US 6,682,094 B1Granted

Restraint system

AssigneeFord Global Technologies, LLC

InventorsTony Ray Laituri, David J. Bauch, David Webster Clark, Mark Anthony Cuddihy, Matt Alan Niesluchowski, Rouaa Nakhleh

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Abstract

A restraint system for a motor vehicle includes a plurality of sensors for sensing vehicle conditions of restraint deployment thresholds. The restraint system also includes an electronic controller electrically connected to the sensors for determining whether one of the sensors experiences sufficient deceleration. The restraint system further includes at least one inflatable restraint operatively connected to the electronic controller for deployment thereby in a first stage if the deceleration warrants a first stage deployment and in a second stage if the deceleration warrants a second stage deployment when the sensors sense vehicle conditions achieving the restraint deployment thresholds to restrain an occupant in a seat of the motor vehicle.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A restraint system for a motor vehicle comprising:

a plurality of sensors for sensing vehicle conditions of restraint deployment thresholds, said sensors including a first sensor for sensing deceleration from a first location and a second sensor for sensing the deceleration from a second location;
an electronic controller electrically connected to said first sensor and said second sensor for determining whether said first sensor and said second sensor experience sufficient deceleration;
a driver side air bag and a passenger side air bag operatively connected to said electronic controller for deployment thereby in a first stage if the deceleration warrants a first stage deployment and in a second stage if the deceleration warrants a second stage deployment;
a seat position sensor electrically connected to said electronic controller for sensing whether a driver side seat is rearward of a predetermined proximity and allowing said electronic controller to deploy the second stage of the driver side air bag if the driver side seat is rearward of the predetermined proximity;
and
a weight sensor electrically connected to said electronic controller for sensing whether an occupant is above a weight deployment threshold and allowing said electronic controller to deploy the first stage of the passenger side air bag if the weight of the occupant is above the weight deployment threshold.

3 more elements

A method of deploying a driver side inflatable restraint and a passenger side inflatable restraint of a restraint system for a vehicle, said method comprising:

sensing a position of a driver side seat;
sensing weight in a passenger side seat;
determining whether a first sensor experiences sufficient deceleration to warrant either a first stage deployment or a second stage deployment of the driver side inflatable restraint and the passenger side inflatable restraint;
verifying the deceleration from a separate second sensor;
determining whether the position of the driver side seat is rearward of a predetermined proximity;
deploying a first stage of the driver side inflatable restraint if the deceleration warrants a first stage deployment and deploying a second stage of the driver side inflatable restraint if the deceleration warrants a second stage of deployment and the position of the driver side seat is rearward of the predetermined proximity;
determining whether the weight of the passenger side seat is above a predetermined threshold;
and
deploying a first stage of the passenger side inflatable restraint if the deceleration warrants a first stage deployment and the weight of the passenger side seat is above a predetermined threshold and deploying a second stage of the passenger side seat if the deceleration warrants a second stage of deployment.

6 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.