INFLATABLE RESTRAINT FOR VEHICLE OCCUPANT

• US 3,618,978 A
• Filed: 05/11/1970
• Issued: 11/09/1971
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Edwin H. Jr. Klove, James L. Noll, James S. Mcdaniel
• Original Assignee: Edwin H. Jr. Klove, James L. Noll, James S. Mcdaniel
• Inventors: McDaniel, James S., Klove, Edwin H. Jr., Noll, James L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth H.
• Application Number:
  US05/036,080
• Time in Patent Office: 547 Days
• Field of Search: 280/150 206/DIG.30,19.5 244/122R
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/206 in the lower part of dashboards, e.g. for protecting the knees
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded

Abstract

A vehicle includes a seat and a seat cushion and a seat back for supporting an occupant in seated position, an instrument panel having a frontal surface spaced from and juxtaposed to the seat back, and a source of pressure fluid releasable in response to the vehicle receiving an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time. The occupant restraint includes an inflatable cushion which is normally rolled upon itself and located below the frontal surface of the instrument panel in communication with the source of pressure fluid. When the pressure fluid is released, the cushion unrolls along the knees and upper leg portions of the seated occupant and along the frontal surface of the instrument panel and into engagement with the torso of the occupant to thereby apply a downward and rearward force on the seated occupant and fill the space between the frontal surface of the instrument panel and the upper leg portions and torso of the occupant.

Claims

1. In combination with a vehicle including a seat having a seat cushion and a seat back for supporting an occupant in seated position, an instrument panel having a frontal surface juxtaposed to the seat back and torso of a seated occupant, and a source of pressure fluid releasable in response to the vehicle receiving an acceleration pulse of predetermined amplitude and time, an occupant restraint comprising, an inflatable cushion having upper and lower wall portions joined adjacent one end of the cushion by an end wall portion, means mounting the other end of the cushion on the vehicle below the frontal surface of the instrument panel, means communicating the cushion with the source of pressure fluid, the cushion in deflated condition being rolled upon itself and located below the frontal surface of the instrument panel with the roll extending from the upper wall portion thereof, the cushion, upon inflation by the pressure fluid, unrolling toward the seated occupant with the upper wall portion unrolling along the frontal surface of the instrument panel, the lower wall portion unrolling along the knees and upper leg portions of the seated occupant, and the end wall portion engaging the torso of the seated occupant to thereby apply a downward and rearward force on the seated occupant and fill the space between the frontal surface of the instrument panel and the upper leg portions and torso of the seated occupant.