[54] AIR BAG SYSTEM FOR A MOTOR VEHICLE
[75] Inventors: Bradley W. Smith, Odgen; James D.
Erickson, North Ogden, both of
Utah; Patrick D. Jamison,
Ludwigsburg, Germany; Peter A.
Tyroller, Kirchheim/T., Germany;
Dietrich Bergfried, Boebiingen;
Bernhard Mattes, Sachsenheim,
Germany; Werner Nitschke,
Ditzingen, Germany
[73] Assignee: Morton International, Inc., Chicago, 111.
[21] Appl. No.: 149,296
[22] Filed: Oct. 29,1993
[51] Int. Cl.« B60R 21/32
[52] U.S. CI 280/735; 280/728.1;
180/271
[58] Field of Search 280/728 R, 735, 736 R,
280/742; 180/271-274
[56] References Cited
U.S. PATENT DOCUMENTS
3,672,699 6/1972 De Windt 280/735
3,767,002 10/1973 Gillund 290/236
3,767,228 10/1973 Lewis 280/735
3,966,224 6/1976 Campbell et al 280/735
4,243,248 1/1981 Scholz et al 280/735
4,620,721 11/1986 Scholz et al 280/735
4,984,651 1/1991 Grosch et al 180/268
5,071,160 12/1991 White et al 280/735
5,074,583 12/1991 Fujita et al 280/735
5,078,422 1/1992 Hamilton et al 280/736
5,122,954 1/1992 Okano 280/735
5,184,845 2/1993 Omura 280/735
5,232,243 8/1993 Blackburn et al 280/728
5,234,228 8/1993 Morota et al 180/273 X
5,301,772 4/1994 Honda 280/735 X
5,330,226 7/1994 Gentry et al 280/735
FOREIGN PATENT DOCUMENTS
4092738 3/1992 Japan 280/735
Primary Examiner—Margaret A. Focarino
Assistant Examiner—Christopher P. Ellis
Attorney, Agent, or Firm—Mason, Kolemainen,
Rathburn & Wyss
[57] ABSTRACT
An air bag system is provided for use in a motor vehicle. The air bag system includes at least one air bag module. A multiple level gas generation source is coupled to the air bag module for generating a selected gas generation level applied to the air bag module. An electronic control unit controls the operation of multiple level gas generation source. At least one temperature sensor is coupled to the electronic control unit for sensing ambient temperature. At least one seat belt sensor is coupled to the electronic control unit for sensing seat belt usage. An acceleration sensor is coupled to the electronic control unit for sensing deceleration during a crash. The electronic control unit is responsive to a combination of sensed inputs from the temperature sensor, the seat belt sensor and the acceleration sensor for determining both an optimum gas generation level and inflation sequence times for controlling the multiple level gas generation source.
14 Claims, 9 Drawing Sheets
