PERSONAL SAFETY DEVICE FOR USE IN VEHICLES

• US 3,836,168 A
• Filed: 11/23/1971
• Issued: 09/17/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 11/30/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ikuo Harada, Kohei Nonaka, Masafumi Hamasaki, Masaho Tanaka, Takeshi Maki
• Original Assignee: Ikuo Harada, Kohei Nonaka, Masafumi Hamasaki, Masaho Tanaka, Takeshi Maki
• Inventors: Nonaka, Kohei, Tanaka, Masaho, Maki, Takeshi, Harada, Ikuo, Hamasaki, Masafumi
• Primary Examiner(s): Schonberg, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/201,322
• Time in Patent Office: 1,029 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB,15B,15SB 297/216,384,390 180/82C
• US Class Current: 280/733
• 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 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement

Abstract

The invention relates to a personal safety device for protecting an occupant of a vehicle in the event of an accident. The device includes confining means, e.g., a net or cloth for retaining the occupant in close proximity to his seat, the confining means being normally in a gathered or folded condition adjacent to the occupant'"'"''"'"'s seat. Gas generating means, e.g., a cylinder of compressed gas or a combustible chemical, is provided for projecting the confining means in front of the occupant and the device embodies means for drawing and tightening the confining means around the occupant'"'"''"'"'s body. Operation of the device takes place automatically on detection by sensing means in the vehicle of an acceleration exceeding a predetermined magnitude.

Claims

1. A personal safety device for protecting an occupant of a vEhicle in the event of an accident, said device comprising:

a. a confining means adapted in use for confining an occupant in close proximity to a seat, said confining means being normally in a gathered or folded condition adjacent to said seat, b. inflatable projectiles for projecting the confining means, c. gas generating means provided inside said inflatable projectiles, d. tightening means for drawing and tightening said confining means around the occupant'"'"''"'"'s body, said tightening means having a quadrant-shaped or circular stop plate, e. a strap for drawing said confining means when projected around the occupant'"'"''"'"'s body, one end of which is connected to said confining means and the other end of which is connected to said tightening means around said occupant'"'"''"'"'s body, f. detaching means facilitating removal of the confining means from around the occupant'"'"''"'"'s body after the accident, and g. a sensing means adapted to actuate said gas generating means on detecting an acceleration exceeding a predetermined magnitude, wherein said tightening means including a further gas generating means effective for drawing said strap around the occupant'"'"''"'"'s body.

2. The device of claim 1 wherein said detaching means is actuable by an explosive charge which is arranged to be detonated electrically.