Method and system for multi-stage inflation of a curtain airbag for ejection mitigation

• US 8,333,406 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2010
• Issued: 12/18/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 10/06/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Toyota Motor Corporation
• Original Assignee: Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing North America Incorporated (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Slaats, Paul M.
• Primary Examiner(s): VERLEY, NICOLE T
• Application Number:
  US12/899,505
• Publication Number:
  US 20120086190A1
• Time in Patent Office: 804 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/736, 280/742, 280/741
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2633 with a plurality of inflation levels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2642 comprising a plurality of combustion chambers or sub-chambers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/263 using a variable source, e.g. plural stage or controlled output hybrid inflators B60R21/272

Abstract

The present invention can include an automobile having a multi-stage inflation system. The multi-stage inflation system can include an engine control unit, a multi-stage inflation unit, a curtain airbag, a curtain airbag pressure indicator, and/or a rollover side impact detection unit. The rollover side impact detection unit can detect when a side impact or a rollover occurs to the automobile. When the rollover or the side impact is detected, the engine control unit can instruct the multi-stage inflation unit to deploy and inflate the curtain airbag in multiple stages. The multi-stage inflation unit can include a pyrotechnic inflation unit with multiple compartments. At each of the stages, a different one of the multiple compartments can be activated to substantially inflate the curtain airbag. The multi-stage inflation unit can also optionally include a cold gas inflation unit to supplement the pyrotechnic inflation unit.

Claims

1. A multi-stage inflation system for ejection mitigation comprising:

an airbag configured to be inflated;

a multi-stage inflation unit configured to inflate the airbag in sequential stages, wherein the airbag is substantially inflated at each of the sequential stages;

a processor connected to the multi-stage inflation unit and configured to control the multi-stage inflation unit to inflate the airbag in the sequential stages; and

an airbag pressure indicator connected to the processor, and configured to detect airbag data corresponding to a pressure of the airbag,

wherein the processor controls the sequential stage inflation of the airbag by the multi-stage inflation unit based on the airbag data.

2. The system of claim 1 wherein the multi-stage inflation unit includes multiple compartments, wherein one of the compartments is activated at each of the sequential stages.

3. The system of claim 1 wherein the multi-stage inflation unit is a pyrotechnic inflation unit configured to inflate the airbag in at least three stages, and the processor controls the pyrotechnic inflation unit to inflate the airbag in the at least three stages.

4. The system of claim 1 wherein the multi-stage inflation unit is a hybrid inflation unit including a pyrotechnic inflation unit connected to the airbag, and a stored gas unit connected to the airbag, wherein the hybrid inflation unit is configured to inflate the airbag in at least two stages, and the processor controls the hybrid inflation unit to inflate the airbag in the at least two stages.

5. The system of claim 1 further comprising a rollover side impact detection unit connected to the processor, and configured to detect when a rollover or a side impact occurs.

6. The system of claim 5 wherein the processor controls the multi-stage inflation unit to inflate the airbag when the rollover side impact detection unit detects that the rollover or the side impact has occurred.

7. The system of claim 6 wherein the rollover side impact detection unit is an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor, or a rollover sensor.

8. An automobile comprising:

a multi-stage inflation sytem for ejection mitigation including;

an airbag configured to be inflated,

a pyrotechnic inflation unit configured to inflate the airbag in sequential stages, wherein the pyrotechnic inflation unit includes multiple compartments, and one of the compartments is activated at each of the sequential stages to periodically increase pressure of the airbag,

a processor connected to the pyrotechnic inflation unit and configured to control the pyrotechnic inflation unit to inflate the airbag in the sequential stages, and

an airbag pressure indicator connected to the processor, and configured to detect airbag data corresponding to a pressure of the airbag, wherein the processor controls the multiple stage inflation of the airbag by the pyrotechnic inflation unit based on the airbag data.

9. The automobile of claim 8 wherein the pyrotechnic inflation unit is configured to inflate the airbag in at least three stages, and the processor controls the pyrotechnic inflation unit to inflate the airbag in the at least three stages.

10. The automobile of claim 8 wherein the airbag is substantially inflated at each of the sequential stages.

11. The automobile of claim 8 wherein the multi-stage inflation system further comprises a rollover side impact detection unit connected to the processor, and configured to detect when a rollover or a side impact to the automobile has occurred, wherein the processor controls the pyrotechnic inflation unit to inflate the airbag when the rollover side impact detection unit detects that the rollover or the side impact to the automobile has occurred.

12. The automobile of claim 11 wherein the rollover side impact detection unit is an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor, or a rollover sensor.

13. A method for inflating an airbag in an automobile comprising:

detecting, using a sensor, a rollover or a side impact to the automobile;

detecting, using a pressure indicator, airbag data corresponding to an internal pressure of the airbag; and

using a pyrotechnic inflation unit, substantially inflating the airbag in multiple stages based on the airbag data.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the multiple stages includes at least three stages.

15. The method of claim 13 further comprising activating a different compartment in the pyrotechnic inflation unit in each of the multiple stages.

16. The method of claim 13 wherein the sensor is an acceleration sensor, a pressure sensor, or a rollover sensor.

17. The method of claim 13 wherein the pyrotechnic inflation unit includes multiple compartments, wherein one of the compartments is activated at each of the multiple stages.