A multi-frontal airbag for a vehicle and an airbag deployment system using the same are provided. The system includes a sensing unit that collects the state information of a seat. A first airbag module is disposed within the vehicle and includes a first cushion that is deployed toward the front of a passenger and a first inflator that supplies gas to the first cushion. A second airbag module is disposed within a roof above the passenger and includes a second cushion that is deployed downwards and a second inflator that supplies gas to the second cushion. A controller receives the state information of the seat from the sensing unit, and adjusts the operations or operation timings of the first airbag module and the second airbag module.

A method and apparatus for protecting a passenger during a crash comprises a moveable seat with an energy absorber (EA) that allows the seat to stroke a finite distance to decelerate the passenger in a controlled manner. The seat is designed so that one of a plurality of fixed profile EA's can be selectively engaged to provide a tailored EA composite profile adapted to the occupant's weight and anticipated crash environment. The tailored EA composite profile applies a frequency matched, low onset force to the seat, which substantially eliminates problems associated with dynamic overshoot of the passenger's spine.

A method and apparatus for protecting a passenger during a crash comprises a moveable seat with an energy absorber (EA) that allows the seat to stroke a finite distance to decelerate the passenger in a controlled manner. The seat is designed so that one of a plurality of fixed profile EA's can be selectively engaged to provide a tailored EA composite profile adapted to the occupant's weight and anticipated crash environment. The tailored EA composite profile applies a frequency matched, low onset force to the seat, which substantially eliminates problems associated with dynamic overshoot of the passenger's spine.

A method for the operation of a safety system of a motor vehicle in the event of a collision with a collision object, the acceleration of the motor vehicle being recorded by a plurality of collision sensors of the motor vehicle in various sensor data describing directions within the horizontal plane and being evaluated with regard to the triggering and/or an adaptation of an operating parameter as actions of restraint systems for occupants of the motor vehicle, wherein, of the sensor data, two motion values are determined which describe the motion of at least one occupant, especially all occupants, of the motor vehicle along at least one longitudinal direction and at least one transverse direction of the motor vehicle and which span a two-dimensional decision space, the ranges of action assigned to the actions being defined in the decision space and an action being carried out if the point in the decision space described by the motion values is within the range of action assigned to the action.

The present disclosure relates to a method for collision impact force reduction for a vehicle. The method comprises determining a smallest relative distance (D) between a head of a driver of the vehicle and a steering wheel assembly comprising an airbag of the vehicle, obtaining information of an imminent collision, the collision being at least partly frontal, comparing (300) the smallest relative distance (D) to a pre-defined threshold, and, when said smallest relative distance (D) is equal to or less than said pre-defined threshold, initiating a forward displacement of a driver seat of the vehicle and a retraction of the steering wheel assembly comprising an airbag, preferably a retraction along the steering column of the steering wheel assembly.

A method and apparatus for protecting a passenger during a crash comprises a moveable seat with an energy absorber (EA) that allows the seat to stroke a finite distance to decelerate the passenger in a controlled manner. The seat is designed so that one of a plurality of fixed profile EA's can be selectively engaged to provide a tailored EA composite profile adapted to the occupant's weight and anticipated crash environment. The tailored EA composite profile applies a frequency matched, low onset force to the seat, which substantially eliminates problems associated with dynamic overshoot of the passenger's spine.

The invention relates to a method for changing a forward displacement (104) of an occupant (106) of a vehicle (100) during braking of the vehicle (100). Initially, a seat belt status signal (112) which represents a status of a seat belt (108) for buckling in the occupant (106), and an occupant position signal which represents a position and/or location of the occupant (106) in the vehicle (100) and/or a change in the position and/or the location are read in. The two signals are processed to ascertain the forward displacement (104). Finally, at least one control signal (120, 121, 138) for controlling a braking device (122) of the vehicle (100) and/or at least one restraint means (108, 132) for restraining the occupant (106) is/are generated as a function of the forward displacement (104) in order to alter the forward displacement (104).

Method and apparatus are disclosed for determining vehicle seat occupancy. An example vehicle includes a vehicle seat, an accelerometer coupled to the vehicle seat, and a restraint control module. The restraint control module is configured to determine a minute of arc measurement for the vehicle seat based on data received from the accelerometer, determine that the vehicle seat is occupied based on the minute of arc measurement, and provide an alert.

A vehicle occupant positioning system includes at least one inflatable bladder structured and positioned so as to urge a portion of the body of the vehicle occupant in a predetermined direction when the bladder is inflated.

An activation control device for at least one occupant protection device is applied to a vehicle including occupant protection devices. The activation control device includes a front left sensor, a front right sensor and an activation control unit. The front left sensor is configured to detect an acceleration in a vehicle widthwise direction, and the front right sensor is configured to detect an acceleration in the vehicle widthwise direction. The activation control unit is configured to calculate a movement amount of the front left sensor in the vehicle widthwise direction based on GLy, calculate a movement amount of the front right sensor in the vehicle widthwise direction based on GRy, and determine to which region out of regions each defined in advance for each collision form a point defined by those movement amounts belongs, thereby specifying a collision form.