Abstract:
An air bag deployment system includes a pre-impact sensor operative to detect an imminent impact and at least one post-impact sensor operative to detect an impact. An air bag has a non-deployed volume, a pre-impact deployed volume, and a post-impact deployed volume smaller than the pre-impact deployed volume. The air bag is deployed to the pre-impact volume wherein the air bag deployment system is arranged to deploy the air bag before the impact and the at least one air bag is deployed into the pre-impact deployed volume, in reaction to the imminent impact, and to the post-impact deployed volume in reaction to the impact. The system provides for enhanced occupant safety during a collision by allowing pre-impact deployment of the air bag in order to utilize the full possible length of deceleration for the occupant as the impact pulse affects the occupant.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This application claims foreign priority benefits under 35 U.S.C. §119(a)-(d) to EP 08154800.0 filed Apr. 18, 2008, which is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0002]    1. Technical Field 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to an air bag deployment system for a vehicle and a method for pre-impact deployment of the air bag. 
         [0004]    2. Background Art 
         [0005]    Air bag systems are widely used in the vehicle industry and have provided vehicle occupants with enhanced safety for the last decades. In an automotive vehicle it is common to position air bags in the hub of the steering wheel, in a recess in the instrument panel, in the seats, and/or in the door panels or in the A, B and C pillars. Other positions are of course also possible. In any mounting positions, the air bag is required to inflate very fast and at the correct moment. 
         [0006]    Air bags are usually in fluid communication with a gas emitting inflator, which in turn is generally in electrical communication with an impact sensor. During e.g. a frontal collision between two vehicles, the sensor, e.g. an accelerometer, detects a very rapid deceleration immediately after the vehicle impacts another object, such as another vehicle or a fixed object. The collision generates an impact pulse which runs through the vehicle; as a consequence, occupants are thrown in the forward direction. Upon detection of the impact, the impact sensor triggers the gas emitting inflator to inflate the air bag, which restrains and cushions the occupant. It has been found that the inflation of the air bag may be varied depending upon the severity of the collision; such a system is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,454,300 B1. The system comprises a release mechanism to hold restraining air bag tethers, which can be selectively released at a predetermined condition to provide an air bag of varying size depending on the severity of the collision. 
         [0007]    As mentioned above, an occupant is thrown forward during a frontal collision due to the impact pulse imparted by the impact. To minimize or prevent injuries to the occupants during a collision it is vital that the peak level of deceleration experienced by the occupant be kept as low as possible. The patent publication referred to above provides a system for varying the size of the air bag depending on the severity of the collision. Another air bag system, similar to the one referred to above, is disclosed in US 2007/0246924 A1. The air bag system utilizes releasable tethers which can be released at a predetermined condition. Both the documents above utilize impact sensors which detect the occurrence of an impact. Additionally in US 2007/0246924 A1, the system can be complemented with seat position sensors, an occupant position sensor, a seatbelt usage sensor or a seat weight sensor. All sensors are used to provide a degree of inflation of the air bag intended to minimize the sudden deceleration of the occupant during collision. 
         [0008]    During a normal collision using systems as described above, an occupant&#39;s head moves about 120-130 mm (about 5 inches) from the moment of impact to the moment when the air bag is fully deployed. Further, the general deployment time of an air bag is about 30 ms (milliseconds). This ratio is also known as the 5/30 rule within the industry. Considering that the general total deceleration distance for an occupant, e.g. in the driver&#39;s seat, is about 450 mm of which only 300 mm up to this date is used, there remains a need for further improved methods and systems which soften the deceleration of the occupant and increase the deceleration distance of the occupant during impact to minimize personal injuries. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0009]    The air bag deployment system disclosed herein comprises at least one pre-impact sensor operative to detect an imminent impact, at least one post-impact sensor operative to detect an impact at the time of or after it has occurred, and at least one air bag having a non-deployed volume, a pre-impact deployed volume, and a post-impact deployed volume. The pre-impact deployed volume is larger than the post-impact deployed volume, and the two volumes are adapted to provide an occupant with a desired distance and rate of deceleration appropriate for the conditions of the impact. 
         [0010]    The disclosed air bag deployment system is operative to activate the air bag to the pre-impact deployment volume in reaction to detection of an impending impact by the pre-impact sensor, and is further operative to activate the air bag to the post-impact deployed volume in reaction to detection of the impact by the post-impact sensor. The disclosed system provides for a safe air bag system which gives an occupant a longer deceleration distance during an impact, mainly because the air bag is provided with a larger volume than that which is practically possible when deploying an air bag post-impact. Thereby less impact pulse is imparted to the occupant. 
         [0011]    By taking into account that an occupant, before impact, has not yet been affected by the impact pulse, the air bag deployment volume can be larger than that which is practically possible when the air bag is deployed post-impact. The occupant&#39;s safety is thereby enhanced. 
         [0012]    In these embodiments of the present invention, the effects of a pre-impact deployment can be combined with the effects and safety of a post-impact deployment of at least one air bag. This is specifically advantageous since imminent impacts may not be detected with sufficiently high accuracy, and a post-impact deployment system functions as a back-up system if the pre-impact deployment fails or is not detected with sufficiently high accuracy for some reason. 
         [0013]    In an embodiment according to the present invention, the pre- and post-impact deployed volume is regulated by means of a releasable restraining device. The releasable restraining device is arranged to restrain the air bag from reaching the pre-impact deployed volume, especially during a post-impact deployment. The releasable restraining device is optionally arranged to be released before impact, so that the at least one air bag can be deployed into the pre-impact deployed volume following the pre-impact deployment. An example of the releasable restraining device is at least one releasable tether. By using releasable restraining devices predictable pre- and post-impact deployed volumes can be provided, although alternatively, the pre- and post-impact deployed volumes can be provided by other means, such as by inflating the air bag with different amounts of gas. In such a case a two step gas generator can be used. The pre- and post-impact deployed volumes can also be regulated by means of active ventilation of the air bag. 
         [0014]    According to a further embodiment to the invention, the pre-impact sensor may be at least one of a radar sensor (such as a forward long range radar sensor), a cameras (such as a high resolution digital imaging recorder), or a laser sensor (such as closing velocity laser sensor). These sensors are known per se and will not be described in greater detail. These sensors have been found to be reliable, but even more importantly, it has been found that they complement each other; hence, it is well within the boundaries of the present invention that the above mentioned pre-impact sensors are combined and used together. 
         [0015]    The air bag deployment system can further comprise a processing unit. The processing unit, such as a computer, e.g. an on-board vehicle computer or the like, and the pre-impact sensor and post-impact sensor, or any other sensor if such is present, are arranged in working cooperation with the at least one air bag. The processing unit actuates the deployment of the air bag by analyzing the inputs from each sensor and thereby possibly detects a scenario at which the at least one air bag should be deployed. Such a scenario can be an imminent impact, which would trigger the processing unit to deploy the air bag to its pre-impact deployed volume. By using a processing unit, pre-determined scenarios can be detected. The processing unit can for instance be programmed to detect a specific scenario, at which an imminent impact can be determined with a very high accuracy, such as a frontal collision with another vehicle. It has been found that this is very advantageous since it increases the accuracy with which imminent impacts may be detected. Although the system is described and depicted as having only one processing unit, it is well within the boundaries of the present invention to use more than one processing unit. The processing units can be connected together or act as separate units towards e.g. specified sensors and/or selected air bags. 
         [0016]    Additional sensors can be connected to the air bag system. For instance, an additional sensor may be an accelerometer, a roll over sensor, a brake sensor, or an occupant positioning sensor (such as a seatbelt usage sensor, seat positioning sensor or vision system). By adding these kinds of sensors, the probability for a correct, and thereby successful, pre- or post-impact deployment of an air bag can be more accurately determined, especially when combined with a processing unit as described above. 
         [0017]    According to another aspect of the present invention, a method for operating an occupant protection system for a vehicle comprises the steps of: operating at least one pre-impact sensor and at least one post-impact sensor; deploying at least one air bag to a pre-impact deployed volume if an imminent impact is detected by the at least one pre-impact sensor; and deploying the at least one air bag to a post-impact deployed volume smaller than the pre-impact deployed volume if an impact is detected by the at least one post-impact sensor prior to detection of the imminent impact by the pre-impact sensor. 
         [0018]    In an embodiment of the present invention, the method further comprises the step of: releasing a releasable restraining device to enable the at least one air bag to be deployed into the pre-impact deployed volume. Such a releasable restraining device can be at least one releasable tether, however, more accurate shaping of the air bag can be provided if two or more tethers are used. By using this kind of mechanical control of the air bag deployment volume, it has been found that very reliable results are achieved. Alternative methods are however possible such as using a different amount of inflation gas when inflating to the pre-impact deployed volume or the like. 
         [0019]    The air bag deployment system can further comprise a processing unit and the method further comprises the step of; determining the probability of an imminent impact by taking into account a pre-programmed scenario, the determined probability of an imminent impact being the basis for the pre-impact deployment of the air bag. This step enhances the probability of a correct determination and thereby a correct deployment of the air bag into the pre-impact deployed volume. 
         [0020]    When the air bag deployment system comprises a pre-impact sensor system comprising a long range radar sensor and a camera, the method can further comprise the steps of; detecting a radar echo by means of the long range radar sensor to determine an approaching object&#39;s speed and distance; determining the type and size of the object by means of the camera; processing the output of the long range radar sensor and the camera in the processing unit; and determining if the condition for deployment of the air bag into the pre-impact deployed volume is fulfilled or not. 
         [0021]    Additionally, a laser sensor, preferably a closing velocity laser sensor, can be connected. By using the laser sensor, a more accurate determination of the speed and distance of an object on a collision course can be made. When an object is within reach of the laser sensor the measurements of the long range radar sensor can be replaced by the measurements of the laser sensor. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0022]    The present invention will be described in greater detail with reference to the accompanying Figures, wherein: 
           [0023]      FIG. 1A  shows a schematic cross section of a vehicle with a view from the side, an air bag deployment system is shown deployed into a post-impact deployed volume just after impact; 
           [0024]      FIG. 1B  shows a schematic cross section of a vehicle with a view from the side, an air bag deployment system is shown deployed into a pre-impact deployed volume just before an imminent impact; and 
           [0025]      FIG. 2  shows a schematic top view or a first and a second vehicle on a collision course. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0026]      FIGS. 1A-1B  shows a schematic cross section of a vehicle  1  just after deployment of the air bag  10  into a specified deployment volume  11 ,  12 . The deployment volume can be a post-impact deployment, as illustrated in  FIG. 1A , or a pre-impact deployment, as illustrated in  FIG. 1B , dependent on the detected scenario, as will be clear when reading this description.  FIGS. 1A-1B  shows an occupant  2 , in this case the driver of the vehicle  1 , positioned in the driver seat  3 . The air bag is deployed from the hub  4  of the steering wheel  5 , positioned in the instrument panel  7  of the vehicle  1 . A pre-impact sensor system  8  and a post-impact sensor  9  are arranged in working cooperation with the air bag  10 . In the shown embodiment of the present invention, a processing unit  13  is arranged to actuate the deployment of the air bag  10 . As is showed, only one air bag  10  is deployed, however, it is well within the boundaries of the present invention that more than one air bag is deployed simultaneously or sequentially, e.g. 2, 3, 4, 5 or more air bags associated with any number of seating positions can be deployed pre-impact and/or post-impact. 
         [0027]    The air bag  10  has a pre-impact and a post-impact deployed volume  11 ,  12 ; the post-impact deployed volume  12  is indicated with dotted lines in  FIG. 1B . Before deployment (not shown) the air bag has a non-deployed volume, in practice, this volume is very small since the air bag is completely deflated and snugly fitted in the hub  4  of the steering wheel  5 , or other location. The pre-impact deployed volume  11  is adapted for deployment before the vehicle collides, i.e. pre-impact. As the air bag  10  is deployed pre-impact, the air bag volume can be significantly larger than the volume of an air bag which is deployed after impact, i.e. post-impact. In the shown embodiment of the present invention, this is equivalent with the post-impact deployed volume  12  of the air bag  10 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1A . Since the pre-impact deployed volume  11  is larger than the post-impact deployed volume  12 , the occupant  2  has a significantly longer deceleration distance, indicated by the dotted line with the reference number  14  in  FIG. 1B , during the impact. 
         [0028]    Deployment of the air bag  10  to the pre- and the post-impact deployed volumes  11 ,  12  is, in the shown embodiment of the present invention, controlled by means of a releasable restraining device in the form of two releasable tethers  15 ,  16 . As seen in  FIG. 1B , the releasable tethers  15 ,  16  have been released from their attachment position to the hub  4  of the steering wheel  4 . In contrast, as seen in  FIG. 1A , in which the releasable tethers  15 ,  16  are still connected to the hub  4  of the steering wheel  5 . 
         [0029]    When an imminent impact is detected by the pre-impact sensor system  8 , the pre-impact sensor system  8  triggers the inflation of the air bag  10  and releases the tethers  15 ,  16  at the moment of inflation, so that the air bag  10  can be deployed to the pre-impact deployed volume  11  which is adapted for a pre-impact deployment. A pre-impact deployment of the air bag  10  utilizes the fact that the occupant and the vehicle have not yet been affected by the impact pulse imparted by the impact of the vehicle; hence the air bag can be inflated to a larger volume. The occupant  2  is hence protected during the actual impact by an air bag which provides a longer deceleration distance for the occupant  2  as compared with an air bag which is deployed after impact. 
         [0030]    The air bag  10  can have several different configurations to meet the requirement of having a pre- and a post-impact deployed volume. For instance, the air bag  10  can be arranged with releasable tethers  15 ,  16  as shown in  FIGS. 1A-1B . The specific release mechanism of the releasable tethers can be pyrotechnical or optionally as described in US 2007/0246924 A1. As an alternative it is possible that the air bag system comprises a first air bag which is deployable into a pre-impact deployed volume, and a second air bag which is deployable into a post-impact deployed volume, the first air bag is deployed before impact. The first air bag is adapted for a pre-impact deployment while the second air bag is adapted for a post-impact deployment. 
         [0031]      FIG. 2  shows the vehicle  1  as seen from above with a view towards the roof of the vehicle  1 . The vehicle  1  is driving in the direction F meeting an object, in this non-limiting example, a second vehicle  30  driving in the opposite direction of the direction F is on a collision course with the vehicle  1 . The pre-impact sensor system  8  comprises a camera  20 , a laser sensor  21 , such as a closing velocity laser sensor, and forward looking long range radar  22 . The sensor system  8  communicates with the processing unit  13  using a wireless technique e.g. blue tooth, WLAN or the like, and/or optionally via conventional wires. 
         [0032]    The function and methodology of the present invention will be described hereafter in greater detail with reference to the non-limiting example illustrated in  FIG. 2 . 
         [0033]    As seen in  FIG. 2 , the vehicle  1  and the second vehicle  30  are approaching each other substantially head on, on a collision course. When the distance between the vehicle  1  and the second vehicle  30  is relatively large, for example approximately 100 meters (m), the forward looking long range radar  22  detects a radar echo from the vehicle  30 . From the detection of the radar echo from the vehicle  30 , the forward looking long range radar  22  tracks the vehicle  30 , keeping the vehicle  30  under surveillance. When the vehicle  1  and the vehicle  30  are separated by a threshold distance, for example approximately 50 m, the camera  20  detects the vehicle  30  and starts tracking the vehicle  30  optically using image processing algorithms of the type well known in the art. The radar echo and the image identified by the camera  20  are merged to define a target, equivalent to the vehicle  30 , which is tracked towards the vehicle  1 . 
         [0034]    In this scenario, the forward looking long range radar  22  provides values of the vehicle&#39;s  30  speed and distance while the camera  20  detects the type of object, in this case a vehicle, and/or the size of the vehicle  30 . To more accurately detect whether an impact is imminent, a laser sensor  21  can be provided with the air bag system. The laser sensor  21  uses a relatively high frequency, for example approximately 100 Hz, while the forward looking long range radar  22  uses a relatively lower frequency, for example approximately 10 Hz. It has been found that a higher measuring frequency is beneficial as the distance between the vehicle  1  and the target object decreases. The lower frequency of the camera is generally due to complex imaging processing. 
         [0035]    When the laser sensor  21  detects the vehicle  30 , the higher resolution range and velocity data from the laser sensor may partially or completely replace the input signal received from the forward looking long range radar  22 , thereby providing the processing unit  13  with a more accurate measurement of the distance and speed of the vehicle  30 . This permits the processing unit  13  to predict a possible impact and the time-to-impact more accurately. 
         [0036]    The processing unit  13  executes an algorithm for determining whether to activate (i.e. inflate) any air bags, which air bags and when to activate them. The embodiment of the present invention is illustrated with the inflation of one frontal air bag arranged in the hub of the steering wheel only, as shown in  FIGS. 1A-1B . However as mentioned above, additional air bags can be deployed, and the additional air bags may be located in any position within the vehicle  1 . The processing unit  13  determines whether the probability for an imminent impact is sufficiently high for a pre-impact deployment of the air bag and thereby deployment into the pre-impact deployed volume  11 , as illustrated in  FIG. 1B , based on the signals received from the pre-impact sensor system  8 , in this case, input from the forward looking long range radar  22 , the camera  20  and the laser sensor  21 . 
         [0037]    In the event that the air bag system is unable to adequately predict a possible pre-impact scenario, the air bag system is preferably provided with post-impact sensors  9 , which also communicate with the processing unit  13 . If the processing unit  13  cannot with a high accuracy predict an imminent impact, the processing unit  13  will not deploy the air bag  10  into the pre-impact deployed volume  11 , since such a deployment may not provide the optimum level of protection to the occupant. If the processing unit  13  determines that the probability of an imminent impact is too low for a pre-impact deployment of the air bag  10 , the processing unit  13  awaits the input from the post-impact sensors  9 . 
         [0038]    In an embodiment of the present invention, both pre-impact sensor systems and post-impact sensor systems can be used. They may further be used as separate systems to determine whether to inflate any air bags or optionally they can be used simultaneously. 
         [0039]    The processing unit  13  can, for instance, be a computer. As such it can be programmed to recognize different inputs from each sensor  8 ,  9 ,  20 ,  21 ,  22 . By means of programming the processing unit  13 , different scenarios can be preprogrammed and the processing unit  13  can be arranged to detect such a programmed scenario by running a suitable algorithm. As an example, a frontal collision with a vehicle can be programmed and the sensors can thereby detect a real scenario that the processor matches with a pre-programmed scenario, to thereby detect and predict such an event with a higher accuracy than would otherwise be possible simply by determining an imminent impact by means of only the signals from the pre-impact sensors. 
         [0040]    In this non-limiting example, a prerequisite for inflating the air bag in a pre-impact scenario is that all of the pre-impact sensors are activated to provide measurements of an approved target. In this case all three sensors, i.e. the forward looking long range radar  22 , the camera  20  and the laser sensor  21 , have been activated to provide an approved target. Optionally, an additional prerequisite can be that the sensors have been activated in a specific order, preferably in the order of: the forward looking long range radar  22 , followed by the camera  20 , followed by the laser sensor  21 . 
         [0041]    When using a pre-impact sensor system and a post-impact sensor system simultaneously, air bags can be deployed pre-impact, when the probability of an imminent impact has been determined as sufficiently high by a processing unit based on the input(s) from a pre-impact sensor system. After impact, the post-impact sensor system detects the impact and deploys post-impact air bags. 
         [0042]    The processing unit  30  may further receive inputs from other sensors related to vehicle dynamics and performance. For example brake sensors and/or e.g. accelerometers, which are arranged to detect whether the vehicle is under heavy deceleration e.g. during an emergency brake application. Inputs from such additional sensors may increase the accuracy of the estimation of the probability of an impending impact. Additional sensors, whose input can be utilized in the same manner, can be vehicle rollover sensors, such as a gyroscopic sensor. The air bag system may also be connected with occupant positioning sensors such as seatbelt usage sensor, seat positioning sensor, a vision system for the occupant position with respect to the instrument panel etc. 
         [0043]    It is also within the boundaries of the present invention to use active ventilation to control the flow of inflation gasses out of the air bag, especially when the air bag is deployed to its pre-impact deployed volume since such a pre-impact deployment requires to maintain gas pressure during a longer period of time than a post-impact deployment of the air bag. For instance, the active ventilation can be controlled by passive pressure controlled silicone membranes, pyrotechnical release controlled devices, such as pyrotechnical controlled ventilation hatches or by means of trunk vents. 
         [0044]    While the best mode for carrying out the invention has been described in detail, those familiar with the art to which this invention relates will recognize various alternative designs and embodiments for practicing the invention as defined by the following claims.