Efficient airbag system
First Claim
1. A vehicle having a passenger compartment and an airbag deployment system, the airbag deployment system comprisinga module housing, at least one airbag associated with said housing and deployable into the passenger compartment, inflator means associated with said housing for inflating said at least one airbag to deploy into the passenger compartment, airbag inflation determining means for generating a signal indicative of whether deployment of said at least one airbag is desired, said airbag inflation determining means comprising crash sensor means arranged separate and at a location apart from said housing for determining the severity of a crash of the vehicle, and electronic control means arranged within said housing and coupled to said inflator means and to said airbag inflation determining means for initiating said inflator means to inflate said at least one airbag in said housing upon receiving the signal from said airbag inflation determining means, said control means including a power supply for enabling initiation of said inflator means.
6 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An airbag deployment system including at least one module housing, at least one deployable airbag associated with each housing, an inflator associated with each housing for inflating the airbag(s) to deploy into the passenger compartment, an airbag inflation determination unit for determining that deployment of the airbag(s) is/are desired, and respective electronic control units arranged within or proximate each housing and coupled to a respective inflator and the airbag inflation determination unit for initiating the inflator to inflate the airbag(s) in the respective housing upon receiving a signal from the airbag inflation determination unit. The control units include a power supply for enabling initiation of the inflator. Another airbag system includes a first housing for housing a first airbag adapted to deploy between a dashboard of the vehicle and the front-seated occupant, a first inflator arranged in connection with the first housing for inflating the first airbag, a second housing for housing a second airbag adapted to deploy between a side of the vehicle and the front-seated occupant, and a second inflator arranged in connection with the second housing for inflating the second airbag. This system also includes a sensor and diagnostic module for determining that deployment of the first and second airbags is required for the crash of the vehicle and controlling the first and second inflators to inflate the first and second airbags, respectively.
95 Citations
46 Claims
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1. A vehicle having a passenger compartment and an airbag deployment system, the airbag deployment system comprising
a module housing, at least one airbag associated with said housing and deployable into the passenger compartment, inflator means associated with said housing for inflating said at least one airbag to deploy into the passenger compartment, airbag inflation determining means for generating a signal indicative of whether deployment of said at least one airbag is desired, said airbag inflation determining means comprising crash sensor means arranged separate and at a location apart from said housing for determining the severity of a crash of the vehicle, and electronic control means arranged within said housing and coupled to said inflator means and to said airbag inflation determining means for initiating said inflator means to inflate said at least one airbag in said housing upon receiving the signal from said airbag inflation determining means, said control means including a power supply for enabling initiation of said inflator means.
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16. A vehicle having a passenger compartment and an airbag deployment system, the airbag deployment system comprising
a plurality of module housings, an airbag associated with each of said housings and deployable into the passenger compartment, inflator means associated with each of said housings for inflating said airbag to deploy into the passenger compartment, airbag inflation determining means for generating a signal indicative of whether deployment of said at least one airbag is desired, said airbag inflation determining means comprising crash sensor means arranged separate and at a location apart from said housings for determining the severity of a crash of the vehicle, and electronic control means arranged within or proximate each of said housings and coupled to a respective one of said inflator means and to said airbag inflation determining means for initiating said inflator means to inflate said at least one airbag upon receiving the signal from said airbag inflation determining means, said control means including a power supply for enabling initiation of said inflator means.
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45. A vehicle having a passenger compartment and an airbag deployment system, the airbag deployment system comprising
first and second module housings, an airbag associated with each of said first and second housings and deployable in a crash involving the vehicle, a first inflator associated with said first housing for inflating said airbag associated with said first housing, a second inflator associated with said second housing for inflating said airbag associated with said second housing, a crash sensor system for generating a signal when deployment of at least one of said airbags is desired, first electronic control means arranged within or proximate said first housing and coupled to said first inflator and to said crash sensor system for initiating said first inflator to inflate said airbag in said first housing upon receiving the signal from said crash sensor system indicative of a desire to deploy said airbag in said first housing, said first control means including a power supply for enabling initiation of said first inflator, and second electronic control means arranged within or proximate said second housing and coupled to said second inflator and to said crash sensor system for initiating said second inflator to inflate said airbags in said second housing upon receiving the signal from said crash sensor system indicative of a desire to deploy said airbag in said second housing, said second control means including a power supply for enabling initiation of said second inflator.
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46. A method for deploying an airbag, comprising the steps of:
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arranging a deployable airbag in association with each of first and second airbag module housings, arranging a first inflator in association with the first housing for inflating the airbag associated with the first housing, arranging a second inflator in association with the second housing for inflating the airbag associated with the second housing, determining by means of a crash sensor system that deployment of at least one of the airbags is desired and generating a signal indicating that deployment of the at least one airbag is desired, arranging respective electronic control means within or proximate each of the first and second housings and coupling the respective electronic control means to a respective one of the first and second inflators, by means of the respective control means, initiating at least one of the first and second inflators to inflate the at least one airbag upon receiving the signal indicating that deployment of the at least one airbag is desired, and providing the control means with a power supply for enabling initiation of the first and second inflators.
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Specification