The inertial flow crash sensor and its application to air bag deployment.

As a result of recent theoretical studies and field experience, automotive engineers are directing increasing attention to the importance of crush zone sensing for triggering passive restraints, such as air bags or seat belt tighteners. This paper gives the results of a theoretical investigation of a crash zone sensor based on the motion of a translating mass, damped by inertial fluid flow through an orifice. Since it has decreased sensitivity to short duration pulses, it is a good candidate for mounting in lateral crush zones, where the structural rigidity is low, and in frontal crush zones where hammer blow exists. The paper gives an account for the analytical and experimental study which was undertaken in order to construct and validate a mathematical model for this device. (A) For the covering abstract of the conference see IRRD 837684.