VEHICLE OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM

• US 3,795,412 A
• Filed: 06/16/1972
• Issued: 03/05/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Andrew E. John
• Original Assignee: Andrew E. John
• Inventors: John, Andrew E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Rubenstein, J. D.
• Application Number:
  US05/263,405
• Time in Patent Office: 627 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15B,15AB 180/91
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/08 automatically movable from an inoperative to an operative position, e.g. in a collision electrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/214 in roof panels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

A vehicle safety device is disclosed herein for protecting occupants during an accident having a roof housing for storage of a plurality of inflatable, spaced apart tubes carrying a sleeve of netting material adapted to surround and confine the occupants upon deployment. Deployment is achieved upon the occurrence of an accident by releasing a pressurized gas coupled to the tubes for inflation thereof and rapid extension of the netting from the housing. The netting and inflated tubes are positioned about the occupants and the back of the seat to restrain the occupants from forward or lateral movement.

Claims

1. A personnel restraining apparatus for minimizing injury to an occupant of a vehicle during the occurrence of an accident comprising the combination of:

a low profile housing carried on the underside of the roof of the vehicle immediately over the occupant and the back of the seat supporting the occupant;

said housing having a continuous peripheral opening defined by a pair of opposing pliable doors;

a plurality of inflatable tubes having a stored condition within said housing and an extended condition downwardly depending through said continuous opening about the occupant and the seat back;

a netting carried by said plurality of tubes and surrounding the occupant and the seat back when said plurality of tubes are in their extended condition; and

means carried on the vehicle operably connected to said plurality of tubes for introducing a pressurized fluid thereto to forceably urge said plurality of tubes through said continuous opening.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein each tube of said plurality is closed at its extended end and further includes resilient means normally biasing said tube against said doors.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said netting is of sufficient wide mesh to provide occupant visibility and of sufficient narrow mesh to prevent passage of flying debris encountered during the occurrence of an accident.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said netting is composed of an angular weave whereby said tubes are slightly drawn inward when fully extended, said angular weave providing a normal inward bias for said tubes in said extended condition.

5. The invention as defined in claim 4 wherein said tubes are of sufficient length to reach the lap of the occupant.

6. The invention as defined in claim 5 wherein said netting further includes a sheet of transparent material immediately ahead of the face of the occupant when said tubes and netting are extended.

7. The invention as defined in claim 3 including a manifold network interconnecting each of said tubes with said pressurized fluid means for simultaneously extending all of said tubes as a unit.

8. The invention as defined in claim 7 including sensing means carried on the vehicle and operably connected to said pressurized fluid means for actuating said latter means in response to the occurrence of an accident.

9. The invention as defined in claim 8 wherein said plurality of tubes comprise at least twelve tubes and said tubes in said extended condition embrace the upper torso of the occupant, the seat back and the headresT.

10. The invention as defined in claim 9 wherein said housing doors are composed of yieldable material permitting said tubes and said netting to be forced through said continuous opening upon inflation of said tubes.