VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEM

• US 3,841,654 A
• Filed: 09/21/1972
• Issued: 10/15/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 09/21/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Donald J. Lewis
• Original Assignee: Donald J. Lewis
• Inventors: Lewis, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schonberg, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/290,917
• Time in Patent Office: 754 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15SB,15AB 9/316 297/386
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement

Abstract

A vehicle safety system is provided which comprises a seat belt having an inflatable section which is normally maintained in an uninflated state and adapted to be positioned about a wearer when the wearer is seated in a seat within the vehicle, sensing means actuatable in response to the occurrence of a preselected condition of the vehicle, and inflating means responsive to actuation of the sensing means and capable of inflating the inflatable section prior to any substantial forward motion of the seat belt wearer relative to his seat as a result of the preselected condition.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety system comprising:

a seat belt having an inflatable section thereof which is adapted to be positioned about a wearer when the wearer is seated in a seat in the vehicle, said inflatable section being in the form of a hollow tube normally longitudinally folded and maintained in an uninflated state, frangible fastening means normally maintaining said inflatable section in said uninflated state, said fastening means being breakable in response to inflation to permit unfolding of said inflatable section;

sensing means responsive to a preselected condition of the vehicle;

inflating means capable of inflating said inflatable section;

electrical connecting means connecting said inflating means and said sensing means;

said inflating means being responsive to actuation of said sensing means and capable of inflating said inflatable section prior to any substantial forward motion of the wearer relative to his seat as a result of said preselected condition; and

said inflatable section upon inflation, expanding radially outward towards said wearer and contracting longitudinally, whereby said wearer is pressed rearwardly in his seat prior to any substantial forward motion.

2. A safety system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said inflating means is located at a position remote from said inflatable section.

3. A safety system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said frangible fastening means comprises stitching.

4. A safety system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said inflating means comprises a gas source which introduces gas into said inflatable section in response to actuation of said sensing means.

5. A safety system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said gas source comprises a stored gas, a generated gas, or a combination of stored and generated gas.

6. A safety system in accordance with claim 4 wherein said inflating means is located internally of said inflatable section.

7. A safety system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said seat belt includes lap and shoulder sections.

8. A safety system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said lap section and said shoulder sections each are provided with inflatable sections.

9. A safety system in accordance with claim 8 including means to secure said lap and shoulder sections to said vehicle, said means including a tongue and a buckle adapted to lockably cooperate therewith, said buckle being attached to said vehicle and said tongue being attached to said lap and shoulder sections.

10. A safety system in accordance with claim 7 wherein said lap section and said shoulder section are provided with a single inflatable section.

11. A safetY system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said inflatable section is normally longitudinally folded in a '"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"'W'"'"''"'"''"'"''"'"' shape.

12. A safety system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said hollow tube is formed of seat belt webbing material.

13. A safety system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said inflating means is located outside said inflatable section and includes a source of stored gas adapted to be released into said inflatable section upon actuation of said inflating means.

14. A safety system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said sensing means is actuatable in response to a collision of said vehicle.

15. A safety system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said inflatable section is non-porous.

16. A safety system in accordance with claim 1 wherein said inflating means is located within said inflatable section.