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AssigneesTRW Inc., TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Inc.
InventorsJoseph F. Mazur, Brian K. Blackburn, Scott B. Gentry
Estimating the term…
A vehicle occupant restraint system (10) has an actuatable occupant restraint device (16) with an aspect adjustable for adjusting actuation of the restraint device. An associated control method controls the system (10). Within the system (10), a sensor (40) senses a vehicle operating parameter functionally related to crash acceleration and provides a signal (42) indicative thereof. A threshold determination function (44) of a microcomputer (18) determines whether the signal (42) from the sensor (40) exceeds a threshold value. An occupant characteristic sensor (26) senses an occupant characteristic in response to a determination that the signal (42) from the sensor (40) exceeds the threshold value and provides a signal (28A) indicative thereof. A restraint adjustment controller function (38) of the microcomputer (18) determines adjustment of the adjustable aspect of the restraint device (16) in response to the determination that the signal (42) from the sensor (40) exceeds the threshold value and in response to the signal (28A) from the occupant characteristic sensor (26). The adjustment controller function (38) provides a signal (20A) indicative of the determined adjustment to cause adjustment of the restraint device (16).
An occupant restraint system for a vehicle, said system comprising:
An occupant restraint system for a vehicle, said system comprising:
An occupant restraint system for a vehicle, said system comprising:
A method for controlling an actuatable vehicle occupant restraint device having an aspect which is adjustable for adjusting actuation of the restraint device, said method comprising:
A method for controlling an actuatable vehicle occupant restraint device having an aspect which is adjustable for adjusting actuation of the restraint device, said method comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.
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No related US applications are recorded in the indexed filing history.
Including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over: responsive to vehicle motion parameters , e.g. to vehicle…
Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending…:…
Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending…:…
Including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over: monitoring occupant displacement
Term ended 19 Dec 2017 (estimated)
USPTO file history isn’t available for this patent, so only indexed dates are shown.
The present invention is directed to a smart-type vehicle occupant restraint system and is particularly directed to a system and a method in which initiation of a smart process of a restraint device is controlled.
Vehicle occupant restraint systems that have an actuatable restraint device are known in the art. The actuatable restraint device of such a system is actuated upon the occurrence of a condition for which a vehicle occupant is to be restrained. An example of a condition for which a vehicle occupant is to be restrained is a vehicle collision.
One type of actuatable restraint system includes an air bag module mounted within a vehicle such that an air bag of the module is inflatable within an occupant compartment of the vehicle. The air bag is inflated upon the occurrence of a condition, such as a vehicle collision. Another type of actuatable restraint system has a seat belt extendable across a vehicle occupant and includes an actuatable device, such as a pretensioner, to move at least a portion of the seat belt relative to the occupant. The pretensioner is actuated upon the occurrence of a condition, e.g., a vehicle collision. The pretensioner removes slack from the seat belt to limit occupant movement.
Further features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates from reading the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which:
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of a vehicle having an occupant restraint system in accordance with the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of a portion of a microcomputer of the restraint system shown in FIG. 1;
FIG. 1 is a schematic illustration of an occupant restraint system 10 for an occupant 12 within a vehicle 14. The system 10 includes an actuatable occupant restraint device 16. In the illustrated example, the actuatable restraint device 16 is an inflatable restraint module that has an inflatable restraint member (e.g., air bag 17). Upon actuation of the inflatable restraint module, the air bag 17 is inflated within an occupant compartment 19 of the vehicle 14.
It is to be appreciated by a person of ordinary skill in the art that a plurality of actuatable restraint devices and/or different actuatable restraint device can be used within a restraint system according to the present invention. An actuatable knee bolster device and a seat belt restraint with an actuatable portion (e.g., pretensioner) are examples of different actuatable restraint devices that may be used. The actuatable restraint device 16 of the illustrated example is hereinafter referred to as the restraint module 16.
The restraint module 16 has at least one adjustable aspect that is adjustable to adjust actuation of the restraint module. Examples of such adjustable aspects of the restraint module 16 include adjustable inflation timing, adjustable inflation pressure, and adjustable air bag position. A specific example of adjustment to inflation timing is selection of a period between a determination to actuate the restraint module and the actual initiation of air bag inflation. A specific example of adjustment of inflation pressure is control of a pressure relief valve, which controllably vents fluid during inflation of the air bag. A specific example of adjustment of air bag positioning is selection of a location relative to a torso of the occupant 12 for placement of the inflated air bag. The positioning can be accomplished by directing inflation fluid into the air bag in predetermined zones within the air bag or by pointing the entire restraint module via moving devices such as positioning motors. Another specific example of adjustment of air bag positioning is moving the entire restraint module toward or away from the occupant using positioning motors and/or moving the occupant toward or away from the restraint module using seat motors.