초록 ▼

An airbag deployment system including at least one module housing, at least one deployable airbag associated with each housing, an inflator associated with each housing for inflating the airbag(s) to deploy into the passenger compartment, an airbag inflation determination unit for determining that d

An airbag deployment system including at least one module housing, at least one deployable airbag associated with each housing, an inflator associated with each housing for inflating the airbag(s) to deploy into the passenger compartment, an airbag inflation determination unit for determining that deployment of the airbag(s) is/are desired, and respective electronic control units arranged within or proximate each housing and coupled to a respective inflator and the airbag inflation determination unit for initiating the inflator to inflate the airbag(s) in the respective housing upon receiving a signal from the airbag inflation determination unit. The control units include a power supply for enabling initiation of the inflator.

대표청구항 ▼

The invention claimed is: 1. An airbag system in or for a vehicle having a plurality of occupant seats, comprising a plurality of airbag modules, each located at an associated occupant seat and positioned to protect an occupant of the associated seat from injury in the event of a crash of the vehic

The invention claimed is: 1. An airbag system in or for a vehicle having a plurality of occupant seats, comprising a plurality of airbag modules, each located at an associated occupant seat and positioned to protect an occupant of the associated seat from injury in the event of a crash of the vehicle, each airbag module comprising an airbag, an inflator for delivering gas into the airbag to inflate the airbag, and an electronics unit for activating the inflator, a control module located separate and apart from the airbag modules for determining that a vehicle crash has occurred and transmitting a deployment signal to each electronics unit in response to the crash determination to activate each inflator to inflate its associated airbag; and wherein each electronics unit has an assigned address and the control module is arranged to transmit the deployment signal to each electronics unit based on the address assigned to the electronics units; wherein each electronics unit is configured to respond to the deployment signal directed to it using its address by activating its associated inflator; and wherein the inflator of at least one of the airbag modules comprises: a gas generator that produces the pressurized gas to inflate the associated airbag, and an aspiration mechanism that combines gas from the passenger compartment with the pressurized gas from the gas generator and directs the combined flow of gas into the associated airbag, the aspiration mechanism comprises: a nozzle ending at a mixing chamber, the pressurized gas flowing from the gas generator through the nozzle into the mixing chamber, and an aspiration inlet port, the gas from the passenger compartment flowing through the aspiration inlet port into the mixing chamber, the nozzle is arranged relative to the aspiration inlet port such that only the pressurized gas from the gas generator flows through the nozzle and the pressurized gas is mixed with the gas from the passenger compartment only after the pressurized gas exits from the nozzle. 2. The airbag system of claim 1, wherein the control module transmits a deployment signal including an address assigned to one of the electronics units and each electronics unit is configured to determine whether the deployment signal being transmitted by the control module includes its address. 3. An airbag system in or for a vehicle having a plurality of occupant seats, comprising: a plurality of airbag modules, each located at an associated occupant seat and positioned to protect an occupant of the associated seat from injury in the event of a crash of the vehicle; each airbag module comprising an airbag, an inflator for delivering gas into the airbag to inflate the airbag, and an electronics unit for activating the inflator; a control module located separate and apart from the airbag modules for determining that a vehicle crash has occurred and transmitting a deployment signal to each electronics unit in response to the crash determination to activate each inflator to inflate its associated airbag; and wherein each electronics unit has an assigned address and the control module is arranged to transmit the deployment signal to each electronics unit based on the address assigned to the electronics units; wherein each electronics unit is configured to respond to the deployment signal directed to it using its address by activating its associated inflator; wherein each electronics unit further comprises a power supply and an igniter, and each electronics unit is configured to trigger the power supply to ignite the igniter to activate the inflator in response to the deployment signal directed to it using the address assigned to the electronics unit; and wherein the igniter comprises a squib and the power supply comprises a capacitor or a battery. 4. The airbag system of claim 3, wherein the control module transmits a deployment signal including an address assigned to one of the electronics units and each electronics unit is configured to determine whether the deployment signal being transmitted by the control module includes its address. 5. An airbag system in or for a vehicle having a plurality of occupant seats, comprising a plurality of airbag modules, each located at an associated occupant seat and positioned to protect an occupant of the associated seat from injury in the event of a crash of the vehicle, each airbag module comprising an airbag, an inflator for delivering gas into the airbag to inflate the airbag, and an electronics unit for activating the inflator, a crash sensor system arranged separate and at a location apart from the airbag modules, a control module located separate and apart from the airbag modules for determining that a vehicle crash has occurred based on data provided by the crash sensor system and transmitting a deployment signal to each electronics unit in response to the crash determination to activate each inflator to inflate its associated airbag; and wherein each electronics unit has an assigned address and the control module is arranged to transmit the deployment signal to each electronics unit based on the address assigned to the electronics units; and wherein each electronics unit is configured to respond to the deployment signal directed to it using its address by activating its associated inflator. 6. The airbag system of claim 5, wherein the control module transmits a deployment signal including an address assigned to one of the electronics units and each electronics unit is configured to determine whether the deployment signal being transmitted by the control module includes its address. 7. The airbag system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the airbag modules further comprises an elongate housing extending along a side of the vehicle, the airbag in the at least one airbag module being a single airbag structured and arranged to inflate along the side of the vehicle from a front of the vehicle to a rear of the vehicle such that this airbag is interposed between the side of the vehicle and spaces above front and rear seats of the vehicle. 8. The airbag system of claim 7, wherein the housing is mounted to a ceiling of the vehicle in a direction parallel to a longitudinal direction of the vehicle. 9. The airbag system of claim 5, wherein the inflator of at least one of the airbag modules comprises a gas generator that produces the pressurized gas to inflate the associated airbag, and an aspiration mechanism that combines gas from the passenger compartment with the pressurized gas from the gas generator and directs the combined flow of gas into the associated airbag. 10. The airbag system of claim 9, wherein the aspiration mechanism comprises: a nozzle ending at a mixing chamber, the pressurized gas flowing from the gas generator through the nozzle into the mixing chamber, and an aspiration inlet port, the gas from the passenger compartment flowing through the aspiration inlet port into the mixing chamber. 11. The airbag system of claim 10, wherein the nozzle is arranged relative to the aspiration inlet port such that only the pressurized gas from the gas generator flows through the nozzle and the pressurized gas is mixed with the gas from the passenger compartment only after the pressurized gas exits from the nozzle. 12. The airbag system of claim 5, wherein at least one of the airbag modules further comprises a position sensing system that detects the position of the occupant of the associated seat, the electronics unit in the at least one airbag module being arranged to consider the detected position of the occupant in the associated seat prior to activating the associated inflator. 13. The airbag system of claim 12, wherein the position sensing system is arranged at least one of partially within the respective airbag module and adjacent to the respective airbag module. 14. The airbag system of claim 12, wherein the position sensing system comprises a wave receiver that receives waves from an area above the associated seat, the wave receiver being coupled to the electronics unit. 15. The airbag system of claim 14, wherein the position sensing system further comprises a wave transmitter that transmits waves into the area above the associated seat. 16. The airbag system of claim 5, wherein each of the airbag modules further comprises a housing, the airbag of each airbag module being arranged within the respective housing. 17. The airbag system of claim 5, wherein each of the airbag modules further comprises a housing, the electronics unit of each airbag module being arranged proximate the respective housing. 18. The airbag system of claim 5, wherein each of the airbag modules further comprises a housing, the electronics unit of each airbag module being arranged within the respective housing. 19. The airbag system of claim 5, wherein each of the airbag modules is arranged such that the airbag therein inflates into a passenger compartment of the vehicle. 20. The airbag system of claim 5, wherein each electronics unit further comprises a power supply and an igniter, and each electronics unit is configured to trigger the power supply to ignite the igniter to activate the inflator in response to the deployment signal directed to it using the address assigned to the electronics unit. 21. The airbag system of claim 20, wherein the igniter comprises a squib and the power supply comprises a capacitor or a battery. 22. The airbag system of claim 20, wherein at least one of the airbag modules further comprises diagnostic circuitry for monitoring a status of the electronics unit and reporting a detected failure of the electronics unit. 23. The airbag system of claim 21, further comprising at least one bus, the control unit supplying the airbag modules with electric power and deployment signals via the at least one bus.