Safety system for vehicles

• US 6,417,764 B2
• Filed: 07/27/1998
• Issued: 07/09/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 07/15/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Mark Christopher Tonkin
• Original Assignee: Mark Christopher Tonkin
• Inventors: Tonkin, Mark Christopher
• Primary Examiner(s): TONG, NINA C
• Application Number:
  US09/122,770
• Time in Patent Office: 1,443 Days
• Field of Search: 340/425.5, 340/426, 340/436, 340/901, 340/903, 340/904, 307/10.1, 280/729, 280/743.1, 280/743.2, 280/730.1, 280/731, 280/735, 280/732, 280/740, 701/45, 180/282, 180/273
• US Class Current: 340/425.5
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/444 with indication of the braking strength or speed changes, e.g. by changing shape or intensity of the indication B60Q1/1407, B60Q1/442, B60Q1/447 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 1/535 to prevent rear-end collisions, e.g. by indicating safety distance at the rear of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60Q 5/006 indicating risk of collision between vehicles or with pedestrians
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/205 inflatable in the direction of an obstacle upon impending impact, e.g. using air bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/40 in the direction of an obstacle before a collision , or extending during driving of the vehicle, i.e. to increase the energy absorption capacity of the bumper inflatable bumpers B60R19/20
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/42 extending primarily along the sides of, or completely encircling, a vehicle ornamental or guard strips B60R13/04
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0016 Fall in water
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01061 between the airbag system and other vehicle electronic systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23504 characterised by material
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01512 Passenger detection systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/12 for automatic initiation; for initiation not subject to will of driver or passenger limiting speed of vehicles other than rail vehicles B60K31/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 7/22 initiated by contact of vehicle, e.g. bumper, with an external object, e.g. another vehicle , or by means of contactless obstacle detectors mounted on the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/00 Arrangements for adjusting wheel-braking force to meet varying vehicular or ground-surface conditions, e.g. limiting or varying distribution of braking force by changing number of effective brake cylinders in power brake systems B60T17/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 8/32 responsive to a speed condition, e.g. acceleration or deceleration using electrical circuitry or regulation means B60T8/17 ; B60T8/28 takes precedence; electric devices on electrically propelled vehicles indicating the wheel slip B60L3/10; measuring linear or angular speed per se G01P3/00
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 13/931 of land vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9316 combined with communication equipment with other vehicles or with base stations
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/932 using own vehicle data, e.g. ground speed, steering wheel direction
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9321 : Velocity regulation, e.g. cruise control
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/9322 : using additional data, e.g. driver condition, road state or weather data
• CPC Class Codes: G01S 2013/93271 : in the front of the vehicles

Abstract

A safety system for a vehicle has a number of airbags (100-106) typically sited within a recess (108) in paneling of a vehicle (V). To avert the possibility of extensive damage caused by an impact, the airbags are selectively deployed. Each airbag (100-106) has a multi-chambered structure (118-122). The multi-chambered structure of each airbag is further arranged such that the chambers are rupturable separately from one another and are not of a vented type. More preferable, the individual chambers (118-122) are rupturable at different pressures whereby an airbag as a whole provides a cascade of energy absorbing impacts.

Claims

1. An airbag deployment system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one airbag housed in the vehicle having an interior shell;

a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag; and

means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, the at least one airbag having a plurality of inflatable chambers, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use, said means for inflating arranged to inflate independently the plurality of inflatable chambers to cause, in use, coexistence of inflated states of individual chambers of said plurality of inflatable chambers.

2. An airbag deployment system as claimed in claim 1, comprising deflation means to enable deflation of at least one of the chambers at a predetermined pressure level in response to an impact.

3. An airbag deployment system as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least one chamber is defined by a chamber wall formed of a relatively strong material which is resistant to bursting and a rupturable membrane portion constituting the deflation means.

4. An airbag deployment system as claimed in claim 1, comprising sensor means communicating with he controller and operable to determine a relative change in proximity to the vehicle of objects external to the vehicle.

5. An airbag deployment system as claimed claim 4, wherein the sensor means co-operates with the controller to cause the controller to actuate inflation of the at least one airbag in advance of a collision between said vehicle and an object external thereto.

6. An airbag deployment system as claimed in claim 5, wherein said recess is in side paneling of said vehicle and the protective device is attached to the side panelings.

7. An airbag deployment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein an airbag is housed within a recess in the paneling of said vehicle, the recess being closed by a protective device attached to the paneling.

8. An airbag deployment system as claimed in claim 1, wherein the vehicle is provided with airbags operable when deployed to protect corners of the vehicle.

9. An airbag deployment system as claimed in claim 1, the system comprising a plurality of airbags which at least one has a plurality of inflatable chambers, wherein at least one of the plurality of airbags is outside of the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use.

10. An airbag deployment system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one airbag housed in the vehicle having an interior shell;

a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag;

means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, the at least one airbag having a plurality of inflatable chambers, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use, said means for inflating arranged to inflate independently the plurality of inflatable chambers to cause, in use, coexistence of inflated states of individual chambers of said plurality of inflatable chambers; and

deflation means to enable deflation of at least one of the chambers at a predetermined pressure level in response to an impact, wherein the deflation means defines respective different predetermined pressure levels in respect of the chambers of the airbag.

11. An airbag deployment system as claimed in claim 10, wherein the predetermined pressure level for deflation of a first one of the chambers is lower than the predetermined pressure level for deflation for a second one of the chambers.

12. An airbag deployment system as claimed in claim 11, wherein the chamber wall if formed of a fibrous composite material.

13. An airbag deployment system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one airbag housed in the vehicle having an interior shell;

a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag;

means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use and said at least one airbag comprises a plurality of inflatable chambers; and

deflation means to enable deflation of at least one of the chambers at a predetermined pressure level in response to an impact, wherein the deflation means defines respective different predetermined pressure levels in respect of the chambers of the airbag, wherein the predetermined pressure level for deflation of a first one of the chambers is lower than the predetermined pressure level for deflation for a second one of the chambers, wherein the first chamber is deployed in use at an outermost position with respect to the second chamber and the vehicle.

14. An airbag deployment system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one airbag housed in the vehicle having an interior shell;

a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag; and

means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, the at least one airbag having a plurality of inflatable chambers, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use, said means for inflating arranged to inflate independently the plurality of inflatable chambers to cause, in use, coexistence of inflated states of individual chambers of said plurality of inflatable chambers, wherein the at least one airbag comprises between 2 and 10 independent chambers having respective deflation means rupturable at different respective internal pressures.

15. An airbag deployment system as claimed in claim 14, wherein the airbag comprises three chambers.

16. An airbag deployment system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one airbag housed in the vehicle having an interior shell;

a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag;

means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use and said at least one airbag comprises a plurality of inflatable chambers, said means for inflating arranged to inflate independenty the plurality of inflatable chambers to cause, in use, coexistence of inflated states of individual chambers of said plurality of inflatable chambers; and

sensor means communicating with the controller and operable to determine a relative change in proximity to the vehicle of objects external to the vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a side with side paneling and the sensor means comprises a proximity sensor positioned to detect objects at the side of the vehicle and the system includes airbags operable to protrude outwardly from the side paneling of the vehicle.

17. An airbag deployment system for a vehicle, the system comprising:

at least one airbag housed in the vehicle having an interior shell;

a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag;

means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use and said at least one airbag comprises a plurality of inflatable chambers, said means for inflating arranged to inflate independently the plurality of inflatable chambers to cause, in use, coexistence of inflated states of individual chambers of said plurality of inflatable chambers; and

sensor means communicating with the controller and operable to determine a relative change in proximity to the vehicle of objects external to the vehicle, wherein the sensor means comprises means for detecting whether a trailing vehicle is approaching at a rate such that impact with said vehicle is inevitable and the system includes an airbag operable to protrude outwardly from a rear end of said vehicle.

18. A vehicle containing an airbag deployment system comprising:

at least one airbag;

a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag; and

means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, the at least one airbag having a plurality of inflatable chambers, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use, said means for inflating arranged to inflate independently the plurality of inflatable chambers to cause, in use, coexistence of inflated states of individual chambers of said plurality of inflatable chambers.

19. The vehicle of claim 18, wherein the airbag deployment system further comprises deflation means to enable deflation of at least one of the chambers at a predetermined pressure level in response to an impact.