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AssigneeCanpolar East Inc.
InventorsErnest M. Reimer, Lorna H. Baldwin
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A collision deformation sensor for use within the crush zone of a vehicle consists of first and second spaced apart substrates for mounting to or forming respective vehicle components, with a compressible carrier medium filling the space between the substrates. The carrier medium is formed from a material transparent or translucent to light or other wave energy, and includes wave energy scattering centers dispersed within the medium to create a scattered energy volume. Alternatively the carrier medium forms a hollow cavity, the inside surface of which is coated with a wave energy dispersion coating. A source and receiver of light or other wave energy communicates with the carrier medium. Signal couplings and processors are associated with the source and receiver. The device operates on the principle whereby compression of the space between the substrates increases the intensity of a light or other wave energy, and this increase is detected by the receiver and signal processor, which in turn activates an air bag, or seat belt tightener or the like.
A collision deformation sensor for mounting within a crush zone of a vehicle, said sensor comprising first and second spaced apart substrates (26, 28) within said vehicle crush zone and a means for detecting convergence of said substrates indicative of crushing of said crush zone and generating an electronic signal in response thereto, and means (10) responsive to said electronic signal for actuating an occupant restraint system;
A vehicle having integrated therein a collision detector within a crush zone of said vehicle, said crush zone comprising a first substrate (28) at the periphery of said vehicle and a second substrate (26) spaced apart from and inboard of said first substrate, and sensor means between said first and second substrates to detect convergence of said first and second substrates indicative of crushing of said crush zone, characterized by said sensor means comprising:
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.