US 2008/0185826 A1 · Smart Airbag Interface

Abstract

A system and method for regulating the deployment of an airbag inflator in response to an out-of-position occupant is provided. An airbag tether is operatively associated with a tether position sensor which is itself operatively associated with a restraints control module (RCM) through an interface. Upon normal in-position deployment, the primary surface of the airbag cushion deploys car-rearward. In this event the tether acts on the tether position sensor at a normal time. If the airbag cushion contacts an out-of-position occupant, the expansion of the airbag cushion will be slowed and the tether will act on the tether position sensor at a later time. The resistor element signals the RCM of the slowed airbag expansion and, with this information, the RCM may decide to modify the deployment of the airbag by adjusting the inflator's second stage deployment time delay. The decision criteria for the deployment of the second inflator are thus time-based.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A system for modifying the deployment delay of an airbag cushion in a vehicle based upon the position of an occupant, the system comprising:

a tether fitted to the airbag cushion;
a tether position sensor connected to said tether, said tether position sensor providing output voltage based upon the position of said tether;
a restraints control module;
an inflator operatively associated with said restraints control module;
and
an interface operatively associating said tether position sensor and said restraints control module to read and encode said output voltage of said tether position sensor, said interface further communicating said read and encoded voltage to said restraints control module,
whereby said restraints control module interprets said read and encoded voltage to determine if there has been a time-delay in movement of said tether and, based upon said determination, may regulate deployment of the airbag cushion through operation of said inflator.

4 more elements

A method of modifying the deployment delay of an airbag cushion in a vehicle based upon the position of an occupant, the method including the steps of:

forming a system for modifying the deployment delay of the airbag cushion, the system including a tether fitted to the airbag cushion, a tether position sensor connected to said tether for providing output voltage based upon the position of said tether, a restraints control module, an inflator operatively associated with said restraints control module, and an interface operatively associating said tether position sensor and said restraints control module for reading and encoding said output voltage of said tether position sensor;
effecting the generation of output voltage by said tether position sensor during a crash event, said output voltage being based upon the position of said tether during said crash event;
reading and encoding said output voltage;
communicating said read and encoded information to said restraints control module;
interpreting said read and encoded voltage to determine if there has been a time-delay in movement of said tether;
and
regulating deployment of the airbag cushion through operation of said inflator according to time-based decision criteria.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Smart Airbag Interface

Life of this patent

Smart Airbag Interface

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20