CA2357178A1 - Air bag simulator and method of simulating an air bag - Google Patents

Air bag simulator and method of simulating an air bag Download PDF

Info

Publication number
CA2357178A1
CA2357178A1 CA002357178A CA2357178A CA2357178A1 CA 2357178 A1 CA2357178 A1 CA 2357178A1 CA 002357178 A CA002357178 A CA 002357178A CA 2357178 A CA2357178 A CA 2357178A CA 2357178 A1 CA2357178 A1 CA 2357178A1
Authority
CA
Canada
Prior art keywords
air bag
resistance
simulator
series
loads
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Abandoned
Application number
CA002357178A
Other languages
French (fr)
Inventor
David Tusa
Scott K. Krampit
Corey Ermer
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
SPX Corp
Original Assignee
SPX Development Corp
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by SPX Development Corp filed Critical SPX Development Corp
Publication of CA2357178A1 publication Critical patent/CA2357178A1/en
Abandoned legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60RVEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60RVEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • B60R2021/01122Prevention of malfunction
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60RVEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • B60R2021/01122Prevention of malfunction
    • B60R2021/01129Problems or faults
    • B60R2021/01177Misdeployment, e.g. during assembly, disassembly, accident salvage or recycling
    • BPERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B60VEHICLES IN GENERAL
    • B60RVEHICLES, VEHICLE FITTINGS, OR VEHICLE PARTS, NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR
    • B60R21/00Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks
    • B60R21/01Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents
    • B60R2021/01122Prevention of malfunction
    • B60R2021/01184Fault detection or diagnostic circuits

Landscapes

  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Air Bags (AREA)

Abstract

A portable, durable, and cost effective apparatus for simulating the resistance of a plurality of air bags is provided.

Description

AIR BAG SIMULATOR AND METHOD Or SIMULATING AN AIR BAG
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to the field of device simulators. More particularly, the present invention relates to simulators for use in testing air bag systems.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
In servicing air bag systems, it is advantageous to remove the air bag in order to prevent damage to the automobile or injury to the service technician caused by accidental deployments.
Because air bag circuitry is designed to be inoperable when the air bag is not in the circuit, and thus cannot be tested, a device for simulating the air bag resistance in the air bag circuitry is needed.
Various devices currently exist to fill the need for simulating an air bag during testing and servicing of the air bag circuitry. The existing air bag simulators fall into two classes of devices: (1) large heavy models capable of withstanding high current loads, and (2) small portable (pen-shaped) models not suited to handling high current loads.
In order to withstand the large load currents, the large high current models utilize large load resistors. The size of these resistors, typically 8 inches by 10 inches by 4 inches, precludes their use in a portable/hand held product. Conversely, the smaller pen-shaped models are portable and thus do not occupy considerable shop space. However, because the smaller models typically utilize a single 1/2 watt resistor to simulate the air bag resistance they cannot handle the current load generated by an air bag deployment operation of the circuitry.
In addition to the foregoing limitations of the current air bag simulator devices, all of the currently existing simulator devices are specifically designed to simulate a particular air bag. For example, General Motors (GM) has at least four(4) different simulators for use in simulating the different air bag models used in its automobiles. Thus, a shop that services the air bag circuitry for different manufacturers and/or different automobile models have a need to purchase and store a number of simulator devices.
There is therefore a need for a portable, durable device that can be used to simulate the air bags utilized in different manufacturers automobiles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention satisfies, to a great extent, the need for a universal apparatus for testing air bag systems. This result is achieved, in an exemplary embodiment, by comprising in combination a portable universal air bag simulator with two movable rotary dials, essentially mounted on the front surface of the simulator wherein each rotary dial controls a circuit for simulating a driver air bag or a passenger air bag. The rotary dials have a plurality of settings, which provides for simulating resistance values from 0.5 ohm to 6.0 ohm in 0.5 ohm steps.
In another aspect of the invention the universal air bag simulator comprises cables that can adapt to nearly all manufacture air bag system applications as compared to conventional original 1 S equipment (OE) simulators.
The present invention provides a method of air bag resistance simulation that allows a technician to select the correct resistance for a number of air bags with a single device. It is envisioned that this device will be used by technicians in the aftermarket auto body and auto repair facilities, collision repair technicians, automotive technicians, and air bag specialists.
With these and other objects, advantages and features of the invention that may become hereinafter apparent, the nature of the invention may be more clearly understood by reference to the following detailed description of the invention, the appended claims and to the several drawings attached herein.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1 is a perspective drawing of a preferred embodiment of the air bag simulator of the present invention.
FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration of the circuit diagram of the air bag simulator of Fig. 1.
FIG. 3 is a perspective drawings of a cable used in connection with the air bag simulator of FIG 1.
DETAILED DESCRTPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT
Referring now to the figures, wherein like reference numerals indicate like elements, in FIG.
1 there is shown a universal air bag simulator apparatus 10 for use in dynamically testing driver and passenger air bag systems individually or simultaneously. The simulator has two rotary switches 12, 14 each providing a plurality of settings selected to correspond to the resistance of a driver or passenger air bag.
In a preferred embodiment of the simulator 10 each of the switches 12, 14 have twelve settings corresponding to different resistance values from 0.5 ohms to 6.0 ohms in 0.5 ohm steps.
The simulator 10 is provided with a socket 16 for receiving the plug end of a lead cable for simulating the driver side air bag. A second socket 18 is provided in the simulator 10 for receiving the plug end of a lead cable for simulating the passenger side air bag.
Referring now to FIG. 2, there is shown a schematic illustration of a preferred embodiment of the air bag simulator circuit 20 of the present invention. While only one circuit 20 is shown, it should be understood that in the preferred embodiment two such circuits are provided, one for the driver side air bag and one for the passenger side air bag. The circuit 20 for simulating each of the driver and passenger side air bags is comprised of two parallel paths of twelve resistors 22, 24. Each resistor in the preferred embodiment is a one ohm 1/4 watt 5% tolerance resistor. A twelve way switch 26 is provided to tap the parallel resistor paths 22, 24 allowing the user to select any number of parallel pairs of resistors between one and twelve. For example, in its first setting, the switch 26 taps the resistor paths 22, 24 to fom a circuit between electrical contacts 28, 30 consisting only of resistors 32, 34.
It will be readily understood by those skilled in the art that, in this configuration, when the switch is set to its first setting a resistance of 0.5 ohms is provided between the electrical contacts 28, 30 with a power dissipation capability of'/2 watt., It will also be readily understood that in each of its settings, the switch 26 will provide a different resistance value between 0.5 ohms and 6.0 ohms, in 0.5 ohm increments.
The circuit 20 for both the driver and passenger air bag simulators are preferably provided in the form of a single printed circuit board having the resistors surface mounted thereon. The use of the parallel arrangement of low wattage resistors, surface mounted on a printed circuit board, improves the ability of the circuitry to handle the current load provided by the air bag circuitry during an air bag deployment operation, allows the circuitry to be built in a compact portable unit, and allows the circuitry to be manufactured in a cost effective way.
By using the techniques described herein a durable simulator can be constructed more cost effectively than the devices employing high wattage resistors. As depicted in FIG. l, the compact circuitry also permits the simulator 10 to be constructed as a hand held device thus reducing the shop space required for its storage. Additionally, because the presently described simulator is a universal device the cost and storage advantages are realized twelve-fold.
Refernng to FIG. 3, there is disclosed an exemplary cable 36 for connecting the universal air bag simulator circuit 20 to the air bag system circuitry. As shown, the cable 36 has a plug end 3 8 5 that is mated to either of the driver or passenger sockets 16, 18 of the air bag simulator 10. The other end of the cable 36 is fitted with flying leads 40 specifically adapted to be used in connecting the air bag simulator circuitry 20 to a one or more manufacturers automobiles and one or more models of automobiles. The flying leads 40 are specially configured to ensure that a connection is made to the sockets of the air bag circuits.
i 0 In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the air bag simulator would be supplied with six cables, each of which has a plug end 38 mated to the driver and passenger sockets 16, 18. In addition to the plug end 38 mated to the air bag simulator sockets 16, 18, each of the six cables are provided with flying leads 40 for connecting to the air bag circuitry of one or more different air bags.
The chart provide below identifies the six cables contemplated for use in connection with the air bag simulator of the preferred embodiment of the invention and the manufacturer and part numbers of each of the different sets of flying leads 40.
Cable # Flying Lead Manufacturer Manufacturer Part#

#1 YAZAKI 7B 16-1950-08 #2 Amp 171661-1 #3 Amp 1-928918-1 #4 Amp 0-171662 #5 Amp 172773-1 #6 Cardell E7EB-14461-GA
The chart below identifies the car models that each of the foregoing cables can be used with and the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) simulator tool that would be replaced by the simulator of the present invention when used with a particular cable. The location on the car where the socket is located for inserting the flying leads 40 of the cable is also identified in the chart.
Finally, because certain car models require an OEM adapter to be used to connect to the airbag circuitry, the chart also identifies the OEM adapter used to connect to the air bag circuitry. The adapter, and location where it connects to the automobile, are specified by the manufacturer.
Make OEM Tool Adapter Connector Location Cable Saturn SA94092-A Base of Column 5 Driver Inflator 4 Passenger Inflator 5 General J-37808A Base of Column 5 Motors Steering Wheel 5 J-38715A Base of Column 5 Steering Wheel 5 Passenger Inflator 5 J-41433 Base of Column 2 Steering Wheel 2 Passenger Inflator 2 Chrysler 8310A 2 MLR-8310-1 Driver Airbag clockspring4 MLR-8310-2 Driver Airbag above2 clockspring or Passenger Airbag MLR-8310-3 Passenger Airbag 4 with pressure switch Honda 07SAZ-TB4012A 2 Ford 105-80009 Driver & Passenger 1 105-80008 Driver & Passenger 2 105-80012 Driver & Passenger 6 T94P-50-A Driver Only 3 It should be noted that the resistance value settings for the simulator tool, when used in connection with each of the foregoing models and connector locations can readily be determined.
It should be readily understood that the air bag simulator of the present invention can be provided using other methods of simulating the air bag resistance. For example, the combination of the switches and resistors can be replaced with a set of variable resistors provided with detent positions matched to each of the air bag resistances being simulated.
Alternatively, the mufti-way switch described herein could have each of its output paths connected to a separate isolated resistive load selected to match the resistance of one or more air bags.
It is envisioned that the air bag simulator of the present invention will be provided with instructions for its use. The simulator may also be provided with testing and service information for the various manufacturers air bag circuitry. The foregoing information can be provided either in document form or in electronic form, e.g., on a CD-ROM.
The above description and drawings are only illustrative of preferred embodiments which achieve the objects, features, and advantages of the present invention, and it is not intended that the present invention be limited thereto. Any modification of the present invention which comes within the spirit and scope of the following claims is considered to be part of the present invention.

Claims (20)

1. An air bag simulator, comprising:
a first outlet of said air bag simulator having at least a first and second electrical contact;
said first electrical contact being connected to a switch having a plurality of outlet terminals, each of said plurality of output terminals being connected to a first end of different resistance loads;
a second end of said resistance loads being connected to said second electrical contact.
2. The air bag simulator of claim 1 wherein a series of resistors tapped at various points and connected to the output terminals form the resistance loads.
3. The air bag simulator of claim 1 wherein the series resistance further comprises two resistors in parallel.
4. The air bag simulator of claim 1 wherein a series of resistors tapped at various points range from 0.5 ohms to 6.0 range.
5. Air bag simulator according to claim 1, wherein said simulator outlets provide a means for connecting cables to driver air bag or passenger air bag.
6. Air bag simulator for measuring resistance as recited in claim 5, wherein said connecting cables have a air bag simulator end and a manufacture air bag sensor end.
7. Air bag simulator according to claim 5, wherein said connecting cables comprise a plug end and a flying lead end specifically adapted to individual manufacture air bag systems.
8. Air bag simulator according to claim 1, wherein said rotary dials control a plurality of resistance channels for specific resistance measurements.
9. Air bag simulator according to claim 8, wherein the specific resistance measurements comprise different manufacturing air bag systems.
10. A device for simulating a plurality of air bags having different resistance values.
11. A device according to claim 10, wherein said device is portable with dual outputs.
12. A device according to claim 10, wherein said device comprises twelve switch settings with resistance ranges from 0.5 ohms to 6.0 ohms.
13. A device according to claim 10, wherein each resistance unit comprises two resistors in parallel.
14. A method of simulating an air bag comprising the steps of:
replacing an air bag with a variable resistance load;
adjusting the variable resistance load to match the resistance load of the replaced air bag.
15. The method of claim 14, wherein said adjusting step is accomplished using a switch having a plurality of output paths, each said output path being connected to a different resistance load.
16. The method of claim 15, wherein said different resistance loads are provided by a plurality of resistance loads in series and wherein said output paths of said switch tap into the series of resistance loads at different points.
17. The method of claim 16, wherein said plurality of resistance loads in series are each provided by a set of resistors in parallel.
18. The method of claim 14, further comprising the steps of:
replacing a second air bag with a second variable resistance load;
adjusting the second variable resistance load to match the resistance load of the second replaced air bag.
19. The method of claim 18, wherein said adjusting steps are accomplished using switches having a plurality of output paths, each said output path being connected to a different resistance load.
20. The method of claim 19, wherein said different resistance loads are provided by a plurality of resistance loads in series and wherein said output paths of said switches tap into the series of resistance loads at different points.
CA002357178A 2000-09-26 2001-09-12 Air bag simulator and method of simulating an air bag Abandoned CA2357178A1 (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US09/670,317 US6624641B1 (en) 2000-09-26 2000-09-26 Air bag simulator and method of simulating an air bag
US09/670,317 2000-09-26

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
CA2357178A1 true CA2357178A1 (en) 2002-03-26

Family

ID=24689932

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
CA002357178A Abandoned CA2357178A1 (en) 2000-09-26 2001-09-12 Air bag simulator and method of simulating an air bag

Country Status (2)

Country Link
US (1) US6624641B1 (en)
CA (1) CA2357178A1 (en)

Families Citing this family (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US20050245308A1 (en) * 2004-04-29 2005-11-03 Cfph, Llc System and method for wagering based on financial market indicators
US7637807B2 (en) 2004-04-29 2009-12-29 Cfph, L.L.C. System and method for mapping results from sporting events to game inputs
US7566270B2 (en) 2004-04-29 2009-07-28 Cfph, Llc System and method for wagering based on multiple financial market indicators
FR2884104B1 (en) * 2005-03-29 2009-07-03 Pierre Dumas SWITCH ADJUSTMENT
US20060293820A1 (en) * 2005-06-22 2006-12-28 Hicks Lawrence G Air bag safety demonstration vehicle and method
US8392162B2 (en) * 2006-02-02 2013-03-05 Ford Global Technologies Vehicular supplemental restraint device simulation using finite element modeling
US8460085B2 (en) 2007-12-21 2013-06-11 Cfph, Llc System and method for providing a roulette game based on financial market indicators
US8758108B2 (en) 2007-12-21 2014-06-24 Cfph, Llc System and method for slot machine game associated with market line wagers
US8535140B2 (en) 2007-12-21 2013-09-17 Cfph, Llc System and method for providing a baccarat game based on financial market indicators
US10332332B2 (en) 2007-12-21 2019-06-25 Cfph, Llc System and method for slot machine game associated with financial market indicators
US11257330B2 (en) 2008-02-15 2022-02-22 Cfph, Llc System and method for providing a baccarat game based on financial market indicators
US20120282589A1 (en) * 2011-05-04 2012-11-08 Petrie Adelore F Air bag simulator / educational device and method

Family Cites Families (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3656061A (en) * 1970-06-11 1972-04-11 Mallory & Co Inc P R Portable battery tester with means to simulate normal operating drain conditions
US3800214A (en) * 1972-01-31 1974-03-26 Flynn J O Apparatus for testing energized and non-energized electrical circuits
AT335198B (en) * 1972-12-01 1977-02-25 Reichert Optische Werke Ag DEVICE FOR DETERMINING THE EXPOSURE TIME FOR A PHOTOGRAPHICAL RECORDING DEVICE
US4012641A (en) * 1975-12-05 1977-03-15 The United States Of America As Represented By The Secretary Of The Navy Portable pulsed signal generator
US4196691A (en) * 1976-03-02 1980-04-08 General Research Of Electronics, Inc. Manually rotatable control or selector knob member
US4253004A (en) * 1979-09-25 1981-02-24 Matsushita Electric Industrial Co., Ltd. Mechanical remote control system
US4654626A (en) * 1985-08-12 1987-03-31 Tbg Inc. Dimmer switch
US4801914A (en) * 1986-05-19 1989-01-31 Kerai Manji R K Infinitely variable rotary resistor assembly
AU7727694A (en) * 1993-09-13 1995-04-03 David J. Asher Joystick with membrane sensor
US5557681A (en) * 1993-09-24 1996-09-17 Thomasson; Samuel L. Electronic stethoscope
US5630756A (en) * 1996-02-05 1997-05-20 Thurston; Keith E. Hand controller for video games
US5818946A (en) * 1996-03-22 1998-10-06 Walter; Dieter Waldemar Ruggedized solar charged hearing aid
US6037571A (en) * 1997-07-21 2000-03-14 Christopher; Nicholas S. Dual power high heat electric grill
DE19811182A1 (en) * 1998-03-14 1999-09-16 Volkswagen Ag Activation of an airbag

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
US6624641B1 (en) 2003-09-23

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
US6624641B1 (en) Air bag simulator and method of simulating an air bag
US2660679A (en) Coupling system for interchangeably connecting the wiring systems of tractors and trailers
US4943238A (en) Automotive electronic instructional and diagnostic training apparatus
EP0723378A2 (en) System connecting telephone network access devices to a bus connector
CA2540785A1 (en) Integrated circuit vehicle diagnostics interface adapter apparatus and method
KR101405699B1 (en) Configurable printed circuit board
US4186337A (en) Analyzer for transistor ignition system
CN210038539U (en) Hardware-in-loop test system capable of adapting to multiple controllers
CN110855515A (en) Vehicle-mounted CAN network test auxiliary device
US4905304A (en) Mobile radio facility
KR101209799B1 (en) Switch identification system for vehicle
US6344613B1 (en) Automobile electrical circuit assembly with transparent protective cover
US4028738A (en) Central circuit control plates for automotive vehicles
EP1063131B1 (en) Alterable switch unit, and vehicle mounted device control apparatus including the same switch unit
MXPA04006251A (en) Configurable switch array.
US5178548A (en) Connector module for providing electrical contacts to magnet valves
US5739694A (en) Apparatus for testing operation of a display panel adapted to be connected to a drive mechanism by an electrical cable of predetermined connector configuration
US4739184A (en) Portable transducer simulator
WO1994009586A1 (en) Universal connection for cellular telephone interface
US5755580A (en) Universal cable connecting box for vehicles
CN212085273U (en) ECU signal switching device
WO1980000381A1 (en) Simulator modules and rack assembly
US5153523A (en) Selective fused circuit continuity test apparatus
CN111342262A (en) ECU signal switching device and operation method thereof
CN216528546U (en) Car steering wheel spoke panel switch assembly convenient to operation

Legal Events

Date Code Title Description
FZDE Discontinued