Vehicle occupant protection system and method utilizing Z-axis central safing
US6249730A · kind A · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | May 19, 2000 |
| Grant date | Jun 19, 2001 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | May 19, 2020 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC B)Performing Operations; Transporting
- CPC primaryB60R2021/01325
- WIPO fieldTransport
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
A vehicle occupant protection system (10) includes an actuatable device (e.g., 20) for protecting a vehicle occupant (12). An accelerometer (e.g., 50) and a crash determination portion (66) of a controller (56) derive a first metric indicative of a vehicle crash condition. A Z-axis accelerometer (54) and a safing portion (50) of the controller (38) derive a second metric indicative of a vehicle vertical acceleration characteristic. The controller (66) actuates the device (e.g., 16) to protect the occupant (12) in response to the first metric indicating a vehicle crash condition and the second metric exceeding a predetermined threshold. Preferably, the system (10) includes a second device (e.g., 18) and another accelerometer (e.g., 58) and another crash determination portion (72) of the controller (56) to derive a third metric indicative of a vehicle crash condition. The controller (66) actuates the device (e.g., 18) to protect the occupant (12) in response to the third metric indicating a vehicle crash condition and the second metric exceeding a predetermined threshold. Thus, the second metric is utilized twice.
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.