Airbag electrical igniter readiness detector
AssigneeFord Motor Company
InventorsRobert J. Vrabel, Dennis W. Rhee, Michael R. Seeger
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
Method and apparatus for periodically checking the critical resistance value of an airbag igniter ("squib") component and determining if the resistance exceeds a predetermined maximum value.
Claims10
In an automotive air bag deployment system containing an explosive igniter that is responsive to inflate an air bag when energized with an electrical current of a predetermined minimum value for a predetermined minimum time period, an apparatus for periodically checking the resistance of the igniter without causing said igniter to responsively inflate said air bag, comprising:
- means for applying a predetermined low energy electrical pulse to said igniter, the duration and value of said pulse being selected to be less than said predetermined minimums and therefor insufficient to cause the igniter to reactively explode;
- means for detecting the voltage drop across said igniter when said pulse is applied, comparing said detected voltage drop with values within a predetermined acceptable range, and providing a warning when said voltage drop is outside said acceptable range.
In an automotive air bag deployment system containing an explosive igniter that is responsive to inflate an air bag when energized with an electrical current of a predetermined minimum value for a predetermined minimum time period, a method for periodically checking the resistance of the igniter without causing said igniter to responsively inflate said air bag, comprising the steps of:
- applying a predetermined low energy electrical pulse to said igniter, the duration and value of said pulse being selected to be less than said predetermined minimums and therefore insufficient to cause the igniter to reactively explode;
- detecting the voltage drop across said igniter when said pulse is applied;
- comparing said detected voltage drop with values within a predetermined acceptable range;
- and
- providing a warning when said voltage drop is outside said acceptable range.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.