Rollover protection for a vehicle
AssigneeZF Automotive Germany GmbH
InventorMarc Schieß
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A protection system for a motor vehicle having a sensor for determining an angle of inclination of the motor vehicle about its longitudinal axis. An airbag attached on an outside of the motor vehicle. A processing device designed to detect a risk that the motor vehicle may tip over, on the basis of the inclination angle determined, and in that case activates the airbag. The airbag can be pivoted in the vertical direction from an area close to the ground.
Claims15
A protection system for a motor vehicle, the protection system comprises:
- a sensor for determining an angle of inclination of the motor vehicle about a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle;
- an airbag attached on an outside of the motor vehicle in an area of the motor vehicle adjacent a ground surface on which the motor vehicle travels;
- wherein the airbag is attached to a contact element so that the airbag is located between the outside of the motor vehicle and the contact element;
- a processing device, designed to detect a risk of the motor vehicle tipping over based on the determined angle of inclination, and to activate the airbag when a risk of the motor vehicle tipping over is detected, the airbag is pivotable out from the area of the motor vehicle adjacent the ground surface on which the motor vehicle travels, in a vertical direction such that the contact element, which remains attached to the airbag after the airbag is activated, forms a contact surface for the airbag.
A system comprising a motor vehicle with a protection system having a sensor for determining an angle of inclination of the motor vehicle about a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle;
- an airbag attached on an outside of the motor vehicle in an area of the motor vehicle adjacent a ground surface on which the motor vehicle travels;
- wherein the airbag is attached to a contact element so that the airbag is located between the outside of the motor vehicle and the contact element;
- a processing device, designed to detect a risk of the motor vehicle tipping over based on the determined angle of inclination, and to activate the airbag when a risk of the motor vehicle tipping over is detected, the airbag is pivotable out from the area of the motor vehicle adjacent the ground surface upon which the motor vehicle travels, in a vertical direction such that the contact element, which remains attached to the airbag after the airbag is activated, lies between the air bag and the ground surface and forms a contact surface for the airbag.
A method for controlling a protection system of a motor vehicle, the protection system having a sensor for determining an angle of inclination of the motor vehicle about a longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle;
- a first airbag attached on an outside of the motor vehicle in an area of the motor vehicle adjacent a ground surface on which the motor vehicle travels;
- a contact element attached to the first airbag so that the first airbag is located between the outside of the motor vehicle and the contact element;
- a processing device, designed to detect a risk of the motor vehicle tipping over based on the determined angle of inclination, and to activate the first airbag when a risk of the motor vehicle tipping over is detected, the first airbag is pivotable in a vertical direction from the area of the motor vehicle adjacent the ground surface upon which the motor vehicle travels, the method comprising:
- determining the angle of inclination of the motor vehicle about the longitudinal axis of the motor vehicle;
- detecting the risk of the motor vehicle tipping over based on the determined angle of inclination of the motor vehicle;
- and
- activating the first airbag, attached on the outside of the motor vehicle and which is pivotable in the vertical direction from the area of the motor vehicle adjacent the ground surface upon which the motor vehicle travels, such that the contact element, which remains attached to the first airbag after the first airbag is activated, is directed to lie between the air bag and the ground surface to form a contact surface for the first airbag.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.