Safety air curtain for vehicles

• US 5,599,042 A
• Filed: 12/14/1995
• Issued: 02/04/1997
• Est. Priority Date: 12/14/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Chorng Rong Shyr
• Original Assignee: Chorng Rong Shyr
• Inventors: Cheng, Ming C., Shyr, Chorng R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US08/572,368
• Time in Patent Office: 418 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/749
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/483 with obstacle sensors of electric or electronic type
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/013 including means for detecting collisions, impending collisions or roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0134 responsive to imminent contact with an obstacle , e.g. using radar systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/213 in vehicle roof frames or pillars
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/232 Curtain-type airbags deploying mainly in a vertical direction from their top edge

Abstract

An inflatable safety air curtain device for vehicles includes an air curtain device mounted in the car in front and above the driver or the passengers and an infrared detecting device. The air curtain device consists of an inflatable air curtain furled on a shaft within a housing or compressed and folded up within the housing. The infrared detecting device is mounted at a farthest front end of the car and may, upon detecting any car or object within a critical range of the car, actuate an electromagnetic valve on the air curtain device to cause compressed air within the cylinder to flow into the air curtain to inflate the same so that the air curtain swells instantly downwardly to form a protective curtain for the driver or the passenger.

Claims

1. An inflatable safety air curtain device for vehicles comprising an air curtain device and an infrared detecting device, said air curtain device consisting of a housing for accommodating an air curtain, and a compressed-air cylinder containing high pressure compressed air, an electromagnetic valve and a circuit board mounted at a rear side of said housing, said compressed-air cylinder communicating with said air curtain via said electromagnetic valve and a tubing, said air curtain being provided with a transparent window at a suitable position thereof to prevent obstruction of a driver'"'"'s vision, said air curtain device capable of being mounted in a car in front and above the driver or passenger, said housing further having a shaft disposed inside, said shaft having a first pin at one end thereof and a second pin at the other end thereof, said first pin being provided with a central opening which communicates with a hollow interior of said shaft in which compressed air may circulate, said air curtain being attached to said shaft with a hose disposed inside said air curtain for permitting compressed air within the hollow interior of said shaft to go into said air curtain, said air curtain being furled on said shaft under normal conditions, said infrared detecting device being mounted at a farthest front end of the car for detecting any car or object to which the car is approaching, said infrared detecting device capable of actuating said electromagnetic valve on said air curtain device via said circuit board upon detecting any car or object within a critical range, so that compressed air from said compressed-air cylinder flows instantly via said tubing through said hose into said air curtain which immediately swells downwardly to form a protective air curtain to protect the driver or the passenger.

2. An inflatable air curtain device for vehicles as claimed in claim 1, wherein said air curtain may be compressed and folded up and placed inside said housing, and said housing is further provided with an air release tube having thereon a plurality of vents spaced equally apart from each other, said air release tube being arranged at an upper end of said air curtain such that compressed air released from said compressed-air cylinder may enter said air curtain via said air release tube to inflate said air curtain, said housing being further provided with a cover plate which is pushed open by said air curtain when inflation begins.

3. An inflatable air curtain device for vehicles as claimed in claim 1, wherein, after compressed air has been released from said compressed-air cylinder to inflate said air curtain, there is no need to replace the entire inflatable air curtain device and it is necessary to replace said compressed-air cylinder only.