AIR BAG TABLE

• US 3,650,223 A
• Filed: 09/04/1970
• Issued: 03/21/1972
• Est. Priority Date: 09/04/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Yasusaburo Kobori
• Original Assignee: Yasusaburo Kobori
• Inventors: Kobori, Yasusaburo
• Primary Examiner(s): Gilliam, Paul R.
• Application Number:
  US05/069,582
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 108/44 297/DIG.3 248/1 293/52F,71P
• US Class Current: 108/44
• CPC Class Codes: A47B 31/06 adapted to the use in vehicles with a set of feet and a part resting on someone's lap A47B23/041; arrangements or adaptations of tables in vehicles B60N3/001
• CPC Class Codes: A47C 7/70 of foldable type
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0293 Additional pads or cushions in vehicle compartments, e.g. movably mounted
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0407 using gas or liquid as energy absorbing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/02 Occupant safety arrangements or fittings , e.g. crash pads seat belts with crash pads B60R22/14; removable children's seats having a front guard or barrier B60N2/2839
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 297/03 Pneumatic

Abstract

An air bag table for use in vehicles having an air bag which can not stand by itself but is capable of being inflated with gas and forming a substantially flat plane at one portion thereof, a fixture for mounting the air bag on a desired portion in a vehicle compartment, a device for sealing gas in the air bag, and a pressure regulator, whereby when a vehicle passenger strikes against the inflated air bag, it automatically discharges the sealed gas from the air bag to safely protect the vehicle passenger.

Claims

1. An air bag table for use in vehicles comprising an air bag which can not stand by itself but is capable of being inflated with a gas and forming an air bag table with a substantially flat plane at one portion, fixture means for mounting the air bag near a vehicle passenger in the vehicle compartment, means for sealing the gas in the air bag, and pressure regulator means for automatically discharging the sealed gas from the air bag in the case of sudden rise of the pressure of the sealed gas resulting from striking of the passenger against the inflated air bag table due to an external shock said air bag table has formed therein a plurality of diaphragms for ensuring maintenance of the air bag table in a predetermined shape when inflated.

2. An air bag table as claimed in claim 1 which further includes means for maintaining the upper surface of the air bag table substantially horizontal when it is inflated.

3. An air bag table as claimed in claim 1 which is substantially L-shaped in cross-section when inflated, its horizontal portion corresponding to the knee and breast of a passenger sitting in a seat to thereby prevent the vertical movement of the passenger.

4. An air bag table as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pressure regulator means comprises a disc fastened to the air bag on the outside thereof, the disc having an opening aligned with an opening bored in the air bag, a cover having openings and secured to the margin of the disc, a weight disposed on the opening of the disc and normally closing the two openings, and a spring means provided in the cover for pressing the weight, the force of the spring means being adjusted so that when the weight is supplied with a force exceeding a predetermined value resulting from the accident of the travelling vehicle, the weight moves against the force of the spring means to open the openings of the air bag and the disc, thereby automatically discharging air sealed in the air bag.

5. An air bag table as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pressure regulator means comprises a weight having a projection and suspended in the air bag table as a pendulum and an opening formed in the air bag for receiving the projection, the pressure regulator means being adapted so that when a force exceeding a predetermined value is rendered to the weight, the projection disengages from the opening of the air bag to automatically discharge air in the air bag to absorb impact of the passenger thrown thereagainst to protect him without rendering any reaction to him.

6. An air bag table as claimed in claim 5 wherein a cord is fixed at one end to the top of the projection formed on the weight and the other end of the cord is led out from the air bag so as to facilitate engagement and disengagement of the projection with and from the opening of the air bag.

7. An air bag table as claimed in claim 1 wherein the pressure regulator means comprises an opening formed in the air bag and a thin film normally closing the opening in an airtight manner, the film being more readily ruptured than the air bag to discharge air sealed in the air bag when the pressure in the air bag is increased as compared with the normal value.