Inflatable restraint system

• US 4,265,468 A
• Filed: 07/03/1979
• Issued: 05/05/1981
• Est. Priority Date: 07/03/1979
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (General Motors Company)
• Inventors: Zens, John F., Suszko, Donald H.
• Primary Examiner(s): Love, John J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MAR, MICHAEL Y
• Application Number:
  US06/054,633
• Time in Patent Office: 672 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728, 280/729, 280/730, 280/732, 280/736, 280/740
• US Class Current: 280/729
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23161 specially adapted for protecting at least two passengers, e.g. preventing them from hitting each other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23169 specially adapted for knee protection
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23332 using independent bags, one within the other
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2346 Soft diffusers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

An inflatable cushion for a vehicle having a bench seat which accommodates three seated occupants. The cushion is stored opposite the right-hand seat occupant and incorporates a baffle for causing the gas flow to be directed towards the side portions of the cushion so as to quickly position the cushion in front of the center seat occupant.

Claims

1. In combination with a vehicle body including a seat having a seat cushion and a seat back for supporting a driver, a center seat occupant and a right-hand seat occupant in seated positions, an instrument panel having a front surface juxtaposed to the seat back and torsos of the seated occupants, an inflatable restraint system for said center seat occupant and said right-hand seat occupant, said inflatable restraint system being located in said instrument panel substantially opposite said right-hand seat occupant and comprising a housing fixedly mounted to said instrument panel, a gas generator carried by said housing and including a diffuser of a predetermined length with the longitudinal axis thereof being disposed transversely of the vehicle body, an inflatable cushion attached to said diffuser, said diffuser having a plurality of openings for allowing gas to flow into said inflatable cushion for inflating the latter whereby said inflatable cushion assumes a position for receiving impact of said center seat and right-hand seat occupants'"'"' torsos, said inflatable cushion having a transverse length substantially greater than the longitudinal length of said diffuser, and expandable baffle means made of a flexible material located within said inflatable cushion and positioned in the path of gas flow from said diffuser, said baffle means having openings at the opposite ends thereof and being spaced from said diffuser and having a transverse dimension substantially equal to the length dimension of said diffuser so as to cause the gas flowing from said diffuser to be directed sideways to fill the side portions of said inflatable cushion to quickly locate said inflatable cushion in front of said center seat occupant.

2. In combination with a vehicle body including a seat having a seat cushion and a seat back for supporting a driver, a center seat occupant and a right-hand seat occupant in seated positions, an instrument panel having a front surface juxtaposed to the seat back and torsos of the seated occupants, an inflatable restraint system for said center seat occupant and the right-hand seat occupant, said inflatable restraint system being located in the instrument panel substantially opposite the right-hand seat occupant and comprising a housing fixedly mounted to said instrument panel, a gas generator carried by said housing and including a diffuser of a predetermined length with the longitudinal axis thereof being disposed transversely of the vehicle body, an inflatable cushion attached to said diffuser, said diffuser having a plurality of openings for allowing gas to flow into the cushion for inflating the latter whereby the cushion assumes a position for receiving impact of the center seat and right-hand seat occupants'"'"' torsos, said inflatable cushion having a transverse length substantially greater than the longitudinal length of said diffuser, and a sleeve attached to said diffuser and located within said inflatable cushion, said sleeve having a portion thereof positioned in the path of gas flow from said diffuser and serving as a baffle for causing the gas flowing from the diffuser to be directed sideways to fill the side portions of the inflatable cushion to quickly locate the cushion in front of the center seat occupant.

3. In combination with a vehicle body including a seat having a seat cushion and a seat back for supporting a driver, a center seat occupant and a right-hand seat occupant in seated positions, an instrument panel having a front surface juxtaposed to the seat back and torso of each of the seated occupants, an inflatable restraint system for said center seat occupant and the right-hand seat occupant, said inflatable restraint system being located in the instrument panel substantially opposite the right-hand seat occupant and comprising a housing fixedly mounted to said instrument panel, a gas generator carried by said housing and including a diffuser of a predetermined length with the longitudinal axis thereof being disposed transversely of the vehicle body, an inflatable cushion attached to said diffuser, said diffuser having a plurality of openings for allowing gas to flow into the cushion for inflating the latter whereby the cushion assumes a position for receiving impact of the center seat and right-hand seat occupants'"'"' torsos, said inflatable cushion having a transverse length substantially greater than the longitudinal length of said diffuser, and baffle means in the form of a sleeve with open sides located within said inflatable cushion and positioned in the path of gas flow from said diffuser, said baffle means having a portion thereof spaced from said diffuser and having a transverse dimension substantially equal to the length dimension of said diffuser so as to cause the full flow of gas from the diffuser to be directed sideways and thereby facilitate filling of the side portions of the inflatable cushion to quickly locate the cushion in front of the center seat occupant.

4. In combination with a vehicle body including a seat having a seat cushion and a seat back for supporting a driver, a center seat occupant and a right-hand seat occupant in seated positions, an instrument panel having a front surface juxtaposed to the seat back and torso of each of the seated occupants, an inflatable restraint system for said center seat occupant and the right-hand seat occupant, said inflatable restraint system being located in the instrument panel substantially opposite the right-hand seat occupant and comprising a housing fixedly mounted to said instrument panel, a gas generator carried by said housing and including a diffuser of a predetermined length with the longitudinal axis thereof being disposed transversely of the vehicle body, a torso cushion attached to said diffuser, a knee cushion located within said torso cushion, said diffuser having a plurality of openings for allowing gas to flow separately into the knee cushion and into the torso cushion for inflating both cushions and whereby the torso cushion assumes a position for receiving impact of the center seat and right-hand seat occupants'"'"' torsos, said torso cushion having a transverse length at least double the longitudinal length of said diffuser, and baffle means in the form of a sleeve with open sides surrounding the diffuser and knee cushion and positioned in the path of gas flow from said diffuser, said baffle means being spaced from said diffuser and having a transverse dimension substantially equal to the longitudinal length dimension of said diffuser so as to cause the gas flowing from the diffuser to be directed sideways to fill the side portions of the torso cushion to quickly locate the torso cushion in front of the center seat occupant.