Method and apparatus for deployment of an air bag

• US 20020056975A1
• Filed: 09/10/2001
• Published: 05/16/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2000
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Joseph Y. Yoon Intellectual Property LLC (Fred DuFresne)
• Original Assignee: Joseph Y. Yoon
• Inventors: Yoon, Joseph Y., Little, David R.
• Granted Patent: US 9,376,076 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2633 with a plurality of inflation levels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01546 using belt buckle sensors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0155 sensing belt tension
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01556 Child-seat detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/203 in steering wheels or steering columns
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2644 using only solid reacting substances, e.g. pellets, powder
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/18 Anchoring devices

Abstract

A method and apparatus for controlling the deployment of a passive inflatable restraint system wherein driver and passenger air bags are employed each having two independently actuatable gas generators of the same or different sizes which are activated in a fixed time sequence. The sequence is timed to provide an initial low inflation rate to just open the airbag container and initially deploy the airbag followed by a higher gas flow rate to complete filling of the cushion. An electronic control unit containing a control algorithm and connected to external sensors monitors vehicle decelerations, detects impacts, and determines if impact severity warrants deployment of an airbag for occupant protection. The external sensors include one or more sensors located in the forward portion of the vehicle to provide early impact detection and crash severity indications; a weight based occupant detection system located in the passenger seat to identify infants and small children and provide airbag suppression; and a seat belt mode or seat belt tension sensor to determine the presence of a cinched child seat and provide additional airbag suppression. The control algorithm monitors the above described sensors and if a deployment is required, a signal for activating the first initiator and a second signal for activating the second initiator are provided, the second signal being delayed a predetermined time after the first signal is generated.

Claims

1. A safety restraint system, comprising:

a) a vessel defining a chamber for housing a first initiator housing and a second initiator housing, said vessel having an exhaust port being configured, positioned and dimensioned to be in fluid communication with an inflation opening of an inflatable airbag;

b) a first initiator being positioned within said first initiator housing and said second initiator being positioned within second initiator housing, said first initiator and said second initiator each having an actuatable igniter, an ignitable material being positioned to be ignited by said actuatable igniter, said igniter, when actuated, ignites said ignitable material to produce combustion products which are released into said vessel and increase the internal pressure of said air bag causing said air bag to inflate; and

c) a means for generating a first signal for activating said first initiator and a means for generating a second signal for activating said second initiator, said second signal being delayed a predetermined time after said first signal is generated.

2. The safety restraint system as in claim 1, wherein said first initiator housing produces combustion products which result in said airbag inflating to a first inflation, said second initiator housing produces combustion products which result in said airbag inflating to a second inflation, said first inflation being typically more than said second inflation.

3. The safety restraint system as in claim 2, wherein said first inflation is a pressure large enough to cause said airbag to break through or open an airbag cover.

4. The safety restraint system as in claim 1, wherein said predetermined time ranges from about 5 milliseconds to about 35 milliseconds.

27. The safety restraint system as in claim 1, wherein said means for generating said second signal is a mechanical delay.

5. A safety system for a vehicle, comprising:

a) an air bag module having an inflator with a pair of initiators; and

b) an air bag module controller for providing a sequential firing of both said pair of initiators.

6. The safety system as in claim 5, further comprising:

c) a plurality of sensors for providing input signals to said air bag module controller, said air bag module controller providing activation signals to said pair of initiators.

7. The safety system as in claim 5, wherein said inflator includes a vessel for defining a chamber for housing a first initiator housing and a second initiator housing, said vessel having an exhaust port being configured, positioned and dimensioned to be in fluid communication with an inflation opening of an inflatable airbag, one of said pair of initiators being positioned within said first initiator housing and the other being positioned within second initiator housing, said pair of initiators each having an actuatable igniter, an ignitable material being positioned to be ignited by said actuatable igniter, said igniter, when actuated, ignites said ignitable material to produce combustion products which are released into said vessel and increase the internal pressure of said air bag causing said air bag to inflate.

8. The safety system as in claim 6, further comprising:

d) an air bag module suppression system, said air bag module suppression system instructs said controller to suppress said air bag module.

9. The safety system as in claim 6, wherein said air bag controller is a sensing and diagnostic module, said sensing and diagnostic module generating a first signal and a second signal, said first signal activating one of said pair of initiators and said second signal activating the other one of said pair of initiators, said second signal being delayed a pre-determined time after said first signal.

10. A safety system having an air bag module capable of providing a variable rate of inflation, comprising:

a) a vessel defining a chamber for housing a first initiator housing and a second initiator housing, said first initiator housing being larger than said second initiator housing, said vessel having an exhaust port being configured, positioned and dimensioned to be in fluid communication with an inflation opening of said airbag;

b) a first initiator being positioned within said first initiator housing and said second initiator being positioned within second initiator housing, said first initiator and said second initiator each having an actuatable igniter, an ignitable material being positioned to be ignited by said actuatable igniter, said igniter, when actuated, ignites said ignitable material to produce combustion products which are released into said vessel and increase the pressure of said air bag;

c) a means for generating a first signal for activating said first initiator and a second signal for activating said second initiator, said second signal being delayed a predetermined time after said first signal is generated, said first signal and said second signal being generated by an air bag module controller.

11. The safety system as in claim 10, wherein said first initiator creates a first inflation force sufficiently large enough for an air bag of said air bag module to break through an air bag cover of said air bag module.

12. The safety system as in claim 11, wherein said second initiator creates a second inflation force for fully inflating said air bag after said air bag has broken through said air bag cover.

13. The safety system as in claim 12, wherein said first inflation force and said second inflation force are provided at separate times to provide a less steep inflation curve of said air bag than if said first inflation force and said second inflation force are provided simultaneously.

14. The safety system as in claim 10, further comprising:

d) an air bag module suppression system, said air bag module suppression system instructs said air bag module controller to suppress said air bag module.

15. The safety system as in claim 14, wherein said air bag module suppression system is a passive occupant detection system comprising a means for detecting a vehicle occupant, said passive occupant detection system instructs said air bag module controller to suppress said air bag module when a pre-determined condition has been met.

16. The safety system as in claim 14, further comprising an indicator means for indicating when said air bag module is suppressed.

17. The safety system as in claim 16, wherein said indicator means is an indicator light.

19. The vehicle safety system as in claim 18, further comprising:

d) seat belt switches for providing a signal to said sensing and diagnostic module, said signal indicating whether said seat belt is properly fastened.

20. The vehicle safety system as in claim 18, further comprising:

d) a passive occupant detection system comprising a means for detecting a vehicle occupant, said passive occupant detection system instructs said air bag module controller to suppress said passenger side air bag module when a pre-determined condition has been met.

21. The vehicle safety system as in claim 20, further comprising:

e) seat belt switches for providing a signal to said sensing and diagnostic module, said signal indicating whether said seat belt is properly fastened.

22. The vehicle safety system as in claim 20, further comprising:

e) an automatic locking retractor switch for determining whether an infant seat is secured to a passenger seat via a seat belt, said automatic locking retractor switch provides a signal to said sensing and diagnostic module, said signal indicating whether a child seat is fastened to said passenger seat.

23. The safety system as in claim 22, further comprising:

f) an indicator means for indicating when said passenger side air bag module is suppressed.

24. The safety system as in claim 18, wherein one of said plurality of sensors is an external frontal sensor positioned toprovide early detection of any vehicle impact for the purpose of assessing crash severity.

25. The system as in claim 18, wherein said driver'"'"'s side air bag module and said passenger side air bag module each have

i) a vessel defining a chamber for housing a first initiator housing and a second initiator housing, said first initiator housing being larger than said second initiator housing, said vessel having an exhaust port being configured, positioned and dimensioned to be in fluid communication with an inflation opening of said inflatable airbag;

ii) a first initiator being positioned within said first initiator housing and said second initiator being positioned within second initiator housing, said first initiator and said second initiator each having an actuatable igniter, an ignitable material being positioned to be ignited by said actuatable igniter, said igniter, when actuated, ignites said ignitable material to produce combustion products which are released into said vessel and increase the internal pressure of said inflatable air bag, said first initiator creates a first inflation force sufficiently large enough for said inflatable air bag of said air bag module to break through an air bag cover of said air bag module.

26. The system as in claim 25, wherein said activation signals of said driver'"'"'s side air bag module are provided by a clock spring coil configured to transmit a deployment current independently to each initiator of said driver'"'"'s side air bag module, said current being generated from the vehicle'"'"'s electrical system and is provided to a steering wheel and said driver'"'"'s side airbag module using a continuous coil of wire.

18. A vehicle safety system, comprising:

a) a driver'"'"'s side air bag module for inflating an inflatable air bag with a first inflation force and a second inflation force, said first inflation force being large enough to cause said inflatable air bag of said driver'"'"'s side air bag module to break through an air bag cover of said driver'"'"'s side air bag module;

b) a passenger side air bag module for inflating an inflatable air bag with a first inflation force and a second inflation force, said first inflation force being large enough to cause said inflatable air bag of said passenger side air bag module to break through an air bag cover of said passenger side air bag module; and

c) a sensing and diagnostic module for receiving and interpreting a plurality of inputs from a plurality of sensors, sad sensing and diagnostic module providing activation signals to said driver'"'"'s side air bag module and said passenger side air bag module in response to predetermined conditions sensed by said plurality of sensors.