Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha

Honda Motor Co., Ltd.

Osamu Takahata

Shigeo Tobaru

Hiroyuki Maeda

Naotoshi Takemura

Yoshimasa Eguchi

A grasp detection deviceincludes: a capacitance measurerconfigured to measure a capacitance of an electrodeprovided in a steering handleof a vehicle; a grasp detectorconfigured to detect grasp of the steering handle by a driver based on comparison between a capacitance measurement Ch_d by the capacitance measurerand a grasp threshold Ch_thr; and a threshold setterconfigured to set the grasp threshold Ch_thr based on a torque detection value Tr_d by a torque sensorand the capacitance measurement Ch_d, the torque sensorbeing configured to detect steering torque. The threshold settersets the grasp threshold Ch_thr based on the torque detection value Tr_d and the capacitance measurement Ch_d at the time when the vehicle is in a specific driving state, and the torque detection value Tr_d exceeds a torque threshold.

Grasp detection device

A passenger protection system for a vehicle having a door opening to which a door is attached. The system has an airbag attached in a folded form along an upper edge of the door opening, wherein when being expanded, the airbag is deployed along an inner side surface of an interior of the vehicle in a drawn curtain form; a contact detecting device for detecting a contact action of a passenger in the vehicle with the contact detecting device; and a control device for determining whether a passenger is close to the inner side surface based on a result of detection of the contact detecting device, and prohibiting deployment of the airbag while determining that a passenger is close to the inner side surface. The contact detecting device may have an elongated form in a length direction of the vehicle and consist of divided portions separated in a vertical direction.

Passenger protection system which detects closeness of passenger to inner side surface of interior

A system for detecting an angle of inclination of a vehicle, comprises: a first detecting mechanism which continuously detects an angle of inclination of the vehicle with respect to a direction of the force of gravity; a second detecting mechanism which continuously detects an amount of change in angle of inclination of the vehicle by integrating a sensed angular speed of the vehicle; and a calculator which calculates an angle of inclination of the vehicle based on the sum of a first output from said first detecting mechanism and a second output from said second detecting mechanism.

System for detecting inclination angle of vehicle body

A process for determining lateral overturning of a vehicle involves establishing a threshold value line S separating a lateral overturning region farther from an origin and a lateral non-overturning region closer to the origin on a two-dimensional map made using a rolling angle &thgr; and a rolling angular speed &ohgr; of the vehicle. When a hysteresis line for actual rolling angles and actual rolling angular speeds of the vehicle traverses the threshold value line from the lateral non-overturning region to the lateral overturning region, it is determined that there is a possibility of lateral overturning of the vehicle, and correspondingly an occupant protecting system may be deployed. Also, to assure accuracy, a lateral acceleration sensor for detecting a lateral acceleration for establishing the threshold value line S is disposed on a center plane of a vehicle body.

Process for determining lateral overturning of vehicle and occupant protecting system in vehicle

A process for determining lateral overturning of a vehicle in which a threshold value line is established separating a lateral overturning region farther from an origin and a lateral non-overturning region closer to the origin on a two-dimensional map made using a rolling angle &thgr; and a rolling angular speed &ohgr; of the vehicle as parameters. When a hysteresis line for actual rolling angles and actual rolling angular speeds of the vehicle traverses the threshold value line from the lateral non-overturning region to the lateral overturning region, it is determined that there is a possibility of lateral overturning of the vehicle. When the rolling angular speed &ohgr; of the vehicle is increased sharply after the rolling angle &thgr; has reached a fully bumping rolling angle &thgr;FB while the rolling angular speed &ohgr; was decreased, it is determined that the vehicle is in a state in which the lateral overturning due to a rolling resonance phenomenon is liable to occur, whereby the threshold value line S is moved toward the origin.

Process for determining lateral overturning of vehicle

A process for determining the lateral overturning of a vehicle, comprises the steps of: establishing a threshold value line on a two-dimensional map made using a rolling angle and a rolling angular speed of the vehicle as parameters; plotting a hysteresis line for an actual rolling angle and an actual rolling angular speed on the two-dimensional map; and determining that there is a possibility that the vehicle is overturning laterally or sideways when the hysteresis line traverses the threshold value line from a side nearer to an origin of the map to a side farther from the origin. The threshold value line is changed depending on at least one of a lateral acceleration of the vehicle, a lateral speed of the vehicle, a direction of change in steering angle of the vehicle, and a rolling angular acceleration of the vehicle.

Growing community of inventors

Wako, Japan

Osamu Takahata