Safety device with an inflatable cushion, especially for automobiles

• US 3,929,350 A
• Filed: 01/15/1973
• Issued: 12/30/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 01/19/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Bernard M. Pech
• Original Assignee: Bernard M. Pech
• Inventors: Pech, Bernard M.
• Primary Examiner(s): Friaglia, Leo
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/323,954
• Time in Patent Office: 1,079 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB 5/348R 182/137,138
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23115 with inflatable support compartments creating an internal suction volume
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration

Abstract

Safety device, especially for automobiles, comprises a collision detector controlling the actuation of a source of gas under pressure connected to at least one inflatable safety cushion, the cushion comprising two adjacent non-communicating chambers, maintained at different pressures at the time of use, the inner chamber communicating with the atmosphere via orifices with valves which open only in the direction which admits air into the said chamber, and an outer chamber connected to the said source of gas under pressure and enclosing, at least partially, the inner chamber, the walls of these two chambers being firmly fixed to one another in a discontinuous manner, the outer chamber playing the role of a device for spreading out the cushion when it is pressurised, and the inner chamber being spread out by pressurisation of the outer chamber and being pressurised itself by sucking in air from the atmosphere via the inlet orifices.

Claims

1. A safety device for moving vehicles, especially for automobiles, comprising a collision detector controlling the actuation of a source of gas under pressure, at least one inflatable safety cushion connected to said source of gas, said cushion comprising an Inner chamber communicating with the atmosphere via orifices with valves which open only in the direction which admits air into the said chamber, and an outer chamber connected to the said source of gas under pressure and enclosing partially the inner chamber, the walls of these two chambers being arranged one inside the other and being firmly fixed to one another in a discontinuous manner, the inner wall being made of elastic material, the outer wall being made of flexible material, said chambers being adjacent and noncommunicating, the outer chamber spreading out the cushion when it is pressurized, and the inner chamber being spread out by the pressurization of the outer chamber and being pressurized itself by sucking in air from the atmosphere via the inlet orifices, elastic means compressing the outer chamber, said elastic means comprising at least said inner wall, said valves having a calibration pressure less than atmospheric, whereby the pressure of the inner chamber is maintained substantially less than the pressure of the outer chamber and less than atmospheric pressure during the cushion compression phase and during the entire stage of deadening of the blow, for deadening the blow to the person to be protected, the region of the cushion coming in contact with the head of said person being a portion of one of said walls which bounds the inner chamber, whereby the head is subjected to the lower pressure of said inner chamber.

2. A safety device according to claim 1, wherein the air inlet orifices of said inner chamber are grouped in at least one leakproof contact zone formed by contact of the said walls, said zone being at the pressure of said inner chamber.

3. A safety device according to claim 2, wherein said two walls are of substantially equal dimensions.

4. The safety device according to claim 3, wherein the leakproof attachment zones are produced by welding.

5. The safety device according to claim 2 wherein said discontinuous leakproof contact zones are distributed over the entire area of the said walls, excluding the zone which receives the head of the person to be protected.

6. The safety device according to claim 2, wherein the region of the cushion which comes into contact with the head of the person to be protected is said leakproof contact zone.

7. The safety device according to claim 2, wherein at the region of the inlet of the gases under pressure, the inner wall of the cushion is equipped with mechanical reinforcements.

8. The safety device according to claim 2, wherein the outer and inner walls have spread out surfaces of the same outer contour.

9. The safety device according to claim 1, where the valves which open only in the direction to admit air into the inner chamber are membrane valves.

10. The safety device according to claim 9, wherein the orifices and the membrane valves are produced solely from shaped cut-outs in the two walls of the cushion.

11. The safety device according to claim 1, wherein said elastic means compressing the outer chamber additionally comprise fastenings which connect said two walls, said fastenings being made of elastic material.

12. The safety device according to claim 11 wherein said fastenings are of very short length and the two walls are in direct contact with one another.

13. The safety device according to claim 1 wherein said elastic means compressing the outer chamber additionally comprise partitions which connect said two walls, said partitions being made of elastic material.

14. The safety device according to claim 1 wherein said valves which admit air into said inner chamber are substantially planar.