SAFETY APPARATUS

• US 3,784,223 A
• Filed: 06/10/1971
• Issued: 01/08/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/10/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: David P. Hass, John E. Kunz
• Inventors: Hass, David P., Kunz, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/151,665
• Time in Patent Office: 943 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15B,15AB 180/90
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/045 associated with the instrument panel or dashboard
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2032 the inflator or inflatable member not being rotatable with the steering wheel; Arrangements using the steering column or steering wheel rim for storing, supplying or evacuating the inflation gas or for storing the inflatable member
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23 Inflatable members B60R21/18 takes precedence; connection to inflation fluid source retainers B60R21/217
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1647 Explosive actuation
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/1692 Rupture disc

Abstract

A safety apparatus for a vehicle includes a plurality of expandable confinements for protecting an occupant of the vehicle during an accident, an elongate diffuser member, an elongate fluid reservior disposed concentrically with the longitudinal axis of the elongate diffuser member, and a valve for effecting fluid flow from the reservoir. The valve is mounted at one end of the reservior and engages with one end portion of the diffuser member so as to positively locate the diffuser member relative to the reservior. Mounting means are provided for supporting the ends of the diffuser member adjacent the side walls of the vehicle, and providing for relative movement of the diffuser member and the vehicle in the event an occupant impacts with the diffuser member so as to absorb and dissipate the kinetic energy of the occupant. The diffuser member includes a first group of openings for directing fluid to a first one of the plurality of confinements and a second group of openings for directing fluid to a second one of the plurality of confinements. The first and second groups of openings each have an effective area and a location on the elongate diffuser member to control the fluid flow from the reservior so as to effect expansion of their associated confinements in a predetermined manner.

Claims

1. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle having a pair of side walls substantially parallel to the normal direction of movement of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising an expandable confinement having a collapsed condition and an expanded operative condition for protecting an occupant of the vehicle during a collision, a source of fluid for effecting expansion of said confinement to said expanded operative condition, a sensor for sensing the occurrence of a collision and actuating said source of fluid to thereby effect expansion of said confinement, an elongate diffuser member providing fluid communication between said source of fluid and said expandable confinement, mounting means for mounting said elongate difFuser member so that the longitudinal axis thereof is disposed perpendicularly to the side walls of the vehicle, said mounting means supporting said elongate diffuser member with the ends thereof adjacent to the side walls of the vehicle, said mounting means comprising a bracket attached to each opposite end portion of said diffuser, said brackets being operable to provide for relative movement between said diffuser and the side walls of the vehicle in a direction parallel to the side walls upon impact of the occupant with the diffuser member to thereby absorb and dissipate a substantial portion of the kinetic energy of the occupant and prevent injury to the occupant.

2. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 1 wherein said source of fluid includes a fluid reservoir having a supply of fluid located therein, said fluid reservoir being disposed concentrically with the longitudinal axis of said elongate diffuser member, said diffuser member and said reservoir being movable relative to the side walls of the vehicle upon impact of an occupant with the diffuser member.

3. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 2 further including explosive valve means disposed on one end of said fluid reservoir for normally preventing the flow of fluid from said fluid reservoir, said explosive valve means having a shoulder engaging said diffuser member and supporting said fluid reservoir in said concentric relationship relative to said diffuser member, and wherein said diffuser member is disposed around said fluid reservoir.

4. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 2 wherein said elongate diffuser member extends substantially completely across the passenger compartment of the vehicle.

5. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 6 wherein said expandable confinement includes a torso bag operable to engage with the torso of an occupant of the vehicle, and further including a knee bag for engaging with the legs of an occupant of the vehicle, said knee bag being disposed within said torso bag and said torso bag expanding simultaneously and said knee bag reaching its fully expanded condition prior to said torso bag reaching its fully expanded condition, said knee bag operating to insure that said torso bag expands past the legs of the occupant of the vehicle and to thereby provide room for expansion of said torso bag.

6. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 5 wherein said torso bag has a rolled configuration when in said collapsed condition and said knee bag has an accordion packed configuration when in a collapsed condition, said knee bag unfolding to engage the legs of the occupant prior to reaching its fully expanded condition and said torso bag unrolling up the legs of the occupant toward the torso thereof, prior to reaching its fully expanded condition.

7. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 5 wherein said diffuser member has a plurality of openings therein which provide for fluid communication between said fluid reservoir and the interior of said torso bag and said knee bag said openings in said diffuser member controlling the expansion of said bags so that the knee bag has a fully expanded condition prior to said torso bag reaching its fully expanded condition.

8. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 7 wherein said openings in said diffuser member control the expansion of said bags so that said knee bag has a higher pressure therein, when in said fully expanded condition, than said torso bag, when in said fully expanded condition.

9. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 7 wherein said fluid reservoir is operable to be in fluid communication with one end of said diffuser member, the opposite end of said diffuser member having a closed condition, said fluid flow from said fluid reservoir being in a direction from said one end toward said opposite end so as to impinge upon said opposite end and then build pressure bacK toward said one end during the initial stage of fluid flow and wherein the fluid flow per opening in said diffuser member increases as the distance by which the opening is located from said one end increases.

10. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 2 wherein said diffuser member has a thin wall construction of a crushable material which deforms so as to absorb and dissipate kinetic energy of the occupant if the occupant impacts therewith.

11. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle comprising:

first and second expandable confinements each having a collapsed condition and an expanded operative condition for protecting an occupant of the vehicle during the occurrence of a collision, a source of fluid for effecting expansion of said first and second confinements to said expanded operative condition, a sensor for sensing the occurrence of a collision and actuating said source of fluid to thereby effect expansion of said confinements, an elongate diffuser member with said fluid supply disposed therein and having a plurality of openings therein disposed along the length thereof for directing fluid from said source of fluid to said first and second confinements, said diffuser having a first closed end and a second closed end, said plurality of openings including a first group of openings for directing fluid to said first confinement and a second group of openings for directing fluid to said second confinement, said first group of openings being located in a predetermined position along the length of said elongate diffuser and having a combined effective area for effecting expansion of said first confinement in a predetermined manner and said second group of openings being located in a predetermined position along the length of said elongate diffuser and having a combined effective area for effecting expansion of said second confinement in a predetermined manner, mounting means for mounting said elongate diffuser with the longitudinal axis thereof transversely of the vehicle, said mounting means including bracket means attached to each opposite end of said diffuser, said bracket means being operable to provide for relative movement between said diffuser and the side walls of the vehicle in a direction longitudinally of the vehicle upon impact of the occupant with the diffuser member for absorbing and dissipating a desired portion of the kinetic energy of the occupant and preventing injury to the occupant.

12. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 11 wherein said first confinement comprises a knee bag for engaging with the legs of a passenger of a vehicle and said second confinement comprises a torso bag for engaging with the torso of a passenger of the vehicle, said torso bag and said knee bag expanding simultaneously from their collapsed condition and said knee bag reaching said expanded operative condition prior to said torso bag reaching said expanded operative condition.

13. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 11 further including a third expandable confinement having a collapsed condition and an expanded operative condition, said third confinement comprising a knee bag for engaging with the knees of a driver of the vehicle and said diffuser further including a third group of openings for directing fluid to said third confinement.

14. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 13 wherein said diffuser member has a length which is substantially equal to the combined width of said second, and third confinements when in said collapsed conditions.

15. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 11 wherein said source of fluid includes a fluid reservoir having high pressure fluid disposed therein, said reservoir being disposed concentrically within said elongate diffuser member and further including explosive valve means disposed at one end of said fluid reservoir providing for opening of said fluid reservoir in response to said sensor sensing the occurrence of a collision, Said explosive valve means having a shoulder portion thereon engageable with said diffuser member to thereby hold said fluid reservoir in a predetermined concentric relationship relative to said diffuser member.

16. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 11 wherein said openings in said diffuser means controls expansion of said confinements so that said confinements expand equally along the entire width thereof.

17. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 16 wherein said diffuser means extends substantially entirely between the side walls of the vehicle with said first and second end portions being disposed adjacent to the side walls of the vehicle.

18. Safety apparatus as defined in claim 11, wherein said first confinement, when in said collapsed condition, has a rolled configuration and is operable to unroll and expand to assume said operative condition upon the application of fluid from said fluid source to the interior of said first confinement.

19. Safety apparatus for use on a vehicle as defined in claim 18 wherein said second expandable confinement expands to its operative condition prior to said first confinement reaching its expanded operative condition, said second confinement providing for positioning of the occupant of the vehicle as said first confinement expands so as to insure a proper clearance space between the occupant and the first confinement as the first confinement reaches its expanded condition.