SHOCK-ABSORBING OCCUPANT PROTECTION

• US 20050230951A1
• Filed: 06/20/2005
• Published: 10/20/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/20/2002
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Original Assignee: Volvo Lastvagnar AB (AB Volvo)
• Inventors: Andersson, Bjorn, Johansson, Glenn
• Granted Patent: US 7,500,695 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/753
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42736 of the whole seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0407 using gas or liquid as energy absorbing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/05 associated with the steering wheel, steering hand lever or steering column yieldable steering columns B62D1/18

Abstract

Shock-absorbing occupant protection (8) for the passenger compartment of a vehicle (1) comprising a container (9) of flexible design which is gas-filled in an original expanded rest position and is designed to be compressed when absorbing energy under impact by a passenger.

Claims

1. A shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement (8) for the passenger compartment of a vehicle (1), said shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement (8) comprising:

a container (9) of flexible construction that is gas-filled in an original expanded rest configuration and is configured to be compressed when absorbing energy under impact by a passenger; and

said occupant protection arrangement (8) further comprising means (13) for returning the container (9) to the original expanded rest configuration following compression thereof and a control unit (17) configured to regulate, via an air inlet valve (15), the working pressure as a function of the amount of energy the container (9) must absorb.

2. The shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein said means (13) for returning the container to the original expanded rest position comprises a pressurized tank (14) connected to said flexible container (9) by way of the air inlet valve (15) which delivers a working pressure for the flexible container (9).

3. The shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement as recited in claim 2, wherein said flexible container (9) is formed with at least one outlet valve (16) configured to open at a higher pressure than the working pressure for the container (9).

4. The shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein said control unit (17) is configured to regulate the working pressure in said container (9) as a function of the speed of the vehicle.

5. The shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein said control unit (17) is configured to regulate the working pressure as a function of the projected weight of the user.

6. The shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein said control unit (17) is configured to regulate the pressure at which the outlet valve (16) opens as a function of at least one of (i) the speed of the vehicle and (ii) the weight of the occupant.

7. The shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein the working pressure is between 1.05 and 3 bars over atmospheric pressure.

8. The shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement as recited in claim 1, wherein the working pressure is between 1.6 and 2 bars over atmospheric pressure.

9. A vehicle (1) comprising:

a pressurized tank (14) coupled to a compressed air supply system (26) and a shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement (8) for the passenger compartment of the vehicle (1), said shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement (8) comprising;

a container (9) of flexible construction that is gas-filled in an original expanded rest configuration and is configured to be compressed when absorbing energy under impact by a passenger; and

said occupant protection arrangement (8) further comprising means (13) for returning the container (9) to the original expanded rest configuration following compression thereof and a control unit (17) configured to regulate, via an air inlet valve (15), the working pressure as a function of the amount of energy the container (9) must absorb.

10. The vehicle as recited in claim 9, wherein said means (13) for returning the container to the original expanded rest position comprises a pressurized tank (14) connected to said flexible container (9) by way of the air inlet valve (15) which delivers a working pressure for the flexible container (9).

11. The vehicle as recited in claim 9, wherein said flexible container (9) is formed with at least one outlet valve (16) configured to open at a higher pressure than the working pressure for the container (9).

12. The vehicle as recited in claim 9, wherein said control unit (17) is configured to regulate the working pressure in said container (9) as a function of the speed of the vehicle.

13. The vehicle as recited in claim 9, wherein said control unit (17) is configured to regulate the working pressure as a function of the projected weight of the user.

14. The vehicle as recited in claim 9, wherein said control unit (17) is configured to regulate the pressure at which the outlet valve (16) opens as a function of at least one of (i) the speed of the vehicle and (ii) the weight of the occupant.

15. The vehicle as recited in claim 9, wherein the working pressure is between 1.05 and 3 bars over atmospheric pressure.

16. The vehicle as recited in claim 9, wherein the working pressure is between 1.6 and 2 bars over atmospheric pressure.

17. A method for providing a shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement (8) in a vehicle, said method comprising:

coupling a pressurized tank (14) to a compressed air supply system (26) and to a shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement (8) located in the passenger compartment of the vehicle (1);

providing said shock-absorbing occupant protection arrangement (8) with a container (9) of flexible construction and which is gas-filled in an original expanded rest configuration and which is compressed when absorbing energy under impact by a passenger; and

returning the container (9) to the original expanded rest configuration following compression thereof utilizing a control unit (17) configured to regulate, via an air inlet valve (15), a working pressure within the container as a function of an amount of energy the container (9) is designed to absorb.

18. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising returning the container to the original expanded rest position utilizing said pressurized tank (14) connected to said flexible container (9) by way of the air inlet valve (15) which delivers a selected working pressure to the flexible container (9).

19. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said flexible container (9) is formed with at least one outlet valve (16) configured to open at a higher pressure than the working pressure for the container (9).

20. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said control unit (17) regulates the working pressure in said container (9) as a function of the speed of the vehicle.

21. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said control unit (17) regulates the working pressure as a function of the projected weight of the user.

22. The method as recited in claim 17, wherein said control unit (17) regulates the pressure at which the outlet valve (16) opens as a function of at least one of (i) the speed of the vehicle and (ii) the weight of the occupant.

23. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising maintaining the working pressure within the container (9) between 1.05 and 3 bars over atmospheric pressure.

24. The method as recited in claim 17, further comprising maintaining the working pressure within the container (9) between 1.6 and 2 bars over atmospheric pressure.