GB2511607A - Safety system for a vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle - Google Patents

Safety system for a vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle Download PDF

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Publication number
GB2511607A
GB2511607A GB201322361A GB201322361A GB2511607A GB 2511607 A GB2511607 A GB 2511607A GB 201322361 A GB201322361 A GB 201322361A GB 201322361 A GB201322361 A GB 201322361A GB 2511607 A GB2511607 A GB 2511607A
Authority
GB
United Kingdom
Prior art keywords
vehicle
cavity
safety system
airbag
crash
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Withdrawn
Application number
GB201322361A
Other versions
GB201322361D0 (en
Inventor
Dinesh Munjurulimana
Mahendra Kurkuri
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Mercedes Benz Group AG
Original Assignee
Daimler AG
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Daimler AG filed Critical Daimler AG
Priority to GB201322361A priority Critical patent/GB2511607A/en
Publication of GB201322361D0 publication Critical patent/GB201322361D0/en
Publication of GB2511607A publication Critical patent/GB2511607A/en
Withdrawn legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R19/00—Wheel guards; Radiator guards, e.g. grilles; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions
    • B60R19/02—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects
    • B60R19/48—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds
    • B60R19/483—Bumpers, i.e. impact receiving or absorbing members for protecting vehicles or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects combined with, or convertible into, other devices or objects, e.g. bumpers combined with road brushes, bumpers convertible into beds with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • B60R21/013—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
    • B60R21/0136—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over responsive to actual contact with an obstacle, e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R2021/0002—Type of accident
    • B60R2021/0004—Frontal collision
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • B60R2021/01006—Mounting of electrical components in vehicles
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60—VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60R—VEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00—Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01—Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • B60R2021/01013—Means for detecting collision, impending collision or roll-over
    • B60R2021/01027—Safing sensors

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Air Bags (AREA)

Abstract

An airbag deployment system has a pressure sensor 16 configured to detect a pressure change in a cavity 14 which is bounded by a part which is not a structural cross member 20 of the vehicle 10. The cavity 14 can be bounded by the mudguard 24, lamp such as a head lamp or its housing or another cover element 22 of the vehicle and can be arranged at the front of the vehicle. An aim is to be able to detect small overlap impact collisions. The increased sensitivity of the system allows the airbag to be triggered and deployed at a very early stage of a crash.

Description

Safety System for a vehicle, in particular a Passenger Vehicle The invention relates to a safety system according to the preamble of patent claim 1.
Such a safety system for a vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle is known from US 2010228424. The safety system comprises at least one cavity of the vehicle and at least one airbag. The airbag is deployable from a stowage position into at least one protective position for restraining a passenger of the vehicle.
Moreover, the safety system comprises at least one pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure change within the cavity of the vehicle and provide at least one signal indicative of the detected pressure change which is caused by an impact crash, in particular a frontal impact crash of the vehicle.
The safety system further comprises at least one controller configured to receive the signal provided by the pressure sensor. The controller is also configured to effect the deployment of the airbag in response to the received signal. Thereby, the airbag can be deployed into the protective position if an impact crash of the vehicle is detected by means of the pressure sensor. By deploying the airbag at least one passenger of the vehicle can be cushioned and protected from hitting hard and stiff components in the interior of the vehicle, the passenger being moved towards the airbag due to accelerations caused by the impact crash of the vehicle.
Furthermore, acceleration sensors used for detecting impact crashes of vehicles are known from the general prior art. Conventionally, such acceleration sensors are mounted on stiff structures of the body in white such as a chassis and a front cross beam. Such acceleration sensors are effective for detecting full frontal impact crashes or 40% overlap crashes.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a safety system by means of which impact crashes, in particular small overlap crashes can be detected particularly effectively.
This object is solved by a safety system having the features of patent claim 1.
Advantageous embodiments with expedient and non-trivial developments of the invention are indicated in the other patent claims.
In order to provide a safety system of the kind indicated in the preamble of patent claim 1, by means of which impact crashes, in particular small overlap crashes of the vehicle can be detected particularly effectively, according to the present invention the cavity is bounded by at least one attachment part being different from a cross member of the vehicle. For example, the attachment part is a mudguard, a cover element, a housing or a pane of a lamp of the vehicle. This means the cavity can be bounded by the mudguard and/or the cover element. Additionally or alternatively, the cavity can be bounded y the housing of the lamp and/or the pane of the lamp.
By using the pressure sensor and the cavity bounded by the attachment part an impact crash of the vehicle, in particular a small overlap crash can be detected on the basis of the signal provided by the sensor at a very early stage of the crash. Thus, the airbag can be deployed by the controller at a very early stage of the crash. Thereby, the passenger being moved towards the airbag due to accelerations caused by the crash can be cushioned very effectively by means of the airbag.
For example, the attachment part is made of a plastic material or a metallic material. This means the cavity can be bounded by a plastic material and/or a metallic material. Thus, the cavity can be deformed particularly advantageously at a very early stage of the crash so that a pressure change, in particular a pressure rise can be detected by the pressure sensor very early. The idea behind the present invention is to use at least one available cavity of the vehicle for detecting a pressure change and, thus, an impact crash, the cavity being deformable particularly advantageously.
Especially frontal small overlap crashes which occur in, for example, frontal small overlap crash tests can be detected by the safety system according to the present invention very effectively. In such a small overlap crash an early deployment of the airbag can be significantly advantageous, wherein such an early deployment of the airbag can be realized by the safety system according to the present invention.
For example, the airbag is a front airbag or a side airbag. This means at least one front airbag and/or at least one side airbag of the safety system can be deployed in response to the signal provided by the pressure sensor and received by the controller.
Further advantages, features, and details of the invention derive from the following description of a preferred embodiment as well as from the drawing. The features and feature combinations previously mentioned in the description as well as the features and feature combinations mentioned in the following description of the figures and/or shown in the figures alone can be employed not only in the respective indicated combination but also in any other combination or taken alone without leaving the scope of the invention.
The drawing shows in: Fig. 1 partially a schematic and sectional side view of a passenger vehicle having a safety system which comprises at least one cavity of the passenger vehicle, at least one airbag being deployable from a stowage position into at least one protective position for restraining a passenger of the vehicle, at least one pressure sensor configured to detect a pressure change within the cavity of the vehicle and provide at least one signal indicative of the detected pressure change, and at least one controller configured to receive the signal and effect the deployment of the airbag in response to the received signal wherein the cavity is bounded by at least one attachment part being different from a one cross member of the vehicle; Fig. 2 a schematic and sectional top view of the cavity being undeformed; and Fig. 3 a schematic and sectional top view of the cavity being deformed due to a frontal small overlap crash of the passenger vehicle.
In the figures the same elements or elements having the same function are designated with the same reference sign.
Fig. 1 partially shows a vehicle in the form of a passenger vehicle 10. In Fig. 1, the front 12 of the passenger vehicle 10 can be seen. The passenger vehicle 10 has a safety system comprising at least one airbag which cannot be seen in Fig. 1. For example, the safety system can comprise a plurality of airbags such as but not limited to front airbags and side airbags. The at least one airbag can be deployed from a stowage position into at least one protective position for restraining a passenger of the vehicle. If the passenger is moved by accelerations caused by, for example, a frontal impact crash of the passenger vehicle 10 towards the airbag, the passenger can be restrained and cushioned by the airbag being in its protective position.
In order to move or deploy the airbag into the protective position, the airbag is inflated with gas, in particular air. For example, at least one inflator can be used to inflate the airbag.
The safety system also comprises at least one cavity 14. As can be seen in Fig. 1, the cavity 14 is arranged at the front 12 of the passenger vehicle 10.
Furthermore, the safety system comprises at least one pressure sensor 16 configured to detect a pressure change, in particular a pressure rise within the cavity 14. Moreover, the pressure sensor 16 is configured to provide at least one signal indicative of the detected pressure change. For example, the pressure sensor 16 is fluidically connected to the cavity 14 so that a pressure change within the cavity 14 can be detected. Such a pressure change within the cavity 14 can be caused by a frontal impact crash, in particular a frontal small overlap crash which occurs in, for example, frontal crash tests, in particular frontal small overlap crash tests.
The safety system also comprises at least one controller which cannot be seen in Fig. 1.
The controller is configured to receive the signal provided by the pressure sensor 16. The controller is configured to effect the deployment of the airbag in response to the received signal. For example, the inflator is controlled by the controller. If the controller receives the signal provided by the pressure sensor, the signal indicating a pressure change and, thus, a frontal impact crash, the inflator is activated by the controller so that the airbag is inflated and, thus, moved into the protective position.
The passenger vehicle 10 also comprises a front bumper 18 having a cross member 20 extending in the transverse direction of the passenger vehicle 10. The cross member 20 is also referred to as front cross bumper beam". The front bumper 18 comprises at least one cover clement 22 by means of which the cross member 20 is covered at least partially. Furthermore, the passenger vehicle 10 comprises a front mudguard 24.
As can be seen from Fig. 1, the cavity 14 is not bounded by the cross member 20. The cavity 14 of the safety system is bounded by at least one attachment part 26 which is different from a cross member of the passenger vehicle 10. The attachment part 26 is arranged between the cross member 20 and the front mudguard 24 in the longitudinal direction of the passenger vehicle 10. For example, the cavity 14 can be bounded by a housing of a lamp and/or a transparent pane of the lamp. Alternatively, the cavity 14 can be bounded by the mudguard 24 and/or the cover element 22. Thus, the cavity 14 is bounded by a plastic material and/or a metallic material and can be deformed during a frontal impact crash very advantageously. For example, such a frontal impact crash occurs when the passenger vehicle 10 hits a rigid impactor 28.
Fig. 2 shows the cavity 14. As can be seen from Fig. 2, the cavity 14 is arranged besides a longitudinal member 30 of the passenger vehicle 10 and outside of the longitudinal member 30 with respect to the transverse direction of the vehicle. The cross member 20 is connected to the longitudinal member 30 of the body in white of the passenger vehicle 10 via an energy absorption element which is also referred to as a crash box 32.
Since the cavity 14 is arranged besides the crash box 32 and the longitudinal member 30 and outside of the crash box 32 and the longitudinal member 30 with respect to the transverse direction of the passenger vehicle 10, even frontal small overlap crashes of the passenger vehicle 10 can be detected by the pressure sensor 16 very effectively.
Fig. 2 shows the cavity 14 in an undeformed state. If the passenger vehicle 10 hits the rigid impactor 28 during a frontal small overlap crash, the cavity 14 is deformed as can be seen from Fig. 3. The deformation of the cavity 14 results in a pressure change, in particular a pressure rise within the cavity 14. Said pressure change can be detected by the pressure sensor 16 at a very early stage of the crash. Thereby, the at least one airbag of the safety system can be deployed at a very early stage of the crash even if the crash is a frontal small overlap crash. The frontal impact crash can be detected at a very early stage since the pressure change within the cavity 14 due to the deformation of the cavity 14 happens very early during the frontal small overlap crash.
By deploying the airbag into the protective position at a very early stage of the crash the passenger can be restrained and cushioned very effectively. Thereby, the passenger can be protected from hitting components in the interior of the passenger vehicle 10 directly so that the danger of injuries can be kept particularly low.
List of reference signs passenber vehicle 12 front 14 cavity 16 pressure sensor 18 front bumper cross member 22 cover element 24 mudguard 26 attachment part 28 rigid impactor longitudinal member 32 crash box

Claims (5)

  1. Claims A safety system for a vehicle (10), the safety system comprising: -at least one cavity (14) of the vehicle (10), -at least one airbag being deployable from a stowage position into at least one protective position for restraining a passenger of the vehicle (10), -at least one pressure sensor (16) configured to detect a pressure change within the cavity (14) of the vehicle (10) and provide at least one signal indicative of the detected pressure change, -at least one controller configured to receive the signal and effect the deployment of the airbag in response to the received signal, characterized in that the cavity (14) is bounded by at least one attachment part (26) being different from a cross member (20) of the vehicle (10).
  2. 2. The safety system according to claim 1, characterized in that the cavity (14) is bounded by a mudguard (24) and/or a cover element (22) of the vehicle (10).
  3. 3. The safety system according to claim 3, characterized in that the cover element (22) is configured to cover a cross member (20) of the vehicle (10) at least partially.
  4. 4. The safety system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cavity (14) is bounded by a housing and/or a pane of a lamp, in particular a head lamp, of the vehicle (10).S
  5. 5. The safety system according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the cavity (14) is arranged at the front (12) of the vehicle (10).
GB201322361A 2013-12-18 2013-12-18 Safety system for a vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle Withdrawn GB2511607A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB201322361A GB2511607A (en) 2013-12-18 2013-12-18 Safety system for a vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
GB201322361A GB2511607A (en) 2013-12-18 2013-12-18 Safety system for a vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle

Publications (2)

Publication Number Publication Date
GB201322361D0 GB201322361D0 (en) 2014-02-05
GB2511607A true GB2511607A (en) 2014-09-10

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Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
GB201322361A Withdrawn GB2511607A (en) 2013-12-18 2013-12-18 Safety system for a vehicle, in particular a passenger vehicle

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GB (1) GB2511607A (en)

Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10057563A1 (en) * 2000-11-21 2002-05-23 Volkswagen Ag Lighting device for vehicle has at least one accident detection sensor mounted on or in lighting device, especially crash sensor, for detecting impact between vehicle and obstruction
DE102004007792A1 (en) * 2004-02-18 2005-09-08 Daimlerchrysler Ag Safety device for a motor vehicle has pressure sensors in the vehicle's upper areas for recognizing an accident caused by an obstruction passing under the vehicle
US20060266101A1 (en) * 2005-05-12 2006-11-30 Denso Corporation Pressure sensor for detecting collision
US20070103283A1 (en) * 2005-11-04 2007-05-10 Denso Corporation Collision detection system
US20070227797A1 (en) * 2006-03-29 2007-10-04 Denso Corporation Collision detector
WO2008088948A1 (en) * 2007-01-19 2008-07-24 Autoliv Asp, Inc. Combination pressure and acceleration sensor
US20080249687A1 (en) * 2007-04-03 2008-10-09 Jialiang Le Vehicle side impact crash detection for deployment of curtain and side airbags
US20080316008A1 (en) * 2007-06-19 2008-12-25 Denso Corporation Collision-detecting device for automotive vehicle
US20090024323A1 (en) * 2007-07-17 2009-01-22 Denso Corporation Collision detecting device

Patent Citations (9)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
DE10057563A1 (en) * 2000-11-21 2002-05-23 Volkswagen Ag Lighting device for vehicle has at least one accident detection sensor mounted on or in lighting device, especially crash sensor, for detecting impact between vehicle and obstruction
DE102004007792A1 (en) * 2004-02-18 2005-09-08 Daimlerchrysler Ag Safety device for a motor vehicle has pressure sensors in the vehicle's upper areas for recognizing an accident caused by an obstruction passing under the vehicle
US20060266101A1 (en) * 2005-05-12 2006-11-30 Denso Corporation Pressure sensor for detecting collision
US20070103283A1 (en) * 2005-11-04 2007-05-10 Denso Corporation Collision detection system
US20070227797A1 (en) * 2006-03-29 2007-10-04 Denso Corporation Collision detector
WO2008088948A1 (en) * 2007-01-19 2008-07-24 Autoliv Asp, Inc. Combination pressure and acceleration sensor
US20080249687A1 (en) * 2007-04-03 2008-10-09 Jialiang Le Vehicle side impact crash detection for deployment of curtain and side airbags
US20080316008A1 (en) * 2007-06-19 2008-12-25 Denso Corporation Collision-detecting device for automotive vehicle
US20090024323A1 (en) * 2007-07-17 2009-01-22 Denso Corporation Collision detecting device

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
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WAP Application withdrawn, taken to be withdrawn or refused ** after publication under section 16(1)