TRIGGER MECHANISM FOR PASSENGER-RESTRAINING SAFETY DEVICE

• US 3,601,081 A
• Filed: 01/27/1970
• Issued: 08/24/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 01/21/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ensign Bickford Aerospace Co.
• Original Assignee: Francis N. Wroble, William M. Smith
• Inventors: Smith, William M., Wroble, Francis N.
• Primary Examiner(s): QUEISSER, Richard C.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Goldstein, Herbert
• Application Number:
  US05/006,162
• Time in Patent Office: 574 Days
• Field of Search: 73/492 200/61.45,61.53 116/114.29 280/15AB
• US Class Current: 280/734
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/33 Arrangements for non-electric triggering of inflation electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: F42C 7/12 Percussion fuzes of the double-action type, i.e. fuzes cocked and fired in a single movement, e.g. by pulling an incorporated percussion pin or hammer percussion caps F42C19/10

Abstract

A directional trigger mechanism responsive to a predetermined decelerating or impact force for explosively deploying a passenger-restraining safety device in a vehicle comprises a compact housing having first and second passages intersecting at substantially a right angle with the second passage extending laterally from the first passage at a point intermediate the ends thereof. A slidable weight positioned within the second passage carries a firing pin on one end thereof and a spherical cam portion on the opposite end thereof, the cam portion being disposed within the intersection of said first and second passages when the weight is in its retracted cocked position. A pair of weight retaining and driving spheres are positioned within the first passage and are biased into engagement with opposite sides of the spherical cam portion to releasably retain the firing pin in its cocked position and positively drive the weight toward its actuating position upon release from the cocked position.

Claims

1. A directional trigger mechanism responsive to an inertial force for explosively deploying a passenger-restraining safety device in a vehicle independently of the electrical system of the vehicle comprising a support member having an elongated body portion provided with a first passage extending along the length thereof and a side extension projecting from said body portion and having a side passage extending laterally from said first passage along the entire length of said side extension;

an elongated inertial mass having an actuator on one end thereof and a spherical camming surface on the opposite end thereof, said inertial mass being positioned within said side passage for slidable movement therealong between a cocked position and an actuating position in response to said inertial force;

a pair of drive spheres of substantially the same diameter as the spherical camming surface coaxially positioned within said first passage on opposite sides of the camming surface, said spherical camming surface being disposed within the intersection of said passages with its geometric center displaced relative to the aligned centers of the drive spheres when the inertial mass is in its cocked position and said actuator projecting outwardly from said side passage when the inertial mass is in its actuating position;

as biasing means constantly biasing said drive spheres into intimate engagement with said spherical camming surface for releasably retaining said inertial mass within its cocked position and driving said actuator toward its actuating position upon release from its cocked position.

2. trigger mechanism of claim 1 including adjustable stop means on the support in axial alignment with said side passage limiting movement of the inertial mass out of the cocked position in a direction away from the actuating position and for controllably adjusting the force required to move the inertial mass out of its cocked position.

3. The trigger mechanism of claim 1 wherein said inertial mass is movable along a first axis and the drive spheres are movable along a second axis disposed substantially perpendicular to said first axis, said biasing means constantly applying a converging force to said drive spheres along said second axis, said force being transferred between said drive spheres and said camming surface through point contact therebetween.