INFLATABLE VEHICLE CONFINEMENT

• US 3,582,107 A
• Filed: 04/01/1968
• Issued: 06/01/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 04/01/1968
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: George W. Goetz, Robert N. Roley
• Inventors: Goetz, George W., Roley, Robert N.
• Application Number:
  US04/717,662
• Time in Patent Office: 1,156 Days
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23107 the bag being integrated in a multi-bag system
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23161 specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23 Inflatable members B60R21/18 takes precedence; connection to inflation fluid source retainers B60R21/217
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

A vehicle safety apparatus includes an inflatable confinement which is inflated by the flow of fluid from a fluid reservoir to the confinement. The confinement has a generally cylindrical shape and is constructed to receive and locate the fluid reservoir therein. The confinement is compartmentalized in certain embodiments. The compartmentalized confinement is operable to restrain movement of a plurality of vehicle passengers during a collision. The compartmentalized construction provides a restraint for each passenger and operates to control each passenger substantially independently of any other passengers during a collision. In another embodiment of the present invention, a plurality of compartmentalized confinements are utilized to control movement of the occupant of the vehicle during a collision.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising a confinement having a collapsed inoperative position and an inflated operative position, said confinement having an extent to control movement of a plurality of passengers in a vehicle during a collision, and said confinement having a plurality of separate adjacent compartments which provide for individual restraint of each passenger substantially independently of the adjacent passengers of the vehicle.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a single fluid reservoir is provided for effecting inflation of said compartments.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said confinement has a generalLy cylindrical configuration when in its inflated operative position.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said cylindrical-shaped confinement is comprised of a pair of end members which are connected with a cylindrical-shaped portion so as to provide said cylindrical shape.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said fluid reservoir is an elongate member which extends through said confinement and has its opposite end portions projecting through said end members.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said confinement includes at least two compartments which are separated by a divider member.

7. A vehicle safety apparatus to be mounted in a position so as to effect a restraint on a plurality of passengers in a vehicle during a collision, said vehicle safety apparatus comprising an inflatable confinement having a collapsed inoperative condition and an inflated operative condition, said confinement having means defining a plurality of separate adjacent fluidtight compartments therein which provide a separate independent restraint for each occupant of the vehicle to restrain movement of that occupant of the vehicle independently of movement of any of the other occupants of the vehicle.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein one portion of said confinement is provided with an excess of material so as to provide for free movement of two adjacent parts of said confinement independently.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 further including a fluid reservoir operatively associated with said confinement and a diffuser member for diffusing the flow of fluid from said reservoir prior to entry of the fluid into said confinement.

10. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising confinement means having a collapsed inoperative condition and an expanded operative condition, said confinement means comprising a plurality of separate adjacent fluidtight compartments providing for separate control of individual passengers by the confinement independently of other passengers of the vehicle, and means for inflating said confinement means.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said confinement means comprises a single individual confinement having a plurality of compartments.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said confinement means comprises a plurality of confinements each of which has a plurality of compartments and further including means for effecting individual actuation of said confinements to said expanded operative condition.

13. Vehicle safety apparatus comprising a plurality of confinements, each of said confinements having an inoperative contracted condition and an expanded operative condition, all of said confinements when in said operative condition being operable to restrain movement of at least one occupant of the vehicle during a collision, and means for inflating one of said confinements prior to the other of said confinements.

14. Vehicle safety apparatus as defined in claim 13 wherein said one confinement when expanded operates to move an occupant away from the other confinements prior to expansion thereof.

15. Vehicle safety apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein each of said confinements has a plurality of separate compartments.

16. Vehicle safety apparatus comprising a confinement having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition, means comprising a fluid reservoir providing for fluid flow to effect expansion of said confinement, said confinement when expanded being operable to restrain movement of an occupant of a vehicle as a result of a collision, said confinement when expanded having a generally cylindrical configuration defined by a cylindrical portion and two end portions at opposite ends of the cylindrical portion, said fluid reservoir located in at least one of said end portions and said confinement includes means separating the confinement into a plurality of compartments.