VEHICLE SAFETY APPARATUS HAVING EXPANDABLE CONFINEMENT

• US 3,638,964 A
• Filed: 08/12/1969
• Issued: 02/01/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 08/12/1969
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: Richard Chute
• Inventors: Chute, Richard
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth H.
• Application Number:
  US04/849,394
• Time in Patent Office: 903 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB 137/71,68,70,38,39 251/48 102/73,78
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/268 using instantaneous release of stored pressurised gas B60R21/26005 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/33 Arrangements for non-electric triggering of inflation electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1647 Explosive actuation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1692 Rupture disc

Abstract

An improved safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during the occurrence of an accident includes an expandable confinement having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition for restraining an occupant of the vehicle during an accident. A unitary assembly for effecting expansion of the confinement includes a percussion-actuated explosive valve which is impacted with an actuator in response to the occurrence of an accident to effect operation of the valve to an open condition. Opening the valve enables fluid to flow from a source of fluid to the confinement to effect expansion of the confinement. The actuator can be either a mass which is impacted against the valve in response to the occurrence of an accident or a fixed member against which the valve is impacted. The flow of fluid from the source of fluid is at least partially stabilized by a flow regulator assembly to thereby tend to eliminate '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'peak'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' or excessively high rates of expansion of the confinement.

Claims

1. A safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an accident, said safety apparatus comprising a confinement having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition for restraining an occupant of a vehicle, a source of fluid, valve means movable between a closed position at least partially blocking fluid flow from said source of fluid and an open position enabling fluid to flow from said source of fluid to effect expansion of said confinement, and means responsive to the position of said valve means for regulating the velocity of said valve means in moving from said closed position to said open position to control the rate of fluid flow from said source of fluid to thereby at least partially control the rate of expansion of said confinement.

2. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said valve means includes a body defining an opening through which fluid flows from said source of fluid toward said confinement and a valve member for blocking said opening when said valve means is in the closed condition, said valve means being operable to the open condition under the influence of pressure applied against said valve member by fluid from said source of fluid.

3. Safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an accident, said safety apparatus comprising a confinement having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition, a first source of fluid, main valve means operable from a closed condition at least partially blocking fluid flow from said source of fluid to an open condition to enable fluid to flow from said first source of fluid to effect expansion of said confinement, a second source of fluid, secondary valve means operable from a closed condition to an open condition to enable fluid to flow from said second source of fluid, and means operatively interconnecting said main and secondary valve means for enabling said main valve means to be operated from the closed condition to the open condition at a rate which is a function of fluid flow from said second source of fluid through said secondary valve means to thereby at least partially control expansion of said confinement.

4. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 3 further including explosive valve means operable from a closed condition to an open condition upon the occurrence of an accident to enable fluid to flow from said first source of fluid to said main valve means.

5. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said secondary valve means includes means for limiting fluid flow through said secondary valve means to a rate which is a function of the extent of operation of said main valve means from the closed condition.

6. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said second source of fluid includes means for defining a variable size chamber for holding fluid, said means for operatively interconnecting said main and secondary valve means being operable to decrease the size of said chamber to force fluid therefrom through said secondary valve means.

7. A safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an accident, said safety apparatus comprising a confinement having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition for restraining an occupant of a vehicle, a source of fluid, valve means operable between a closed condition at least partially blocking fluid flow from said source of fluid and an open condition enabling fluid to flow from said source of fluid to effect expansion of said confinement, means for retarding operation of said valve means from said closed condition to said open condition to control the rate of fluid flow from said source of fluid to thereby at least partially control the rate of expansion of said confinement, and means for establishing a flow of fluid from said source of fluid to said valve means in response to the occurrence of an accident.

8. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 7 wherein said means for establishing a flow of fluid includes a percussion-actuated explosive valve and actuator means for impacting with said percussion-actuated explosive valve to effect operation thereof to an open condition upon the occurrence of an accident.

9. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 7 further including means for mounting said valve means and said means for retarding operation of said valve means on said source of fluid to thereby provide a unitary construction.

10. A safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an accident, said safety apparatus comprising a confinement having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition for restraining an occupant of a vehicle, a source of fluid, valve means operable between a closed condition at least partially blocking fluid flow from said source of fluid and an open condition enabling fluid to flow from said source of fluid to effect expansion of said confinement, and means for retarding operation of said valve means from said closed condition to said open condition to control the rate of fluid flow from said source of fluid to thereby at least partially control the rate of expansion of said confinement including a second source of fluid and means for enabling said valve means to be operated to the open condition at a rate which is a function of fluid flow from said second source of fluid.

11. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 10 wherein said second source of fluid includes variable size chamber means for holding fluid and outlet means for restricting fluid flow from said variable size chamber means, said valve means being operatively connected to said variable size chamber means in such a manner that operation of said valve means from the closed condition to the open condition effects a flow in fluid from said variable size chamber through said outlet means and a corresponding decrease in the size of said variable size chamber means.

12. A safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an accident, said safety apparatus comprising a confinement having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition for restraining an occupant of a vehicle, a source of fluid, means for establishing a flow of fluid from said source of fluid to effect expansion of said confinement upon the occurrence of an accident, said means comprising impact actuatable means operable to provide fluid from said source of fluid and actuator means for impacting with saiD impact actuable means in response to the occurrence of an accident, valve means operable between a closed condition at least partially blocking fluid flow from said source of fluid and an open condition enabling fluid to flow from said source of fluid to effect expansion of said confinement, and means for retarding operation of said valve means from said closed condition to said open condition to control the rate of fluid flow from said source of fluid to thereby at least partially control the rate of expansion of said confinement.

13. A safety apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said source of fluid is a fluid reservoir and said impact actuatable means includes explosive valve means for blocking fluid flow from said reservoir and percussion actuatable detonator means for activating said explosive valve means upon impact with said actuator means.

14. Safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during the occurrence of an accident comprising an expandable confinement having a collapsed condition and an expanded condition in which the confinement restrains an occupant of the vehicle during an accident, a source of fluid, means for connecting said source of fluid in fluid communication with said confinement, and first and second valve means for controlling fluid flow from said source of fluid, said first valve means being operable from a closed condition to an open condition to enable fluid to flow from said source of fluid to said second valve means upon the occurrence of an accident, said second valve means being operable from a closed condition at least partially blocking fluid flow toward said confinement to an open condition after operation of said first valve means to the open condition in response to opening of said first valve means, said second valve means at least partially controlling the rate of flow of fluid from said source of fluid to thereby control the rate of expansion of said confinement, said second valve means including a control valve disposed in a path of fluid flow between said source of fluid and said confinement, and means for retarding operation of said control valve to the open condition to thereby control the flow of fluid to effect expansion of said confinement in a predetermined manner.

15. Safety apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said means for retarding operation of said control valve includes chamber means for holding a fluid and means for decreasing the size of said chamber means in response to operation of said control valve from the closed condition to the open condition, said chamber means including outlet means for restricting a flow of fluid from said chamber means to thereby retard decreasing the size of said chamber means and operation of said control valve.

16. Safety apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said means for retarding operation of said control valve further includes means for limiting the rate at which fluid flows from said chamber means to a rate which is a function of the extent of operation of said control valve.