1, 280/736, 180/274, 180/271, 701/45
• US Class Current: 180/274
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/205 inflatable in the direction of an obstacle upon impending impact, e.g. using air bags
• 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 19/42 extending primarily along the sides of, or completely encircling, a vehicle ornamental or guard strips B60R13/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0011 Rear collision or recoiling bounce after frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01231 control of expansion timing or sequence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23332 using independent bags, one within the other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23514 coated fabric
• 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 21/01508 detecting forces or pressure in bags or modules

Abstract

A vehicle protection system 7 contains an airbag system 8 employing a plurality of sets of airbags 118a-118c external to the vehicle 9. Each set 118a-118c contains one or more airbags 118 wherein the plurality of sets 118a-118c are sequentially operated based on initial collision data, and then based on operating parameters such as pressure differentials over time.

Claims

1. A vehicle protection system comprising:

an exterior airbag system for the outside of a vehicle and housed about the exterior of said vehicle, said airbag system comprising at least one first airbag, and at least one second airbag,

an inflator system for inflation of said at least one first airbag and said at least one second airbag, said inflation system comprising at least one inflator operably communicating with said at least one first airbag and said at least one second airbag; and

a sensor system for sensing impending or actual collision data, said sensor system comprising at least one sensor and at least one central computer processing unit for receipt and processing of said data, and then selective activation of said inflator system,

wherein upon activation of said inflator system, said at least one first airbag is inflated, and then said at least one second airbag is sequentially deployed after said at least one first airbag based on measurement of system operating conditions and processing of the same by said central computer processing unit,

and wherein the system operating conditions include differences in a plurality of operating conditions in said at least one first airbag.

2. The vehicle protection system of claim 1 wherein said system operating conditions include a pressure differential measurable within said first airbag.

3. The vehicle protection system of claim 1 wherein said system operating conditions include a time differential measurable from deployment of said first airbag.

4. The vehicle protection system of claim 1 wherein said system operating conditions include a temperature differential measurable within said first airbag.

5. The vehicle protection system of claim 1 wherein said at least one second airbag is contained within said at least one first airbag.

6. The vehicle protection system of claim 5 wherein at least one third airbag is contained within said at least one first airbag whereby said third airbag is sequentially inflated with respect to said first airbag, and said at least one second airbag.

7. The vehicle protection system of claim 1 wherein said at least one first airbag comprises a first plurality of airbags deployable at substantially the same time, and said at least second airbag comprises a second plurality of airbags deployable at substantially the same time, wherein the first plurality of airbags is deployable prior to deployment of the second plurality of airbags.

8. The vehicle protection system of claim 7 further comprising a third plurality of airbags deployable at substantially the same time, wherein the third plurality of airbags is deployable after deployment of the first plurality of airbags.

9. A method of mitigating the damage to a vehicle in the event of a collision, the method comprising:

providing at least one first airbag along the exterior of the vehicle, the at least one first airbag deployable at a first time; and

providing at least one second airbag along the exterior of the vehicle, the at least one second airbag deployable at a second time after the first time, the airbags deployable upon indication of an impending or actual collision, and the at least one second airbag deployable based upon measurement of a temperature within said at least one first airbag.

10. The method of claim 9 further comprising the step of:

providing at least one third airbag along the exterior of the vehicle, the at least one third airbag deployable at a third time after the deployment of the at least one second airbag, the airbags deployable upon indication of an impending or actual collision, and the at least one third airbag deployable upon measurement of at least one operating parameter of the at least one second airbag.

11. A vehicle protection system employing the method of claim 9.

12. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one second airbag is deployable based upon measurement of both a pressure in the at least one first airbag and the temperature within said at least one first airbag.

13. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one second airbag is deployable based upon a measure of temperature over time of the at least one first airbag.

14. The method of claim 9 wherein the at least one second airbag is deployable based upon measurement of both a time after deployment of the at least one first airbag and the temperature within said at least one first airbag.

15. A vehicle protection system comprising:

an exterior airbag system for the outside of a vehicle and housed about the exterior of said vehicle, said airbag system comprising at least one first airbag, and at least one second airbag;

an inflator system for inflation of said at least one first airbag and said at least one second airbag, said inflation system comprising at least one inflator operably communicating with said at least one first airbag and said at least one second airbag; and

a sensor system for sensing impending or actual collision data, said sensor system comprising at least one sensor and at least one central computer processing unit for receipt and processing of said data, and then selective activation of said inflator system,

wherein upon activation of said inflator system., said at least one first airbag is inflated, and then said at least one second airbag is sequentially deployed after said at least one first airbag based exclusively on measurement of a pressure in said at least one first airbag, and wherein said at least one second airbag is contained within said at least one first airbag.

16. A vehicle protection system comprising:

an exterior airbag system for the outside of a vehicle and housed about the exterior of said vehicle, said airbag system comprising at least one first airbag, and at least one second airbag;

an inflator system for inflation of said at least one first airbag and said at least one second airbag, said inflation system comprising at least one inflator operably communicating with said at least one first airbag and said at least one second airbag; and

a sensor system for sensing impending or actual collision data, said sensor system comprising at least one sensor and at least one central computer processing unit for receipt and processing of said data, and then selective activation of said inflator system,

wherein upon activation of said inflator system, said at least one first airbag is inflated, and then said at least one second airbag is sequentially deployed after said at least one first airbag based on measurement of system operating conditions and receipt of the same by said central computer processing unit, wherein said at least one second airbag is contained within said at least one first airbag.