Method and apparatus for sensing impact crash conditions with safing function

• US 5,826,902 A
• Filed: 01/22/1996
• Issued: 10/27/1998
• Est. Priority Date: 01/22/1996
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Limited (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: McCurdy, Roger A., Yeh, Huahn Fern, Foo, Chek Peng
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US08/589,846
• Time in Patent Office: 1,009 Days
• Field of Search: 280/734, 280/735, 280/730.2, 340/438, 340/439, 340/440, 340/436, 180/274, 180/282
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0132 responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01336 using filtering

Abstract

An apparatus (10) for controlling actuation of a first actuatable restraint (18) and a second actuatable restraint (20) includes a first crash accelerometer (22) for providing a discriminating crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in a first direction and a safing crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in a second direction. A second crash accelerometer (34) provides a safing crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in the first direction and a discriminating crash acceleration signal when a crash event is sensed in the second direction. A third crash accelerometer (90) provides another safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in either the first or second directions. The first actuatable restraint (18) is actuated when the first accelerometer (22) provides the discriminating crash acceleration signal and either the second or third accelerometers provide a safing crash signal. The second actuatable restraint (20) is actuated when the second accelerometer (34) provides a discriminating crash signal and either the first or the third accelerometer provides a safing crash signal.

Claims

1. An apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraint, comprising:

first acceleration sensing means having an axis of sensitivity and mounted to a vehicle at a first side location for providing a discriminating crash acceleration signal when a sideways crash acceleration of the vehicle is sensed in a first direction;

second acceleration sensing means having an axis of sensitivity and mounted to a second side location of the vehicle spaced apart from and substantially opposite said first side location for providing a safing crash acceleration signal when crash acceleration is sensed in said first direction;

third acceleration sensing means having an axis of sensitivity and mounted to the vehicle at a third location of the vehicle spaced apart from and substantially between said first and second side locations for providing a safing crash acceleration signal when crash acceleration is sensed in said first direction; and

means for actuating said actuatable restraint when said first crash sensing means provides said discriminating crash acceleration signal and when either said second or said third crash sensing means provides its associated safing crash acceleration signal.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the vehicle has a driver'"'"'s side and a passenger'"'"'s side and said first side location is on the driver'"'"'s side of the vehicle and said second side location is on the passenger'"'"'s side of the vehicle.

3. An apparatus for controlling an actuatable restraint, comprising:

first acceleration sensing means having an axis of sensitivity and mounted to the vehicle at a first location of the vehicle with the axis of sensitivity of said first acceleration sensing means oriented in a first direction, said first acceleration sensing means providing a discriminating crash signal when crash acceleration is sensed in said first direction;

second acceleration sensing means having an axis of sensitivity and mounted to the vehicle at a second location of the vehicle with the axis of sensitivity of said second acceleration sensing means being oriented substantially parallel with said first direction and 180 degrees from the axis of sensitivity of said first acceleration sensing means, said second acceleration sensing means providing a safing crash signal when crash acceleration is sensed in said first direction;

third acceleration sensing means having an axis of sensitivity and mounted to the vehicle at a third location of the vehicle with the axis of sensitivity of said third acceleration sensing means being substantially parallel with said first direction and providing a secondary safing crash signal when crash acceleration is sensed in said first direction; and

means for actuating said actuatable restraint when said first crash sensing means provides said discriminating crash signal and when either said third crash sensing means provides said secondary safing crash signal or said second crash sensing means provides said safing crash signal.

4. An apparatus for controlling actuation of a first actuatable restraint and a second actuatable restraint, comprising:

first crash sensing means for providing a first discriminating crash signal when a crash event is sensed in a first direction and a first safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in a second direction;

second crash sensing means for providing a second safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in said first direction and a second discriminating crash signal when a crash event is sensed in said second direction;

third crash sensing means for providing a third safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in said first direction and a fourth safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in said second direction;

means for actuating said first actuatable restraint when said first crash sensing means provides said discriminating crash signal and when either said third crash sensing means provides said third safing crash signal or said second crash sensing means provides said second safing crash signal; and

means for actuating said second actuatable restraint when said first crash sensing means provides said first safing crash signal or said third crash sensing means provides said fourth safing crash signal and said second crash sensing means provides said second discriminating crash signal.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein each of said first crash sensing means, said second crash sensing means, and said third crash sensing means are accelerometers.

6. The apparatus of claim 5 wherein said first restraint is an air bag operatively mounted in a side assembly of a vehicle having a driver'"'"'s side and a passenger'"'"'s side, said air bag being associated with the vehicle driver'"'"'s side and wherein said second restraint is an air bag operatively mounted in a side assembly of the vehicle associated with the vehicle passenger'"'"'s side.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 wherein said first crash sensing means is mounted in a driver'"'"'s side B-pillar, door, or floor cross member of said vehicle, said second crash sensing means is mounted in a passenger'"'"'s side B-pillar, door, or floor cross member of said vehicle, and wherein said third crash sensing means is mounted at a central location of said vehicle.

8. Apparatus for use in a vehicle having a driver'"'"'s side, a passenger'"'"'s side, a side impact restraint for protecting a driver against side impacts and a side impact restraint for protecting a passenger against side impacts, comprising:

a first accelerometer, mounted on the driver'"'"'s side of the vehicle and sensitive to sideways acceleration of the vehicle and providing an output signal indicative thereof;

a second accelerometer, mounted on the passenger'"'"'s side of the vehicle and sensitive to sideways acceleration of the vehicle and providing an output signal indicative thereof;

a third accelerometer, mounted at a central location of the vehicle and sensitive to sideways acceleration of the vehicle and providing an output signal indicative thereof; and

control means for actuating the side impact restraint for the driver only when the signals from the first accelerometer and when either the signal from the second or the third accelerometer indicate that an impact is occurring on the driver'"'"'s side of the vehicle and for actuating the side impact restraint for the passenger only when either the signal from the first accelerometer or the third accelerometer and when the second accelerometer indicate that an impact is occurring on the passenger'"'"'s side of the vehicle.

9. A method for controlling actuation of a first actuatable restraint and a second actuatable restraint, said method comprising the steps of:

sensing a crash acceleration using a first acceleration sensor, said first acceleration sensor providing a first discriminating crash signal when a crash event is sensed in a first direction and providing a first safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in a second direction;

sensing a second crash acceleration using a second acceleration sensor, said second acceleration sensor providing a second safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in said first direction and providing a second discriminating crash signal when a crash event is sensed in said second direction;

sensing a secondary safing crash acceleration using a third crash sensing means, said third acceleration sensor providing a third safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in said first direction and a fourth safing crash signal when a crash event is sensed in said second direction;

actuating said first actuatable restraint when said first crash sensing means provides said first discriminating crash signal and when either (i) said second crash sensing means provides said second safing crash signal or (ii) said third crash sensing means provides said third safing crash signal; and

actuating said second actuatable restraint when either (i) said first crash sensing means provides said first safing crash signal or (ii) said third crash sensing means provides said fourth safing crash signal and when said second crash sensing means provides said second discriminating crash signal.