Fasten-on supplemental restraint system

• US 5,924,726 A
• Filed: 05/23/1997
• Issued: 07/20/1999
• Est. Priority Date: 05/23/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Tina Chen
• Original Assignee: Tina Chen
• Inventors: Pan, Yue Ming
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US08/862,619
• Time in Patent Office: 788 Days
• Field of Search: 280/733
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/18 the inflatable member formed as a belt or harness or combined with a belt or harness arrangement

Abstract

A fasten-on supplemental restraint system comprising a detecting circuitry and an air bag assembly is provided. The supplemental restraint system is independently located in the vehicle and works with the existing safety belt system. The supplemental restraint system can be readily attached by means of buckle so that the air bag assembly can be readily placed in front of the driver/passenger. Once the air bag body of the air bag assembly is inflated, the direction of expansion is directed forward and outward from the driver/passenger. With this arrangement, the potential risk of being injured by the deployment of the air bag body is therefore eliminated.

Claims

1. A fasten-on supplemental restraint system, comprising

a detecting circuit, a mounting console disposed adjacent to the driver'"'"'s seat and an air bag assembly, said air bag assembly including a housing, an air bag base being connected to said housing, an air bag body being disposed within said housing, a rapidly compressed gas generating device being disposed within said housing and a retaining device for retaining said base onto the safety belt, said air bag base being attached into said mounting console so that a plug of said rapidly compressed gas generating device is electrically engaged with a socket of said detecting circuit provided in said mounting console, wherein when the driver is onboard and buckles up the safety belt, said buckle of the safety belt may be readily inserted into the fastener such that the normal open contact of said detecting circuit is closed by said buckle of said safety belt and said air bag assembly is set in a standby condition and is ready to protect the driver/passenger once a collision occurs.

2. A fasten-on supplemental restraint system as recited in claim 1, wherein said air bag body comprises a fire-proof insulating fabric adjacent to the driver/passenger, an external layer adjacent to the steering wheel and/or dashboard made from fire-proof durable fabric, and a clear, durable and fire-proof fabric located above the chest portion of the user and said air bag body can be readily folded.

3. A fasten-on supplemental restraint system as recited in claim 1, wherein said housing has a parabola surface adjacent to the driver/passenger and which is supported by a metal lining so that once said air bag body is deployed and exploded, the direction of deploying and expanding is directed outward and forward to overcome the impacting force coming from collision, said safety belt is further tensioned, consequently and the driver/passenger receives a complete protection.

4. A fasten-on supplemental restraint system as recited in claim 1, wherein upon being inflated, the middle and lower portions of said air bag body is disposed between the steering wheel and the driver, the upper portion of said inflated air bag body is transparent such that the vision of the driver will not be blocked and the driver may control the car, furthermore, an ample space is kept between the head of the driver and the upper portion of said air bag body.

5. A fasten-on supplemental restraint system, comprising

a detecting circuit, a mounting console disposed adjacent to the driver'"'"'s seat and an air bag assembly, characterized in that said air bag assembly includes a housing, an air bag base connected to said air bag housing, a folded air bag body being disposed within said housing, a rapidly compressed gas generating device being disposed within said housing, a waist belt of the safety belt being integrally assembled with said air bag assembly, a buckle portion combining the buckle of the safety belt and the base of said air bag assembly, a buckle ring extended from said buckle, a receiving socket disposed at said mounting console, wherein said buckle can be readily inserted into said receiving socket from the top, a retaining boss being provided to insert into a recess of said buckle to lock it, a plug of said rapidly compressed gas generating device being built-in said housing and extended downward to the bottom of said housing, a socket of said detecting circuit being disposed within said mounting console, wherein when the driver/passenger is onboard, said plug of said compressed gas generating device is electrically engaged with said socket of said detecting circuitry within said mounting console such that said air bag assembly is set to a standby condition and the driver/passenger can be completely protected.

6. A fasten-on supplemental restraint system as recited in claim 5, wherein said air bag body comprises a fire-proof insulating fabric adjacent to the driver/passenger, an external layer adjacent to the steering wheel and/or dashboard made from fire-proof durable fabric, and a clear, durable and fire-proof fabric located above the chest portion of the user and said air bag body can be readily folded.

7. A fasten-on supplemental restraint system as recited in claim 5, wherein said housing has a parabola surface adjacent to the driver/passenger and which is supported by a metal lining so that once said air bag body is deployed and exploded, the direction of deploying and expanding is directed outward and forward to overcome the impacting force coming from collision, said safety belt is further tensioned, consequently and the driver/passenger receives a complete protection.

8. A fasten-on supplemental restraint system as recited in claim 5, wherein upon being inflated, the middle and lower portions of said air bag body is disposed between the steering wheel and the driver, the upper portion of said inflated air bag body is transparent such that the vision of the driver will not be blocked and the driver may control the car, furthermore, an ample space is kept between the head of the driver and the upper portion of said air bag body.