Device for determining a tendency to tilt

• US 7,987,031 B2
• Filed: 02/25/2005
• Issued: 07/26/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 03/01/2004
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Co. OHG (Continental AG)
• Original Assignee: Continental Teves AG & Company HG (Continental AG)
• Inventors: Klug, Michael, Stölzl, Stefan, Fennel, Helmut, Diebold, Jürgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Zanelli; Michael J.
• Application Number:
  US10/590,628
• Publication Number:
  US 20070276566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 2,342 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 701/45
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01313 monitoring the vehicle steering system or the dynamic control system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01327 Angular velocity or angular acceleration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value

Abstract

The invention relates to a device for determining a tendency to tilt about the longitudinal axis and a tendency to turn about the vertical axis of a vehicle. The detection system is characterized by a lateral acceleration sensor producing a lateral acceleration signal, a yaw rate sensor producing a yaw rate signal, a steering angle sensor producing a steering angle signal, wheel speed sensors producing the rotation signals of the wheels, and which includes a controller which, in response to the steering angle, the steering velocity and the vehicle speed, determines a tendency to tilt about the longitudinal axis of a vehicle and which, in response to the lateral acceleration sensor, the yaw rate sensor, the steering angle sensor and the wheel speed sensors determines the tendency to turn about the vertical axis of the vehicle, and with the controller generating a triggering signal for at least one passenger protection means depending on the extent of these tendencies.

Claims

1. A device for determining a tendency to tilt about a longitudinal axis and a tendency to turn about a vertical axis of a vehicle, using a detection system comprising:

a lateral acceleration sensor producing a lateral acceleration signal;

a yaw rate sensor producing a yaw rate signal;

a steering angle sensor producing a steering angle signal;

wheel speed sensors producing rotation signals of respective wheels; and

a controller which, in response to a steering angle, a steering velocity and a vehicle speed, determines a tendency to tilt about a longitudinal axis of the vehicle and in response to the lateral acceleration sensor, the yaw rate sensor, the steering angle sensor and the wheel speed sensors determines a tendency to turn about a vertical axis of a vehicle, and the controller generates a triggering signal for at least one passenger protection device depending on the extent of these tendencies.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein the triggering signal is allocated to the passenger protection device depending on a driving situation, so that a definition of a position of the passenger protection device being actuated in the vehicle takes place depending on at least one of a tilt about a longitudinal axis or turning tendency of the vehicle in space.

3. A device according to claim 2, wherein the extent of the tendency to tilt or the tendency to turn is evaluated based on at least one of the quantities of steering wheel angle, steering velocity, vehicle speed, lateral acceleration, longitudinal acceleration.

4. A device according to claim 1, wherein at least one threshold value of the triggering signal is varied.

5. A device according to claim 4, wherein at least a lag of release of the passenger protection device is varied as a threshold value.

6. A device according to claim 1, wherein a service life of the passenger protection device is modified depending on a driving situation.

7. A device according to claim 1, wherein the passenger protection device is an airbag.

8. A device according to claim 1, wherein the passenger protection device is a reversible belt pre-tensioning system.

9. A device according to claim 8, wherein the triggering signal for the reversible belt pre-tensioning system is allocated depending on a driving situation, so that a definition of a position of the pre-tensioning system being actuated in the vehicle or the point of time of release takes place depending on the tilt about a longitudinal axis or turning tendency of the vehicle in space.

10. A device according to claim 9, wherein the point of time of release of the belt pre-tensioning system being actuated occurs according to an ARP-intervention so that the ARP-intervention and the belt pre-tensioning system are activated simultaneously.