INFLATING PLUG

• US 3,847,412 A
• Filed: 06/27/1972
• Issued: 11/12/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: John E. Mattson
• Original Assignee: John E. Mattson
• Inventors: Mattson, John E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schonberg, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/266,544
• Time in Patent Office: 868 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB 23/281 137/67,68,69,70,538,580,625.3,625.13
• US Class Current: 280/736
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/26094 characterised by fluid flow controlling valves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/164 combined with vehicle venting means for reducing or avoiding the passenger compartment overpressure during inflation
• 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 137/1782 Frangible element returns pressure responsive valve
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/7925 Piston-type valves
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86268 With running joint between movable parts of system
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 137/86734 With metering feature

Abstract

A ballistic missile traveling within a translational guide operable to provide a forward pneumatic leak forward of a substantial portion of pneumatic inflation so as to reduce significantly the transient pneumatic inflation shock on a previously compactly folded inflatable bag.

Claims

1. In an automotive vehicle cabin having an inflatable bag operable to inflate within the cabin providing a soft bumper and passenger motion restraint responsive to a preselected threshhold of deacceleration of the automotive vehicle, the improvements comprising:

a tube for conducting gas to the inflatable bag;

the inflatable bag being wrapped around said tube prior to inflation;

said tube having apertures for conducting gas from inside the tube to the bag;

a plug preventing passage of gas through the tube operable to slide through the interior of the tube, allowing passage of gas through the tube;

said plug having a hollow portion for conducting gas from aft of the plug to immediately aft of the forward face of the plug and to said bag in an amount and rate substantially less than gas being fed to the bag immediately aft of the plug.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hollow portion comprises an aft interior chamber communicating with a forward interior chamber and a plurality of apertures leading from said interior forward chamber of the plug to the exterior of the plug and interior of said tube.

3. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein said plug has a forward portion with an exterior right circular cylindrical shape coaxial and flush with the interior surface of said tube and an aft portion with an external right circular cylindrical surface co-axial with and flush with said tube and a middle portion having an exterior surface connecting and integral with said forward and aft portions having a narrowed shank external surface defining a chamber external to the plug but interior to the tube between said forward and aft sections of the plug.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein said forward interior chamber is within said forward section and said aft interior chamber passes through said aft portion and said middle portion of said plug.

5. The apparatus of claim 4 wherein said apertures leading from said forward portion of said plug to externally of the plug are in radially array about the central axis of all of the right circular cylindrical configurations aforementioned.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein said tube has a plurality of apertures longitudinally and radially dispersed about the central axis of said tube and said bag being tightly wrapped about said tube and operable to be inflated through said plurality of said apertures.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 and means for forcing said plug through said tube by expanding gas behind the plug responsive to movement of a mechanical member about an axis.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 wherein said mechanical member is biased against rotation and has an additional limit against translation that is rendered inoperable responsive to a predetermined threshold of force.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 and means for venting said cabin responsive to a predetermined threshold of air pressure within said cabin.