Impact judgement method and passenger protection device
AssigneeMitsubishi Denki Kabushiki Kaisha
InventorToshiyuki Yamashita
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A first reference-value is preset, the first reference value being a minimum value of a physical quantity detected by a car compartment sensor within a range where destruction of a sensor 2a or a sensor 3a disposed in the crushable area could occur as a result of the shocks applied in the crushable area. The sensor output detected by the sensor 2a or the sensor 3a is invalidated, when a physical quantity of the-sensor output detected by the car compartment sensor 6a in the safety area as a result of the shocks applied in the crushable area exceeds the first reference value, so that the erroneous determination according to the sensor 2a or the sensor 3a is avoided. A highly reliable determination as to whether a collision necessitates activation of an air bag device results.
Claims9
A collision determination method for making a determination as to whether the collision necessitates an operation of an air bag device based on sensor outputs in response to shocks detected in a crushable area which is a first section to undergo destruction, and a safety area having shocks applied therein later, comprising the steps of:
- presetting a first reference value, the first reference value being a minimum value of a physical quantity detected by a car compartment sensor within a range where destruction of the sensor disposed in the crushable area could occur as a result of the shocks applied in the crushable area;
- and
- invalidating the sensor output detected in the crushable area, when a physical quantity of the sensor output detected in the safety area as a result of the shocks applied in the crushable area exceeds the first reference value.
A passive safety device for protecting an occupant by detecting shocks and operating an air bag, comprising:
- a first sensor disposed in a crushable area which is a first area to undergo destruction as a result of a collision;
- a second sensor disposed in a safety area which undergoes shocks resulting from the collision later;
- and
- collision determination means for presetting a first reference value, the first reference value indicating a physical quantity detected by a car compartment sensor within a range where destruction of a sensor disposed in the crushable area could occur as a result of the shocks applied in the crushable area, and invalidating a sensor output detected by said first sensor, when a physical quantity of a sensor output detected by said second sensor as a result of the shocks applied in the crushable area exceeds the first reference value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.