Apparatus for allowing or suppressing deployment of a low risk deployment airbag

摘要

A low-cost automatic suppression apparatus allows or suppresses deployment of a low risk deployment airbag based solely on occupant seat load and seat belt tension. The seat load and belt tension parameters are detected by low-cost sensors (22,30), and an airbag control unit (34) suppresses airbag deployment when the occupant load is below a specified load threshold or the belt tension is above a specified tension threshold, and otherwise allows airbag deployment. The sensors are preferably switch-based so that the signals provided to the airbag control unit are in the form of a differential electrical current, and only two wires are needed to interface each sensor to the airbag control unit.