INFLATABLE GAS CUSHION FOR PASSENGER PROTECTION OF VEHICLES, ESPECIALLY MOTOR VEHICLES

• US 3,831,972 A
• Filed: 10/06/1972
• Issued: 08/27/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 10/08/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Hansjurgen Scholz, Luigi Brambilla, Rudolf Allgaier
• Original Assignee: Hansjurgen Scholz, Luigi Brambilla, Rudolf Allgaier
• Inventors: Allgaier, Rudolf, Brambilla, Luigi, Scholz, Hansjurgen
• Primary Examiner(s): Schonberg, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/295,572
• Time in Patent Office: 690 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB,15B 180/90 244/121 5/348R
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

An inflatable gas cushion for the protection of the passengers of vehicles, especially of motor vehicles, in which the side of the inflatable gas cushion facing the user is constructed offset step-shaped in such a manner that an impact surface for the head of the user which is formed thereby is essentially horizontal or only slightly inclined with respect to the horizontal when the gas cushion is inflated.

Claims

1. A safety arrangement for the protection of passengers of vehicles, especially of motor vehicles including a windshield, the arrangement comprising:

an inflatable gas cushion, means for inflating said gas cushion upon exceeding a predetermined deceleration, said gas cushion in the inflated position having a protective surface facing the vehicle passenger which is offset step-shaped in configuration, said protective surface including a pair of spaced vertically extending surface portions and a substantially horizontally extending surface portion defining an impact surface for the head of the vehicle passenger, said gas cushion including a further surface portion disposed opposite said protective surface adapted to match the contour of the vehicle windshield, and a band means disposed within said gas cushion for increasing the form rigidity of said impact surface.

2. A safety arrangement according to claim 1, wherein-the vehicle includes a relatively fixed vehicle part and wherein one end of said band means is connected with the gas cushion within the area of said impact surface and the other end is connected with the relatively fixed vehicle part.

3. A safety arrangement according to claim 2, wherein said inflating means is disposed on the relatively fixed vehicle part, said other end of said band means being connected with said inflating means.

4. A safety arrangement According to claim 3, wherein said inflating means is a gas generator for inflating said inflatable cushion.