Back to results
US 5,326,133 AGranted
Sensor and bracket assembly
AssigneeAutomotive Technologies International, Inc.
InventorsDavid S. Breed, Scott D. Phillips
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Loading patent…
Loading patent…
AssigneeAutomotive Technologies International, Inc.
InventorsDavid S. Breed, Scott D. Phillips
Estimating the term…
A sensor and bracket assembly designed for arrangement in the crush zone of a motor vehicle, is operative to determine when and if a crash of the vehicle is severe enough to deploy a passive restraint system (i.e., air bag or seat belt tensioner). The sensor is preferably of the crush switch type but may also be electronic of electromechanical. The bracket is designed to lie in the crush zone for a wide spectrum of crashes including those that involve only a portion of the vehicle front end including partial bumper over-rides and under-rides. The bracket may be either a separate part of the desired shape may be incorporated into the design of some part of the vehicle structure such as the radiator supports. The assembly may incorporate a single or multiple brackets and a single or multiple sensors. The essence of the invention is that the bracket is comprised of two ends and at least one deformable section which deforms in a predictable controlled manner upon the bracket being impacted in a crash condition desired to be detected. The bracket is placed a scientifically or otherwise predetermined distance back from the frontmost part of the vehicle depending on the crash and car specifications to be detected, or prescribed depth in order to timely deploy an air bag or the like. In an airbag deployment desired crash, the vehicle crushes to at least the "prescribed depth" at which time the bracket deforms predictably and the sensor detects this deformation and initiates deployment of the airbag.
In a motor vehicle having a front end and occupant protection apparatus which is deployed in the event of a front end that crushes the front end of the vehicle to a prescribed depth requiring deployment of said occupant protection apparatus, said prescribed depth being the rearmost boundary surface of the crush zone at the time that sensor triggering is required, said boundary located between the crushed front end and the remainder of the vehicle, a displacement measuring device for determining that said front end of said vehicle has crushed to said rearmost surface of the crush zone comprising:
In a motor vehicle having a front end, a bumper located in said front end, and occupant protection apparatus which in the event of a front end impact that displaces at least a portion of the bumper of the vehicle to a prescribed depth requiring deployment of said occupant protection apparatus, said prescribed depth being the rearmost surface of the crush zone boundary between the crushed front end and the remainder of the vehicle at the time that sensor triggering is required, the improvement comprising:
In a motor vehicle having a front end with a high portion and a low portion, and an occupant protection apparatus which is deployed in the event of a front end impact that crushes at least one of said high portion to a first prescribed depth and said low portion to a second prescribed depth requiring deployment of said occupant protection apparatus, said first prescribed depth and said second prescribed depth being portions of the rearmost surface of the crush zone boundary between the crushed front end and the remainder of the vehicle at the time that sensor triggering is required, the improvement comprising:
In a motor vehicle having a front end with a right portion and a left portion, and an occupant protection apparatus which is deployed in the event of a front end impact that crushes at least one of said right portion to a first prescribed depth and said left portion to a second prescribed depth requiring deployment of said occupant protection apparatus, said first prescribed depth and said second prescribed depth being portions of the rearmost surface of the crush zone boundary between the crushed front end and the remainder of the vehicle at the time that sensor triggering is required, a displacement measuring device for determining that said front end right or said front end left portion of said vehicle has crushed to at least one of said prescribed depths comprising:
In a motor vehicle having a front end occupant protection apparatus which is deployed in the event of a front end impact that crushes the front end of the vehicle to a prescribed depth requiring deployment of said occupant protection apparatus, said prescribed depth being the rearmost surface of the crush zone boundary between the crushed front end and the remainder of the vehicle at the time that sensor triggering is required, the improvement comprising:
In a motor vehicle having a front end with a high portion and a low portion, and an occupant protection apparatus which is deployed in the event of a front end impact that crushes at least one of said high portion to a first prescribed depth and said low portion to a second prescribed depth requiring deployment of said occupant protection apparatus, said first prescribed depth and said second prescribed depth being portions of the rearmost surface of the crush zone boundary between the crushed front end and the remainder of the vehicle at the time that sensor triggering is required, the improvement comprising:
A method for deploying an occupant protection apparatus to protect occupants in a motor vehicle in the event of a front end impact that crushes the front end of the vehicle to a prescribed depth requiring deployment of said occupant protection apparatus, said prescribed depth being the rearmost boundary surface of the crush zone, said boundary located between the crushed front end and the remainder of the vehicle at the time that sensor triggering is required, comprising the steps of:
A method for deploying an occupant protection apparatus to protect occupants in a motor vehicle in the event of a front end impact that crushes at least one of a plurality of sections of the front end of the vehicle to respective prescribed depths requiring deployment of said occupant protection apparatus, said respective prescribed depths being portions of the rearmost surface of the crush zone boundary between the crushed front end and the remainder of the vehicle at the time that sensor triggering is required, comprising the steps of:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.