摘要:
A method and apparatus is disclosed for providing a passenger restraint actuation signal for use in an actuatable passenger restraint system in a vehicle is provided. The method comprises a sensor for providing a time varying electric signal proportional to vehicle deceleration. A crash energy is determined and compared against a predetermined limit. If the determined crash energy equals or exceeds the predetermined limit, a passenger restraint actuation signal is provided.
摘要:
An occupant safety protection system (8) capable of sensing the misuse of a safety belt system (10). The invention includes: a shoulder belt portion (13), a field generator means (243) for generating a detection field (202), a disturbance tag means (250) attached to the shoulder belt portion (13) and a tag detection circuit means (19) which determines seat belt misuse and sends an output indicative thereof. When the seat belt system is being properly used the disturbance tag (250) does not disturb the detection field. Conversely, when the seat belt system is being improperly used the disturbance tag disturbs the detection field. The tag detection circuit sends an output indication (245) corresponding to the state of the seat belt system use.
摘要:
An apparatus (20) for preventing actuation of an air bag restraining device (90) of a vehicle includes a sensor (24, 26) that senses the presence of a child restraining seat (40) on an occupant seat (30) of the vehicle. A controller (22) is operatively connected to the sensor (24, 26) and to the air bag restraining device (90) for controlling actuation of the air bag and preventing actuation of the air bag when the sensor (24, 26) senses the child restraining seat (40) on the occupant seat (30).
摘要:
An occupant sensing apparatus for use in an occupant restraint system comprises a film having an electrical characteristic with changeable states and a contact member. When an occupant sits in a vehicle seat, the contact member pushes on the film and changes the state of the electrical characteristic. An electric circuit is connected to the film for providing a first signal when the film indicates an occupant is not present, a second signal when an occupant is present, and a third signal if the film and the circuit become disconnected. The occupant restraint system is enabled when either an occupant is present or an electrical fault condition occurs. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, an array of sensors located in the seat determines the occupant's position and weight and controls deployment of the occupant restraint system in response to the determined position and weight.
摘要:
An apparatus (10) for sensing and restraining an occupant of a vehicle seat (34) includes a weight sensor (60) and a seat incline sensor (62). The weight sensor (60) senses a sensed weight of the occupant of the seat (34). The sensed weight differs from the actual weight of the occupant. The incline sensor (62) senses a characteristic which affects the difference between the sensed weight and the actual weight of the occupant. The apparatus (10) further includes a controller (36) and an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (26). The controller (36) determines a computed weight of the occupant as a function of both the sensed weight and the characteristic. Inflation fluid is directed into the restraint (26) to inflate the restraint (26) and is controlled in response to the computed weight determined by the controller (36).
摘要:
A force development system for controlling and generating variable shear forces in an exercise machine is disclosed for strengthening and developing body muscles during weight training or physical rehabilitation therapy. In the force development system, first and second members are movable with respect to one another and define an interspacial chamber therebetween. The interspacial chamber is filled with an electro-rheological magnetic fluid for selectively changing the shear stress characteristics in response to an applied magnetic field and for requiring a corresponding amount of force to move one of the first and second members with respect to the other of the first and second members. A magnetic field inducing mechanism is provided for selectively exposing the electro-rheological magnetic fluid means to a magnetic field of controlled intensity to selectively change the shear stress characteristics of the electro-rheological magnetic fluid.
摘要:
A vehicle occupant restraint system (10) comprises a vehicle seat (12) including a seat bottom (14), a seat back (16), and an occupant position sensor (20) mounted in the seat back. The occupant position sensor is located about sixteen inches above a flat plane (99) of the seat bottom of the vehicle seat and below a head rest (11) of the vehicle seat. The seat back of the vehicle seat includes foam material (40) to which the occupant position sensor is secured. The seat back of the vehicle seat also includes fabric material (41) which covers the occupant position sensor secured to the foam material. The fabric material and the foam material of the seat back cooperate to protect the occupant position sensor and hide the occupant position sensor from view. The occupant position sensor senses the position of an occupant in the vehicle seat and provides a position signal (21) functionally related to the position of the occupant in the vehicle seat. An occupant restraint (17) actuates in response to a deceleration signal (31) indicative of sudden vehicle deceleration above a predetermined threshold such as occurs in a vehicle collision. When actuated, the occupant restraint restrains the occupant in the vehicle seat. The operation of the occupant restraint is controlled as a function of the position signal from the occupant position sensor.
摘要:
A vehicle occupant restraint system (10) has an actuatable occupant restraint device (16) with an aspect adjustable for adjusting actuation of the restraint device. An associated control method controls the system (10). Within the system (10), a sensor (40) senses a vehicle operating parameter functionally related to crash acceleration and provides a signal (42) indicative thereof. A threshold determination function (44) of a microcomputer (18) determines whether the signal (42) from the sensor (40) exceeds a threshold value. An occupant characteristic sensor (26) senses an occupant characteristic in response to a determination that the signal (42) from the sensor (40) exceeds the threshold value and provides a signal (28A) indicative thereof. A restraint adjustment controller function (38) of the microcomputer (18) determines adjustment of the adjustable aspect of the restraint device (16) in response to the determination that the signal (42) from the sensor (40) exceeds the threshold value and in response to the signal (28A) from the occupant characteristic sensor (26). The adjustment controller function (38) provides a signal (20A) indicative of the determined adjustment to cause adjustment of the restraint device (16).
摘要:
An apparatus (20) for sensing pressure in a stiff wall sealed vessel (30) comprises a speaker (60) operatively coupled to the vessel (30) for, when energized, transferring energy to pressurized fluid in the vessel (30). The energy transferred from the speaker (60) establishes oscillations of the pressurized fluid in the vessel (30). A piezoelectric capacitive sensor (62) is operatively coupled to the vessel (30) for providing a received electrical signal having a frequency value indicative of the oscillation frequency of the pressurized fluid in the vessel (30). A receiver circuit (70, 90, 110) is operatively connected to the capacitive sensor (62) and provides a fluid resonating signal having a frequency indicative of the natural frequency of the oscillating pressurized fluid in the vessel (30). The natural frequency of the pressurized fluid is indicative of the fluid pressure in the vessel (30). A drive circuit (120, 164) is operatively connected to the receiver circuit (70, 90, 110) and to the speaker (60). The drive circuit ( 120, 164) initially drives the speaker (60) with a square wave pulse and subsequently drives the speaker (60) with an energy wave having a frequency equal to the natural frequency of the pressurized fluid in the vessel (30) so as to lock onto the natural frequency.
摘要:
An occupant sensing apparatus for use in an occupant restraint system comprises a film having an electrical characteristic with changeable states and a contact member. When an occupant sits in a vehicle seat, the contact member pushes on the film and changes the state of the electrical characteristic. An electric circuit is connected to the film for providing a first signal when the film indicates an occupant is not present, a second signal when an occupant is present, and a third signal if the film and the circuit become disconnected. The occupant restraint system is enabled when either an occupant is present or an electrical fault condition occurs. In accordance with another embodiment of the invention, an array of sensors located in the seat determines the occupant's position and weight and controls deployment of the occupant restraint system in response to the determined position and weight.