Inflatable body and head restraint

• US 3,948,541 A
• Filed: 06/23/1975
• Issued: 04/06/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/1974
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Original Assignee: the united states of america as represented by the secretary of the navy
• Inventors: Schulman, Marvin
• Primary Examiner(s): Betts, Kenneth H.
• Application Number:
  US05/589,296
• Time in Patent Office: 288 Days
• Field of Search: 280/150 AB, 280/150 SB, 244/122 R, 244/122 B, 9/342, 297/384-390, 2/DIG. 3
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/239 characterised by their venting means

Abstract

A vehicle occupant restraint system which includes a bladder member secur affixed to shoulder straps and a lap belt is disclosed. The bladder member comprises a central pocket portion in fluid communication with two pelvic bags and two chest bags. The chest bags are additionally interconnected with a chin bag member. Upon impact the bladder member automatically inflates to thereby cushion the pelvic and chest areas against the forces of the collision and simultaneously the chin bag member inflates to thereby prevent rotation of the vehicle occupant'"'"'s chin into his chest.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:

an inflatable bladder member having a central pocket portion, first and second pelvic portions extending outward from said central pocket portion, first and second chest portions extending outward from said central pocket portion, and a chin bag portion interconnecting and in fluid communication with the distal ends of said first and second chest portions; and

gas generator means positioned within said central pocket portion for producing pressurized gas upon reception of a command signal.

2. A vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1 further including:

a lap belt member fixedly secured to a surface of each of said pelvic portions; and

a shoulder strap member fixedly secured to a surface of each of said chest portions.

3. A vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 2 further including:

impact sensor means attached to a vehicle in which said occupant is riding and operatively connected to said gas generator means for generating said command signal when said vehicle suffers a threshold impact.

4. A vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 3 wherein said inflatable bladder member is formed from a semi-permeable synthetic material.