Patent ID: 6227564
Filing Date: 2001-05-08
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
A passenger protecting apparatus for a vehicle, comprising:an air bag capable of inflating in either a first inflating mode where the air bag is inflated under a first pressure or a second inflating mode where the air bag is inflated under a second pressure, the second pressure being established to be smaller than the first pressure;a collision impact detecting unit for detecting a degree of impact produced at the vehicle's collision;an abrupt brake detecting unit for detecting an abrupt braking of the vehicle;a sitting position detecting unit for detecting the sitting position of a passenger;an air bag inflation control unit for controlling the inflation of the air bag in either the first inflating mode or the second inflating mode; wherein when the abrupt brake detecting unit detects the abrupt braking, the air bag inflation control unit estimates the position of the passenger at the time of air bag's inflating on the basis of the detected sitting position and the degree of impact detected by the collision impact detecting unit; andwherein, when the degree of impact exceeds a predetermined value and the passenger's position estimated by the air bag inflation control unit is out of a designated zone defined by a predetermined distance from a deployment door, the air bag inflation control unit determines to inflate the air bag in the first inflating mode; andwhen the passenger's position estimated by the air bag inflation control unit is within the designated zone, the air bag inflation control unit determines to inflate the air bag in the second inflating mode.