Inflatable tubular cushions for crash protection of seated automobile occupants
First Claim
1. A protective apparatus for the occupants of a vehicle comprising:
- (a) a vehicle seat having a seat back and a seat pan, said seat back having a first and second back side and said seat pan having a first and second pan side;
(b) a first protective sleeve attached along the first back side of the seat back and the first pan side of the seat pan, said protective sleeve having a weak seam along substantially the length of the first protective sleeve;
(c) a first inflatable braided tube of continuous high-strength fibers stowed within the first protective sleeve, said first inflatable braided tube having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being attached to the seat back at a first position, and said lower end being attached to the seat pan at a second position, wherein the length of the first inflatable braided tube prior to inflation is substantially longer than the straight-line distance from the first position to the second position; and
(d) gas generator means fluidly connected to the braided tube,wherein the continuous high-strength fibers form clockwise and counterclockwise spirals, relative to each other, prior to inflation, and upon inflation by gas generated by the gas generator means, the first inflatable braided tube increases its diameter and decreases its length, such that the tube ruptures the weak seam of the first protective sleeve and deploys under tension in a substantially straight line between the first and second positions in the vehicle, and forms a semi-rigid member stretched under tension in a substantially straight line from the first position to the second position.
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Accused Products
Abstract
The present invention is a torso protection system having braided tubes that inflate upon side or oblique impact to protect the torso of a seated vehicle occupant. Prior to inflation, the braided tubes are mounted in the undeployed state along both sides of the occupant'"'"'s seat. When an impact is detected, a gas generator generates, inflating the braided tubes. As the braided tubes inflate, their diameters increase and their lengths decrease substantially. The braided tubes then pull out of their storage locations and form bolsters on either side of the seated occupant. The inflated tubes prevent the torso of the occupant from directly colliding with interior side structures of the vehicle and restrict the lateral motion of the occupant.
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Citations
33 Claims
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1. A protective apparatus for the occupants of a vehicle comprising:
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(a) a vehicle seat having a seat back and a seat pan, said seat back having a first and second back side and said seat pan having a first and second pan side; (b) a first protective sleeve attached along the first back side of the seat back and the first pan side of the seat pan, said protective sleeve having a weak seam along substantially the length of the first protective sleeve; (c) a first inflatable braided tube of continuous high-strength fibers stowed within the first protective sleeve, said first inflatable braided tube having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end being attached to the seat back at a first position, and said lower end being attached to the seat pan at a second position, wherein the length of the first inflatable braided tube prior to inflation is substantially longer than the straight-line distance from the first position to the second position; and (d) gas generator means fluidly connected to the braided tube, wherein the continuous high-strength fibers form clockwise and counterclockwise spirals, relative to each other, prior to inflation, and upon inflation by gas generated by the gas generator means, the first inflatable braided tube increases its diameter and decreases its length, such that the tube ruptures the weak seam of the first protective sleeve and deploys under tension in a substantially straight line between the first and second positions in the vehicle, and forms a semi-rigid member stretched under tension in a substantially straight line from the first position to the second position. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10)
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11. A safety system comprising:
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(a) a first and a second inflatable braided tube, each tube having an upper end and a lower end; (b) a vehicle seat having a seat back and a seat pan, the upper end of the first inflatable braided tube being pivotally mounted to the seat back at a first position, the lower end of the first inflatable braided tube being pivotally mounted to the seat pan at a second position, the upper end of the second inflatable braided tube being pivotally mounted to the seat back at a third position, and the lower end of the second inflatable braided tube being pivotally mounted to the seat pan at a fourth position; (c) means for generating gas fluidly connected to the first and second inflatable braided tube; (d) crash sensor means connected to the means for generating gas, said crash sensor means being set to initiate generation of gas in the tube upon detecting an impact, wherein the first and second braided tubes in their uninflated state are substantially longer than the straight-line distance between the first and second positions, and the third and fourth positions, respectively, and wherein upon inflation, the inflatable braided tubes increase their diameter and decrease their length substantially such the first tube deploys under tension in a substantially straight line between the first and second positions, and the second tube deploys in a substantially straight line between the third and fourth positions, thus forming a pair of semi-rigid members stretched in a substantially straight line on either side of the seat. - View Dependent Claims (12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
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21. A method for protecting the occupants of a vehicle comprising:
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(a) providing a safety system comprised of; (i) a first and a second inflatable braided tube, each tube having an upper end and a lower end; (ii) a vehicle seat having a seat back and a seat pan, the upper end of the first inflatable braided tube being pivotally mounted to the seat back at a first position, the lower end of the first inflatable braided tube being pivotally mounted to the seat pan at a second position, the upper end of the second inflatable braided tube being pivotally mounted to the seat back at a third position, and the lower end of the second inflatable braided tube being pivotally mounted to the seat pan at a fourth position; (iii) gas generating means fluidly connected to the first and second inflatable braided tubes; (iv) crash sensor means connected to the means for generating gas, wherein the first and second braided tubes in their uninflated state are substantially longer than the straight-line distance between the first and second positions, and the third and fourth positions, respectively, (b) detecting an impact; (c) initiating the gas generator means and generating a gas which inflates the first and second braided tubes, increasing the diameter of the first and second braided tubes and decreasing the length of the first and second inflatable braided tubes, such that the first inflated braided tube deploys as a semi-rigid member in a substantially straight line from the first position to the second position, and the second inflated braided tube deploys as a semi-rigid member in a substantially straight line from the third position to the fourth position. - View Dependent Claims (22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29)
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- 30. A vehicle seat having a seat back and a seat pan comprising an inflatable braided tube of continuous fibers, said inflatable braided tube being stowed along a side of the seat back and a side of the seat pan, said fibers forming clockwise and counterclockwise spirals, relative to each other, said clockwise spirals intersecting said counterclockwise spirals at crossing points, thus forming acute longitudinal angles at the crossing points, wherein, upon inflation, the inflatable braided tube decreases in length, and the decrease in length of the inflatable braided tube is proportional to the length of the inflatable braided tube prior to inflation.
Specification