JP2708766B2 - Airbag control device for vehicles - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a vehicle airbag control device that supplies power to an inflator to activate an airbag at the time of a vehicle collision.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, airbag control devices for vehicles are, for example,
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 51-21509, the system comprises means for detecting or predicting a collision of a vehicle, an airbag inflated at the time of a vehicle collision, and an inflator for activating the airbag. To protect the occupants.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

In order for the airbag to function most effectively, it is desirable to match the timing at which the airbag absorbs the impact with the timing at which the impact at the time of the collision becomes the greatest. However, in the conventional airbag control device,
Since the time from the collision of the vehicle to the start of the operation of the airbag is substantially constant, there is a problem that the timings do not match depending on the posture of the occupant (seat position) or the presence or absence of the occupant's seat belt.

The present invention can set a time from when a vehicle collision is detected or predicted to when the airbag starts to operate, and can further correct this time depending on the posture of the occupant and the presence or absence of a seat belt. It is an object to provide an airbag control device.

[Means for solving the problem]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention relates to a vehicle airbag control device for supplying power to an inflator and activating an airbag at the time of a vehicle collision. Time setting means for setting a time from the collision point detected by the air bag to the start of operation of the airbag, a seat position detecting means for detecting the position of the occupant's seat, Correction means for correcting,
With this correction means, the set time when the sheet position is at the predetermined first position (for example, the front end) is shifted to the second position (for example, the rear end) behind the first position. The correction is made so as to be shorter than a certain set time.

The present invention also provides a vehicle airbag control device that supplies power to an inflator and activates an airbag at the time of a vehicle collision.
Time setting means for setting the time from the time of the collision detected by the collision detection means to the start of airbag operation, seat belt attachment / detachment detection means for detecting the attachment / detachment of the occupant seat belt, and Correction means for correcting the set time by a signal is provided, and the correction means corrects the set time so that the set time is shorter when the seat belt is not fastened than when the seat belt is fastened.

The above-mentioned “collision detecting means” may be one that detects the actual occurrence of a collision, or one that predicts the time until the occurrence of a collision from the current distance from the collision target and the vehicle speed. Is also good.

[Action]

According to the vehicle airbag control device having the above-described configuration, the time from the detected collision point to the start of the airbag operation can be set, and the time can be corrected based on the posture of the occupant or the presence or absence of the seat belt. Therefore, it is possible to match the timing at which the airbag absorbs the impact with the timing at which the impact at the time of the collision becomes the largest.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows a block configuration of a first embodiment of the present invention.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a detection unit (collision detection means) provided with collision detection sensors 1a and 1b, and outputs a collision detection signal when the sensors 1a and 1b are simultaneously closed.

Numeral 11 denotes a sheet slide position detecting means provided with a potentiometer 11a. Reference numeral 3 denotes a control unit comprising a time setting means 4 and a correcting means 5. The time setting means 4 controls the inflator 6 from the time when the collision detection signal is inputted. The time until the start of operation is set, and the correcting means 5 sets the potentiometer.
The set time is corrected based on the detection signal output by 11a. The inflator 6 is ignited after the corrected set time has elapsed, and the ignition causes the airbag 7 to be filled with gas and inflated.

FIG. 2 shows a schematic arrangement of each part of this embodiment in a vehicle. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 8 denotes a control unit in which a detection unit 1, a seat slide position detection unit 11, and a control unit 3 are provided. An inflator 6 and an airbag 7 are disposed in front of an occupant's seat 9 in the vehicle cabin at a steering wheel or the like positioned through the seat 9 and a space. Further, sensors 1a and 1b are respectively provided with dash panels and front bumpers. Etc. (not shown). The potentiometer 11a is disposed below the occupant's seat 9 and outputs a position signal corresponding to the position of the seat 9 with the potentiometer 11a. The correction means 5 uses the position signal to set the time setting means 4.
Correct the set time of.

Next, the operation of the embodiment having the above configuration will be described.

First, when a vehicle collision is detected by the detection unit 1, the time setting unit 4 determines the time until the start of ignition of the inflator 6 (that is, the time until the start of operation of the airbag) by the position signal from the seat slide position detection unit 11. Set based on That is, as shown by the solid line A in FIG. 3, the correction means 5 sets the set time so as to delay the time until the start of the ignition of the inflator 6 as the position of the sheet 9 detected by the potentiometer 11a is more rearward. to correct. Then, after the elapse of the set time, the inflator 6 starts firing and inflates the airbag 7.

The solid line A in FIG. 3 is an example in which the sliding position of the sheet 9 from the front end to the rear end and the delay time until the start of ignition are set in direct proportion, and as shown by the solid line B in FIG. The delay time near the neutral position of the seat 9 may be set to be longer than the example of the solid line A.

Thus, since the ignition timing of the inflator 6 is corrected according to the position of the occupant seat 9, the timing at which the airbag 7 absorbs the shock best matches the timing at which the occupant receives the largest shock at the time of the collision. Can be done.

Next, a second embodiment in which the detection unit 1 shown in FIG. 1 can predict the vehicle collision time using an ultrasonic radar will be described with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, a detecting unit 1 includes an ultrasonic radar 1c, a vehicle speed detecting means 1d, and a time estimating means 1e.
1c is a front bumper 10 of the vehicle 10 as shown in FIG.
Using the ultrasonic oscillator 1f and the ultrasonic receiver 1g disposed in a, for example, a distance to a collision object such as a wall or a utility pole is detected, and the vehicle speed detecting unit 1d detects the current speed of the vehicle 10. The vehicle speed is detected, and the time prediction means 1e predicts a time until a collision based on the distance and the vehicle speed. Control unit 3
Is set based on the estimated time and the position detected by the seat slide position detecting means 11 until the start of operation of the inflator 6 is set. It is made to be.

In the above description, the ultrasonic radar 1c detects only the distance.However, in addition to this, the ultrasonic radar 1c is configured to detect the relative speed with respect to the collision target, so that, for example, the collision target can be detected. Even when the vehicle is running, the time until the collision can be accurately predicted.

Next, a third embodiment in which the seat slide position detecting means 11 of FIG. 1 is replaced with a seat belt attaching / detaching detecting means 12 will be described with reference to FIGS. 6, 7 (a) and 7 (b).

6, the detecting unit 1, the control unit 3, the inflator 6, and the airbag 7 are the same as those in FIG.
The difference from the figure is that the seat slide position detecting means 11 is changed to a seat belt attaching / detaching detecting means 12 having a seat belt attachment detecting switch 12a.

That is, as shown in FIGS. 7 (a) and 7 (b), the seat belt
The detection switch 12a disposed inside 9b detects the attachment / detachment and outputs this attachment / detachment detection signal, and the correction means 5 corrects the set time of the time setting 4 by this position signal. I have.

 Next, the operation of the configuration of the present embodiment will be described.

First, when a vehicle collision is detected by the detection unit 1, the time setting unit 4 sets a time based on the attachment / detachment detection signal from the seat belt attachment / detachment detection 12. That is, FIG. 8C,
As shown in D, the set time is corrected so that the time until the start of operation of the inflator 6 is delayed at the time of wearing the seat belt D when the seat belt is not worn, and the inflator 6 starts operating after the lapse of the set time. The airbag 7 is inflated.

Thus, the ignition timing of the inflator 6 is corrected according to the presence or absence of the seat belt, so that the airbag 7
Can be made to coincide with the timing at which the impact is most absorbed and the timing at which the impact received by the occupant during the collision becomes the largest.

In the above description, the correction of the set time is performed based on the temperature around the inflator 6, the position of the seat 9, or the presence or absence of the seat belt. However, the correction may be performed using two or more of them. .

〔The invention's effect〕

The present invention sets the time from the time of the vehicle collision detected by the collision detection means to the start of the airbag operation, and further corrects this time depending on the posture of the occupant or the presence or absence of the seat belt, so that the airbag is always maintained. Can be matched with the timing at which the impact is best absorbed and the timing at which the impact at the time of the collision is the greatest, so that the impact at the time of the collision can be reliably absorbed and the occupant can be protected safely.

[Brief description of the drawings]

Fig. 1 is a block diagram of a first embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is a schematic layout diagram of each part of the embodiment in a vehicle, Fig. 3 is a diagram showing a relationship between a sliding position of a seat and a delay time, FIG. 4 is a block diagram of a second embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the positions of an ultrasonic oscillator and an ultrasonic receiver disposed in a vehicle, and FIG. 6 is a third embodiment of the present invention. 7 (a) and 7 (b) are schematic layout diagrams of various parts of the embodiment in a vehicle, and FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the relationship between the presence or absence of a seat belt and the delay time. . 1 detection unit (collision detection means), 4 time setting means,
5 ... correction means, 6 ... inflator, 7 ... airbag, 11 ... seat slide position detection means, 12 ... seat belt attachment / detachment detection means.

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A vehicle airbag control device for supplying power to an inflator to activate an airbag at the time of a vehicle collision, collision detection means for detecting a collision time of the vehicle, and a collision detection means for detecting a collision time of the vehicle. Time setting means for setting the time until the start of the airbag operation, seat position detecting means for detecting the position of the occupant seat, and correcting means for correcting the set time by a signal from the seat position detecting means are provided. With this correction means, the set time when the seat position is at the predetermined first position is shorter than the set time when the seat position is at the second position behind the first position. A vehicle airbag control device characterized in that the correction is made in the following manner. 2. The vehicle airbag control device according to claim 1, wherein the correction means corrects the set time so that the front end is shorter than the rear end. Airbag control device. 3. A vehicle airbag control device for supplying power to an inflator to activate an airbag at the time of a vehicle collision, comprising: collision detection means for detecting a collision time of the vehicle; Time setting means for setting a time until the start of operation of the airbag, seat belt attachment / detachment detection means for detecting the attachment / detachment of the occupant seat belt, and correction means for correcting the set time by a signal from the seat belt attachment / detachment detection means. And a correction means for correcting the set time so that the set time is shorter when the seat belt is not fastened than when the seat belt is fastened.