Electronic module assembly for inflatable personal restraint systems and associated methods

An electronics control module assembly (EMA) for an inflatable personal restraint system, the EMA comprising:

• a housing having a generally planar outer surface and protrusion extending outwardly from the generally planar outer surface;
• a deployment circuit configured to initiate inflation of an airbag;
• and
• a magnetically-activated crash sensor operably coupled to the deployment circuit and positioned within the housing, wherein the protrusion forms a clearance envelope around the crash sensor that defines a minimum distance that an external object with a magnetic field can come to the crash sensor without activating the crash sensor.

An inflatable personal restraint system, comprising:

• a seatbelt having a deployable airbag;
• an inflator operably coupled to the airbag;
• and
• an electronics module assembly (EMA) operably coupled to the inflator and configured to initiate inflation of the airbag, the EMA having a housing and a crash sensor positioned in the housing, wherein the housing includes a generally planar surface and a protrusion extending from the generally planar surface, and wherein the crash sensor is positioned in an area defined by an outer boundary of the protrusion, the protrusion forming an envelope of physical space around the crash sensor that prevents activation of the crash sensor due to an external magnetic field.

A method of manufacturing an electronics control module assembly (EMA), the method comprising:

• providing a housing having a protrusion extending outwardly from a generally planar surface of the housing;
• positioning a crash sensor in the housing within an area defined by an outer boundary of the protrusion, wherein the protrusion forms an envelope of physical space around the crash sensor to prevent activation of the crash sensor due to an external magnetic field;
• and
• operably coupling the crash sensor to a deployment circuit configured to initiate inflation of an airbag.