Inflatable personal restraint systems and associated methods of use and manufacture
First Claim
1. A personal restraint system for use with an occupant seated in a vehicle, the personal restraint system comprising:
- a web configured to extend around a portion of the occupant when the occupant is seated in the vehicle; and
an airbag that includes;
a first inflatable chamber attached to the web, the first inflatable chamber having a generally tubular shape extending adjacent to a portion of the web when inflated; and
a second inflatable chamber in fluid communication with the first inflatable chamber, the second inflatable chamber extending outwardly from the first inflatable chamber adjacent to a portion of the occupant when inflated, wherein the second inflatable chamber has an inverted “
L”
shape when inflated.
10 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
Inflatable restraint systems for restraining an occupant in a vehicle are disclosed herein. A personal restraint system configured in accordance with one embodiment of the disclosure includes an airbag carried by a web. The web has an end portion operably coupled to the vehicle and is configured to extend around a portion of the occupant. The airbag includes a first inflatable chamber in fluid communication with a second inflatable chamber. The first inflatable chamber extends adjacent to a portion of the web when inflated, and the second inflatable chamber extends outwardly from the first inflatable chamber adjacent to a portion of the occupant when inflated.
297 Citations
26 Claims
-
1. A personal restraint system for use with an occupant seated in a vehicle, the personal restraint system comprising:
-
a web configured to extend around a portion of the occupant when the occupant is seated in the vehicle; and an airbag that includes; a first inflatable chamber attached to the web, the first inflatable chamber having a generally tubular shape extending adjacent to a portion of the web when inflated; and a second inflatable chamber in fluid communication with the first inflatable chamber, the second inflatable chamber extending outwardly from the first inflatable chamber adjacent to a portion of the occupant when inflated, wherein the second inflatable chamber has an inverted “
L”
shape when inflated. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11)
-
-
12. A personal restraint system for use in a vehicle, the personal restraint system comprising:
-
a web operably coupled to the vehicle; an airbag having a tensioning chamber in fluid communication with an impact barrier chamber, wherein the tensioning chamber is attached to the web and the impact barrier chamber is attached to the tensioning chamber, and wherein the tensioning chamber has a generally tubular shape that tensions the web when inflated, and wherein the impact barrier chamber has a generally inverted “
L”
shape when inflated that forms a deformable impact cushion for an occupant of the vehicle;an inflator operably coupled to the tensioning chamber; and a sensor operably coupled to the inflator, wherein the sensor is configured to activate the inflator in response to a rapid deceleration of the vehicle, whereby the inflator inflates the tensioning chamber and the impact barrier chamber. - View Dependent Claims (13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18)
-
-
19. A personal restraint system for use with an occupant in a vehicle, the personal restraint system comprising:
-
strap means for restraining the occupant in the vehicle, wherein the strap means extend at least partially around a portion of the occupant; an airbag carried by the strap means, wherein the airbag includes a first chamber in fluid communication with a second chamber, the first chamber having a first surface portion attached to the strap means and a second surface portion attached to the second chamber, wherein the second chamber has a third surface portion that extends laterally from the first chamber when the first and second chambers are inflated, and wherein the second chamber has an inverted “
L”
shape when inflated; andmeans for automatically inflating the first and second chambers of the airbag in response to a rapid deceleration of the vehicle. - View Dependent Claims (20, 21, 22)
-
-
23. A method of restraining an occupant in a vehicle, the method comprising:
-
detecting a rapid deceleration of the vehicle; inflating a first chamber of an airbag in response to detecting the deceleration, wherein the first chamber has a generally tubular shape extending adjacent to a web when inflated; and inflating a second chamber of the airbag from the first chamber after the first chamber is at least partially inflated, wherein the second chamber extends outwardly from the first chamber adjacent to a portion of the occupant, and wherein the second chamber has a generally inverted “
L”
shape when inflated. - View Dependent Claims (24, 25, 26)
-
Specification