Method and apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint

• US 5,678,852 A
• Filed: 04/05/1996
• Issued: 10/21/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 03/10/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Original Assignee: TRW Vehicle Safety Systems Incorporated (Zeppelin - Stiftung der Stadt Friedrichshafen)
• Inventors: Burley, Edward J., Layer, Peter F., Brown, Louis R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US08/628,404
• Time in Patent Office: 564 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/728.1, 280/728.2, 280/743.2, 280/743.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/21 in vehicle side panels, e.g. doors pillar mounted arrangements B60R21/213
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/217 Inflation fluid source retainers, e.g. reaction canisters; Connection of bags, covers, diffusers or inflation fluid sources therewith or together
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/26 characterised by the inflation fluid source or means to control inflation fluid flow arrangement or mounting thereof to the vehicle B60R21/20; blasting cartridges for producing gas under pressure in general F42B3/04; initiators or igniters therefor F42B3/10
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/261 with means other than bag structure to diffuse or guide inflation fluid

Abstract

A method of inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint (12) includes the step of directing inflation fluid to flow into the restraint (12) to inflate the restraint (12) in a vehicle (11) between a vehicle seat (16) and a side portion of the vehicle (11), such as a vehicle door (18). The inflation fluid increases the internal fluid pressure of the restraint (12) toward a maximum internal fluid pressure as the inflation fluid flows into the restraint (12). The method further includes the step of constraining the restraint (12) to resist inflating the restraint (12) during at least a portion of the step of directing inflation fluid into the restraint (12). The step of constraining the restraint (12) causes the restraint (12) to reach a constrained volume at which the internal fluid pressure is approximately 70-100% of the maximum internal fluid pressure at approximately 6-8 milliseconds after the inflation fluid begins to flow into the restraint (12).

Claims

1. Apparatus for inflating an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint, said apparatus comprising:

directing means for directing inflation fluid into the vehicle occupant restraint, said directing means including a directing structure containing a solitary inflator, said inflator having a housing with outlet openings for emitting said inflation fluid in a first direction;

said directing structure having surface means for defining an exit opening through which said inflation fluid can flow from said directing structure into the restraint in a second direction opposite to said first direction, said directing structure further having wall means for directing said inflation fluid to turn from said first direction to said second direction;

said wall means including first and second curved wall surfaces which are spaced from said exit opening in said first direction, each of said curved wall surfaces facing toward said exit opening and being concave relative to said exit opening;

said directing structure having an axis extending from said exit opening to said wall means in said first direction;

said directing structure further having a first side wall on a first side of said axis and a second side wall on a second side of said axis, said first curved wall surface extending in an arc which is centered approximately midway between said axis and said first side wall, said second curved wall surface extending in an arc which is centered approximately midway between said axis and said second side wall.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said curved wall surfaces meet at said axis.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said first curved wall surface has a first radius of curvature, said second curved wall surface having a second radius of curvature equal to said first radius of curvature.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said housing has a cylindrical shape centered on an inflator axis, said outlet openings being arranged in an array extending circumferentially around said inflator axis, said outlet openings thus being arranged to emit said inflation fluid radially outward from said inflator structure in a plurality of directions including both said first and second directions.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 4 wherein said array of outlet openings is located between said curved wall surfaces and said exit opening in said directing structure.

6. Apparatus for restraining an occupant of a vehicle seat adjacent to a side portion of the vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint;

a source of inflation fluid;

directing means for directing inflation fluid from said source into said restraint to inflate said restraint, said inflation fluid increasing the internal fluid pressure of said restraint toward a maximum level as said inflation fluid flows into said restraint; and

supporting means for supporting said restraint in a position from which said restraint moves between the vehicle seat and the side portion of the vehicle when said restraint is inflating, said supporting means thus directing said restraint to be constrained by the vehicle seat and the side portion of the vehicle to reach a constrained volume at which said internal fluid pressure is approximately 70-100% of said maximum level at approximately 6-8 milliseconds after said directing means begins to direct said inflation fluid into said restraint;

said apparatus further comprising means for confining said restraint to remain beneath the abdominal region of the anatomy of an occupant of the vehicle seat, said means for confining said restraint including a pair of tethers which engage said restraint to control the shape of said restraint, said tethers extending across each other and around said restraint when said restraint is inflating;

each of said tethers having opposite ends anchored to the vehicle seat.

7. Apparatus for restraining an occupant of a vehicle seat adjacent to a vehicle door having an armrest structure projecting toward the vehicle seat, said apparatus comprising:

an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint; and

means for inflating said restraint into a space between the vehicle seat and the vehicle door;

said inflating means directing an inlet flow of inflation fluid into said restraint in an inclined direction extending sideways relative to the seat and upward from the seat to the armrest structure, said inflating means thus inflating said restraint across said space toward and against the armrest structure in said inclined direction under the influence of said inlet flow of inflation fluid;

said restraint becoming blocked by the armrest structure from further inflation in said inclined direction under the influence of said inlet flow of inflation fluid, said inflating means thus causing said restraint to be pressurized by said inflation fluid more quickly than if said restraint were not blocked from further inflation in said inclined direction by the armrest structure;

said restraint having an inflation fluid inlet opening, said inflating means comprising an inflator and a flow-directing structure, said flow-directing structure having walls which direct said inlet flow of inflation fluid from said inflator to said inlet opening in said inclined direction.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 further comprising means for mounting said flow-directing structure in a vehicle in a position and an orientation which directs said restraint to remain adjacent to a pelvic region of the occupant below an abdominal region of the occupant when said restraint is being inflated by said inflating means.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim 8 wherein said orientation in inclined from a horizontal line such that said inclined direction extends upwardly at an angle of approximately 30°

from a horizontal direction.

10. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said restraint has a fully inflated volume capacity, said inflating means causing said restraint to be blocked by the armrest structure when said restraint reaches a partially inflated volume which is a predetermined percentage of said fully inflated volume capacity.

11. Apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said partially inflated volume is not more than approximately 50-60% of said fully inflated volume capacity.

12. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said inflating means inflates said restraint toward a maximum internal fluid pressure, said movement of said restraint against the vehicle side part causing said restraint to reach an internal fluid pressure which is a predetermined percentage of said maximum internal fluid pressure at a predetermined time.

13. Apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said internal fluid pressure is approximately 70-100% of said maximum internal fluid pressure, said predetermined time being approximately 6-8 milliseconds after said inlet flow of inflation fluid begins to flow into said restraint.

14. Apparatus for restraining an occupant of a vehicle, said apparatus comprising:

a vehicle seat;

a vehicle door adjacent to said seat, said door including an armrest structure projecting toward said seat;

an inflatable vehicle occupant restraint; and

means for inflating said restraint into a space between said seat and said door;

said inflating means directing an inlet flow of inflation fluid into said restraint in an inclined direction extending sideways relative to said seat and upward from said seat to said armrest structure, said inflating means thus inflating said restraint across said space toward and against said armrest structure in said inclined direction under the influence of said inlet flow of inflation fluid;

said armrest structure comprising means for blocking said restraint from further inflation in said inclined direction under the influence of said inlet flow of inflation fluid, said armrest structure thus causing said restraint to be pressurized by said inflation fluid more quickly than if said restraint were not blocked from further inflation in said inclined direction by said armrest structure;

said restraint having an inflation fluid inlet opening, said inflating means comprising an inflator and a flow-directing structure, said flow-directing structure having walls which direct said inlet flow of inflation fluid from said inflator to said inlet opening in said inclined direction.

15. Apparatus as defined in claim 14 further comprising means for mounting said flow-directing structure in a vehicle in a position and an orientation which directs said restraint to remain adjacent to a pelvic region of the occupant of said seat below an abdominal region of the occupant when said restraint is being inflated by said inflating means.

16. Apparatus as defined in claim 15 wherein said orientation is inclined from a horizontal line such that said inclined direction extends upwardly at an angle of approximately 30°

from a horizontal direction.

17. Apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said restraint has a fully inflated volume capacity, said armrest structure blocking said restraint from further inflation in said inclined direction when said restraint reaches, a partially inflated volume which is a predetermined percentage of said fully inflated volume capacity.

18. Apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said partially inflated volume is not more than approximately 50-60% of said fully inflated volume capacity.

19. Apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said inflating means inflates said restraint toward a maximum internal fluid pressure, said blocking by said armrest structure causing said restraint to reach an internal fluid pressure which is a predetermined percentage of said maximum internal fluid pressure at a predetermined time.

20. Apparatus as defined in claim 19 wherein said internal fluid pressure is approximately 70-100% of said maximum internal fluid pressure, said predetermined time being approximately 6-8 milliseconds after said inlet flow of inflation fluid begins to flow into said restraint.