Inflatable body and head restraint system

• US 5,282,648 A
• Filed: 06/01/1992
• Issued: 02/01/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/1992
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Simula Inc (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: Simula Inc (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Peterson, Leslie D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US07/891,833
• Time in Patent Office: 610 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728, 280/730, 280/733, 280/735, 280/736, 280/740, 280/742, 280/743, 297/483, 297/484, 244/122 AG, 244/122 B
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0093 Aircraft
• 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 21/233 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 21/274 characterised by means to rupture or open the fluid source
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 10/00 Flight suits helmets in general A42B3/00; breathing helmets A62B18/00
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/06 Harnessing

Abstract

The present invention relates to an inflatable air bag apparatus attached to a harness restraint system in a vehicle which inflates if an impact sensor detects an impact. The apparatus comprises an bladder attached to the harness'"'"'s shoulder strap. The sides of the bladder wrap around the shoulder strap and are folded on top of the shoulder strap. When an impact is detected, the impact sensor transmits an electrical signal which ignites the gas generator, and inflates the bladder. In a preferred embodiment, the bladder member comprises three chambers, a central chamber and two side chambers. The chambers are formed by two vertical webs that divide the bladder into the central chamber and the side chamber. The webs are fabricated from permeable material, such that the side chambers inflate before the central chamber inflates, thus stabilizing the air bag apparatus.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising:

(a) at least one shoulder strap having a front surface and a back surface;

(b) one normally uninflated bladder having a vertical central portion, a vertical inner side portion and a vertical outer side portion, said bladder comprising two vertical webs extending across the bladder, said webs forming a vertical central chamber in the central portion of the bladder, a vertical inner side chamber in the inner side portion of the bladder, and a vertical outer side chamber in the outer side portion of the bladder, the vertical central portion of the bladder being attached to the back surface of each said at least one shoulder strap, wherein the vertical inner and outer side portions of said bladder extend around said at least one shoulder strap such that each side portion lies folded on the front surface of said shoulder strap;

(c) one housing positioned on the front face of each of said at least one shoulder strap, said housing comprising an airtight manifold having two ports, one port leading into said vertical inner side chamber and one port leading into said vertical outer side chamber;

(d) at least one gas generator means positioned within each of said at least one housings on the front face of each of said at least one shoulder strap for generating gas to inflate said bladder member, wherein the housing comprises no ports leading directly into the vertical central chamber, such that the vertical central chamber is fluidly connected to the gas generator only through the vertical inner side chamber and the vertical outer side chamber;

(e) an impact sensor means electrically connected to each of said gas generator means; and

(f) means for controlling the flow of gas in the bladder such that the vertical inner side chamber in the vertical inner side portion of the bladder and the vertical outer side chamber in the vertical outer side portion of the bladder inflate before the vertical central chamber in the central portion of the bladder inflates.

2. The vehicle occupant restraint system of claim 1, wherein said vertical webs are fabricated from permeable material, such that the vertical webs comprise the means by which the flow of gas in the bladder is controlled such that the inner and outer side portions of the bladder inflate before the central portion of the bladder inflates.

3. The vehicle occupant restraint system of claim 1, wherein said vertical webs have a plurality of holes such that the vertical webs comprise the means by which the flow of gas in the bladder is controlled such that the inner and outer side portions of the bladder inflate before the central portion of the bladder inflates.

4. The vehicle occupant restraint system of claim 1, comprising two shoulder straps, a left shoulder strap and a right shoulder strap, each shoulder strap having a normally uninflated bladder having a vertical central portion, a vertical inner side portion and a vertical outer side portion, the front surface of the vertical central portion of each bladder being attached to the back surface of each shoulder strap, wherein the vertical outer side portion of each bladder extends around each shoulder strap to lay folded on top of the front surface of each shoulder strap, and the vertical inner side portion of each bladder extends around each shoulder strap to lay folded on top of the vertical outer side portion.

5. The vehicle restraint system of claim 4, wherein each bladder further comprises an upper lobe, the upper lobe on the left shoulder strap cooperating with the upper lobe on the right shoulder strap to support the occupant'"'"'s head and to limit displacement of the head and neck upon inflation.

6. The vehicle restraint system of claim 1, comprising two shoulder straps, a left shoulder strap and a right shoulder strap, each shoulder strap having a normally uninflated bladder having a vertical central portion, a vertical inner side portion and a vertical outer side portion, each bladder being in contact with the back surface of each shoulder strap, wherein the vertical outer side portion of said bladder extends around each shoulder strap to lay folded on top of the front surface of each shoulder strap, and the vertical inner portion extends around each shoulder strap to lay folded on top of the vertical outer portion, further comprising two vertical webs forming a vertical central chamber in the central portion of each bladder, a vertical inner side chamber in the inner side portion of each bladder, and a vertical outer side chamber in the outer portion of each bladder.

7. The vehicle restraint system of claim 6, wherein the inner chamber of each bladder further comprises an upper lobe, the upper lobe on the left shoulder strap cooperating with the upper lobe on the right shoulder strap to support the occupant'"'"'s head and to limit displacement of the head and neck upon inflation.

8. The vehicle restraint system of claim 6, wherein said vertical webs are fabricated from a permeable material, such that the vertical webs comprise the means by which the flow of gas in the bladder is controlled such that the inner and outer side portions of the bladder inflate before the central portion of the bladder inflates.

9. The vehicle occupant restraint system of claim 6, wherein said vertical webs are formed of impermeable material, said webs having a plurality of holes such that the vertical webs comprise the means by which the flow of gas in the bladder is controlled such that the inner and outer side portions of the bladder inflate before the central portion of the bladder inflates.

10. A method for protecting the occupants of a vehicle equipped with an impact sensor and an occupant restraint system comprising at least one shoulder strap having a front surface and a back surface, one normally uninflated bladder having a vertical central portion attached to the back surface of the shoulder strap, a vertical inner side portion and a vertical outer side portion which extend around the shoulder strap and lie folded on top of the shoulder strap, said bladder comprising two vertical webs extending across the bladder, said webs forming a vertical central chamber in the central portion of the bladder, a vertical inner side chamber in the inner side portion of the bladder, and a vertical outer side chamber in the outer side portion of the bladder, and one gas generator means within a housing on the front face of each of said at least one shoulder strap for generating gas to inflate said bladder member, wherein the housing comprises no ports leading directly into the vertical central chamber, such that the vertical central chamber is fluidly connected to the gas generator only through the vertical inner side chamber and the vertical outer side chamber, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting an impact with the impact sensor;

(b) transmitting an electrical signal from the impact sensor to the gas generator;

(c) igniting the gas generator and generating an inflating gas;

(d) inflating the inner vertical portion and the outer vertical portions of the bladder such that the inner vertical portion and the outer vertical portion start to deploy; and

(e) inflating the central portion of the bladder when the deployment of the inner vertical portion and the outer vertical portion is substantially complete.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein said vertical webs are formed of impermeable material, said webs having a plurality of holes.

12. The method of claim 10, comprising two shoulder straps and two bladders, wherein each bladder further comprises an upper lobe shaped to support the head upon inflation, further comprising the step of inflating the upper lobe on each bladder to support the head and limit head and neck displacement, said step occurring in conjunction with the step of inflating the inner vertical portion and the outer vertical portions of the bladder.

13. A vehicle occupant restraint system comprising:

(a) at least one shoulder strap having a front surface and a back surface;

(b) gas generating means located on the front surface of each shoulder strap, each gas generating means having an igniter;

(c) an impact sensor electrically connected to each igniter;

(d) one inflatable bladder, having side portions in fluid communication with said gas generating means and a central portion positioned between each shoulder strap and the occupant in fluid communication with said side portions, for lifting each shoulder strap away from the occupant'"'"'s body, thereby eliminating any slack between the shoulder strap and the occupant, wherein said central portion is attached to the back surface of said shoulder strap, and the side portions lie folded on top of the shoulder strap, said bladder comprising two vertical webs extending across the bladder, said webs forming a vertical central chamber in the central portion of the bladder, a vertical inner side chamber in the inner side portion of the bladder, and a vertical outer side chamber in the outer side portion of the bladder; and

(e) means for controlling the deployment of said inflatable bladder such that the inflatable bladder does not roll out from between the shoulder strap and the occupant,

wherein the gas generator means is located in a housing on the front face of each of said at least one shoulder strap for generating gas to inflate said bladder member, and wherein the housing comprises no ports leading directly into the vertical central chamber, such that the vertical central chamber is fluidly connected to the gas generator only through the vertical inner side chamber and the vertical outer side chamber.

14. The vehicle occupant restraint system of claim 13, wherein the central portion of each inflatable means is attached to the back surface of the shoulder strap, and wherein the outer side portion of the inflatable means is folded on top of the front surface of the shoulder strap, and the inner side portion is folded on top of the outer side portion.

15. A method for protecting the occupants of a vehicle equipped with an impact sensor and an occupant restraint system comprising (i) two shoulder straps, each strap having a front surface and a back surface, (ii) two normally uninflated bladders, each bladder having a vertical central portion, a vertical inner side portion and a vertical outer side portion, the vertical central portion of each bladder being attached to the back surface of one shoulder strap, and the vertical inner portions and the vertical outer portions lie folded on top of a shoulder strap, each of said two bladders comprising two vertical webs extending across the bladder, said webs forming a vertical central chamber in the central portion of the bladder, a vertical inner side chamber in the inner side portion of the bladder, and a vertical outer side chamber in the outer side portion of the bladder, and (iii) one gas generator means positioned within a housing on the front face of each of said shoulder straps for generating gas to inflate each of said two bladder members, wherein the housing comprises no ports leading directly into the vertical central chamber, such that the vertical central chamber is fluidly connected to the gas generator only through the vertical inner side chamber and the vertical outer side chamber, comprising the steps of:

(a) detecting an impact with the impact sensor;

(b) transmitting an electrical signal from the impact sensor to the gas generator;

(c) igniting each gas generator and generating an inflating gas;

(d) inflating the inner vertical portions and the outer vertical portions of each bladder such that the inner vertical portion and the outer vertical portion start to deploy; and

(e) inflating the central portion of each bladder when the deployment of the inner vertical portion and the outer vertical portion is substantially complete.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein each bladder further comprises an upper lobe shaped to support the head upon inflation, further comprising the step of inflating the upper lobe of each bladder to support the head and limit head and neck movement, said step occurring in conjunction with the step of inflating the inner vertical and outer vertical portions of each bladder.

17. A vehicle occupant restraint system, comprising:

(a) two shoulder straps;

(b) two normally uninflated bladders having side portions and a central portion, the central portion of each bladder being attached to the back surface of one of said two shoulder straps, wherein the side portions of each of said two bladders extend around the shoulder straps such that each side portion lies folded on top of the shoulder straps, wherein each of said two bladders comprises two vertical webs extending across the bladder, said webs forming a vertical central chamber in the central portion of the bladder, a vertical inner side chamber in the inner side portion of the bladder, and a vertical outer side chamber in the outer side portion of the bladder;

(c) one housing positioned on the front face of each shoulder strap, said housing comprising an airtight manifold, said manifold having two ports, one port leading into said vertical inner side chamber, and one port leading into said vertical outer side chamber, said manifold having no ports leading directly into the vertical central chamber, such that the vertical central chamber is fluidly connected to the gas generator only through the vertical inner side chamber and the vertical outer side chamber;

(d) one gas generator means positioned within each of said housing for generating gas to inflate the side portions of the bladder; and

(e) means for controlling the flow of gas from the side portions to the central portion of each bladder, such that the vertical chambers in the vertical inner and vertical outer side portions of each bladder inflate before the vertical central chambers in the central portions of the bladders inflate.

18. The occupant restraint system of claim 17, wherein the means for controlling the flow of gas from the side portions to the central portion of each bladder comprises vertical webs fabricated from permeable material.

19. The occupant restraint system of claim 17, wherein the inner portion of each bladder comprises an upper lobe, said upper lobes cooperating to support the occupant'"'"'s head, and to limit displacement of the head and neck upon inflation.