Side impact sensor systems

A method for deploying a side airbag of a vehicle having an outer skin, comprising:

• providing a system housing having an opening;
• mounting the system housing with the opening facing a portion of a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
• arranging an inflatable airbag in the system housing;
• arranging an inflator in connection with the system housing;
• sensing a side impact by detecting motion of a mass situated in a sensor housing relative to the sensor housing and in response to acceleration in excess of a predetermined threshold value;
• actuating the inflator in response to the detected side impact to expel the airbag through the opening in the system housing into the passenger compartment;
• and
• coupling the mass to the inflator such that the inflator is actuated always upon sensing of the side impact in a direction perpendicular to the outer skin of the vehicle.

A vehicle, comprising

• a longitudinally extending outer skin arranged on a side of the vehicle;
• a system housing arranged inward of said outer skin and having an opening facing a portion of a passenger compartment of the vehicle;
• an inflatable airbag arranged in said system housing;
• an inflator arranged in connection with the system housing;
• and
• a sensor system for detecting an impact into a side of the vehicle and comprising a sensor housing and a mass arranged in said sensor housing and movable relative to said sensor housing in response to acceleration in excess of a predetermined threshold value, movement of said mass relative to said sensor housing providing an indication of a side impact for which deployment of said airbag is desired;
• said inflator being actuated in response to a detected side impact by said sensor system in order to expel said airbag through said opening into the passenger compartment, and
• wherein said inflator is actuated directly by said sensor system whenever said sensor system provides an indication of the side impact in a direction perpendicular to said outer skin of the vehicle for which deployment of said airbag is desired.