Denso Corporation

Nippondenso Co., Ltd.

Yukiyasu Ueno

Tomonori Fukui

Mitsuhiko Masegi

Makoto Watanabe

Yasuo Imamura

Tetsuro Adachi

Yutaka Uono

Yoshiteru Inoue

Noboru Oyama

Takashi Mihara

Fumiaki Fujie

An occupant protection device includes: a controller; first and second bus lines; a first collision sensor arranged on a side of the vehicle, and transmitting a first signal to the controller via the first bus line; a second collision sensor arranged on a center of the vehicle, and transmitting a second signal to the controller via the second bus line; and a third collision sensor arranged on a front side from the first collision sensor, and transmitting a third signal to the controller via the second bus line. The controller determines the collision on the side of the vehicle based on the first and second signals. The controller determines the collision on a part of the vehicle based on the third signal, the part disposed on the front side from the first collision sensor. The controller activates an occupant protection element.

Occupant protection device for vehicle

A first control signal generating unit and a second control signal generating unit output a first control signal and a second control signal when magnitude of an impact corresponding to first and second sensor signals are greater than a first and second threshold. A third control signal generating unit outputs a third control signal when detecting disruption of the second sensor signal. An activating signal generating unit activates a protecting device when the first control signal is output, and when one of the second control signal and the third control signal is output. A fourth control signal generating unit outputs a fourth control signal when detecting an abnormality other than disruption of the second sensor signal. The third control signal generating unit restricts outputting the third control signal when the fourth control signal is output.

Passenger protecting apparatus and method for protecting passenger

An occupant protection apparatus for a vehicle includes: a plurality of communication devices for communicating an external device; and a controller for determining a collision of the vehicle based on information transmitted from the external device via the plurality of communication devices and for activating an occupant protection device corresponding to the collision. The controller prohibits activation of the occupant protection device when the controller detects communication anomaly occurred at more than one communication device.

Occupant protection apparatus for vehicle

A passenger protecting system is provided with at least two sensors which detect an impact to a vehicle, a determining unit for determining a collision with the vehicle based on detection signals of the sensors, and a communication unit through which the sensors are connected with the determining unit so that the detection signals of the sensors are transmitted to the determining unit. The detection signal of one of the sensors has a reverse polarity with respect to that of other of the sensors. Thus, the determining unit can be restricted from a faulty determination due to a fault of the communication path or the sensors, so that a misoperation of the passenger protecting system can be reduced.

Passenger protecting system

A vehicle occupant protection system includes a plurality of satellite sensors, a control unit, and a plurality of bus lines. The satellite sensors detect a vehicle condition in a vehicle collision or a rollover event. The control unit determines an occurrence of the vehicle collision or the rollover event based on output signals from the satellite sensors and controls activation of an occupant protection unit. The bus lines bus-connect the control unit and the satellite sensors. Three or more of the satellite sensors are connected in series. One of the satellite sensors that is connected in series is operable to determine at least two different collision or rollover events and is bus-connected closest to the control unit.

Vehicle occupant protection system

An object of the invention is to provide an occupant protection system for a vehicle, in which an erroneous determination for a rear crash can be avoided. An output signal from an acceleration sensor for a front crash as well as an output signal from a back sonar sensor is also inputted to an electronic control unit (ECU), in addition to an output signal from a main rear crash sensor. Then, the ECU finally determines that a rear crash has occurred, only when the ECU respectively determines the rear crash from each of output signals from the main rear crash sensor, the front crash acceleration sensor and the back sonar sensor.

Occupant protection system for vehicle

In a power supply system for a passive safety device, a step-up circuit steps up an input voltage based on a supply voltage from a battery to obtain a predetermined output voltage. An input voltage detecting circuit detects the input voltage. An output voltage changing circuit changes the output voltage based on a detection signal from the input voltage detecting circuit. Thus, the control load on the step-up circuit is reduced and increase in the size and rating of the step-up circuit is suppressed.

Power supply system for a vehicle

An activating device for an airbag system is constructed to prevent erroneous activating operation. A microcomputer generates a test signal and applies it to a determination circuit and an inhibition circuit as an inhibition signal. The determination circuit grounds the gate of a switching element which activates an airbag. The inhibition circuit inhibits a switching element from being turned on based on the inhibition signal. In the ON-inhibition state, the switching element is turned on if it is normal with the gate grounded. The switching element remains OFF if it is in malfunction.

Activating device of vehicular passenger protection system

In an activating device for a passenger protection system in a vehicle, erroneous activating operation caused by improper operation of a microcomputer or electrical noise is prevented even though electronic switches are used to operate a squib. A microcomputer has output ports connected to first through third driving circuits controlling first through third electronic switching devices connected in series with a squib for deploying a passenger protection device. A timer circuit is connected to the first switching device by way of a prohibiting circuit provided as a hardware unit independent of the microcomputer.

Activating device for vehicle passenger protection system

An actuator for inflating a vehicle air bag includes an acceleration sensor, a computer for judging a vehicle collision according to a signal of the acceleration sensor, a plurality of squibs for inflating the air bag, an electronic switch unit connected in series to a power source and the squibs, a drive circuit for driving the electronic switch unit to connect the power source and the squibs when the computer judges a vehicle collision. The drive circuit has a serial signal generator, a serial-parallel converter and a forbidding circuit. The serial signal generator generates a serial signal composed of a prescribed number of serial bit signals in a prescribed order, and the serial-parallel converter the serial signal to the prescribed number of parallel bit signals. The forbidding circuit forbids the electronic switch unit connecting the power source and the squibs except the parallel bit signals coincide with the prescribed order of the serial signal.

Actuator of passenger protecting system

A passenger protection apparatus is provided with a plurality of squibs (activating elements). Transistors are respectively connected in series to these squibs. By switching on these transistors at predetermined differing timing, first monitor currents are conducted via current-controlling resistors to the respective squibs. First monitor currents can be independently conducted to the respective squibs with this structure. For this reason, the voltage levels generated at the squibs by the first monitor currents can be enlarged. Resistance values of the respective squibs can be calculated with high accuracy from these voltage values.

Fault diagnosis device for passenger protection apparatus

An optical dust detector assembly includes an air duct member having an introductory portion and a base portion for permitting a flow of air passing therethrough, the duct member having a pair of radial holes formed in its peripheral wall, a pair of cylindrical casings secured to the peripheral wall of the duct member at both sides thereof and having respective opening ends communicating with the interior of the duct member through the respective radial holes thereof, a light emission element arranged within one of the casings to emit a light beam and pass it through the radial holes toward the other casing, and a light receiving element arranged within the other casing to receive the light beam emitted from the light emission element and passed through the radial holes. The air duct member is bent in such a manner as to form therein an inclined internal surface for deflecting upwardly the flow of air introduced through the introductory portion, and the radial holes are formed in a peripheral wall of the base portion of the duct member to face the flow of air deflected by the inclined internal surface so that foreign particles like rain or snow are not deflected upward toward the optical detector.

Optical dust detector assembly for use in an automotive vehicle

An optical detector assembly comprises a casing formed therein with a through bore having front and rear openings and a pair of opposite cavities located at both sides of the through bore, an air duct member disposed within the through bore to permit the flow of air passing therethrough, the duct member being formed at its peripheral wall with a pair of radial holes opening toward the cavities respectively, a light emission element arranged within one of the cavities to emit a luminous ray and pass it through the radial holes of the duct member toward the other cavity, a light receiving element arranged within the other cavity to receive the luminous ray emitted from the light emission element and passed through the radial holes, and an air induction assembly coupled over the front opening of the through bore for preventing entry of alien particles such as dirt, water, snow and the like into the duct member.

Growing community of inventors

Nishio, Japan

Yukiyasu Ueno