Apparatus, system, and method for diagnosing initiators in airbag systems

• US 9,499,115 B2
• Filed: 05/02/2015
• Issued: 11/22/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 05/02/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Schroth Safety Products LLC (Transdigm Group Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Takata Protection Systems, Inc. (SCHROTH Safety Products GmbH)
• Inventors: Schnetger, Mario, Garcia, Ray, White, Craig William, Zadeh, Ahad M., Meier-Arndt, Stefan
• Primary Examiner(s): CHEUNG, CALVIN K
• Application Number:
  US14/702,714
• Publication Number:
  US 20150343975A1
• Time in Patent Office: 570 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01184 Fault detection or diagnostic circuits
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• 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 21/0173 Diagnostic or recording means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: G01R 31/006 on road vehicles, e.g. automobiles or trucks testing of ignition installations peculiar to internal combustion engines F02P17/00
• CPC Class Codes: G07C 5/008 communicating information to a remotely located station transmission systems for measured values G08C

Abstract

The present invention discloses embodiments of an apparatus, system and related method for diagnosing initiators in air bag systems. An embodiment of the system comprises a diagnostic circuit electrically connected between acceleration switches and one or more squib, that is user-activated via a momentary switch, and with user-feedback, wherein a user can diagnose the health of the one or more squib with no power drain while inactive. An embodiment of a method related to the system comprises activating a momentary switch, completing a circuit whereby a diagnostic circuit may function, indicating to the user that the diagnostic circuit is functioning, regulating the current into the diagnostic circuit so that the squib does not fire, boosting the signal to a window comparator, detecting the desired voltage by the window comparator, giving feedback to the user that the voltage is good, too high, or too low. An apparatus embodiment of the present invention may comprise an electronics control module for sensing a crash event and initiating an inflation sequence for one or more airbags with an integrated system for diagnosing one or more initiators. The apparatus may include a housing enclosing one or more circuit boards, to which may be electrically connected one or more wire harnesses which themselves are electrically connected to one or more squibs.

Claims

1. A system for diagnosing initiators in air bag systems, with no power drain while active, the system comprising:

a diagnostic circuit electrically connected between a one or more acceleration switch and a one or more squib;

a user-activation means; and

a user-feedback means.

2. A method for diagnosing initiators in air bag systems, with no power drain while active, the method comprising the steps of:

providing a system for diagnosing initiators in air bag systems, the system comprising;

a diagnostic circuit electrically connected between a one or more acceleration switch and a one or more squib;

a user-activation means; and

a user-feedback means;

activating of the user-activation means by a user;

completing the diagnostic circuit whereby the diagnostic circuit may function;

indicating via the user-feedback means that the diagnostic circuit is functioning;

regulating the current into the diagnostic circuit so that the one or more squib does not fire;

boosting the signal to a window comparator;

detecting by the window comparator a desired voltage; and

giving feedback to the user that the voltage is good, too high, or too low.

3. An electronic control module apparatus with an integrated diagnostic system for diagnosing initiators in air bag systems, with no power drain while active, the apparatus comprising;

a system ground;

a source of electrical power with a current, a high voltage output and a low voltage output;

an at least one event detection circuit, wherein said event detection circuit is electrically connected to the source of electrical power and is comprising a one or more first acceleration switch electrically connected to the high voltage output of the source of electrical power, and a one or more second acceleration switch electrically connected to the low voltage output of the power source;

an at least one outbound wire harness electrically connected to the event detection circuit, wherein each at least one wire harness further comprises a one or more squib;

an at least one diagnostic circuit electrically connected between the event detection circuit and the outbound wire harness, wherein the diagnostic circuit is further comprised of a user-activation means which, when closed, completes a circuit for the current to flow to the diagnostic circuit, a current high input, a current low input, and a one or more current regulating means electrically connected at the current high input and the current low input in order to regulate the current into the diagnostic circuit to ensure that the squib does not fire during diagnostics;

a first indicator means, such as an LED, electrically connected between the user-activation means and the system ground;

a one or more signal booster, with a signal booster input and a signal booster output, electrically connected at the point of connection between the diagnostic circuit and the outbound wire harness;

a one or more window comparator, with a one or more window comparator output, electrically connected to the signal booster output;

a one or more second indicator means, such as LEDs, electrically connected to the one or more window comparator output; and

a housing.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a means to prevent back-flow of current, wherein said means to prevent back-flow of current may be chosen from components including diodes and FET switches.

5. The apparatus of claim 3 further comprising a balancing circuit.

6. The apparatus of claim 3 where the user-activation means includes momentary switches, pushbuttons, or an input signal from a processor such as a PC or a handheld device, said input signal being transmitted wither wired or wirelessly.

7. The apparatus of claim 3 where the first indicator means includes one or more LEDs, an audible tone, or wired or wireless output signals to be received by a processor such as a PC or handheld device.

8. The apparatus of claim 3 where the second indicator means includes one or more LEDs, an audible tone, or wired or wireless output signals to be received by a processor such as a PC or handheld device.