Vehicle safety apparatus including movable inflatable occupant protection device

• US 6,305,711 B1
• Filed: 11/03/1999
• Issued: 10/23/2001
• Est. Priority Date: 11/03/1999
• Status: Expired due to Term

• 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: Seybold, John M., Steffens, Charles E. Jr., Bauer, John G.
• Primary Examiner(s): English, Peter C.
• Application Number:
  US09/433,492
• Time in Patent Office: 720 Days
• Field of Search: 280/777, 280/728.2, 280/731, 280/732, 280/735
• US Class Current: 280/777
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/2175 using energy absorbing means
• 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 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 1/197 incorporating devices for preventing ingress of the steering column into the passengers space in case of accident

Abstract

A vehicle safety apparatus (10) includes a vehicle steering column (40) connected to a vehicle steering wheel (42) to turn rotatable steerable vehicle wheels. A module (32) has an inflatable device (34) for helping to protect an occupant (36) of a vehicle (11) and an inflator (30) is connected with the inflatable device to provide inflation fluid for inflating the inflatable device. The apparatus (10) also includes at least one actuatable fastener (20) connected between the steering column (40) and a vehicle part (52). The actuatable fastener (20) has an unactuated condition blocking movement of the steering column (40) in a forward direction (58) in the vehicle (11) relative to the vehicle part (52). The actuatable fastener (20) has an actuated condition releasing the steering column (40) for movement in the vehicle (11) relative to the vehicle part (52) under load applied to the inflatable device (34) by the vehicle occupant (36). The forward movement of the steering column (40) effects forward movement of the inflatable device (34). The actuatable fastener (20) is preferably a pyrotechnic fastener.

Claims

1. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

a vehicle steering column connected to a vehicle steering wheel to turn rotatable steerable vehicle wheels,

a module operatively associated with said steering wheel and having an inflatable device for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle and an inflator connected with said inflatable device to provide inflation fluid for inflating said inflatable device, and

at least one actuatable fastener connected between said steering column and a vehicle part, said actuatable fastener having an unactuated condition blocking movement of said steering column in a forward direction in the vehicle relative to the vehicle part,

said actuatable fastener having an actuated condition releasing said steering column for movement in the forward direction in the vehicle relative to the vehicle part under load applied to said inflatable device by the vehicle occupant, said forward movement of said steering column enabling forward movement of said inflatable device.

2. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuatable fastener is a pyrotechnic fastener.

3. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 further comprising:

at least one sensor for sensing at least one vehicle condition or occupant condition relevant to a determination of whether or when to actuate said actuatable fastener; and

vehicle electric circuitry responsive to said at least one sensor for determining whether or when to actuate said actuatable fastener and for sending an actuation signal to said actuatable fastener.

4. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said sensed vehicle condition is crash severity, and said vehicle electric circuitry determines when to actuate said actuatable fastener based on sensed crash severity.

5. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said vehicle electric circuitry determines when to actuate said fastener based on multiple occupant condition inputs.

6. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein the vehicle electric circuitry is programmed to actuate said actuatable fastener, depending on said at least one sensed condition, either simultaneously with deployment of said inflatable device or after deployment of said inflatable device or not at all.

7. An apparatus as set forth in claim 3 wherein said sensor senses at least one of occupant seat belt usage, size, weight, and position.

8. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 including structure supporting said inflatable device for movement only in a generally forward direction in the vehicle.

9. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said inflatable device is mounted on said vehicle steering column and said vehicle part is a steering column support bracket.

10. An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 further comprising a bend strap connected with said steering column for controlling movement of said steering column.

11. An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said actuatable fastener is a pyrotechnic rivet.

12. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

a vehicle steering column connected to a vehicle steering wheel to turn rotatable steerable vehicle wheels;

an inflatable device having a folded, uninflated condition and an unfolded, inflated condition for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle;

a vehicle part spaced apart from the vehicle steering wheel;

a housing mounted to said vehicle part and containing said inflatable device, and

at least one actuatable fastener for fastening said housing to said vehicle part, said actuatable fastener having an unactuated condition securing said housing to said vehicle part and blocking movement of said housing in a forward direction in the vehicle relative to the vehicle part, said actuatable fastener comprising a pyrotechnic rivet;

said actuatable fastener having an actuated condition releasing said housing for movement in the forward direction in the vehicle relative to the vehicle part under load applied to said inflatable device by the vehicle occupant, said forward movement of said housing enabling forward movement of said inflatable device.

13. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 further comprising:

at least one sensor for sensing at least one vehicle condition or occupant condition relevant to a determination of whether or when to actuate said actuatable fastener; and

vehicle electric circuitry responsive to said at least one sensor for determining whether or when to actuate said actuatable fastener and for sending an actuation signal to said actuatable fastener.

14. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said sensed vehicle condition is crash severity, and said vehicle electric circuitry determines when to actuate said actuatable fastener based on sensed crash severity.

15. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said vehicle electric circuitry determines when to actuate said fastener based on multiple occupant condition inputs.

16. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein the vehicle electric circuitry is programmed to actuate said actuatable fastener, depending on said at least one sensed condition, either simultaneously with deployment of said inflatable device or after deployment of said inflatable device or not at all.

17. An apparatus as set forth in claim 13 wherein said sensor senses at least one of occupant seat belt usage, size, weight, and position.

18. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 including structure supporting said inflatable device for movement only in a generally forward direction in the vehicle.

19. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 further comprising a bend strap connected with said housing for controlling movement of said housing.

20. An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 wherein said inflatable device is mounted on a passenger side module and said vehicle part is a vehicle instrument panel.

21. A vehicle safety apparatus comprising:

a vehicle steering column connected to a vehicle steering wheel to turn rotatable steerable vehicle wheels;

an inflatable device having a folded, uninflated condition and an unfolded, inflated condition for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle;

a vehicle part spaced apart from the vehicle steering wheel;

a housing mounted to said vehicle part and containing said inflatable device;

at least one actuatable fastener for fastening said housing to said vehicle part, said actuatable fastener having an unactuated condition securing said housing to said vehicle part and blocking movement of said housing in a forward direction in the vehicle relative to the vehicle part,

said actuatable fastener having an actuated condition releasing said housing for movement in the forward direction in the vehicle relative to the vehicle part under load applied to said inflatable device by the vehicle occupant, said forward movement of said housing enabling forward movement of said inflatable device; and

a bend strap connected with said housing for controlling forward movement of said housing.