# US 5,365,114 A · Vehicle passenger restraint device for use in automotive vehicle or the like

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- Number: US 5,365,114 A
- Document ID: US5365114A
- Status: Granted
- Kind: A
- Application number: 07/894,968
- Filed: 1992-06-08
- Granted: 1994-11-15
- Earliest claimed: 1991-06-07
- Assignees: Kansei Corporation
- Inventors: Shinichiro Tsurushima; Satoru Matsumori; Kazuyasu Kon; Kunihiro Kaneko
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US5365114A

## CPC

- B60R 21/0132: responsive to vehicle motion parameters {, e.g. to vehicle longitudinal or transversal deceleration or speed value}
- B60R 21/013: including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
- B60R 21/01542: {detecting passenger motion}
- B60R 21/01558: {monitoring crash strength}
- B60R 21/0173: {Diagnostic or recording means therefor}
- G01P 15/0891: {with indication of predetermined acceleration values (G01P15/135 takes precedence)}
- G01P 21/00: Testing or calibrating of apparatus or devices covered by the preceding groups
- B60R 21/01544: {detecting seat belt parameters, e.g. length, tension or height-adjustment}
- B60R 21/01548: {sensing the amount of belt winded on retractor}
- B60R 2021/01122: {Prevention of malfunction}
- B60R 2021/01311: {monitoring the braking system, e.g. ABS}
- B60R 2021/01315: {monitoring occupant displacement}
- B60R: VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
- G01P: MEASURING LINEAR OR ANGULAR SPEED, ACCELERATION, DECELERATION, OR SHOCK; INDICATING PRESENCE, ABSENCE, OR DIRECTION, OF MOVEMENT (measuring or recording blood flow A61B5/02, A61B8/06; monitoring speed or deceleration of electrically-propelled vehicles B60L3/00; vehicle lighting systems adapted to indicate speed B60Q1/54; determining position or course in navigation, measuring ground distance in geodesy or surveying G01C; combined measuring devices for measuring two or more variables of movement G01C23/00; measuring velocity of sound G01H; measuring velocity of light G01J7/00; measuring direction or velocity of solid objects by reception or emission of radiowaves or other waves and based on propagation effects, e.g. Doppler effect, propagation time, direction of propagation, G01S; measuring speed of nuclear radiation G01T; measuring acceleration of gravity G01V; {measuring or recording the speed of trains B61L23/00; speed indicators incorporated in motor vehicles B60K35/00; measuring frequency or phase G01R; traffic control G08G})

## Abstract

The invention relates to circuits which increase the reliability of a passenger restraint system. In one embodiment, the connection layout with respect to a main power source, such as a vehicle battery, prevents accidental activation in the event certain portions of the wiring become grounded and which enables the activation when required even when some of the wiring is cut. Another embodiment increases the time for a which a diagnostic system can be maintained operative should the connection with the vehicle battery be lost. A third and more complex embodiment features circuits which can estimate the amount of damage which has occurred to the vehicle and predict the displacement of person under the influence of the acceleration (deceleration) caused by a collision.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A passenger vehicle restraint system comprising: means for activating a restraint device;
acceleration sensor means for sensing an acceleration of the passenger vehicle and issuing an analog signal which represents the intensity of said acceleration;
circuit means responsive to said acceleration sensor means for producing an activation trigger signal which is supplied to the restraint device activating means; and
a cumulative damage discrimination circuit, included in said circuit means, which senses the amount of energy produced when the vehicle encounters a collision by treating the analog signal from said acceleration sensor means and issues a damage level signal upon the sensed energy amount exceeding a predetermined level;
said cumulative damage discrimination circuit including:
a powering circuit for performing self-multiplication on the output from said acceleration sensor means and producing a control signal; and
comparator means for comparing the control signal produced by the powering circuit with a predetermined level and issuing said damage level signal when the control signal exceeds the predetermined level.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

A passenger vehicle restraint system as claimed in claim 1, further including a plurality of impact responsive comparators, each comparator being responsive to a different impact level.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

A passenger vehicle restraint system as claimed in claim 2, in which the impact responsive comparators are connected in parallel.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

A passenger vehicle restraint system as claimed in claim 1, in which said circuit means further comprises;
an operation timing determination circuit which determines the timing for operating the restraint device activating means based on the displacement of the body of a passenger upon a vehicle collison, said operation timing determination circuit being arranged in parallel with said cumulative damage discrimination circuit; and
an AND gate to which the outputs of said cumulative damage discrimination circuit and said operation timing determination circuit are supplied, said AND gate issuing an output to the restraint device activating means.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

A passenger vehicle restraint system as claimed in claim 1, in which said circuit means further comprises;
a displacement prediction discrimination circuit which predicts the displacement of the body of a passenger in a vehicle collision, said displacement prediction discrimination circuit being arranged in parallel with said cumulative damage discrimination circuit; and
an AND gate to which the outputs of said cumulative damage discrimination circuit and said displacement prediction discrimination circuit are supplied, said AND gate issuing an output to the restraint device activating means when both said outputs are applied to said AND gate.