Aspirated vehicle occupant restraint system
First Claim
1. In an aspirated vehicle occupant restraint system including a housing, a confinement having a collapsed condition in which it is located in the housing and an expanded condition for restricting movement of an occupant in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, means for expanding the confinement from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition and aspirator means fixed in said housing having an inlet in fluid communication with the confinement, the improvement comprising:
- flap means attached to the inner surface of the confinement wall intermediate the margins thereof, said flap meansi. normally closing the inlet of the aspirator means when the confinement is in the collapsed condition, andii. being progressively moved to expose the inlet of the aspirator means by movement of the confinement wall as the confinement moves from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition.
2 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
An improved aspirated, inflatable vehicle occupant restraint system is provided of the type including a housing, a confinement, means for expanding the confinement from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition and aspirator means having an inlet in fluid communication with the confinement. At least one flap is attached to the inner surface of the confinement, each flap being positioned to
I. normally close the inlet of the aspirator means when the confinement is in the collapsed condition, and
Ii. gradually expose the inlet of the aspirator means when the expanding means is activated and the confinement moves from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition.
51 Citations
14 Claims
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1. In an aspirated vehicle occupant restraint system including a housing, a confinement having a collapsed condition in which it is located in the housing and an expanded condition for restricting movement of an occupant in the passenger compartment of the vehicle, means for expanding the confinement from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition and aspirator means fixed in said housing having an inlet in fluid communication with the confinement, the improvement comprising:
flap means attached to the inner surface of the confinement wall intermediate the margins thereof, said flap means i. normally closing the inlet of the aspirator means when the confinement is in the collapsed condition, and ii. being progressively moved to expose the inlet of the aspirator means by movement of the confinement wall as the confinement moves from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6)
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7. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:
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a. housing means; b. a confinement attached to said housing means having a collapsed condition in which it is located in said housing means and an expanded condition for restricting movement of an occupant in the passenger compartment of the vehicle; c. means for expanding said confinement, with inflating fluid from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition; d. said housing means including means defining an air inlet in communication with the interior of said confinement; and e. means operable to normally close the air inlet when the confinement is in the collapsed condition, said inlet closing means including means attached to the wall of said confinement intermediate the margins thereof and being movable by movement of the confinement wall progressively exposing the air inlet, said closing means including means permitting the inflating fluid to be exhausted through the air inlet in the event the confinement contacts the occupant prior to full expansion. - View Dependent Claims (8, 9)
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10. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:
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a. a source of fluid pressure; b. means for activating said fluid source in response to the vehicle experiencing a collision; c. an inflatable confinement having a collapsed inoperative condition and an expanded operative condition; and d. means operable to direct fluid from said source into said confinement, said fluid directing means including valve means operable to permit fluid communication between the interior of said confinement and the atmosphere external thereto, said valve means including fluid port means and means slidably movable with respect to said port means, said slidably movable means being attached to the wall of said confinement and operable to prevent said fluid communication through said port means when said confinement is collapsed and operable by movement of said confinement wall to permit progressively increasing fluid communication through said port means between the atmosphere and said confinement. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12)
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13. An assembly for an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint system of the type having a source of fluid pressure and means operable to activate said source upon occurrence of a collision, said assembly comprising:
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a. an inflatable confinement expandable from a collapsed non-operative position to an expanded operative position, said confinement having an aperture formed therein for introducing inflating fluid therein; b. means attached to the periphery of said confinement aperture, said means being operable to direct inflating fluid into said confinement upon connection to said fluid source, said fluid directing means including valve means operable to permit fluid communication between said confinement and the surrounding atmosphere, said valve means including fluid port means and means attached to the wall of said confinement intermediate the margins thereof and operable to prevent said fluid communication through said port means when said confinement is collapsed and operable by movement of the wall of said confinement to move transversely with respect to said port means to permit progressively increasing fluid communication through said port means between said confinement and the atmosphere. - View Dependent Claims (14)
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Specification