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.
Patent No.:
Date of Patent:
May. 06, 1997
Filed:
Mar. 22, 1995
Charles E Steffens, Jr, Washington, MI (US);
Thomas H Vos, Rochester, MI (US);
Scott B Gentry, Romeo, MI (US);
Joseph F Mazur, Washington, MI (US);
Brian K Blackburn, Rochester, MI (US);
TRW Vehicle Safety Systems, Inc., Lyndhurst, OH (US);
Abstract
An apparatus for controlling an occupant restraint system, such as an air bag (102), includes sensors (30, 36, 60, 64, 70, 80, 84, 86, 88, 90, 502, 504, 506) for sensing at least two parameters that could affect an occupant restraining function of the restraint system. The sensors are connected to a controller (24). A regulating valve (120) is connected to a reaction can (103) of the air bag (102) and is controlled by a control signal from the controller (24). The controller (24) selects one of a plurality of discrete control zones dependant upon the at least two sensed parameters and provides the control signal based on the selected one of the discrete control zones.