Patent ID: 6450556
Filing Date: 2002-09-17
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
An external vehicle airbag system for being mounted on a road-traveling principal vehicle having a bottom facing a road, a top, and a side periphery, said airbag system including:an airbag for being inflated to absorb energy caused by impacts of colliding vehicles with said principal vehicle; an airbag mount mounting said airbag at said bottom of said principal vehicle at a position spaced substantially inwardly from said lateral-side periphery of said principal vehicle; a sensor being mounted on said principle vehicle at a position fixed more laterally outwardly than said airbag, in a direction toward said side periphery, said sensor for sensing an imminent collision of a colliding vehicle with said principal vehicle and, in response thereto, creating a signal for inflating said airbag; whereby, as said colliding vehicle collides with said principal vehicle said airbag inflates below said principal vehicle, along the bottom thereof toward the side periphery, to thereby engage said colliding vehicle, absorbing energy therefrom, and thereby preventing said colliding vehicle from under-riding said principal vehicle.