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:
Apr. 17, 2001
Filed:
Jun. 11, 1998
TRW Airbag Systems GmbH & Co. KG, Aschau Inn, DE;
Abstract
In a method and an air bag system for depleting the kinetic energy of a vehicle occupant in case of a vehicle accident involving heavy, negative acceleration, the air bag system comprising a control unit for inflating an air bag which activates the air bag system on the basis of electric signals of an acceleration sensor provided in the vehicle, further sensor elements are provided by means of which the parameters determining the individual kinetic energy of the vehicle occupant are sensed and electrical signals representing these parameters are transmitted by the sensor elements to an electronic analyzer connected to the control unit, this electronic analyzer establishing on the basis of these signals a point in time t,at which the vehicle occupant is likely to come into contact with the inflated air bag of the air bag system, the electronic analyzer calculating on the basis of the established point in time t,a prior point in time t,at which the inflation of the air bag is to commence and signalling this to the control unit which at the point in time t,activates inflation of the air bag, thus enabling optimum protection of the vehicle occupant seated in front of the air bag to be assured and preventing injury thereby.