Occupant protection device for a vehicle
AssigneeAudi AG
InventorsStephan Lorenz, Ingo Schütz, Ulrich Pfeiffer, Werner Wilding, Alwin Tuschkan
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An occupant protection device for a vehicle includes an airbag module arranged in a hub region of a vehicle steering wheel used for steering vehicle wheels about a steering angle when the steering wheel is turned to a rotary position. The airbag module has an airbag configured for deployment between a driver and the steering wheel in the event of a crash. An adjustment unit is provided to turn the steering wheel from the rotary position to a crash position while the steering angle of the vehicle wheels remains unchanged so as to align the airbag with a posture of the driver in the event of a crash.
Claims26
An occupant protection device for a vehicle, comprising:
- an airbag module arranged in a hub region of a vehicle steering wheel used for steering vehicle wheels about a steering angle when the steering wheel is turned to a rotary position, said airbag module having an airbag configured for deployment between a driver and the steering wheel in the event of a crash;
- and
- an adjustment unit configured to turn the steering wheel from the rotary position to a crash position while the steering angle of the vehicle wheels remains unchanged so as to align the airbag with a posture of the driver in the event of a crash, wherein the steering wheel is a component of a steer-by-wire steering system which includes a steering sensor issuing a steering command in response to the rotary position and/or rotary actuation of the steering wheel, an actuator operably connected to the vehicle wheels, and a controller electrically connected to the actuator and activating the actuator in response to the steering command received from the steering sensor for setting the steering angle of the vehicle wheels;
- and
- a sensor element operably connected to the controller and configured to ascertain an actual posture of the driver, said controller configured to determine the crash position of the steering wheel so that a rotation angle position of the steering wheel is adjustable in dependence of the actual posture of the driver, when the actual posture of the driver is out-of-position.
A method for protecting an occupant in a vehicle, comprising:
- arranging an airbag module in a hub region of a vehicle steering wheel used for steering vehicle wheels about a steering angle, when the steering wheel is turned to a rotary position;
- controlling the steering wheel by an adjustment unit to align an airbag of the airbag module with a posture of a driver of the vehicle in the event of a crash by turning the steering wheel from the rotary position to a crash position in the absence of a change to the steering angle of the vehicle wheels, wherein the steering wheel is a component of a steer-by-wire steering system which includes a steering sensor issuing a steering command in response to the rotary position and/or rotary actuation of the steering wheel, an actuator operably connected to the vehicle wheels, and a controller electrically connected to the actuator and activating the actuator in response to the steering command received from the steering sensor for setting the steering angle of the vehicle wheels;
- operably connecting a sensor element to the controller to ascertain an actual posture of the driver;
- determining the crash position of the steering wheel by the controller;
- and
- adjusting a rotation angle position of the steering wheel in dependence of the actual posture of the driver, when the actual posture of the driver is out-of-position.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.