Patent Abstract:
The present invention is a method and system for improving curtain air bag deployment using an actuator attached to a headliner. The present invention can include an automobile having a roof, a headliner, an actuator, a curtain air bag, a door, a sensor, and/or a processor. The roof can also include a roof rail. The roof rail and the headliner enclose the curtain air bag. The actuator is attached to the headliner. The sensor is located within the door and detects collision data. The processor analyzes the collision data to determine when to deploy the curtain airbag. In deploying the curtain airbag, the processor activates the actuator, which reduces the overlap between the headliner and the roof rail. The curtain airbags deploys by either pushing through the reduced overlap between the headliner and the roof rail or by easily forming through a gap between the headliner and the roof rail.

Full Description:
BACKGROUND 
     1. Field 
     The present invention relates to a method and system for improving curtain air bag deployment using an actuator attached to a headliner. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     A conventional automobile includes a curtain airbag enclosed within a roof rail and a headliner. The roof rail and the headliner overlap each other. The automobile generally deploys the curtain airbag in response to a collision. To deploy the curtain airbag the curtain airbag is filled with gas and the expanding curtain airbag applies pressure to the overlap between the roof rail and a headliner. The application of pressure by the curtain airbag reduces the overlap between the roof rail and the headliner to allow the curtain airbag to deploy between the roof rail and the headliner. However, this may require the overlap between the roof rail and the headliner to be minimized or to be incredibly precise. In addition, the headliner would generally be from more flexible material, which may be undesirable. 
     Thus, there is a need for a method and system for improving curtain air bag deployment using an actuator attached to a headliner. 
     SUMMARY 
     In one embodiment, the present invention is a method and system for improving curtain air bag deployment using an actuator attached to a headliner. In one embodiment, the present invention can include an automobile. The automobile can include, for example, a roof, a headliner, an actuator, a curtain air bag, a door, a window, a sensor, a processor, and/or a seat. The roof can also include a roof rail. The roof rail and the headliner enclose the curtain air bag. The actuator is also attached to the headliner. The headliner and the actuator can form an adaptive headliner. The sensor can be located within the door and can detect collision data. 
     The processor can analyze the collision data and determine whether a collision has occurred and whether to deploy the curtain airbag or not. In deploying the curtain airbag, the processor activates the actuator which reduces the overlap between the headliner and the roof rail. The processor instructs the curtain airbag to deploy and the curtain airbag is deployed by either pushing through the reduced overlap between the headliner and the roof rail or by forming through a gap between the headliner and the roof rail. This reduces the likelihood of any irregularities in the deployment of the curtain airbag and/or also allows the headliner to be formed from a stiffer material. The deployment of the curtain airbag can allow a user in the seat to be safely protected, for example, from damage to the window. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention is an air bag deployment system including a headliner, a roof rail overlapping the headliner, a curtain air bag located between the headliner and the roof rail, and an actuator connected to the headliner, the actuator configured to reduce an overlap between the headliner and the roof rail when activated. 
     In another embodiment, the present invention is an automobile including a headliner, a roof rail overlapping the headliner, a curtain air bag located between the headliner and the roof rail, an actuator connected to the headliner and including a shape memory alloy strip and an outer metallic plate, the actuator configured to reduce an overlap between the headliner and the roof rail when activated, and a processor connected to the actuator and configured to activate the actuator prior to deployment of the curtain air bag or during the deployment of the curtain air bag. 
     In yet another embodiment, the present invention is a method for deploying a curtain airbag including determining a collision to a side door, activating an actuator to decrease an overlap between a roof rail and a headliner, and deploying the curtain airbag. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The features, obstacles, and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description set forth below when taken in conjunction with the drawings, wherein: 
         FIG. 1  depicts an automobile including an adaptive headliner according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 2  depicts an automobile including an adaptive headliner according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 3  depicts an automobile including an adaptive headliner according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 4  depicts an automobile including an adaptive headliner according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 5  depicts an adaptive headliner according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 6  depicts an adaptive headliner according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 7  depicts an adaptive headliner according to an embodiment of the present invention; 
         FIG. 8  depicts an adaptive headliner operating on a headliner according to an embodiment of the present invention; and 
         FIG. 9  depicts a process according to an embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Apparatus, systems and methods that implement the embodiments of the various features of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings. The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrate some embodiments of the present invention and not to limit the scope of the present invention. Throughout the drawings, reference numbers are re-used to indicate correspondence between referenced elements. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention includes, for example, an automobile  100 . The automobile  100  can be, for example, any vehicle with any type of engine and/or motor which can transport a person from one location to another location. The automobile  100  includes, for example, a roof  102 , a headliner  106 , an actuator  108 , a curtain air bag  110 , a door  112 , a window  114 , a sensor  118 , a processor  120 , and/or a seat  122 . 
     The seat  122  can be configured to hold a user, such as a person. The door  112  can be, for example, a side door and can include, for example, an interior portion  116  which houses the sensor  118 . The sensor  118  can be used, for example, to detect an impact to the door  112  from an object  124 . 
     The roof  102  can include, for example, the roof railing  104 . The roof railing  104  and the headliner  106  form an enclosure for the curtain air bag  110 . The curtain air bag  110  can be deployed through a junction between the roof railing  104  and the headliner  106 . The curtain air bag  110  can be deployed, for example, by the processor  120  when the sensor  118  indicates that there is an impact to the door  112  from the object  124 . 
     The processor  120  receives collision data from the sensor  118  and determines when to deploy the curtain air bag  110 . The processor  120  can be, for example, an engine control unit (“ECU”). The processor  120  can analyze, for example the collision data to determine whether a sufficient impact has occurred for the curtain airbag  110  to deploy. For example, during low speed collisions, the processor  120  may not instruct the curtain air bag  110  to deploy, or instruct the curtain air bag  110  to not deploy. However at high speed collisions, the processor  120  may instruct the curtain air bag  110  to deploy. 
     The actuator  108  is attached, for example, to the headliner  106  and/or the processor  120  and reduces or eliminates an overlap between the roof rail  104  and the headliner  106 . In one embodiment, the headliner  106  can be, for example, an adaptive headliner and can include the actuator  108 . In another embodiment, the headliner  106  and the actuator  108  can for, for example, an adaptive headliner. When the sensor  118  indicates that a collision has occurred, the processor  120  can activate the actuator  108 , prior to deploying the curtain air bag  110 . When activated, the actuator  108  reduces or eliminates the overlap between the roof rail  104  and the headliner  106  by moving, for example, the headliner  106 . The actuator  108  can also create a gap between the roof rail  104  and the headliner  106  by moving, for example, the headliner  106 . 
     In one embodiment, the actuator  108  can create a gap between the roof rail  104  and the headliner  106  prior to full deployment of the curtain air bag  110 . Although the actuator  108  is shown attached to the headliner  106 , the actuator  108  can also be attached to the roof rail  104 . In addition, multiple actuators may be used with some or all of the actuators being attached to the headliner  106  and/or the roof rail  104 . 
     By reducing or eliminating the overlap between the roof rail  104  and the headliner  106 , the actuator  108  improves the likelihood of the curtain air bag  110  being successfully deployed without any irregularities. In addition, by reducing or eliminating the overlap between the roof rail  104  and the headliner  106 , the curtain air bag  110  can also be deployed in a quicker manner. Furthermore, the use of the actuator  108  can allow flexibility in the design of the headliner  106 . For example, a stiffer headliner  106  to be used, since the force of the curtain airbag  110  will not be the only force used to separate the overlap between the roof rail  104  and headliner  106 . The stiffer headliner  106  can improve the structural integrity of the automobile  100 . In addition, the headliner  106  can also be formed to be a variety of different shapes, be formed from various different materials, or be packaged in a variety of manner due to the use of the actuator  108 . 
     The operation of the actuator  108  and/or the curtain air bag  110  can be seen, for example, in  FIG. 2 ,  FIG. 3 , and  FIG. 4 . As seen in  FIG. 3 , prior to activation of the actuator  108 , the roof rail  104  and the headliner  106  overlap by an overlap distance  126 . However, in  FIG. 4 , when the actuator  108  is activated, the actuator  108  bends and moves the headliner  106 . The actuator  108  moves the headliner  106  away from the roof rail  104 , thus reducing the overlap distance  126 . The reduction in the overlap distance  126  improves the ease with which the curtain air bag  110  is deployed. 
     The deployment of the curtain air bag  110  can be seen, for example, in  FIG. 4 . The curtain air bag  110  can protect the user in the seat  122  by providing a cushion for the user. In one embodiment, the curtain airbag  110  can be deployed, for example, after the actuator  108  has been activated. However, the curtain airbag  110  may not need to wait until the actuator  108  is fully bent, but instead can begin to fill with gas in preparation for deployment in order to reduce deployment time of the curtain airbag  110 . 
     A more specific description of the operation of the actuator  108  can be seen, for example, in  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 6 , and  FIG. 7 . In one embodiment, the actuator  108  includes an outer metallic plate  128  connected to a shape memory alloy  130 . The outer metallic plate  128  is notably longer than the shape memory alloy  130  so that the outer metallic plate  128  is in compression and the shape memory alloy  130  is in tension when connected together as shown in  FIG. 6 . Although the actuator  108  includes an outer metallic plate  128  and/or a shape memory alloy  130 , other materials may be used which can reduce the overlap between the roof rail  104  and/or the headliner  106  in a quick and efficient manner. 
     When activated, the actuator  108  bends. This is accomplished by heating the shape memory alloy  130 . The shape memory alloy  130  can be heated, for example, in 5-7 ms using an electric source. When the shape memory alloy  130  is heated, it contracts by 1-5%. The outer metallic plate  128 , however, does not contract from the heat. Thus, the contraction of the shape memory alloy  130  bends the outer metallic plate  128 , resulting in the bending of the actuator  108 , as seen in  FIG. 7 . 
     As seen in  FIG. 8 , when the actuator  108  bends, the headliner  106  is also bent. The bending of the headliner  106  strategically moves it away from the roof rail  104 , reducing the overlap between the roof rail  104  and the headliner  106 , or creating a gap between the roof rail  104  and the headliner  106 . This allows for an easy deployment of the curtain air bag. 
     In one embodiment, the present invention is a process, as shown in  FIG. 9 . As seen in  FIG. 9 , in Step S 902 , a determination is made as to whether there is a collision to a side door. For example, the sensor  118  can detect collision data, which the processor  120  can analyze to determine whether there is a collision to the side door  112 . In Step S 904 , an actuator is activated to decrease an overlap between a roof rail and a headliner. For example, the actuator  108  is activated to decrease the overlap  126  between the roof rail  104  and the headliner  106  as seen in  FIG. 3 . The actuator  108  can be activated, for example, by heating the shape memory alloy  130  to bend the outer metallic plate  128  as seen in  FIG. 6  and  FIG. 7 . 
     In Step S 906 , a gap is created between the roof rail and the headliner. For example, the actuator  108  can move the headliner  106  so that a gap is created between the roof rail  104  and the headliner  106 . In Step S 908 , the curtain airbag is deployed. For example, the processor  120  can instruct the curtain airbag  110  to deploy. The curtain airbag  110  can deploy, for example, through the gap between the roof rail  104  and the headliner  106  as seen in  FIG. 4 . 
     In one embodiment, the sensor  118  can detect collision data for approximately 8 ms to 9 ms after the first impact of the door  112 . At approximately 10 ms to 11 ms after the first impact of the door  112 , the processor  120  can complete analysis of the collision data and determine whether to deploy the curtain airbag  110  or not. At approximately 11 ms after the first impact of the door  112 , the processor  120  can activate the actuator  108  so that the overlap between the roof rail  104  and the headliner  106  is reduced. At approximately 15 ms to 17 ms after the first impact of the door  112 , the curtain airbag  110  can commence deployment. At approximately 30 ms to 40 ms after the first impact of the door  112 , the curtain airbag  110  can be fully deployed. 
     Those of ordinary skill would appreciate that the various illustrative logical blocks, modules, and algorithm steps described in connection with the examples disclosed herein may be implemented as electronic hardware, computer software, or combinations of both. Furthermore, the present invention can also be embodied on a machine readable medium causing a processor or computer to perform or execute certain functions. 
     To clearly illustrate this interchangeability of hardware and software, various illustrative components, blocks, modules, circuits, and steps have been described above generally in terms of their functionality. Whether such functionality is implemented as hardware or software depends upon the particular application and design constraints imposed on the overall system. Skilled artisans may implement the described functionality in varying ways for each particular application, but such implementation decisions should not be interpreted as causing a departure from the scope of the disclosed apparatus and methods. 
     The various illustrative logical blocks, units, modules, and circuits described in connection with the examples disclosed herein may be implemented or performed with a general purpose processor, a digital signal processor (DSP), an application specific integrated circuit (ASIC), a field programmable gate array (FPGA) or other programmable logic device, discrete gate or transistor logic, discrete hardware components, or any combination thereof designed to perform the functions described herein. A general purpose processor may be a microprocessor, but in the alternative, the processor may be any conventional processor, controller, microcontroller, or state machine. A processor may also be implemented as a combination of computing devices, e.g., a combination of a DSP and a microprocessor, a plurality of microprocessors, one or more microprocessors in conjunction with a DSP core, or any other such configuration. 
     The steps of a method or algorithm described in connection with the examples disclosed herein may be embodied directly in hardware, in a software module executed by a processor, or in a combination of the two. The steps of the method or algorithm may also be performed in an alternate order from those provided in the examples. A software module may reside in RAM memory, flash memory, ROM memory, EPROM memory, EEPROM memory, registers, hard disk, a removable disk, a CD-ROM, or any other form of storage medium known in the art. An exemplary storage medium is coupled to the processor such that the processor can read information from, and write information to, the storage medium. In the alternative, the storage medium may be integral to the processor. The processor and the storage medium may reside in an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC). The ASIC may reside in a wireless modem. In the alternative, the processor and the storage medium may reside as discrete components in the wireless modem. 
     The previous description of the disclosed examples is provided to enable any person of ordinary skill in the art to make or use the disclosed methods and apparatus. Various modifications to these examples will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the principles defined herein may be applied to other examples without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosed method and apparatus. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive and the scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.

Technology Classification (CPC): 1