Apparatus for triggering a passive safety device for protecting passengers in a vehicle

US5157268A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Messerschmitt Bolkow Blohm GmbH · DE

Inventors

• Hans Spies · Brackenheim, DE
• Alfons Woehrl · Schrobenhausen, DE
• Peter Hora · Schrobenhausen, DE
• Guenther Fendt · Schrobenhausen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Dec 11, 1990
• Grant date: Oct 20, 1992
• Expiry date: Dec 11, 2010

Classification

• Technology area (CPC B): Performing Operations; Transporting
• CPC primary: B60R2021/01322
• WIPO field: Transport
• WIPO sector: Mechanical engineering

Abstract

A passive safety device (62) is triggered for protecting vehicle passengers in the event of a collision. The output signals of a signal acceleration sensor (1) are integrated to form a signal which triggers the deployment of the safety device when a threshold value for the integrated signal is exceeded and simultaneously additional criteria are met. These conditions are met in a simple circuit with a single acceleration sensor (1), so that the entire apparatus including the safety device (62) can be installed compactly in a steering wheel of a motor vehicle. In addition to a first signal evaluation channel in which the sensor signal is integrated once, there is at least one second signal evaluation channel including two integrators (20) and (23) in which the sensor signal is integrated twice to provide a distance signal that is evaluated by a further threshold value switch (24). The safety device (62) is only triggered if both the singly integrated signal and the doubly integrated signal exceed prescribed thresholds within a prescribed time period. Additionally, a rear collision impact recognition circuit and a hammer blow impact recognition circuit (31 to 36; 41, 28) is provided t…