Crash sensor arrangement for controlling deployment of an occupant restraint device

A vehicle having a portion defined as a crush zone which crushes upon a crash involving the vehicle and an occupant restraint device, comprising;

• a crash sensor arrangement for determining whether the crash involving the vehicle requires deployment of the occupant restraint device, said arrangement comprising
• a processor;
• a first electronic crash sensor mounted outside of the crush zone of the vehicle and structured and arranged to measure the reaction of the vehicle to the crash by means other than crush of the crush zone of the vehicle and to provide information about the measured reaction to said processor, and
• a second electronic crash sensor mounted in the crush zone of the vehicle, said second electronic sensor being structured and arranged to provide information about a reaction of the crush zone to the crash to said processor,
• said processor being arranged to receive the information about the reaction of the vehicle to the crash from said first electronic sensor and the reaction of crush zone of the vehicle from said second electronic sensor and determine based on the information from at least one said first and second electronic sensors whether the occupant restraint device should be deployed.

A method for determining whether a crash involving a vehicle requires deployment of an occupant restraint device, the vehicle having a portion defined as a crush zone which is designed to crush upon a crash involving the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• mounting a first electronic crash sensor outside of the crush zone of the vehicle, the first electronic sensor structured and arranged to measure the reaction of the vehicle to a crash by means other than crush of the crush zone of the vehicle, and
• mounting a second electronic crash sensor in the crush zone of the vehicle such that the second electronic sensor generates information about a reaction of the crush zone of the vehicle to a crash,
• providing the information about the reaction of the crush zone of the vehicle to the crash from the second sensor and the first sensor to the processor, and
• controlling deployment of the occupant restraint device via the first electronic sensor based on the information about the reaction of the crush zone of the vehicle to the crash provided by the second electronic sensor.

A vehicle having an occupant restraint device and a portion defined as a crush zone which is designed to crush upon a crash involving the vehicle, comprising:

• a crash sensor arrangement for determining whether the crash involving the vehicle requires deployment of the occupant restraint device, said arrangement comprising
• a first electronic crash sensor mounted in the crush zone of the vehicle and structured and arranged to measure a reaction of the crush zone to the crash, and
• a second electronic crash sensor mounted outside of the crush zone of the vehicle and structured and arranged to trigger by means other than crush of the crush zone of the vehicle,
• said first and second sensors being coupled to one another such that a signal to deploy the occupant restraint device is generated in consideration of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash and the measured reaction of a part of the vehicle that is not in the crush zone to the crash,
• said second sensor being arranged to receive a signal indicative of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash by said first sensor, consider whether an algorithm or triggering criteria which determines deployment of the restraint should be modified based on the signal and if so, modify the algorithm or triggering criteria.

A vehicle having an occupant restraint device and a portion defined as a crush zone which is designed to crush upon a crash involving the vehicle, comprising:

• a crash sensor arrangement for determining whether the crash involving the vehicle requires deployment of the occupant restraint device, said arrangement comprising:
• a first electronic crash sensor mounted in the crush zone of the vehicle and structured and arranged to measure a reaction of the crush zone to the crash, and
• a second electronic crash sensor mounted outside of the crush zone of the vehicle and structured and arranged to measure the reaction of a part of the vehicle that is not in the crush zone of the vehicle,
• said first and second sensors being coupled to one another such that a signal to deploy the occupant restraint device is generated in consideration of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash and the measured reaction of the vehicle to the crash,
• said second sensor being arranged to receive a signal indicative of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash by said first sensor, consider whether its sensitivity to trigger should be modified based on the signal and if so, modify its sensitivity.

A method for determining whether the crash involving the vehicle requires deployment of an occupant restraint device, the vehicle having a portion defined as a crush zone which is designed to crush upon a crash involving the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of:

• mounting an electronic crash sensor in the crush zone of the vehicle,
• measuring a reaction of the crush zone to the crash by means of the sensor,
• directing a signal indicative of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash to a processor, and
• considering whether the conditions for triggering of the restraint are met based on the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash, and if so, deploying the occupant restraint device in consideration of the measured reaction of the crush zone to the crash.