| 摘要 |
An occupant protection system (10) comprises an external air bag system (12) and an associated predictive collision sensing system (14). The external air bag system (12) comprises at least one external air bag inflator module (22) that is mounted in a door (24) proximate to the seating location of the of the occupant (18) to be protected, and which comprises a plurality of gas generator modules (28) that each provide for a controllable inflation characteristic for inflating an associated inflatable confinement (36), the plurality of which are arranged across the door (24) adjacent to one another, each associated with a different zone (I, II, III, IV, 43) having an associated structural stiffness and level of proximity to the occupant (18). The control of the actuation of various gas generator modules (28) is responsive to the prediction by the predictive collision sensor (26) of both 1) the size (i.e. lateral extent) of an object that is expected to collide with the vehicle (16), and 2) the expected location of the collision. Responsive to a collision with a pole-like object (64) impacting in a relatively less-stiff zone (II, III, 43) of the vehicle (16), the occupant protection system (10) inflates the external air bag system (12) so as to generate forces that cause the vehicle (16) to move relative to the pole-like object (64) so as to deflect the point of impact away from the occupant (18) towards a stiffer zone (I, IV). Responsive to a collision with a barrier-like object (68), the inflatable confinements (36) associated with relatively stiff zones (I, IV, 43), are each inflated to a relatively high level, whereas the inflatable confinements (36) associated with relatively less stiff zones (II, III, 43), are each inflated to a relatively low level, so as to transfer impact energy to the relatively stiff zones (I, IV, 43).
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