SAFETY DEVICE FOR VEHICLES

• US 3,797,853 A
• Filed: 04/13/1972
• Issued: 03/19/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ernst Grosch, Heinz Gawlick, Hellmut Bendler, Karl-Egon Flach
• Original Assignee: Ernst Grosch, Heinz Gawlick, Hellmut Bendler, Karl-Egon Flach
• Inventors: Gawlick, Heinz, Bendler, Hellmut, Flach, Karl-Egon, Grosch, Ernst
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth H.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/243,674
• Time in Patent Office: 705 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB,15B 137/71,455 222/3,5,163,492
• US Class Current: 280/740
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2173 the module or part thereof being movably mounted on the vehicle
• 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 137/1789 Having pressure responsive valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7722 Line condition change responsive valves

Abstract

A safety device for vehicles, especially automotive vehicles, having a bag disposed in front of the occupant and being inflatable in the manner of a cushion, which bag is in operative connection via a diffuser with a source of compressed gas which can be actuated by an ignition device triggered by a release element responding when a predetermined deceleration value has been exceeded, wherein the diffuser is fashioned as a cover which is resiliently connected to the source of compressed gas and is disposed in the manner of a cap over the source of compressed gas so as to be displaceable to a limited extent in a telescopic manner.

Claims

1. A safety device for vehicles, especially automotive vehicles comprising an inflatable bag, a source of compressed gas connected to said inflatable bag, ignition means for actuating said source of compressed gas to release gas under force into said inflatable bag, and ignition control means for actuating said ignition means in response to detection of a condition, said source of compressed gas including a closed storage container providing gas under pressure and a diffuser element formed in the shape of a cover having a rim thereof extending over one end of said storage container in telescopic relation therewith, said diffuser element having a plurality of openings and being telescopically displaceable within predetermined limits between a rest position adjacent one end of said storage container and an operating position in which an operating diffusing chamber is formed upon activation of said ignition means, said ignition means including an operating element for opening said storage container adjacent said diffuser element, said diffuser element and said storage container being arranged with respect to one another such that the total space occupied by said diffuser element and said storage container is substantially less in the rest position of said diffuser element than in the operating position thereof.

2. A safety device as defined in claim 1, including resilient biasing means for biasing said diffuser element against movement away from said storage container.

3. A safety device as defined in claim 2, wherein said resilient biasing means is a cylindrical resilient element disposed between a rim of said container and the rim of said diffuser element.

4. A safety device as defined in claim 2, wherein said resilient biasing means is a coil spring disposed between a rim of said container and the rim of said diffuser element.

5. A safety device as defined in claim 2, wherein said storage container has a weakened wall portion forming a rupturing zone adjacent said diffuser element, said operating element of said ignition means is a piston mounted in a cylinder and positioned in operative association with said weakened wall portion of said storage container, said ignition means further including a propellant powder charge on one side of said piston in said cylinder.

6. A safety device as defined in claim 5, wherein said ignition means further includes means for limiting the displacement of said piston and said diffuser element so that displacement of said piston shifts said diffuser element which simultaneously reaches the operating position therewith.

7. A safety device as defined in claim 6, wherein the cross section of said rupturing zone and the cross section of said piston are adapted to a predetermined size of the openings in said diffuser element to control the displacement of said diffuser element.

8. A safety device as defined in claim 1, wherein said storage container has a weakened wall portion forming a rupturing zone adjacent said diffuser element, said operating element of said ignition means is a piston mounted in a cylinder and positioned in operative association with said weakened wall portion of said storage container, said ignition means further including a propellant powder charge on one side of said piston in said cylinder.

9. A safety device according to claim 1, wherein said diffuser element is contiguous with the one end of said container in the rest position thereof.

10. A safety device according to claim 1, wherein said diffuser element is a relatively rigid member.