Patent ID: 7048302
Filing Date: 2006-05-23
Classification: B60R

Abstract:
1. A switch for arming an activation stage following a first of at least two activation stages that can be activated separately in an occupant protection system subsequent to a passage of time required to activate all activation stages in the event of an accident, when, for the protection of occupants in an accident, only one of the activation stages is activated, comprising: a safety switch; at least one crash sensor; and a control device that creates control signals, depending on the output signal of the crash sensor, for activation of at least one of the activation stages, whether simultaneously or staggered in time, wherein the safety switch is set to a physical parameter and opens upon exceeding a threshold at which protection of the occupants by means of an occupant protection system is no longer necessary, so that the activation stages are switched in such a manner that they can only be activated with the presence of a signal corresponding to a closed safety switch at a safety signal output of a timing element indicating a run time set previously that is connected downstream of the safety switch and with the presence of an activation signal assigned to the activation switches, and a switching device is provided that is connected to the safety signal output and to the control device that, with the presence of a safety signal at the safety signal output and upon activation of a control device causing only one activation stage at the safety signal output, and causes a signal condition corresponding to a closed safety switch beyond the run time.