Integral inflatable occupant restraint system

• US 5,375,908 A
• Filed: 03/08/1993
• Issued: 12/27/1994
• Est. Priority Date: 01/08/1993
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: XSCI Incorporated
• Original Assignee: GOOR Associates Incorporated
• Inventors: Goor, Dan
• Primary Examiner(s): Dorner, Kenneth J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Nelson, Jr., Milton
• Application Number:
  US08/027,704
• Time in Patent Office: 659 Days
• Field of Search: 297/472, 297/216.1, 297/216.11, 297/250.1, 297/256.15, 297/464, 297/486-488, 297/466, 297/DIG. 3, 297/452.34, 297/452.35, 297/452.36 , 297/284.1, 297/284.6, 280/733, 280/751
• US Class Current: 297/216.11
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/022 mounted on seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23153 specially adapted for rear seat passengers
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/01 Electrical circuits for triggering passive safety arrangements, e.g. airbags, safety belt tighteners, in case of vehicle accidents or impending vehicle accidents electrical circuits for transmission of signals between steering wheel and the vehicle itself B60R16/027; for electrically actuating belt retractor locking means B60R22/343
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/02 Occupant safety arrangements or fittings , e.g. crash pads seat belts with crash pads B60R22/14; removable children's seats having a front guard or barrier B60N2/2839
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/16 Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags protective garments with automatically inflatable shock-absorbing means A41D13/018; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00
• 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 21/2072 in children's seats

Abstract

An inflatable restraint system for providing protection to an occupant in a moving vehicle including a module disposed adjacent to the chest area of the vehicle occupant, the module having an airbag and a high pressure gas generator for exerting a controlled force against the occupant in a direction opposite the direction of motion of the occupant caused by rapid deceleration of the vehicle while simultaneously inflating the airbag adjacent to the occupant. A second embodiment is disclosed which includes an ancillary module disposed adjacent to the rear base of the occupant'"'"'s neck, providing an airbag for inflation behind the occupant'"'"'s head while simultaneously exerting a force opposite the direction of motion of the occupant'"'"'s head, as caused by the backlash forces acting against the occupant following initial impact of the occupant with a forward airbag. A third embodiment is disclosed wherein an airbag is incorporated into a child safety seat providing protection from frontal and lateral impact. A fourth embodiment is disclosed for rear seat passenger protection. A fifth embodiment is disclosed wherein an adult passenger seat is convertible into a child safety seat that can incorporate an airbag.

Claims

1. A child safety seat incorporating an airbag for protecting an occupant of said child safety set, comprising:

a child seat having a backrest with a first and second side, said child seat further including a leaf spring extending substantially perpendicular from said backrest on each said first and second side;

a restraint secured to said child seat; and

an airbag housed in said restraint and deployable therefrom.

2. The child safety seat of claim 1, wherein said leaf spring is coupled to said backrest with a shear pin configured to break at a predetermined force level.

3. A child safety seat incorporating an airbag for protecting an occupant of said child safety seat, comprising:

a child seat;

a restraint secured to said child seat;

biasing means joining said restraint to said child seat for allowing said restraint to move fore and aft with respect to said child seat in response to an impact situation to absorb impact energy; and

an airbag housed in said restraint and deployable therefrom.

4. A child safety seat incorporating an airbag for protecting an occupant of said child safety seat, comprising:

a child seat;

a restraint secured to said child seat, said restraint including a first bar connected to a first child seat structural member at a first end by a first articulable joint, and a second bar connected to a second child seat structural member at a second articulable joint, a second end of said first bar and a second end of said second bar joined at a third articulable joint, each said first and second bar having a first portion and a second portion with a spring therebetween allowing said first portion to move longitudinally with respect to said second portion; and

an airbag housed in said restraint and deployable therefrom.

5. The child safety seat of claim 4, wherein said airbag is "U" shaped and surrounds said occupant during inflation of said airbag.

6. The child safety seat of claim 4, wherein said airbag is housed within said restraint so as to inflate in a direction away from said occupant.

7. The child safety seat of claim 6, wherein inflation of said airbag imparts a reactive force to said passenger in a direction opposite the direction of inflation of said airbag.

8. The child safety seat of claim 4, wherein said inflation of said airbag pushes said restraint toward said occupant.

9. A child safety seat incorporating an airbag for protecting an occupant of said child safety seat, comprising:

a child seat;

a restraint connected by at least one shear pin to said child seat, said at least one shear pin breakable at a predetermined force level to separate said restraint from said child seat in a controlled manner; and

an airbag housed in said restraint and deployable therefrom.

10. The child safety seat of claim 9, wherein said restraint is adapted to guide said occupant of said child seat into said airbag when at least one of said at least one shear pin breaks.

11. The child safety seat of claim 10, wherein said airbag is housed within said restraint so as to inflate in a direction away from said occupant.

12. The child safety seat of claim 11, wherein inflation of said airbag imparts a reactive force to said occupant in a direction opposite the direction of inflation of said airbag.

13. The child safety seat of claim 11, wherein said inflation of said airbag pushes said restraint toward said occupant.

14. A child safety seat incorporating an airbag for protecting an occupant of said child safety seat, comprising:

a child seat;

a restraint secured to said child seat;

an airbag housed in said restraint and deployable therefrom; and

a first child seat structural member on a first side of said child seat and a second child seat structural member on a second side of said child seat, said restraint further including a first bar connected to said first child seat structural member at a first end by a first joint and a second bar connected to said second child seat structural member at a second joint, a second end of said first bar and a second end of said second bar joined at a third joint so as to enclose said occupant within said child seat.

15. The child safety seat of claim 14, wherein each said first and second bar includes a first portion and a second portion with a spring therebetween allowing said first portion to move fore and aft with respect to said second portion.