VEHICLE SAFETY SYSTEM

• US 3,861,710 A
• Filed: 11/20/1972
• Issued: 01/21/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 11/22/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Masanobu Okubo
• Original Assignee: Masanobu Okubo
• Inventors: Okubo, Masanobu
• Primary Examiner(s): Schonberg, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/308,045
• Time in Patent Office: 792 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB 180/98
• US Class Current: 280/735
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2633 with a plurality of inflation levels
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/268 using instantaneous release of stored pressurised gas B60R21/26005 takes precedence

Abstract

A vehicle safety system for protecting a person in a vehicle from impact shock due to collision with an object comprises a gas bag. An obstacle detecting sensor predicts a collision prior to such occurrence. An impact detecting sensor detects the shock of impact upon collision. The gas bag is actuated incrementally by incremental operation of the obstacle detecting sensor and the impact detecting sensor.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety system for protecting a person in a vehicle from the shock of impact in a collision with an obstacle, said vehicle safety system comprising a gas bag in the vehicle adjacent the person;

a gas supply source comprising a first gas supply source having a predetermined volume of gas to partially inflate the gas bag and a second gas supply source having a sufficient volume of gas to fully inflate the partially inflated gas bag;

a first gas supply path coupling the first gas supply source to the gas bag;

first valve means in the first gas supply path for controlling the flow of gas from the first gas supply source through the first gas supply path, the first valve means normally preventing the flow of gas;

a second gas supply path coupling the second gas supply source to the gas bag;

second valve means in the second gas supply path for controlling the flow of gas from the second gas supply source through the second gas supply path, the second valve means normally preventing the flow of gas;

obstacle detecting sensor means at the front of the vehicle electrically connected to the first valve means for producing collision prediction signals when an obstacle is in the path of the vehicle, the collision prediction signals being transmitted to the first valve means and opening the first valve means to partially inflate the gas bag; and

impact detecting sensor means at the front of the vehicle electrically connected to the second valve means for producing impact operation signals when the vehicle is in collision, the impact operation signals being transmitted to the second valve means and opening the second valve means to fully inflate the gas bag, the gas bag being fully inflated by the opening of the second valve means after the opening of the first valve means.