US7147246B2
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Method for airbag inflation control
Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC
•
Filing: 2005-02-24
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Granted: 2006-12-12
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Expires: 2025-02-24
Abstract
Abstract Method for controlling deployment of an airbag into a passenger compartment of a vehicle including detecting a position of an occupant whose forward-facing surface will be the surface which interacts with the airbag upon its deployment, determining a desired amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag based at least in part on the detected position of the occupant, and adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag to provide the airbag with the desired amount of gas during its inflation. Adjustment of the amount of gas within the airbag may entail varying the amount of gas being directed into the airbag based on the morphology of the occupant (inflow control) and/or controlling the outflow of gas from the airbag based on the morphology of the occupant (outflow control).
Inventors
- 👤 David S. Breed
- 👤 Wilbur E. Du Vall
- 👤 Wendell C. Johnson
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-24 20:01
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/01; B60R21/015; B60R21/01512; B60R21/01516; B60R21/0152; B60R2021/01204; B60R2021/01211; B60R2021/01225; B60R21/0153
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 30
Claim 1
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for controlling deployment of an airbag into a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising: determining a size of an occupant whose forward-facing surface will be the surface which interacts with the airbag upon its deployment; determining a desired amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag based at least in part on the determined size of the occupant; and adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag to provide the airbag with the desired amount of gas during its inflation, the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag comprising controlling the outflow of gas from the airbag based on the determined size of the occupant.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
118 words
A method for controlling deployment of an airbag into a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising: determining a size of an occupant whose forward-facing surface will be the surface which interacts with the airbag upon its deployment; determining a desired amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag based at least in part on the determined size of the occupant; and adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag to provide the airbag with the desired amount of gas during its inflation, the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag comprising controlling the outflow of gas from the airbag based on the determined size of the occupant.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag further comprises varying the amount of gas being directed into the airbag based on the size of the occupant.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
46 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising detecting the occupant's position and determining the desired amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag based at least in part on the detected position of the occupant and the determined size of the occupant.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag further comprises reducing the amount of gas being directed into the airbag when the detected position of the occupant is indicative of a small occupant.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
43 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag further comprises increasing the amount of gas being directed into the airbag when the detected position of the occupant is indicative of a large occupant.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag further comprises reducing the amount of gas being directed into the airbag when the detected position of the occupant is indicative of an occupant positioned close to a compartment in which the airbag is stored.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag further comprises reducing the size of at least one gas exit passage formed in association with the airbag when the detected position of the occupant is indicative of a large occupant.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
49 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag further comprises increasing the size of at least one gas exit passage formed in association with the airbag when the detected position of the occupant is indicative of a small occupant.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 3 , wherein the step of detecting a position of the occupant comprises transmitting waves toward the occupant, receiving waves reflected from the occupant and analyzing the received waves.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag comprises venting the airbag through at least one gas exit passage formed in the airbag material.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag further comprises arranging an exit control valve adjacent the inflator and in fluid communication with the airbag and controlling the valve to provide an opening through which gas flows.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
64 words
The method of claim 1 , further comprising: determining at least one morphological characteristic of the occupant in addition to the determination of the size of the occupant; and determining the desired amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag based at least in part on at least one morphological characteristic of the occupant and the determined size of the occupant.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the at least one morphological characteristic is the weight of the occupant.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 12 , wherein the step of determining the size of the occupant comprises determining the height of the occupant from a vehicle seat on which the occupant is seated.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of determining the size of the occupant comprises determining the height of the occupant from a vehicle seat on which the occupant is seated.
Claim 17
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for controlling deployment of an airbag into a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising: determining a size of an occupant whose forward-facing surface will be the surface which interacts with the airbag upon its deployment; obtaining information about an amount of energy the airbag needs to absorb during impact of the occupant with the airbag based on the determined size of the occupant; and adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag based at least in part on the information about the amount of energy the airbag needs to absorb during impact of the occupant with the airbag to thereby provide the airbag with the ability to absorb the needed amount of energy, the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag comprising controlling the outflow of gas from the airbag based on the determined size of the occupant.
Claim 18
Independent Claim
148 words
A method for controlling deployment of an airbag into a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising: determining a size of an occupant whose forward-facing surface will be the surface which interacts with the airbag upon its deployment; obtaining information about an amount of energy the airbag needs to absorb during impact of the occupant with the airbag based on the determined size of the occupant; and adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag based at least in part on the information about the amount of energy the airbag needs to absorb during impact of the occupant with the airbag to thereby provide the airbag with the ability to absorb the needed amount of energy, the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag comprising controlling the outflow of gas from the airbag based on the determined size of the occupant.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
54 words
The method of claim 16 , further comprising determining at least one morphological characteristic of the occupant in addition to the determination of the size of the occupant and the step of obtaining information comprises deriving the information from the determined at least one morphological characteristic and from the determined size of the occupant.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
19 words
The method of claim 17 , wherein the at least one morphological characteristic is the weight of the occupant.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
37 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag comprising varying the amount of gas being directed into the airbag based on the determined size of the occupant.
Claim 22
Dependent Claim
48 words
The method of claim 16 , further comprising detecting the occupant's position and obtaining information about the amount of energy the airbag needs to absorb during impact of the occupant with the airbag based on the detected position of the occupant and the determined size of the occupant.
Claim 23
Dependent Claim
53 words
The method of claim 20 , wherein the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag further comprises reducing the amount of gas being directed into the airbag when the detected position of the occupant is indicative of an occupant positioned close to a compartment in which the airbag is stored.
Claim 24
Dependent Claim
33 words
The method of claim 20 , wherein the step of detecting a position of the occupant comprises transmitting waves toward the occupant, receiving waves reflected from the occupant and analyzing the received waves.
Claim 25
Dependent Claim
35 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag comprises venting the airbag through at least one gas exit passage formed in material of the airbag.
Claim 26
Dependent Claim
47 words
The method of claim 16 , wherein the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag further comprises arranging an exit control valve adjacent the inflator and in fluid communication with the airbag and controlling the valve to provide an opening through which gas flows.
Claim 27
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for controlling deployment of an airbag into a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising: determining a size of an occupant whose forward-facing surface will be the surface which interacts with the airbag upon its deployment; determining a desired amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag based at least in part on the determined size of the occupant; and adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag to provide the airbag with the desired amount of gas during its inflation, the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag comprising varying the amount of gas being directed into the airbag and controlling a variable outflow of gas from the airbag such that the amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag is the desired amount.
Claim 28
Independent Claim
140 words
A method for controlling deployment of an airbag into a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising: determining a size of an occupant whose forward-facing surface will be the surface which interacts with the airbag upon its deployment; determining a desired amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag based at least in part on the determined size of the occupant; and adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag to provide the airbag with the desired amount of gas during its inflation, the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag comprising varying the amount of gas being directed into the airbag and controlling a variable outflow of gas from the airbag such that the amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag is the desired amount.
Claim 29
Independent Claim
172 words
A method for controlling deployment of an airbag into a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising: determining a size of an occupant whose forward-facing surface will be the surface which interacts with the airbag upon its deployment; obtaining information about an amount of energy the airbag needs to absorb during impact of the occupant with the airbag based at least in part in the determined size of the occupant; and adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag based at least in part on the information about the amount of energy the airbag needs to absorb during impact of the occupant with the airbag to thereby provide the airbag with the ability to absorb the needed amount of energy, the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag comprising varying the amount of gas being directed into the airbag and controlling a variable outflow of gas from the airbag such that the airbag has the ability to absorb the needed amount of energy during deployment.
Claim 30
Independent Claim
172 words
A method for controlling deployment of an airbag into a passenger compartment of a vehicle, comprising: determining a size of an occupant whose forward-facing surface will be the surface which interacts with the airbag upon its deployment; obtaining information about an amount of energy the airbag needs to absorb during impact of the occupant with the airbag based at least in part in the determined size of the occupant; and adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag during inflation of the airbag based at least in part on the information about the amount of energy the airbag needs to absorb during impact of the occupant with the airbag to thereby provide the airbag with the ability to absorb the needed amount of energy, the step of adjusting the amount of gas within the airbag comprising varying the amount of gas being directed into the airbag and controlling a variable outflow of gas from the airbag such that the airbag has the ability to absorb the needed amount of energy during deployment.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2009-12-11 | 2010-06-12 | 2010-12-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2013-12-11 | 2014-06-12 | 2014-12-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2017-12-11 | 2018-06-12 | 2018-12-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |