Patent ID: 6755273
Filing Date: 2004-06-29
Classification: B60N,B60R,B60W,G01S,G08G

Abstract:
In a motor vehicle, a combined airbag inflation and occupant displacement enabling system comprising:a seat movably attached to a floor pan of the vehicle for supporting an occupant; at least one airbag arranged to be inflated from a first storage position to a second deployed position in which it is situated between the occupant and a vehicle structure and provides a cushion against which the occupant impacts during a crash to thereby protect the occupant during the crash from impacting the vehicle structure; an inflator arranged to inflate said at least one airbag into the second position in which it provides the cushion against which the occupant impacts during the crash, and an anticipatory sensor coupled to said inflator and structured and arranged to determine that a crash requiring deployment of said at least one airbag to prevent the occupant from contacting the vehicle structure will occur based on data obtained prior to the crash, said inflator being triggered by said anticipatory sensor to inflate said at least one airbag prior to the start of the crash, said seat being arranged to move automatically after the determination of the impending crash by said anticipatory sensor whereby movement of said seat causes displacement of the occupant and such that both the inflation of said at least one airbag by said inflator and the automatic movement of said seat are enabled by anticipatory sensing of the crash by said anticipatory sensor.