Integrated occupant protection system

#This invention is in the general field of wiring systems applied to vehicles and particularly to motor vehicles such as automobiles. It specifically addresses the use of a common wire bus or data bus for a plurality of sensors and actuators in a motor vehicle and particularly for safety systems including crash, occupant and other sensors, airbag modules and associated electronics.

#This invention also relates to the field of inflator devices for inflating airbag occupant restraints mainly for the protection of occupants of automobiles and trucks although it also is applicable to the protection of occupants of other vehicles and for inflating other inflatable objects. In particular, by means of the present invention, a more efficient utilization of the energy in a propellant is attained resulting in the need for a lower amount of propellant than in currently existing inflators, and thus a smaller inflator, to inflate a given size inflatable object. This is accomplished in part through a more efficient aspirating nozzle design and an improved geometry of a gas generator that houses the propellant.

#The present invention additionally relates to an airbag system for use in vehicles having multiple airbags where the possibility exists that more than two airbags will be deployed in a given accident resulting in excessive pressure within the passenger compartment of the vehicle, and which optionally utilize the inflator devices described above.

#The following drawings are illustrative of embodiments of the invention and are not meant to limit the scope of the invention as encompassed by the claims.

#FIG. 1 is a perspective view, with certain parts removed, of a preferred implementation of the airbag module in accordance with the invention shown mounted on a ceiling of a vehicle passenger compartment for deployment to protect rear seat occupants.

#FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view of the airbag module of FIG. 1 prior to deployment of the airbag.

#The following terms will be used in the description of the invention and for the sake of clarity are defined here.

#The “A-pillar” of a vehicle and specifically of an automobile is defined as the first roof supporting pillar from the front of the vehicle and usually supports the front door. It is also known as the hinge pillar.

#The “B-Pillar” is the next roof support pillar rearward from the A-Pillar.