Importance

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Abstract

An apparatus tests an actuatable occupant restraint system for a vehicle. The restraint system has an actuatable occupant restraint device and a crash sensor for outputting a signal having an identifiable electrical characteristic indicative of a specific type of vehicle crash condition. The restraint system also has a processing circuit connected to the crash sensor for providing an actuation signal to the occupant restraint device when the crash sensor signal indicates an occurrence of a predetermined type of vehicle crash condition. The test apparatus comprises a memory device connected to the processing circuit for storing a plurality of simulated crash sensor signals. Each stored simulated crash sensor signal is indicative of a predetermined type of vehicle crash condition. A disabling circuit is connected to the output of the processing circuit for disabling electrical communication between the output of the processing circuit and the actuatable restraint device. A controller is connected to the memory device, the disabling circuit, and the output of the processing circuit for controlling the disabling of the output from the processing circuit, applying simulated stored signals to the processing circuit, monitoring the output of the processing circuit when a simulated stored signal is applied to the processing circuit, and determining if the output signal from the processing circuit correctly responds to such applied simulated crash signal. A warning indicator is connected to the controller. The controller actuates the warning indicator when the controller determines the processing circuit has not properly responded to an applied simulated crash signal from the memory device.

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First Claim