Side impact air bag system

• US 6,142,508 A
• Filed: 09/09/1997
• Issued: 11/07/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/03/1996
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Goodrich Corporation (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Original Assignee: Universal Propulsion Company Incorporated (Raytheon Technologies Corporation d/b/a RTX)
• Inventors: Lewis, Donald J.
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US08/999,923
• Time in Patent Office: 1,155 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.2, 280/730.1, 280/737, 280/736, 280/740, 280/741, 280/742, 280/728.2, 280/743.1, 280/728.1
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/01006 Mounting of electrical components in vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23146 seat mounted
• 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 21/207 in vehicle seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2171 specially adapted for elongated cylindrical or bottle-like inflators with a symmetry axis perpendicular to the main direction of bag deployment, e.g. extruded reaction canisters B60R21/2176 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/237 characterised by the way they are folded
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/272 with means for increasing the pressure of the gas just before or during liberation, e.g. hybrid inflators

Abstract

A combination and a method for protecting an occupant in a vehicle in the event of a collision involving the vehicle. The combination has an inflatable bag for confining, when inflated, the disposition of the occupant in the vehicle, a container for holding pyrotechnic material, a housing having an inner surface, an interior volume and a seal for holding a gas at a first pressure, and opening at a second, higher pressure, wherein the gas is expansible when subjected to heat, an initiator for initiating the combustion of the pyrotechnic material upon the occurrence of a collision involving the vehicle, and a manifold, having a length, the manifold enveloping the housing and defining a passage with the housing. The manifold defines holes along the length of the manifold for introducing into the inflatable bag the gas flowing through the passage between the housing and the manifold. In addition, the first pressure is sufficiently high and the pyrotechnic material has a burning time that is sufficiently short, such that, upon combustion, the pyrotechnic material burns substantially completely and without substantial contact of burning material upon the inner surface as it leaves the container, such that the pressurized gas at the first pressure is heated, thereby increasing the gas pressure to at least the second pressure to cause the seal to open and the gas to exit the interior volume in a time sufficiently short to substantially prevent transfer of heat to the housing.

Claims

1. A combination for protecting an occupant in a vehicle in the event of a collision involving the vehicle, the combination comprising:

an inflatable bag for confining, when inflated, the disposition of the occupant in the vehicle,

a container for holding pyrotechnic material, a housing having an inner surface, an interior volume and a seal for holding a gas at a first pressure, and opening at a second, higher pressure, wherein the gas is expansible when subjected to heat,

an initiator for initiating the combustion of the pyrotechnic material upon the occurrence of a collision involving the vehicle,

a manifold, having a length, the manifold enveloping the housing and defining a passage with the housing, and

the manifold defining holes along the length of the manifold for introducing into the inflatable bag the gas flowing through the passage between the housing and the manifold, wherein

the first pressure is sufficiently high and the pyrotechnic material has a burning time which is sufficiently short such that, upon combustion, the pyrotechnic material burns substantially completely and without substantial contact of burning material upon the inner surface as it leaves the container, such that the pressurized gas at the first pressure is heated, thereby increasing the gas pressure to at least the second pressure to cause the seal to open and the gas to exit the interior volume in a time sufficiently short to substantially prevent transfer of heat to the housing.

2. The combination as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one clamp for clamping the inflatable bag to the manifold.

3. The combination as set forth in claim 1, further comprising a seat in the vehicle, wherein the inflatable bag is disposed relative to the seat, such that, when inflated, the occupant is protected against a collision involving the side of the vehicle.

4. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the pyrotechnic material is in the form of particles, and

the container is configured and adapted to open to the housing upon partial combustion of the particles of the pyrotechnic material to obtain the disposition thereafter of the partially combusted particles of the pyrotechnic material in the housing and the combustion of such partially combusted particles of the pyrotechnic material in the housing.

5. The combination as set forth in claim 4, further comprising a seat in the vehicle, and

at least one clamp for clamping the inflatable bag to the manifold, wherein the inflatable bag is disposed relative to the seat to protect, when inflated, the occupant against a collision involving the side of the vehicle.

6. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the holes in the manifold are spaced at progressively reduced distances along the length of the passage to provide for a substantially uniform inflation of the inflatable bag along the length of the passage.

7. The combination as set forth in claim 1, wherein the container is configured and adapted to open to the housing upon the combustion of the pyrotechnic material, but before completion of the combustion of the pyrotechnic material to provide for the completion of the combustion of the pyrotechnic material within the housing.

8. The combination as set forth in claim 7, wherein the pyrotechnic material produces environmentally safe by-products and end products when combusted.

9. The combination as set forth in claim 1, further comprising at least one clamp for clamping the inflatable bag on the manifold.

10. The combination as set forth in claim 9, wherein the holes in the manifold, are at progressive positions along the passage, in communication with the interior of the inflatable bag for passing into the inflatable bag the gas flowing from the bag,

the holes being spaced at progressively reduced distances along the length of the passage to provide for a substantially uniform inflation of the inflatable bag along the length of the passage,

the container being opened to the housing upon the initiation of the combustion, but before the completion of the combustion of the pyrotechnic material to provide for the completion of the combustion of the pyrotechnic material within the housing, and

the pyrotechnic material, upon combustion, produces environmentally safe by-products and end products.

11. A method of protecting an occupant in a vehicle in the event of a collision involving the vehicle, the method comprising:

providing a gas at a first pressure in a housing having an inner surface, an interior volume and a seal, configured and adapted to maintain the gas at the first pressure, and opening at a second higher pressure,

disposing the housing in a manifold to define a passage between the housing and the manifold,

isolating the housing from the manifold with the seal,

providing a pyrotechnic material within the housing to heat the gas, causing the expansion of the gas in the housing upon the occurrence of a collision involving the vehicle to discontinue the isolation through such seal between the housing and manifold and to provide for the flow of the expanded gas thereafter through the passage, and

disposing an inflatable bag relative to the passage to provide for the inflation of the bag by the expanded gas flowing through the passage, wherein

the first pressure is sufficiently high and the pyrotechnic material has a burning time that is sufficiently short such that, upon combustion, the pyrotechnic material burns substantially completely and without substantial contact of burning material upon the inner surface, such that the pressurized gas at the first pressure is heated, thereby increasing the gas pressure to at least the second pressure to cause the seal to open and the gas to exit the interior volume in a time sufficiently short to substantially prevent transfer of heat to the housing.

12. The method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

disposing the inflatable bag in a closed compartment before the inflation of the bag, and opening the compartment upon the initiation of the inflation of the bag in the compartment to provide for an expansion of the bag outside of the compartment.

13. The method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

winding the inflatable bag in a spiral configuration for storage before the inflation of the bag,

disposing the spirally wound inflatable bag in a closed compartment configured and adapted to open upon inflation of the inflatable bag, and

opening the compartment during the inflation of the bag in the compartment to provide for an expansion of the bag outside of the compartment and an unwinding of the bag from the spiral configuration in accordance with the inflation of the bag.

14. The method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising the steps of folding panels of the inflatable bag in a folded zig-zag configuration for storage before the inflation of the bag,

disposing the folded inflatable bag in a closed compartment configured and adapted to open upon inflation of the inflatable bag, and

opening the compartment during the inflation of the bag in the compartment to provide for an expansion of the bag outside of the compartment and an unfolding of the bag from the folded configuration in accordance with the inflation of the bag.

15. The method as set forth in claim 11, further comprising the steps of:

providing the inflatable bag with a body portion and at least one flap extending from the body portion,

inserting the flap into the body portion, and folding the body portion in a folded configuration for storage before the inflation of the bag,

disposing the folded inflatable bag adjacent an occupant'"'"'s seat, and

inflating the bag upon the occurrence of a collision involving the vehicle, thereby unfolding the bag from the folded configuration, and unfolding the flap from the body portion upon the unfolding of the bag from the folded configuration.

16. The method as set forth in claim 15, further comprising the steps of:

providing an inflator to expand the gas upon the occurrence of a collision involving the vehicle, and

disposing the inflator and the folded inflatable bag in a compartment configured and adapted to open upon initiation of the inflation of the bag, and

attaching the compartment to the side of a seat in the vehicle.