Multi-stage airbag in vehicle with reconfigurable interior

• US 9,108,584 B2
• Filed: 10/06/2014
• Issued: 08/18/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 11/20/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Rao, Manoharprasad K., Le, Jialiang
• Primary Examiner(s): Dickson, Paul N
• Assistant Examiner(s): Wilhelm, Timothy
• Application Number:
  US14/507,760
• Publication Number:
  US 20150137492A1
• Time in Patent Office: 316 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01211 Expansion of air bags
• 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 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01554 Seat position sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/017 including arrangements for providing electric power to safety arrangements or their actuating means, e.g. to pyrotechnic fuses or electro-mechanic valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/09 Control elements or operating handles movable from an operative to an out-of-the way position, e.g. pedals, switch knobs, window cranks specially adapted for brake pedals, e.g. by venting of master cylinder or destruction of force transmitting rod, B60T7/065
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/183 adjustable between in-use and out-of-use positions, e.g. to improve access
• CPC Class Codes: G05D 1/0088 characterized by the autonomous decision making process, e.g. artificial intelligence, predefined behaviours using knowledge based models G06N5/00

Abstract

A steering wheel is locatable between an operational position at a driver seat of a vehicle and a stowed position in the vehicle. A first airbag is coupled to the steering wheel, and a multi-stage airbag laterally overlaps the driver seat and a passenger seat of the vehicle next to the driver seat. A controller includes instructions for detecting a frontal collision, locating the steering wheel, deploying the first airbag at the driver seat and the multi-stage airbag at the passenger seat when the steering wheel is in the operational position, and deploying the multi-stage airbag at the driver and passenger seats when the steering wheel is in the stowed position.

Claims

1. A controller in a vehicle, the controller comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor, the instructions including instructions for:

monitoring crash sensor data;

detecting a frontal collision; and

determining that a steering wheel in a vehicle is in one of an operating position and a stowed position, and, when the steering wheel is in the operational position, deploying a first airbag at the driver seat and a multi-stage airbag at the passenger seat, and, when the steering wheel is in the stowed position, deploying the multi-stage airbag at the driver and passenger seats.

2. The controller of claim 1, wherein the first airbag is a steering wheel airbag.

3. The controller of claim 1, wherein the multi-stage airbag extends substantially laterally across a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

4. The controller of claim 3, wherein the multi-stage airbag is in a header of the vehicle.

5. The controller of claim 3, wherein the multi-stage airbag is in an instrument panel of the vehicle.

6. The controller of claim 1, the instructions further including instructions for determining whether the driver and passenger seats are facing forward.

7. The controller of claim 1, wherein the multi-stage airbag includes a dual-stage inflator.

8. A system, comprising:

a steering wheel locatable between an operational position at a driver seat of a vehicle and a stowed position in the vehicle;

a first airbag coupled to the steering wheel;

a multi-stage airbag laterally overlapping with the driver seat and a passenger seat of the vehicle next to the driver seat; and

a controller comprising a processor and a memory, the memory storing instructions executable by the processor, the instructions including instructions for detecting a frontal collision, locating the steering wheel, deploying the first airbag at the driver seat and the multi-stage airbag at the passenger seat when the steering wheel is in the operational position, and deploying the multi-stage airbag at the driver and passenger seats when the steering wheel is in the stowed position.

9. The system of claim 8, wherein the multi-stage airbag includes two chambers.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the multi-stage airbag includes a dual-stage inflator.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the multi-stage airbag includes two inflators.

12. The system of claim 8, wherein the multi-stage airbag is in a header of the vehicle.

13. The system of claim 8, wherein the multi-stage airbag is in an instrument panel of the vehicle.

14. The system of claim 8, the instructions further including instructions for determining whether the driver and passenger seats are facing forward.

15. A method, comprising:

monitoring crash sensor data;

detecting a frontal collision; and

determining that a steering wheel in a vehicle is in one of an operating position and a stowed position, and, when the steering wheel is in the operational position, deploying a first airbag at the driver seat and a multi-stage airbag at the passenger seat, and, when the steering wheel is in the stowed position, deploying the multi-stage airbag at the driver and passenger seats.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the multi-stage airbag extends substantially laterally across a passenger compartment of the vehicle.

17. The method of claim 16, wherein the multi-stage airbag is in a header of the vehicle.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the multi-stage airbag is in an instrument panel of the vehicle.

19. The method of claim 15, further comprising determining whether the driver and passenger seats are facing forward.

20. The method of claim 15, wherein the first airbag is a steering wheel airbag.