US 6,199,903 B1Granted

Method for triggering a two-stage air bag gas generator

AssigneeDaimlerChrysler AG

InventorsLuigi Brambilla, Manfred Müller, Harald Rudolf

Life of this patent

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Abstract

In a method for triggering a two-stage air bag generator in a motor vehicle, an acceleration signal is measured, processed and evaluated with respect to the accident severity according to a first evaluation process. As a function of the determined accident severity, a triggering decision is made at least for the triggering of a first stage of the gas generator. At least until a defined time period T1 has elapsed since the ignition of the first stage, the acceleration signal is evaluated according to a second evaluation process with respect to the accident severity before, on the basis of defined triggering conditions, as a function of the determined accident severity, a triggering decision is made for igniting the second stage of the gas generator.

Claims22

Dependent claims

A method for triggering a two-stage air bag gas generator in a motor vehicle, comprising the steps of measuring and processing an acceleration signal;

with a first evaluation process, making a triggering decision for triggering the first stage of the gas generator and
with a second evaluation process, making a triggering decision for triggering the second stage of the gas generator, and
releasing the triggering of the second stage only after elapse of a defined time period T1 since the ignition of the first stage, wherein the second evaluation process, irrespective of the initial course of the acceleration signal, at least until the defined time period T1 has elapsed since the ignition of the first stage, first the whole course of the acceleration signal is evaluated with respect to the accident severity before, on the basis of defined triggering conditions, as a function of the determined accident severity, a triggering decision is made for triggering the second stage of the gas generator.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 09/293,764Filed 19 Apr 1999
Priority: DE 198 16 98917 Apr 1998
Granted: 13 Mar 2001
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification5 codes

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