Air bag contoured for safety

• US 6,361,072 B1
• Filed: 05/11/2000
• Issued: 03/26/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 05/11/2000
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Bertron O. Barnes
• Original Assignee: Bertron O. Barnes
• Inventors: Barnes, Bertron O.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mai, Lanna
• Assistant Examiner(s): TO, TOAN C
• Application Number:
  US09/568,685
• Publication Number:
  US 20020043791A1
• Time in Patent Office: 684 Days
• Field of Search: 280/728.1, 280/743.1, 280/729, 280/733, 280/743.2
• US Class Current: 280/743.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/23382 Internal tether means
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/233 comprising a plurality of individual compartments; comprising two or more bag-like members, one within the other B60R21/232 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/2338 Tethers

Abstract

An air bag whose envelope is a front panel and a rear panel joined around a common periphery and having a tether having one edge joined to an inside surface of the front panel and another edge joined to the inside surface of the rear surface near the entry port. The tether has two members, an elastic member that is shorter than an inelastic member in its unstretched state. The elastic member controls the rate of inflation of the air cushion thereby lessening the chance of injury due to the sudden inflation of the air bag. The inelastic member controls the shape of the air cushion to accommodate the face and head of the passenger.

Claims

1. An inflatable air bag attachable to an inflater for deployment in an automobile for the protection of passengers, said bag comprising:

an inflatable envelope having an entry port for admitting gas.

a tether means inside said envelope for controlling expansion of said envelope having an elastic member and an inelastic member;

said elastic member and inelastic member having a common end secured to an inside surface of said envelope in one area and another common end secured to said inside surface of said envelope in another area;

said elastic member having a length that is shorter than a length of said inelastic member providing that when said air bag is deflated, both said inelastic and elastic members are unextended, and when gas initially enters said bag, said elastic member first extends until said elastic member is fully extended, and, as said bag continues to inflate, said elastic member stretches and said inelastic member extends until said inelastic member is fully extended whereby said one area of said bag ceases to unfold while areas of said air bag distal from said another area continue to unfold providing that a concavity is formed in said envelope.

2. The air bag of claim 1 comprising:

said tether means being at least one pair of straps;

one strap of each said pair of straps being elastic;

another strap of each said pair of straps being inelastic;

said inelastic strap of each pair of said at least one pair of straps being longer than said elastic strap of said each pair when said elastic strap is unstretched;

said inelastic strap and said elastic strap of each pair of at least one pair of straps having one common end joined at a first location in said one area and another common end joined at said second location in said another area.

3. The air bag of claim 2 wherein said inelastic strap is made of material selected from a group of materials consisting of vegetable fiber, cloth and a plastic sheet and said elastic strap is made of material selected from a group of materials consisting of rubber, neoprene and urethane.

4. The inflatable air bag of claim 1 wherein:

said envelope is a flexible rear panel and a flexible front panel joined together around a common periphery;

said entry port is located about in a center of said rear panel;

said tether is at least one strap, each said at least one strap having one end joined to an inside surface of said front panel and another end joined to an inside surface of said rear panel proximal to said entry port;

each said at least one strap having a length selected to provide that when said envelope is inflated through said entry port, said strap limits expansion of said envelope whereby a concavity centrally located in a center of said front panel is formed.

5. The inflatable air bag of claim 1 wherein:

said envelope is a flexible rear panel and a flexible front panel joined together around a common periphery;

said entry port is located about in a center of said rear panel;

said tether is a tether panel of flexible material having an outer boundary and a centrally located aperture defined by an inner boundary;

said outer boundary attached to an inside surface of said front panel and said inner boundary joined to an inside surface of said rear panel and surrounding and proximal to said entrance port;

said tether panel having a plurality of openings permitting gas to enter every region inside said envelope,

said tether panel having a size selected to provide that when said envelope is inflated through said entry port, a concavity centrally located in a center of said front panel is formed.

6. The inflatable air bag of claim 1 wherein said inflater is installable in one of a steering column and a glove compartment of said automobile and said envelope is adapted to provide that, when said air bag is fully inflated, a length of an edge of said periphery of said envelope lies substantially against an inside surface of a door of said automobile and a front surface of said envelope is forced against said passenger sitting in said car adjacent said door.