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:
Jan. 02, 2001
Filed:
Oct. 23, 1998
Colm Peter Boran, Novi, MI (US);
Eric Lewis Raphael, Stratford-upon-Avon, GB;
Gary Richard Collins, Brownstown, MI (US);
Paul Zoratti, South Lyon, MI (US);
Visteon Global Technologies, Inc., Dearborn, MI (US);
Abstract
A sensor system for detecting impacts to a vehicle, allowing for actuation decisions of passive restraint devices. The sensor system includes one or more piezoelectric sensor assemblies (,), each including a coaxial piezoelectric cable (,) contained within a tube housing (,), which is mounted to a structural member of the vehicle. The sensor system may also include accelerometers (,) that are also in communication with the restraints control module (,) and employed in combination with one or more piezoelectric sensor assemblies (,). Further, the sensor system may include diagnostics for monitoring one or more of the sensor assemblies (,) in order to detect a sensor failure, while not interfering with the impact signals from the sensor assemblies (,).