Collision sensing system for side air bag system

• US 5,322,323 A
• Filed: 12/17/1992
• Issued: 06/21/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/1991
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation), Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Nippondenso Co., Ltd. (DENSO Corporation), Nippon Soken, Inc., Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Taguchi, Masahiro, Tominaga, Motonori, Miyagawa, Toshihito, Ohno, Mitsuyoshi, Matsuhashi, Toshiaki
• Primary Examiner(s): CULBRETH, ERIC D
• Application Number:
  US07/992,539
• Time in Patent Office: 551 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730 A, 280/735, 280/803, 280/728 R, 180/286, 180/274, 180/282, 180/263
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value

Abstract

A collision sensing system for a side air bag system has a door opening state detector and an air bag actuation inhibiter. The side air bag system is provided with an air bag which is confined in a side door of a vehicle and inflated and expanded in a space between an occupant of the vehicle and the inner side wall of the compartment such as the side door when a collision detector detects a vehicle collision. The air bag actuation inhibiter inhibits the inflation of the air bag when the door opening state detector detects the open state of the side door.

Claims

1. A collision sensing system for a side air bag system in which an air bag confined in a side door of a vehicle is inflated in a space between an occupant of the vehicle and the inner side wall of the compartment when collision detecting means detects a vehicle collision,

comprising switch means for opening a circuit when the side door is opened.

wherein said collision detecting means including a touch sensor connected in series with said switch means and having contacts closed in response to the vehicle collision.

2. A collision sensing system for a side air bag system according to claim 1,

wherein said collision detecting means further includes:

an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration or deceleration; and

acceleration deciding means for outputting a signal for operating said side air bag system when the acceleration or deceleration detected by said acceleration sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and

wherein said acceleration deciding means is connected in parallel with said switch means and said touch sensor.

3. A collision sensing system for a side air bag system according to claim 1,

wherein said collision detecting means further includes:

an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration or deceleration; and

acceleration deciding means for outputting a signal for operating said side air bag system when the acceleration or declaration detected by said acceleration sensor is equal to or higher than a predetermined value, and

wherein said acceleration deciding means in connected in parallel with said touch sensor and in series with said switch means.

4. A collision sensing system for a side air bag system according to claim 1, further comprising inhibition hold means for holding an inhibiting state of the air bag after the touch sensor contact is closed when the side door is open.

5. A collision sensing system for a side air bag system according to claim 1, further comprising a halt detecting means for detecting a halt state of the vehicle;

wherein the air bag is inflated only when the switch means closes the circuit when the side door is closed, the touch sensor closes the contact and the halt detecting means detects the halt state of the vehicle.

6. A collision sensing system for a side air bag system according to claim 5,

wherein the halt detecting means includes a vehicle speed sensor.

7. A collision sensing system for a side air bag system in which an air bag confined in a side door of a vehicle is inflated in a space between an occupant of the vehicle and the inner side wall of the compartment when collision detecting means detects a vehicle collision,

comprising side door opening state detecting means for outputting a signal according to the open state of the side door,

said collision detecting means including:

an acceleration sensor for detecting an acceleration;

acceleration deciding means connected with said acceleration sensor and said side door opening state detecting means; and

a touch sensor having a circuit closed in response to a collision of the vehicle and connected in parallel with said acceleration deciding means.