IPC분류정보
국가/구분 |
United States(US) Patent
등록
|
국제특허분류(IPC7판) |
|
출원번호 |
US-0180466
(2002-06-26)
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발명자
/ 주소 |
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출원인 / 주소 |
- Automotive Technologies International, Inc.
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인용정보 |
피인용 횟수 :
11 인용 특허 :
50 |
초록
▼
Apparatus and method for deploying airbags in a vehicle in which a first inflatable airbag protects an occupant in a seating location during a crash and a second inflatable airbag moves the occupant in the seating location away from an interior surface of the vehicle upon inflation. A crash sensor s
Apparatus and method for deploying airbags in a vehicle in which a first inflatable airbag protects an occupant in a seating location during a crash and a second inflatable airbag moves the occupant in the seating location away from an interior surface of the vehicle upon inflation. A crash sensor system determines that a crash involving the vehicle will occur or is occurring and initiates inflation of the first and second airbags. The second airbag may be inflated prior to inflation of the first airbag such that inflation of the second airbag causes the occupant to be moved away from the interior surface of the vehicle and into a better position for deployment of the first airbag. In one exemplary embodiment, the first airbag is a side curtain airbag and the second airbag is arranged in a door of the vehicle to move the occupant away from the door.
대표청구항
▼
1. In a motor vehicle, an apparatus for deploying airbags comprising:a first inflatable airbag for protecting an occupant in a seating location in the vehicle in a crash; a second inflatable airbag structured and arranged to move the occupant in the seating location away from an interior surface of
1. In a motor vehicle, an apparatus for deploying airbags comprising:a first inflatable airbag for protecting an occupant in a seating location in the vehicle in a crash; a second inflatable airbag structured and arranged to move the occupant in the seating location away from an interior surface of the vehicle upon inflation; a crash sensor system arranged to determine that a crash involving the vehicle will occur or is occurring; and an occupant position sensor system coupled to said crash sensor system for determining the position of the occupant in the seating location, said second airbag being inflated prior to inflation of said first airbag when the occupant is determined to be improperly positioned for deployment of said first airbag such that inflation of said second airbag causes the occupant to be moved away from the interior surface of the vehicle and into a better position for deployment of said first airbag. 2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said first airbag is a side curtain airbag and said second airbag is arranged in a door, seat or side of the vehicle to move the occupant away from the door of the vehicle.3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said crash sensor system comprises an anticipatory sensor.4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein said second airbag is inflated prior to a crash upon a determination by said anticipatory sensor that a crash involving the vehicle will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash.5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said crash sensor system comprises a rollover sensor.6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a control unit coupled to said crash sensor system and said occupant sensor system for initiating inflation of said first and second airbags based on output from said crash sensor system and said occupant position sensor system.7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said second airbag is arranged to inflate in a direction perpendicular to a direction of inflation of said first airbag.8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said second airbag is inflated only when the occupant is determined to be improperly positioned for deployment of said first airbag.9. A method for deploying airbags in a vehicle to protect a vehicle occupant, comprising the steps of:determining that a crash involving the vehicle will occur or is occurring; determining the position of the occupant; inflating a first airbag to move the occupant away from an interior surface of the vehicle when the occupant is improperly positioned for deployment of a second airbag; and then or more slowly inflating the second airbag to protect the occupant from injury in the crash. 10. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:arranging the second airbag as a side curtain airbag along a side of the vehicle; and arranging the first airbag in a door, seat or side of the vehicle to move the occupant away from the door of the vehicle. 11. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of determining that a crash involving the vehicle will occur or is occurring comprises the step of determining that a crash will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash, the step of inflating the first airbag comprising the step of inflating the first airbag prior to the crash.12. The method of claim 9, wherein the step of determining that a crash involving the vehicle will occur or is occurring comprises the step of determining that a rollover is occurring.13. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:monitoring the position of the occupant after inflation of the first airbag; and suppressing inflation of the second airbag when the occupant is still improperly positioned for deployment of the second airbag after inflation of the first airbag. 14. The method of claim 9, further comprising the step of arranging the first and second airbags to deploy in perpendicular directions.15. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:determining the position of the occupant; and controlling the timing between the inflation of the first and second airbags based on the position of the occupant. 16. The method of claim 9, further comprising the steps of:determining a morphological property of the occupant; and controlling the timing between the inflation of the first and second airbags based on the determined morphological property of the occupant. 17. The method of claim 9, wherein the first airbag is inflated only when the occupant is improperly positioned for deployment of a second airbag.18. A method for deploying a side curtain airbag in a vehicle to protect an occupant, comprising the steps of:detecting a crush or rollover condition requiring deployment of the side curtain airbag; determining the occupant's position; determining whether the occupant is out of position for deployment of the side curtain airbag; when the occupant is not out of position, deploying the side curtain airbag; and when the occupant is out of position, deploying a positioning airbag to move the occupant into a proper position for deployment of the side curtain airbag and then or more slowly deploying the side curtain airbag. 19. The method of claim 18, wherein the step of determining whether the occupant is out of position for deployment of the side curtain airbag comprises the step of determining whether the occupant is too close to the side of the vehicle along which the side curtain airbag will deploy.20. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of confirming that the occupant is moving toward the proper position for deployment of the side curtain airbag after deployment of the positioning airbag.21. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:monitoring the position of the occupant after inflation of the positioning airbag; and suppressing inflation of the side curtain airbag when the occupant is still improperly positioned for deployment of the side curtain airbag. 22. The method of claim 18, further comprising the step of controlling the timing between the inflation of the positioning airbag and the side curtain airbag based on the position of the occupant.23. The method of claim 18, further comprising the steps of:determining a morphological property of the occupant; and controlling the timing between the inflation of the positioning airbag and the side curtain airbag based on the determined morphological property of the occupant. 24. In a motor vehicle, an apparatus for deploying airbags in a vehicle to protect occupants in the vehicle, comprising:a plurality of protective airbags for protecting the occupants in a crash, each of said protective airbags being arranged to protect an occupant in a specific deployment area; a plurality of positioning airbags each arranged to inflate prior to or in conjunction with the deployment of a respective one of said protective airbags, each of said positioning airbags being arranged to move the occupant away from an area in which the respective one of said protective airbags will deploy; a crash sensor system arranged to determine that a crash involving the vehicle will occur or is occurring; an occupant sensor system for determining the position of the occupant; and a control unit coupled to said crash sensor system, said plurality of protective airbags, said plurality of positioning airbags and said occupant sensor system and arranged to determine which of said protective airbags and said positioning airbags should be deployed in the crash based on the determined position of the occupant. 25. The vehicle of claim 24, wherein said protective airbags include a side curtain airbag and said positioning airbags include an airbag associated with said side curtain airbag and arranged in a door, seat or side of the vehicle to move the occupant away from the door upon inflation.26. A vehicle including an apparatus for deploying multiple airbags, the vehicle having a front, rear and left and right sides and at least one seat, comprising.a side curtain airbag arranged in a ceiling of a passenger compartment of the vehicle to deploy in a downward direction along the loft or right side of the vehicle and between a seating location above the seat and the left or right side of the vehicle; a positioning airbag arranged below said side curtain airbag to deploy below said side curtain airbag and inward from a side door of the vehicle into the seating location above the seat; and a rollover sensor for determining that the vehicle is experiencing a rollover, said rollover sensor being coupled to said aide curtain airbag and said positioning airbag and arranged to initiate inflation of said side curtain airbag and said positioning airbag when the vehicle experiences a rollover. 27. The vehicle of claim 26, wherein said rollover sensor is arranged to initiate inflation of said positioning airbag prior to inflation of said side curtain airbag.28. The vehicle of clam 26, wherein said positioning airbag is arranged in the side door of the vehicle or in a seat of the vehicle.29. In a motor vehicle, an apparatus for deploying airbags in a vehicle to protect occupant in the vehicle, comprising:a plurality of protective airbags for protecting the occupants in a crash; a plurality of positioning airbag&s arranged to inflate to move an occupant in a desired direction into a deployment area of one of said protective airbags; a crash sensor system arranged to determine that a crash involving the vehicle will occur or is occurring; an occupant sensor system for determining the position of at least one of the occupants of the vehicle; and a control unit coupled to said occupant sensor system, said crash sensor system, said plurality of protective airbags and said plurality of positioning airbags and arranged to determine which of said positioning airbags should be deployed in the crash based on the position of at least one of the occupants in the vehicle. 30. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein said protective airbags include a side curtain airbag and said positioning airbags include an airbag associated with said side curtain airbag and arranged in a door, seat or side of the vehicle to move the occupant away from the door upon inflation.31. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein said crash sensor system includes an anticipatory sensor for determining that a crash involving the vehicle will occur prior to the crash based on data obtained prior to the crash such that said positioning airbags are inflatable based on an anticipation of a crash.32. The vehicle of claim 29, wherein said control unit is arranged to determine which of said protective airbags should be deployed in the crash based on the position of the occupants in the vehicle.33. A vehicle including multiple airbags, comprising:a side curtain airbag arranged to deploy in a downward direction along a left or right side of the vehicle and between a seating location above a seat and the left or right side of the vehicle; a positioning airbag arranged to deploy inward from a door of the vehicle in conjunction with deployment of said side curtain airbag such that whenever said side curtain airbag is deployed, said positioning airbag is deployed; a crash sensor for determining that the vehicle is experiencing a crash or rollover; a control unit coupled to said side curtain airbag, said positioning airbag and said crash sensor for determining whether deployment of said side curtain airbag is necessary for the crash; and an activation mechanism coupled to said control unit and arranged to deploy said positioning airbag when said control unit determines that deployment of said side curtain airbag is necessary such that said control unit initiates deployment of both said side curtain airbag and said position airbag when it determines that deployment of said side curtain airbag is necessary, said control unit being arranged to initiate inflation of said side curtain airbag at a slower rate than inflation of said positioning airbag. 34. The vehicle of claim 33, wherein said crash sensor is arranged to determine that the vehicle is experiencing a rollover.35. The vehicle of claim 33, wherein said control unit is arranged to initiate inflation of said aide curtain airbag before inflation of said positioning airbag.36. The vehicle of claim 33, wherein said positioning airbag is arranged below said side curtain airbag to deploy below said side curtain airbag and inward from a side door of the vehicle into the seating location above the seat.37. The vehicle of claim 33, wherein said side curtain airbag is arranged in a ceiling of a passenger compartment of the vehicle and said positioning airbag is arranged in the side door of the vehicle or in a seat of the vehicle.38. A method for deploying airbags in a vehicle to protect a vehicle occupant, comprising the steps of:determining that a crash involving the vehicle will occur or is occurring; determining the position of the occupant; inflating a first airbag to move the occupant away from an interior surface of the vehicle when the occupant is proximate or against the interior surface; then or more slowly inflating a second airbag to protect the occupant from injury in the crash; and controlling the timing between the inflation of the first and second airbags based on the position of the occupant. 39. A method for deploying airbags in a vehicle, comprising the steps of:determining that a crash involving the vehicle will occur or is occurring; determining a morphological property of the occupant; inflating a first airbag to move an occupant away from an interior surface of the vehicle when the occupant is proximate or against the interior surface; then or more slowly inflating a second airbag to protect the occupant from injury in the crash; and controlling the timing between the inflation of the first and second airbags based on the determined morphological property of the occupant. 40. A vehicle including multiple airbags, comprising:a side curtain airbag arranged to deploy in a downward direction along a left or right side of the vehicle and between a seating location above a seat and the left or right side of the vehicle; a positioning airbag arranged to deploy inward from a door of the vehicle in conjunction with deployment of said side curtain airbag such that whenever said side curtain airbag is deployed, said positioning airbag is deployed, said positioning airbag being arranged below said side curtain airbag to deploy below said side curtain airbag and inward from a side door of the vehicle into the seating location above the seat; a crash sensor for determining that the vehicle as experiencing a crash or rollover; a control unit coupled to said side curtain airbag, said positioning airbag and said crash sensor for determining whether deployment of said side curtain airbag is necessary for the crash; and an activation mechanism coupled to said control unit and arranged to deploy said positioning airbag when said control unit determines that deployment of said side curtain airbag is necessary such that said control unit initiates deployment of both said side curtain airbag and said positioning airbag when it determines that deployment of said side curtain airbag is necessary. 41. A vehicle including multiple airbags, comprising:a side curtain airbag arranged in a ceiling of a passenger compartment of the vehicle to deploy in a downward direction along a left or right side of the vehicle and between a seating location above a seat and the left or right side of the vehicle; a positioning airbag arranged in a side door of the vehicle or in a seat of the vehicle to deploy inward from the side door of the vehicle in conjunction with deployment of said side curtain airbag such that whenever said side curtain airbag is deployed, said positioning airbag is deployed; a crash sensor for determining that the vehicle is experiencing a crash or rollover; a control unit coupled to said side curtain airbag, said positioning airbag and said crash sensor for determining whether deployment of said side curtain airbag is necessary for the crash; and an activation mechanism coupled to said control unit and arranged to deploy said positioning airbag when said control unit determines that deployment of said side curtain airbag is necessary such that said control unit initiates deployment of both said side curtain airbag and said positioning airbag when it determines that deployment of said side curtain airbag is necessary.
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