US6623033B2 — Airbag inflation control system and method

Claim 1

Independent Claim 183 words

In a motor vehicle having a passive restraint system with at least one airbag, an inflator system for inflating said at least one airbag comprising: gas inflow means for inflating an interior of said at least one airbag with gas; vent means for enabling removal of gas from the interior of said at least one airbag; a first anticipatory crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash and, upon the making of such a determination, directing said gas inflow means to inflate said at least one airbag; and a second crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur or is occurring and, upon the making of such a determination, controlling said vent means to enable the removal of gas from the interior said at least one airbag whereby the pressure in said at least one airbag is changed by the removal of gas from the interior of said at least one airbag enabled by said vent means.

Claim 2

Dependent Claim 183 words

In a motor vehicle having a passive restraint system with at least one airbag, an inflator system for inflating said at least one airbag comprising: gas inflow means for inflating an interior of said at least one airbag with gas; vent means for enabling removal of gas from the interior of said at least one airbag; a first anticipatory crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash and, upon the making of such a determination, directing said gas inflow means to inflate said at least one airbag; and a second crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur or is occurring and, upon the making of such a determination, controlling said vent means to enable the removal of gas from the interior said at least one airbag whereby the pressure in said at least one airbag is changed by the removal of gas from the interior of said at least one airbag enabled by said vent means.

Claim 3

Dependent Claim 32 words

The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein gas inflow means comprise an inflator structured and arranged to produce gas and direct the gas into the interior of said at least one airbag.

Claim 4

Dependent Claim 48 words

The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said gas inflow means comprise a first inflator and a second inflator, said first crash sensor being structured and arranged to independently direct said first inflator and said second inflator to produce gas for inflation of said at least one airbag.

Claim 5

Dependent Claim 30 words

The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising a side door and a seat, said at least one airbag being arranged to inflate between the occupant and said side door.

Claim 6

Dependent Claim 55 words

The vehicle of claim 4 , wherein the passive restraint system further comprises occupant displacement permitting means arranged in connection with said seat for permitting the occupant to be displaced away from said side door upon inflation of said at least one airbag and thereby increase the space between the occupant and said side door.

Claim 7

Dependent Claim 30 words

The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein the vehicle includes a seat having a back portion, said at least one airbag being arranged in said back portion of said seat.

Claim 8

Dependent Claim 21 words

The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein said at least one airbag is attached to said back portion of the seat.

Claim 9

Dependent Claim 21 words

The vehicle of claim 6 , wherein said at least one airbag is integral with said back portion of the seat.

Claim 10

Dependent Claim 28 words

The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said inflator system further comprises an airbag module having a housing, said at least one airbag being arranged in said housing.

Claim 11

Dependent Claim 46 words

The vehicle of claim 9 , wherein the vehicle includes a seat having a back portion, said at least one airbag being arranged in said back portion of the seat, said airbag module extends substantially along a vertical length of said back portion of the seat.

Claim 12

Dependent Claim 24 words

The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said vent means comprise a variable outflow port or vent formed in said at least one airbag.

Claim 13

Dependent Claim 35 words

The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said at least one airbag comprises a first airbag and a second airbag situated within said first airbag, said vent means being associated with the said first airbag.

Claim 14

Dependent Claim 39 words

The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising: a seat; a side door; and occupant displacement permitting means arranged in connection with said seat for permitting the occupant to be displaced upon inflation of said at least one airbag.

Claim 15

Dependent Claim 69 words

The vehicle of claim 13 , further comprising a seatbelt coupled to said seat for restraining the occupant on said seat; said seatbelt having a belted position in which said seatbelt restrains the occupant and an unbelted position in which the occupant is unrestrained, said occupant displacement permitting means comprises slack introduction means arranged in connection with said seatbelt for introducing a controlled amount of slack into said seatbelt.

Claim 16

Dependent Claim 102 words

The vehicle of claim 14 , wherein said slack introduction means comprise a spool on which an end of said seatbelt is wound, a sheave attached to said spool, a cable wound around said sheave, an actuator including a cylinder, a piston connected to said cable and movable within said cylinder and means defining a space between a bottom of said cylinder and said piston, and pressure generating means for generating a pressure in said space to force said piston in a direction to cause said sheave to rotate and thus said spool to rotate and unwind said seatbelt from said spool.

Claim 17

Dependent Claim 72 words

The vehicle of claim 15 , wherein said pressure generating means comprise a housing containing propellant, a squib arranged in connection with said housing and being activated by said first crash sensor or said second crash sensor to ignite said propellant and thereby produce pressurized gas, and a chamber in flow communication with said propellant to receive the pressurized gas, said chamber being in flow communication with said space in said actuator.

Claim 18

Dependent Claim 91 words

The vehicle of claim 14 , further comprising a seatbelt coupled to said seat for restraining the occupant on said seat; said seatbelt having a belted position in which said seatbelt restrains the occupant and an unbelted position in which the occupant is unrestrained, said seatbelt having a plurality of anchorage points, said occupant displacement permitting means comprising means for changing the anchorage point of said seatbelt from a first one of said anchorage points to a second one of said anchorage points upon inflation of said at least one airbag.

Claim 19

Dependent Claim 25 words

The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein said plurality of anchorage points are arranged on a side of said seat away from said side door.

Claim 20

Dependent Claim 123 words

The vehicle of claim 17 , wherein said second anchorage point is permanently fixed to the vehicle, said first anchorage point being defined by a strip permanently fixed to the vehicle, a first member connected to said strip, a second member having a first position connected to said first member in which said seatbelt is retained at said first anchorage point and a second position apart from said first member in which said seatbelt is not retained at said first anchorage point, and separation means for moving said second member from said first position to said second position so that said seatbelt is no longer retained at said first anchorage point and the displacement of the occupant is not hindered by said seatbelt.

Claim 21

Dependent Claim 24 words

The vehicle of claim 19 , wherein said separation means comprises an explosive bolt assembly removably connecting said second member to said first member.

Claim 22

Dependent Claim 23 words

The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein occupant displacement permitting means comprise means for coupling said seatbelt to be integral with said seat.

Claim 23

Dependent Claim 68 words

The vehicle of claim 13 , wherein said at least one airbag is arranged to be inflated between the occupant and said side door, said occupant displacement permitting means being arranged in connection with the seat for permitting the occupant to be displaced away from said side door upon inflation of said at least one airbag and thereby increase the space between the occupant and said side door.

Claim 24

Dependent Claim 55 words

The vehicle of claim 22 , further comprising mounting means for mounting said at least one airbag adjacent the occupant, said occupant displacement permitting means being operatively associated with said first crash sensor and said seat to increase the space between the occupant and said side door upon inflation of said at least one airbag.

Claim 25

Dependent Claim 24 words

The vehicle of claim 23 , wherein said occupant displacement permitting means comprise means for laterally displacing said seat away from said side door.

Claim 26

Dependent Claim 55 words

The vehicle of claim 24 , wherein said lateral displacement means comprise at least one rail mechanism each including first member having a guide channel arranged in connection with said seat or the vehicle and a second member positioned for movement in said guide channel arranged in the other of said seat and the vehicle.

Claim 27

Dependent Claim 23 words

The vehicle of claim 23 , wherein said occupant displacement permitting means comprise means for rotating said seat about the vehicle roll axis.

Claim 28

Dependent Claim 23 words

The vehicle of claim 23 , wherein said occupant displacement permitting means comprise means for rotating said seat about the vehicle yaw axis.

Claim 29

Dependent Claim 19 words

The vehicle of claim 23 , wherein said occupant displacement permitting means comprises means for lifting said seat vertically.

Claim 30

Dependent Claim 48 words

The vehicle of claim 28 , wherein said seat lifting means comprise a first plate attached to said seat, a second plate attached to the vehicle and hingedly attached to said first plate, and a clamp for releasably retaining said first plate in connection with said second plate.

Claim 31

Dependent Claim 30 words

The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said at least one airbag is arranged to deploy outside of the vehicle between a side of the vehicle and an impacting object.

Claim 32

Dependent Claim 31 words

The vehicle of claim 30 , wherein said at least one airbag is arranged in an airbag module and said airbag module is mounted in a side door of the vehicle.

Claim 33

Dependent Claim 44 words

The vehicle of claim 1 , further comprising: a seat having a seat back; an airbag module comprising a housing, said at least one airbag being arranged within said housing; and mounting means for mounting said airbag module in combination with said seat back.

Claim 34

Dependent Claim 20 words

The vehicle of claim 32 , wherein said airbag module extends substantially along a vertical length of said seat back.

Claim 35

Dependent Claim 18 words

The vehicle of claim 32 , wherein said at least one airbag is attached to said seat back.

Claim 36

Dependent Claim 18 words

The vehicle of claim 32 , wherein said at least one airbag is integral with said seat back.

Claim 37

Dependent Claim 31 words

The vehicle of claim 32 , further comprising a side door, said airbag module being arranged such that said at least one airbag deploys between said seat and said side door.

Claim 38

Dependent Claim 37 words

The vehicle of claim 36 , wherein said anticipatory sensor means is arranged to detect that a side impact requiring deployment of said at least one airbag is required based on data obtained prior to the crash.

Claim 39

Dependent Claim 15 words

The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said second crash sensor is an anticipatory sensor.

Claim 40

Dependent Claim 15 words

The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said second crash sensor is a crush sensor.

Claim 41

Dependent Claim 15 words

The vehicle of claim 1 , wherein said second crash sensor is an acceleration-based sensor.

Claim 42

Dependent Claim 156 words

A motor vehicle having a passive restraint system including at least one airbag and an inflator system for inflating said at least one airbag, said inflator system comprising: inflator means for releasing a gas into an interior of said at least one airbag, a first anticipatory crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash and, upon the making of such a determination, triggering said inflator means to release gas into said at least one airbag; and a second crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur or is occurring and, upon the making of such a determination, changing the rate at which gas accumulates in said at least one airbag, said second crash sensor being arranged to control outflow of gas from the interior of said at least one airbag.

Claim 43

Dependent Claim 156 words

A motor vehicle having a passive restraint system including at least one airbag and an inflator system for inflating said at least one airbag, said inflator system comprising: inflator means for releasing a gas into an interior of said at least one airbag, a first anticipatory crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash and, upon the making of such a determination, triggering said inflator means to release gas into said at least one airbag; and a second crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur or is occurring and, upon the making of such a determination, changing the rate at which gas accumulates in said at least one airbag, said second crash sensor being arranged to control outflow of gas from the interior of said at least one airbag.

Claim 44

Dependent Claim 44 words

The vehicle of claim 41 , wherein said at least one airbag includes a variable outflow port, said second crash sensor being arranged to control said variable outflow port and thus the outflow of gas from the interior of said at least one airbag.

Claim 45

Independent Claim 147 words

A method for inflating at least one airbag arranged in a vehicle, comprising the steps of: making a first determination by means of an anticipatory crash sensor that a crash requiring deployment of the at least one airbag will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash and, upon the making of such a determination, inflating the at least one airbag; and making a second, separate determination by means of a second crash sensor that a crash requiring deployment of the at least one airbag will occur or is occurring and, upon the making of such a determination, changing the rate at which gas accumulates in the at least one airbag, the step of changing the rate at which gas accumulates in the at least one airbag comprising the step of enabling and regulating outflow of gas from an interior of the at least one airbag.

Claim 46

Independent Claim 147 words

A method for inflating at least one airbag arranged in a vehicle, comprising the steps of: making a first determination by means of an anticipatory crash sensor that a crash requiring deployment of the at least one airbag will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash and, upon the making of such a determination, inflating the at least one airbag; and making a second, separate determination by means of a second crash sensor that a crash requiring deployment of the at least one airbag will occur or is occurring and, upon the making of such a determination, changing the rate at which gas accumulates in the at least one airbag, the step of changing the rate at which gas accumulates in the at least one airbag comprising the step of enabling and regulating outflow of gas from an interior of the at least one airbag.

Claim 47

Dependent Claim 57 words

The method of claim 43 , wherein the at least one airbag includes a variable outflow port, the step of changing the rate at which gas accumulates in the at least one airbag comprising the step of: controlling the variable outflow port and thus the outflow of gas from the interior of the at least one airbag.

Claim 48

Dependent Claim 206 words

In a motor vehicle having a passive restraint system with at least one airbag, an inflator system for inflating said at least one airbag comprising: an inflator arranged to inflate an interior of said at least one airbag with gas; a vent having a closed position in which outflow of gas from the interior of said at least one airbag is prevented and a variable open position in which outflow of gas from the interior of said at least one airbag is permitted; a first anticipatory crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash and, upon the making of such a determination, directing said inflator to inflate said at least one airbag; and a second crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur or is occurring and, upon the making of such a determination, controlling said vent to enable the outflow of gas from the interior said at least one airbag whereby the pressure in said at least one airbag is changed by the outflow of gas from the interior of said at least one airbag enabled by said vent.

Claim 49

Dependent Claim 206 words

In a motor vehicle having a passive restraint system with at least one airbag, an inflator system for inflating said at least one airbag comprising: an inflator arranged to inflate an interior of said at least one airbag with gas; a vent having a closed position in which outflow of gas from the interior of said at least one airbag is prevented and a variable open position in which outflow of gas from the interior of said at least one airbag is permitted; a first anticipatory crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash and, upon the making of such a determination, directing said inflator to inflate said at least one airbag; and a second crash sensor for determining that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag will occur or is occurring and, upon the making of such a determination, controlling said vent to enable the outflow of gas from the interior said at least one airbag whereby the pressure in said at least one airbag is changed by the outflow of gas from the interior of said at least one airbag enabled by said vent.

Claim 50

Dependent Claim 17 words

The vehicle of claim 45 , wherein said vent is formed in said at least one airbag.

Annuity Stage	Window Opens	Payment Deadline	Surcharge Period Until	Estimated Fee	Status
3.5 Years (Year 4)	2006-09-22	2007-03-24	2007-09-23	$2000.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8)	2010-09-22	2011-03-24	2011-09-23	$3760.00	Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12)	2014-09-22	2015-03-24	2015-09-23	$7700.00	Window Closed / Lapsed

Airbag inflation control system and method

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