Collision detecting system

• US 4,087,782 A
• Filed: 08/19/1976
• Issued: 05/02/1978
• Est. Priority Date: 12/07/1973
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Nippon Soken, Inc.
• Inventors: Yamada, Takashi, Oishi, Kazuo
• Primary Examiner(s): Caldwell, Sr., John W.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nowicki, Joseph E.
• Application Number:
  US05/715,916
• Time in Patent Office: 621 Days
• Field of Search: 340/52 H, 340/61, 340/262, 343/225, 200/61.44, 200/61.45 M, 280/735, 180/91, 180/103 A, 336/DIG. 2
• US Class Current: 180/271
• 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

Abstract

A collision detecting system having a collision sensor for generating an AC collision signal and a signal processing circuit responsive to the AC signal for discriminating the occurrence of a collision and for generating an output signal when a collision occurs. A contactless connector interconnects the collision sensor and the signal processing circuit. The connector comprises a pair of separably interconnected elements for respectively supporting a primary winding and a secondary winding in operative relationship to one another, the primary winding being joined to the collision sensor and the secondary winding being connected to the signal processing circuit.

Claims

1. A collision detecting system comprising:

(a) a collision sensor secured to a body for generating an AC signal upon occurrence of a collision of the body;

(b) oscillator means connected to the collision sensor and controlled by the AC signal to generate a signal having a frequency higher than that of the AC signal during a portion of each period of said AC signal, said high frequency signal being modulated by the AC signal;

(c) interconnecting means including;

a primary winding connected to said collision sensor and said oscillator means whereby the modulated signal generates an electromagnetic induction field;

a secondary winding operatively related to said primary winding for generating an induced signal in response to the induction field;

first supporting means for supporting said primary winding;

second supporting means for supporting said secondary winding, said second supporting means being detachably joined with said first supporting means whereby when said first and second supporting means are joined, said primary and secondary windings are inductively coupled as a separable contactless connector between the collision sensor and the signal processing circuit; and

(d) a signal processing circuit connected to said secondary winding and responsive to said induced signal for detecting the occurrence of the collision to generate an output signal.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said collision sensor comprises:

a magnet for generating a magnetic flux;

a stator core operatively associated with said magnet to form part of a magnetic path for said magnetic flux;

a movable core slidably mounted with respect to said stator core, said movable core having a plurality of spaced projecting teeth and forming an additional part of said magnetic path, the position of said projecting teeth with respect to the stator core controlling the magnetic resistance of said magnetic path; and

a coil interlinked with said stator core and the movable core for generating said AC signal in response to variations of said magnetic resistance due to movement of said movable core caused by a collision.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein said oscillator means includes:

a circuit joined to said collision sensor for rectifying and smoothing said AC signal to generate a DC signal, said DC signal serving as a power source of the oscillator means so as to generate said high-frequency signal.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said first and second supporting means respectively comprise a plug member and a receptacle member detachably attached thereto.