Air bag restraint device

• US 5,458,367 A
• Filed: 04/11/1994
• Issued: 10/17/1995
• Est. Priority Date: 04/11/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Battelle Energy Alliance LLC (Battelle Memorial Institute)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Idaho Technologies Company
• Inventors: Richardson, John G., Marts, Donna J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Culbreth, Eric D.
• Application Number:
  US08/226,135
• Time in Patent Office: 554 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730 R, 280/728 R, 280/728 B, 280/743 R, 280/751, 280/753, 280/749, 180/271
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/12 which protect the occupants against personal attack from the inside or the outside of the vehicle
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/16 Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags protective garments with automatically inflatable shock-absorbing means A41D13/018; connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00

Abstract

A rear-seat air bag restraint device is disclosed that prevents an individual, or individuals, from continuing violent actions while being transported in a patrol vehicle'"'"'s rear seat without requiring immediate physical contact by the law enforcement officer. The air bag is activated by a control switch in the front seat and inflates to independently restrict the amount of physical activity occurring in the rear seat of the vehicle while allowing the officer to safely stop the vehicle. The air bag can also provide the officer additional time to get backup personnel to aid him if the situation warrants it. The bag is inflated and maintains a constant pressure by an air pump.

Claims

1. An inflatable air-bag restraint device for restraining a violent person in a rear seat of a vehicle, said device comprising:

a. a plenum and frame attached to a vehicle roof;

b. an air bag removably affixed to the plenum, said air bag having multiple permeable sections and a non-permeable fabric section;

c. an air pump connected to the plenum;

d. control means for activating the air pump;

e. a movable container supporting the air bag in a stored position;

wherein activation of the control means inflates the bag, maintains a constant pressure, and restrains the person without causing suffocation of the person.

2. The restraint device as recited in claim 1 wherein the plenum has a multiplicity of twist-lock fasteners that engage a multiplicity of elongate apertures in the air bag.

3. The restraint device as recited in claim 2 wherein the air bag'"'"'s permeable sections are adjacent a person'"'"'s torso, thighs, and lower legs in the inflated condition.

4. The restraint device as recited in claim 3 wherein the container comprises a half-cylinder and a quarter-cylinder each having spring-loaded hinges.

5. The restraint device as recited in claim 4 wherein the bag is coiled in a form of a helix in the stored condition and inflation of the bag fills a vehicle'"'"'s rear seat and floor area.

6. An inflatable air bag restraint device for restraining a violent person in a rear seat of a vehicle, said device comprising:

a. a plenum and frame attached to a vehicle roof;

b. an air bag removable affixed to the plenum by a plurality of twist-lock fasteners, said air bag having multiple permeable sections and a non-permeable fabric section;

c. an air pump connected to the plenum;

d. control means for activating the air pump;

e. a movable half-cylinder and quarter-cylinder container supporting the air bag in a stored position, said cylinders each having a spring-loaded hinge;

wherein activation of the control means inflates the bag and restrains the person by filling a vehicle'"'"'s rear seat and floor area without causing suffocation of the person.

7. The restraint device as recited in claim 6 wherein the air bag'"'"'s permeable sections are adjacent a person'"'"'s torso, thighs, and lower legs in the inflated condition.