Air bag apparatus for passenger seat

• US 5,702,123 A
• Filed: 03/07/1996
• Issued: 12/30/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/31/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha (Toyota Motor Corporation)
• Inventors: Hamada, Makoto, Naito, Masaaki, Fujishima, Hiromichi, Maeda, Tomoharu, Takahashi, Hiroyuki, Sasaki, Kazuya, Tsuchiya, Jiro
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US08/613,378
• Time in Patent Office: 663 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01534 using electromagneticwaves, e.g. infrared
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01536 using ultrasonic waves

Abstract

An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat includes: a first sensor for detecting an occupant seated in a passenger seat; a second sensor for detecting a state in which the occupant is approaching an instrument panel excluding a state in which the occupant put out his or her hand(s) on the instrument panel; and a deployment controller for changing the control of deployment of an air bag when the occupant is detected by the first sensor and the state in which the occupant is approaching the instrument panel is detected by the second sensor.

Claims

1. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat, comprising:

a first sensor for detecting an occupant seated in a passenger seat;

a second sensor for detecting a state in which the occupant is approaching an instrument panel excluding a state in which the occupant puts out his or her hand(s) on the instrument panel; and

a deployment controller for changing the control of deployment of an air bag when the occupant is detected by said first sensor and the state in which the occupant is approaching the instrument panel is detected by said second sensor.

2. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein said first sensor is an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed at a portion of a roof of a vehicle in a range of positions between a position above the instrument panel and a position above a seat back of the passenger seat, a detecting region of said first sensor being oriented downward and a lower end of the detecting region being located at a position in the vehicle corresponding to a position of leg portions of the occupant in a seated state.

3. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 2, wherein said second sensor is an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed at the portion of the roof of the vehicle in the range of positions between the position above the instrument panel and the position above the seat back of the passenger seat, a detecting region of said second sensor being oriented toward the instrument panel and a distant end of the detecting region located at a position in the vehicle corresponding to a position spaced apart a predetermined distance upwardly from the instrument panel.

4. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 3, further comprising:

a third sensor disposed between said first sensor and said second sensor and constituted by an ultrasonic sensor, a detecting region of said third sensor being oriented toward a space between the instrument panel and a seat cushion and a distant end of the detecting region located at a position in the vehicle corresponding to a position below the instrument panel.

5. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein said second sensor is an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed at the portion of the roof of the vehicle in the range of positions between the position above the instrument panel and the position above the seat back of the passenger seat, a detecting region of said second sensor being oriented toward the instrument panel and a distant end of the detecting region being located at a position in the vehicle corresponding to a position spaced apart a predetermined distance upwardly from the instrument panel.

6. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, further comprising:

a third sensor disposed between said first sensor and said second sensor and constituted by an ultrasonic sensor, a detecting region of said third sensor being oriented toward a space between the instrument panel and a seat cushion and including a position below the instrument panel.

7. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 6, wherein said third sensor detects the presence or absence of a child seat.

8. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein said second sensor is an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed on the instrument panel such that a detecting region of said second sensor is oriented in a rearward direction of the vehicle, a distant end of the detecting region being located at a position in the vehicle which is a position spaced apart a predetermined distance upwardly from the instrument panel.

9. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein said second sensor is an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed in the instrument panel such that a detecting region of said second sensor is oriented toward a front windshield and is reflected in a rearward direction of the vehicle by the front windshield, a lower end of the detecting region being spaced apart a predetermined distance upwardly from the instrument panel.

10. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein said second sensor is a sensor of an infrared beam interruption type which is disposed between a front pillar and the instrument panel such that a line connecting a transmitting sensor element and a receiving sensor element of said second sensor is located at a position spaced apart a predetermined distance upwardly from the instrument panel, a threshold time of an interruption time being set to less than or equal to several milliseconds.

19. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 1, wherein, on the basis of the detection by said first sensor and said second sensor, said deployment controller determines whether the occupant is seated and determines if the occupant is in the state of putting out his/her hand(s) on the instrument panel or if the occupant is in the state of approaching the instrument panel, and said deployment controller controls the deployment of the air bag main body on the basis of these determinations, and when said deployment controller determines that the occupant is in the state of putting out his/her hand(s) on the instrument panel, said deployment controller permits deployment of the air bag, and when said deployment controller determines that the occupant is in the state of approaching the instrument panel, said deployment controller prohibits deployment of the air bag.

11. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 11, wherein, on the basis of the detection by said first sensor and said second sensor, said deployment controller determines whether the occupant is seated and determines if the occupant is in the state of putting out his/her hand(s) on the instrument panel or if the occupant is in the state of approaching the instrument panel, and said deployment controller controls the deployment of the air bag main body on the basis of these determinations, and when said deployment controller determines that the occupant is in the state of putting out his/her hand(s) on the instrument panel, said deployment controller permits deployment of the air bag, and when said deployment controller determines that the occupant is in the state of approaching the instrument panel, said deployment controller prohibits deployment of the air bag.

12. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat, comprising:

a first sensor for detecting an occupant seated in a passenger seat, said first sensor being an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed at a portion of a roof of a vehicle in a range of positions between a position above the instrument panel and a position above a seat back of the passenger seat, a detecting region of said first sensor being oriented downward and a lower end of the detecting region being located near a position of leg portions of the occupant in a seated state;

a second sensor for detecting a state in which the occupant is approaching an instrument panel excluding a state in which the occupant put out his or her hand(s) on the instrument panel; and

a deployment controller for changing the control of deployment of an air bag when the occupant is detected by said first sensor and the state in which the occupant is approaching the instrument panel is detected by said second sensor.

13. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 12, wherein said second sensor is an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed at the portion of the roof of the vehicle in the range of positions between the position above the instrument panel and the position above the seat back of the passenger seat, a detecting region of said second sensor being oriented toward the instrument panel and a distant end of the detecting region being located at a position in the vehicle corresponding to a position spaced apart a predetermined distance upwardly from the instrument panel and there is provided a third sensor disposed between said first sensor and said second sensor and constituted by an ultrasonic sensor, a detecting region of said third sensor being oriented toward a space between the instrument panel and a seat cushion and a distant end of the detecting region being located at a position in the vehicle corresponding to a position below the instrument panel.

14. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 13, wherein said third sensor detects the presence or absence of a child seat.

15. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 12, wherein said second sensor is an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed on the instrument panel such that a detecting region of said second sensor is oriented in a rearward direction of the vehicle, a distant end of the detecting region being located at a position spaced apart a predetermined distance upwardly from the instrument panel.

16. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 12, wherein said second sensor is an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed in the instrument panel such that a detecting region of said second sensor is oriented toward a front windshield and is reflected in a rearward direction of the vehicle by the front windshield, a lower end of the detecting region being spaced apart a predetermined distance upwardly from the instrument panel.

17. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 12, wherein said second sensor is a sensor of an infrared beam interruption type which is disposed between a front pillar and the instrument panel such that a line connecting a transmitting sensor element and a receiving sensor element of said second sensor is located at a position spaced apart a predetermined distance upwardly from the instrument panel, a threshold time of an interruption time being set to less than or equal to several milliseconds.

18. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat according to claim 12, wherein said second sensor is an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed at the portion of the roof of the vehicle in the range of positions between the position above the instrument panel and the position above the seat back of the passenger seat, a detecting region of said sensor being oriented toward the instrument panel and a distant end of the detecting region being located at a position in the vehicle corresponding to a position spaced apart a predetermined distance upwardly from the instrument panel.

20. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat, comprising:

a first sensor for detecting an occupant seated in a passenger seat and for detecting a position of the head of the occupant; and

a deployment controller for changing the control of deployment of an air bag when the occupant and the position of the head of the occupant are detected by said first sensor,

wherein said first sensor is an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed at a portion of a roof of a vehicle in a range of positions between a position above the instrument panel and a position above the seat back of the passenger seat, said first sensor being provided with two detecting regions oriented downward, one of the two detecting regions extending to a position in the vehicle corresponding to a position of leg portions of the occupant in a seated state, another one thereof extending to a position in the vehicle corresponding to a position of the head of the occupant when the passenger seat is at its frontmost position.

21. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat, comprising:

a first sensor for detecting an occupant seated in a passenger seat;

a second sensor for detecting a state in which the occupant is approaching an instrument panel excluding a state in which the occupant puts out his or her hand(s) on the instrument panel; and

a deployment controller for changing the control of deployment of an air bag when the occupant is detected by said first sensor and the state in which the occupant is approaching the instrument panel is detected by said second sensor,

wherein said second sensor is an ultrasonic sensor which is disposed at a portion of a roof of a vehicle in a range of positions between a position above the instrument panel and a position above the seat back of the passenger seat, a detecting region of said second sensor being oriented toward the instrument panel and a distant end of the detecting region being located at a position in the vehicle corresponding to a position spaced apart a predetermined distance upwardly from the instrument panel.

22. An air bag apparatus for a passenger seat, comprising:

a first sensor that detects whether an occupant is seated in a passenger seat;

a second sensor that detects and differentiates between a first state in which the occupant is approaching an instrument panel and a second state in which the occupant is putting out his or her hand(s) on the instrument panel; and

a deployment controller that controls deployment of an air bag when the occupant is detected by said first sensor and in accordance with the first and second states detected by said second sensor.