Patent ID: 6510914
Filing Date: 2003-01-28
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
An obstruction inference apparatus for a vehicle, for inferring the type of an obstruction which the vehicle has hit, the apparatus comprising:a deformable member which deforms in correspondence with an impact force with which the vehicle hits the obstruction; deformation rate detecting means for detecting a deformation rate of the deformable member; timer starting means for starting a timer when the deformation rate detected by the deformation rate detecting means reaches a preset first reference rate in the course of increasing; maximum deformation rate updating means for comparing the deformation rate with a previous maximum deformation rate value detected earlier and setting the larger of the two as a maximum deformation rate; second reference rate generating means for setting as a second reference rate a value equivalent to a value obtained by multiplying the maximum deformation rate by a preset constant smaller than 1.0; elapsed time calculating means for stopping the timer when the deformation rate reaches the second reference rate and obtaining the elapsed time from the timer being started to the timer being stopped; and inference signal generating means for, when said elapsed time is within a preset time range, inferring that the obstruction is a specified obstruction and producing an inference signal.