Device for controlled differential flow
First Claim
1. An inflatable structure having a folded, deflated condition and an inflated, expanded condition for restraining the movement of a vehicle occupant relative thereto during a collision and having flexible, fluid impermeable walls defining a confinement for a pressurizing fluid introduced interiorly thereof for expanding said structure, a portion of said structure being fluid permeable permitting passage of fluid into and out of said confinement and providing rebound protection for said occupant under restraint when said occupant impacts said structure during the collision of said vehicle, said portion including a fluid permeable fabric having a filamentous surface formed on at least one side, said filamentous surface comprising a plurality of extensile, flexible filaments anchored at one end to said fabric and having free opposite ends adapted to be extended in mutual, substantially parallel relation from said surface, generally perpendicular to said fabric by said fluid permeating said fabric and flowing through said filamentous surface in a direction tending to inflate said structure, passage of said fluid into said structure being relatively unhindered;
- and,said filaments collapsible onto said fabric by fluid flowing through said filamentous surface and permeating said fabric in a direction tending to deflate said structure, upon impact thereof by said occupant, passage of said fluid in said structure deflating direction being relatively more hindered thereby providing said rebound protection for said vehicle occupant.
1 Assignment
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Accused Products
Abstract
A flow control device for use with inflatable confinements or "air bags" of vehicle occupant safety restraint systems is produced by incorporating in the wall of the confinement a fluid permeable portion which has a filamentous surface on one side in which flexible, filamentary projections align themselves in parallel relation as fluid permeates the portion and flows into the bag relatively unrestrictedly, and collapse against the surface as fluid permeates the portion and flows out of the bag relatively more restrictedly to provide rebound protection for the vehicle occupant.
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Citations
21 Claims
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1. An inflatable structure having a folded, deflated condition and an inflated, expanded condition for restraining the movement of a vehicle occupant relative thereto during a collision and having flexible, fluid impermeable walls defining a confinement for a pressurizing fluid introduced interiorly thereof for expanding said structure, a portion of said structure being fluid permeable permitting passage of fluid into and out of said confinement and providing rebound protection for said occupant under restraint when said occupant impacts said structure during the collision of said vehicle, said portion including a fluid permeable fabric having a filamentous surface formed on at least one side, said filamentous surface comprising a plurality of extensile, flexible filaments anchored at one end to said fabric and having free opposite ends adapted to be extended in mutual, substantially parallel relation from said surface, generally perpendicular to said fabric by said fluid permeating said fabric and flowing through said filamentous surface in a direction tending to inflate said structure, passage of said fluid into said structure being relatively unhindered;
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said filaments collapsible onto said fabric by fluid flowing through said filamentous surface and permeating said fabric in a direction tending to deflate said structure, upon impact thereof by said occupant, passage of said fluid in said structure deflating direction being relatively more hindered thereby providing said rebound protection for said vehicle occupant. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7)
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8. A flexible restraint for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during a collision, said restraint being inflatable from a folded, collapsed condition to an unfolded, expanded condition for restraining the movement of said occupant relative to said vehicle during the collision and having flexible, fluid impermeable walls defining inner and outer confinements, said inner confinement being contained by said outer confinement in fluid-tight, enclosing relation and adapted to receive fluid from a fluid supply source on said vehicle for inflating said restraint and unfolding said outer confinement, a portion of said outer confinement wall being fluid permeable permitting passage of fluid into and out of said outer confinement for inflating and deflating said outer confinement and providing rebound protection for said occupant under restraint, said fluid permeable portion comprising;
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at least one fluid permeable fabric in said outer confinement wall having a filamentous surface on at least one side comprising a plurality of flexible fibrils anchored on one end to said fabric and having free ends adapted to be extended outwardly from said surface in mutual, parallel relation, generally perpendicular thereto by said fluid permeating said fabric and passing through said filamentous surface said fluid passing into said outer confinement relatively unhindered to inflate said outer confinement and, said fibrils being collapsible onto said fabric surface by fluid passing out of said outer confinement into said filamentous surface and through said fabric thereby providing rebound protection for said occupant of said vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (9, 10, 11)
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12. Fluid flow control means for an inflatable structure having flexible, fluid impermeable walls defining a confinement of the type used as a protective cushion for restraining an occupant of a vehicle during a collision, said means permitting relatively unrestricted fluid flow into said confinement to inflate said structure and restrain the movement of said occupant relative to said vehicle, and permitting relatively more restricted fluid flow out of said confinement to deflate said structure and provide rebound protection for said occupant being restrained by said cushion, said fluid flow control means comprising;
a fluid porous fabric in said structure wall having a filamentous surface on at least one side, said filamentous surface comprising a plurality of flexible, extendible fibrils anchored at one end to said fabric and having free opposite ends outwardly extending from said fabric in mutual, substantially parallel relation by the fluid passing through said fabric into said confinement, said fluid flowing relatively unrestricted to inflate said structure and restrain said occupant, said fibrils adapted to collapse onto said fabric by fluid passing out of said confinement, said fluid flowing relatively more restricted through said collapsed fibrils in said filamentous surface and through said porous fabric to deflate said structure and provide rebound protection for said occupant. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
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19. Aspirator means for an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint system of the type using an inflatable cushion having a folded, collapsed condition and an unfolded, expanded condition and having flexible, fluid impermeable walls defining inner and outer confinements, said inner confinement being contained in said outer confinement in fluid-tight, enclosing relation and adapted to receive fluid from a fluid pressure supply on said vehicle for inflating said cushion from said folded, collapsed condition to said unfolded, expanded condition, said outer confinement adapted to be expanded by inflation of said inner confinement and aspiration of air from the vehicle interior to provide rebound protection for said vehicle occupant, said aspirator means comprising;
a portion of said wall defining said outer confinement being a fluid permeable fabric having a filamentous surface on at least one side comprising a plurality of flexible filamentary fibrils anchored at one end to said fabric and having free ends adapted to be extended into said outer confinement by said aspirated air flowing thereinto while permeating said fabric and flowing through said filamentous surface relatively unrestrictedly, said filamentary fibrils collapsible onto said fabric surface by passage of said aspirated air out of said outer confinement through said filamentous surface and said permeable fabric to provide said rebound protection for said occupant impacting said cushion upon collision of said vehicle.
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20. Aspirator means for use in an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint system of the type comprising, in combination, a source of pressurized fluid, inflatable cushion means having a folded, collapsed condition and an expanded, inflated condition in which movement of said occupant relative to said vehicle is restrained, and fluid impermeable walls defining at least one compartment communicating with said fluid pressure source for inflating said cushion means and at least one ambient atmosphere inflatable confinement having a folded, collapsed condition, an expanded, inflated condition providing rebound protection for said occupant upon impact thereon by said occupant, and flexible fluid impermeable walls substantially enclosing said pressure inflated cushion means in fluid-tight relation therewith, said aspirator means being a fluid permeable panel incorporated in a wall of said confinement permitting relatively unrestricted passage of ambient air into and expanding said confinement and restraining said occupant during a collision of said vehicle and relatively restricted passage of said ambient air out of said confinement providing rebound protection for said occupant from impact on said confinements, said panel comprising;
a fluid permeable fabric having a filamentous surface on at least one side comprising a plurality of flexible filaments anchored to said fabric surface and adapted to be extended perpendicularly outwardly therefrom and into said confinement by the force of flow of said ambient air passing into said confinement; and
, said filaments adapted to collapse onto said fabric surface by force of said ambient air flowing out of said confinement through said collapsed filaments and said fabric, said collapsed filaments providing said restriction to flow of said ambient air passing out of said confinement providing said rebound protection for said occupant from impact on said confinement.
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21. Aspirator means for use in an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint system of the type comprising, in combination, a source of pressurized fluid, first inflatable cushion means having a folded, collapsed condition and an expanded, inflated condition and fluid impermeable walls defining at least one compartment communicating with said fluid pressure source for inflating said first cushion means, and at least one additional inflatable cushion means having a folded, collapsed condition and an expanded, inflated condition and flexible, fluid impermeable walls substantially enclosing said first cushion means in fluid-tight relation and wherein said aspirating means is incorporated in a wall of said additional cushion means for inflating said additional cushion means by aspiration of ambient air in said vehicle, said ambient air passing into said additional cushion means relatively unrestrictedly under aspiration forces generated by expansion of said additional cushion means when said first cushion means is inflated, said aspiration means comprising;
a fluid permeable fabric having a filamentous surface on one side characterized by a plurality of flexible, extensile fibrils having free ends projectable from said fabric surface in mutual, substantially parallel relation by the force of the aspirating fluid permeating said fabric and passing through said filamentous surface into said additional cushion means in said relatively unrestricted passage thereinto and said fibrils collapsible onto said filamentous surface providing a relatively more restricted passage of said fluid out of said additional cushion means and rebound protection for said occupant upon impact of said occupant against said cushion means during a collision of said vehicle.
Specification