VEHICLE KNEE BAG

• US 3,768,830 A
• Filed: 09/23/1970
• Issued: 10/30/1973
• Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: David P. Hass
• Inventors: Hass, David P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth H.
• Application Number:
  US05/074,765
• Time in Patent Office: 1,133 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB,15B 244/122R,122AG 206/DIG.31
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23324 Inner walls crating separate compartments, e.g. communicating with vents
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence

Abstract

An improved vehicle safety apparatus includes a confinement which is expanded from a collapsed condition upon the occurrence of an accident to restrain movement of an occupant of the vehicle. The confinement comprises two chambers or compartments, one of the compartments is immediately expanded to engage the legs of the occupant at or below the knee. After the first compartment has at least in part been expanded, the second compartment is expanded upwardly between the dashboard and the torso of the occupant.

Claims

1. Safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an accident, said safety apparatus comprising a confinement means expandable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which said confinement means is adapted to restrain movement of the occupant of the vehicle, said confinement means including means defining a first compartment positioned to engage the legs of the occupant at, or below, the knee upon expansion of the confinement means to the expanded condition, and means defining a second compartment fluidically in series with said first compartment for engaging the torso of the occupant upon expansion of the confinement means to the expanded condition, means for effecting expansion of the confinement means to the expanded condition including means for providing a flow of fluid in response to the occurrence of an accident, and means for initiating expansion of said first compartment prior to initiation of expansion of said second compartment and including control means which initially blocks fluid flow into said second compartment and in response to the presence of a predetermined fluid pressure in said first compartment and enables fluid to flow into said second compartment whereby said first compartment may be effective to maintain said occupant in seated position during expansion of said second compartment.

2. Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for controlling the flow of fluid includes burstable means which initially blocks fluid flow into said second compartment and bursts in response to the presence of a predetermined fluid pressure in said first compartment to enable fluid to flow into said second compartment.

3. Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said burstable means is located in a portion of a wall which is disposed between said first and second compartments and which in part defines said first and second compartmenTs.

4. Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further including means for supporting said confinement means in the collapsed condition beneath the dashboard of the vehicle.

5. Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 4 wherein at least a portion of said second compartment is located rearwardly of the dashboard of the vehicle when said confinement means is in the expanded condition.

6. Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said confinement means comprises an outer wall means and an inner wall dividing the chamber defined by the outer wall means into said first and second compartments.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said first compartment is much smaller than said second compartment whereby said first compartment may be rapidly inflated to thereby engage the occupant'"'"''"'"'s legs at or below the knee as early in the collision sequence as practicable.