OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM

• US 3,817,552 A
• Filed: 08/25/1972
• Issued: 06/18/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 08/25/1972
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Ben C. Parr, Carl M. Savage Jr, Herbert A. Libkie, John W. Knight IV
• Original Assignee: Ben C. Parr, Carl M. Savage Jr, Herbert A. Libkie, John W. Knight IV
• Inventors: Savage, Carl M. Jr., Knight, John W. IV, Parr, Ben C., Libkie, Herbert A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Schonberg, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Siemens, Terrance L.
• Application Number:
  US05/283,642
• Time in Patent Office: 662 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15AB
• US Class Current: 280/732
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards

Abstract

A vehicle body instrument panel includes an upper wall provided with a generally L-shaped recess extending transversely of the body. A generally U-shaped housing has its lower leg seating on and secured to the base wall of the recess and the bight portion thereof adjacent the forward wall of the recess. An elongated diffuser complementary in shape to the bight portion is fitted therewithin. The flattened ends of the diffuser are secured to the side walls of the housing. An inflatable cushion has one closed end receiving the diffuser and inflated therefrom. A cover has a return bent forward leg secured to the upper leg of the housing and the rear edge thereof received within a groove of an energy absorbing cover of the instrument panel. An inflator has an outlet neck projecting through the upper wall of the instrument panel and the lower leg of the housing into the diffuser. A bayonet-type connection releasably secures the inflator to the diffuser.

Claims

1. The combination comprising, a vehicle body having a windshield and an instrument panel structure extending rearwardly from the windshield and including an upper wall provided with a recess including a forward end wall and a base wall of greater extent and extending generally laterally of the end wall and rearwardly and upWardly of the body, a generally U-shaped housing located within the instrument panel recess and having the bight portion thereof located adjacent the end wall and one of the spaced legs thereof supported on the base wall, the terminal portions of the spaced legs being shaped to define a throat extending upwardly and rearwardly of the body, a diffuser complementary in shape to the bight portion of the housing and received therein for communication with a source of pressure fluid, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion received within the throat of the housing when uninflated in fluid communication with the diffuser, the cushion being projected rearwardly and upwardly of the body from the throat upon communication of the diffuser with a source of pressure fluid, and releasable cover means extending over the recess and housing and being released upon inflation of the cushion.

2. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the releasable cover means includes a cover member hingedly secured to one of the legs of the U-shaped housing, and means releasably securing the cover member to the instrument panel structure adjacent the other leg of the housing.

3. The combination recited in claim 1 wherein the instrument panel structure includes cushion means located adjacent the recess and rearwardly of the housing, and the cover means includes a cover member hingedly secured to the housing, and means releasably securing the cover member to the cushion means.

4. The combination comprising, a vehicle body having a windshield and an instrument panel structure including an upper wall extending rearwardly from the windshield, the upper wall being provided with a recess including a forward end wall and a base wall of greater extent and extending generally laterally of the end wall and rearwardly and upwardly of the body, a generally U-shaped housing having one leg thereof supported on the base wall of the recess, the bight portion thereof positioned adjacent the end wall of the recess and the other leg thereof of lesser extent than the one leg thereof and located in vertically spaced relationship to the one leg, the terminal portions of the spaced legs being offset and shaped to define a throat extending upwardly and rearwardly of the body, a diffuser complementary in shape to the bight portion of the housing and received therein for communication with a source of pressure fluid, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion received within the throat of the housing when uninflated in fluid communication with the diffuser, the cushion being projected from the throat upon communication of the diffuser with a source of pressure fluid, and releasable cover means extending over the recess and housing and being released upon inflation of the cushion.

5. The combination comprising, a vehicle body having a windshield and an instrument panel structure including an upper wall extending rearwardly from the windshield and provided with a recess therein having a base wall extending rearwardly and upwardly of the body and a forward lateral end wall, a generally U-shaped housing having the lower leg thereof supported on the base wall of the recess and the bight portion thereof positioned adjacent the forward end wall, the terminal portion of the lower leg being offset from the base wall and the terminal portion of the upper leg being offset, said terminal portions cooperatively defining a rearwardly and upwardly extending throat, diffuser means received within the bight portion of the housing for communication with a source of pressure fluid, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion received within the throat when uninflated, means mounting the cushion to the housing in fluid communication with the diffuser means, and releasable cover means covering the housing and being released upon inflation of the cushion from the diffuser means and projection of the cushion from the throat.

6. The combination comprising, a vehicle body having a windshield and an instrument panel structure including an upper wall extending rearwardly from the windshield and provided with a recess therein, a generally U-shaped housing located within the instrument panel recess and including a bight portion and a pair of flexibly related generally parallel legs having the terminal portions thereof shaped to define a throat extending upwardly and rearwardly of the body, a diffuser complementary in shape to the bight portion of the housing and legs and received therein, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion received within the throat of the housing when uninflated, means mounting the cushion to the diffuser in fluid communication therewith, the cushion being projected from the throat upon communication of the diffuser with a source of pressure fluid, and releasable cover means extending over the recess and housing and being released upon inflation of the cushion.

7. The combination comprising, a vehicle body having a windshield and an instrument panel structure including an upper wall extending rearwardly from the windshield and provided with a recess therein having an apertured base wall, a generally U-shaped housing having a lower leg seating on the base wall of the recess and provided with an aperture aligned with the base wall aperture, the legs of the housing defining a throat extending upwardly and rearwardly of the body, a diffuser received within the bight portion of the housing and including an aperture in the wall thereof opening to the housing aperture, an inflator having an outlet portion projecting through the aligned apertures into the diffuser, cooperating means on the outlet and diffuser releasably securing the inflator to the diffuser, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion received within the throat of the housing when uninflated, and means mounting the cushion to the diffuser in fluid communication therewith, the cushion being projected from the throat upon communication of the diffuser with the inflator.

8. The combination recited in claim 7 wherein the cooperating means include cooperating pin and slot means on the outlet and diffuser providing a bayonet-type releasable connection between the inflator and the diffuser.