The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document.

The patent badge is an abbreviated version of the USPTO patent document. The patent badge covers the following: Patent number, Date patent was issued, Date patent was filed, Title of the patent, Applicant, Inventor, Assignee, Attorney firm, Primary examiner, Assistant examiner, CPCs, and Abstract. The patent badge does contain a link to the full patent document (in Adobe Acrobat format, aka pdf). To download or print any patent click here.

Date of Patent:
Aug. 10, 1993

Filed:

Jan. 03, 1992
Applicant:
Inventors:

Makie Morota, Utsunomiya, JP;

Katuhiko Sasakawa, Minamikawachimachi, JP;

Attorney:
Primary Examiner:
Assistant Examiner:
Int. Cl.
CPC ...
B60R / ;
U.S. Cl.
CPC ...
280734 ; 280735 ; 180273 ;
Abstract

An air bag for a vehicle is contained, respectively, in a steering wheel which is disposed in front of a driver's seat and in a dashboard which is disposed in front of a passenger's seat. When a seat switch has detected that there is no passenger seated in the passenger's seat, the inflation of the air bag for the passenger's seat is prohibited. Two impact sensors for detecting the longitudinal and lateral impact forces are provided. When that direction .theta. of the impact force which is obtained by the two sensors deviates towards the passenger's seat beyond a predetermined angle, the prohibition of inflation of the air bag for the passenger's seat is cancelled. When the vehicle is collided at a portion which is deviated towards the passenger's seat, the air bag for the passenger's seat is also inflated to alleviate the movement of the driver towards the passenger's seat. Instead of detecting the direction of the impact force by the two impact sensors, a switch-type acceleration sensor which is switched on when the impact force towards the passenger's seat is above a predetermined value may also be used so that the air bag for the passenger's seat can be inflated.


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