SAFETY DEVICE

• US 3,552,770 A
• Filed: 11/21/1968
• Issued: 01/05/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Charles O. Berryman
• Inventors: Berryman, Charles O.
• Application Number:
  US04/777,734
• Time in Patent Office: 775 Days
• US Class Current: 280/740
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/21525 the lid being fixed on the bag, or forming part of the bag wall, or the bag itself being used as wall liner
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23528 Metal
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/16 Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags protective garments with automatically inflatable shock-absorbing means A41D13/018; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2646 the reacting substances being supported by the inflatable member walls, or by a flexible support within it
• CPC Class Codes: F42B 3/04 for producing gas under pressure generators of inflation fluid especially adapted for vehicle air bags B60R21/26

Abstract

A SEFETY DEVICE FOR PROTECTING AN OCCUPANT OF A VEHICLE DURING AN ACCIDENT COMPRISES A CONFINEMANT SUPPORTED ON THE VEHICLE. THE CONFINEMENT IS SUPPORTED IN AN INOPERATIVE COLLAPSED CONDITION AND IS EXPANDED TO AN OPERATIVE CONDITION UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF AN ACCIDENT. ONE EMBODIMENT OF THE PRESENT INVENTION INCLUDES A ZERO REACTION DIFFUSER FOR DIRECTING FLOW FROM A FLUID RESERVOIR INTO A CONFINEMENT UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF AN ACCIDENT TO EXPAND THE CONFINEMENT. ANOTHER EMBODIMENT INCLUDES GAS GENERATING MATERIAL THAT IS ACTIVATED UPON THE OCCURRENCE OF AN ACCIDENT TO RAPIDLY PRODUCE GAS TO EXPAND THE CONFINEMENT.

Claims