VEHICULAR SAFETY DEVICE

• US 3,736,004 A
• Filed: 04/29/1971
• Issued: 05/29/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Takashi Haruna
• Original Assignee: Takashi Haruna
• Inventors: Haruna, Takashi
• Primary Examiner(s): Friaglia, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/138,528
• Time in Patent Office: 761 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB,15B 180/90 161/68
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/04 Padded linings for the vehicle interior ; Energy absorbing structures associated with padded or non-padded linings
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/20 Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components

Abstract

An improvement is made on a vehicular safety device using an inflatable confinement which is expanded to a protective condition when a collision is encountered by a motor vehicle. The improvement comprises a shock-absorptive structure which is located within the inflatable confinement and receives a vehicle occupant in the event the vehicle occupant is flung to the inflatable confinement before the confinement is fully expanded to the protective condition. The vehicle occupant is thus protected from being forced against structural parts of a cabin of the motor vehicle even when the confinement which is being expanded and caused to cave in by the force of inertia in the vehicle occupant subjected to the impact.

Claims

1. In a safety device for a motor vehicle having an inflatable confinement which is stored in a collapsed condition and which is expanded to a protective condition by a pressurized fluid immediately when the motor vehicle encounters a collision, the improvement comprising a shock-absorptive structure which is located internally of said inflatable confinement for carrying a load when the load is applied to said inflatable confinement before the inflatable confinement is fully expanded to said protective condition, said shock-absorptive structure including a unitary honeycomb member consisting of a plurality of elastic hollow tubular elements which are secured together substantially at right angles to a direction in which said load is supplied to said inflatable confinement, a pressurized gas producing medium which is stored in at least some of said tubular elements, and a pair of explosive means which are mounted at and in contact with both ends of said honeycomb member and which are fired to cause said medium to produce a pressurized gas for expanding said inflatable confinement to said protective position when said impact is applied to said motor vehicle.

2. The improvement according to claim 1, in which said pressurized gas producing medium is stored in a limited number of the tubular elements.

3. The improvement according to claim 2, in which said pressurized gas producing medium is stored in those tubular elements which are located on the side of said structure remote from said load.