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Collision detection system for a vehicle
| Details |
Inventors: Kurihara, Norimitsu; Tsuchiya, Yoshikazu; Morota, Makie; Fukuda, Junichi;
Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha (Tokyo, JP)
Primary Examiner: Shoop, Jr.; William M.
Assistant Examiner: Ip; Paul
Attorney, Agent or Firm: Armstrong, Nikaido, Marmelstein, Kubovcik & Murray
A collision detection system for a vehicle comprising an acceleration sensor for sensing the acceleration and deceleration of the vehicle wherein the acceleration sensor is a piezoelectric sensor; signal processing circuit coupled to the piezoelectric sensor for generating a first output when the vehicle deceleration is greater than a predetermined amount. A diagnostic pulse generator is coupled to the piezoelectric sensor for applying a diagnostic pulse to the piezoelectric sensor for distorting the piezoelectric sensor, thereby causing the piezoelectric sensor to generate an electrical output. The electrical output is applied to the signal processing circuit wherein the signal processing circuit produces a second output in response thereto. The piezoelectric sensor is mounted on a pendulum such that when the vehicle accelerates or decelerates, the pendulum moves relative to the vehicle thereby distorting the piezoelectric sensor whereby the piezoelectric sensor produces an output as a function of the distortion. The piezoelectric sensor includes an electrode which is divided into a plurality of electrode segments. At least one of the electrode segments is an output electrode for providing an electrical signal as a function of the distortion of the piezoelectric sensor and at least one of the electrode segments is an input electrode for receiving an electrical signal and distorting the piezoelectric sensor in response thereto. |
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DETAILED DESCRIPTION It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a vehicle collision detection system which incorporates a diagnostic function for automatically detecting abnormalities in the system.
The present invention has for another of its primary objects, to provide a piezoelectric acceleration sensor which allows easy inspection at an time while it is in the vehicle.
In order to achieve the above objects, the vehicle collision detection system of the present invention includes an acceleration sensor and a signal processing circuit connected to the output of the acceleration sensor, wherein the acceleration sensor comprises a piezoelectric pickup element and the system further comprises a diagnostic pulse generator which provides diagnostic pulses to the piezoelectric element so that it distorts and then yields a piezoelectric effect voltage, and a diagnostic circuit which detects the output of the signal processing circuit.
When the piezoelectric element receives a diagnostic pulse, it creates a distortion attributable to the inverse piezoelectric effect and in consequence, generates an output voltage.
This voltage causes the signal processing circuit to produce an output signal.
If at least one of the piezoelectric element and signal processing circuit is faulty, the signal processing circuit fails to produce the output signal.
Accordingly, by detecting the output signal of the signal processing circuit in response to the generation of the diagnostic pulse from the diagnostic pulse generator, the collision detection system can be automatically inspected.
The piezoelectric acceleration sensor of the present invention has its piezoelectric element electrode divided into a plurality of segments, some of which function as output terminals for outputting a voltage signal proportional to the acceleration, with the remaining segments function as input terminals for receiving a diagnostic voltage signal.
When the moving body accelerates, the pendulum in the sensor is displaced relative to the moving body, causing the piezoelectric element to distort and generate a voltage in proportion to the acceleration which is applied to the output terminal
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