Vehicle impact force limiting system

• US 6,712,168 B2
• Filed: 10/20/2001
• Issued: 03/30/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 10/20/2001
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Yakov Feldman
• Original Assignee: Yakov Feldman
• Inventors: Feldman, Yakov
• Primary Examiner(s): Dunn, David R.
• Application Number:
  US10/039,859
• Publication Number:
  US 20030075374A1
• Time in Patent Office: 892 Days
• Field of Search: 180/169, 180/271, 180/274, 180/275, 280/735, 340/435, 340/903, 340/904
• US Class Current: 180/274
• CPC Class Codes: B60G 2202/45 Other types, e.g. external jets for stability with particular characteristics
• CPC Class Codes: B60T 1/12 acting otherwise than by retarding wheels, e.g. jet action

Abstract

A vehicle impact force limiting system including at least one gas generator attached to a vehicle and adapted to generate or produce gas and to discharge a flow of gas forward in a lengthwise direction of the vehicle into an atmosphere when the gas generator is activated or actuated during a vehicle frontal collision or a rear-impact crash. The gas flow is adapted to generate or produce a force of reaction, applied to the vehicle and directed backward in an opposite direction to driving and to inertial forces of the vehicle, thereby reducing the driving and inertial forces and the impact of the vehicle. The reduced impact force reduces damage to the vehicle and injury to occupants of the vehicle. In an emergency or before a vehicle collision, the system allows the vehicle occupant to activate or actuate the gas generator to slow down or stop the vehicle.

Claims

1. A vehicle impact force limiting system comprising:

at least one gas generator attached to a vehicle and adapted to produce gas in the beginning of a direct contact with an object in a collision and to discharge a flow of said gas forward into an atmosphere when a force of said collision acts on said vehicle and activates said at least one gas generator;

said at least one gas generator being located outside the vehicle'"'"'s crush zone which is designed to absorb a force of a crash, and said location of said at least one gas generator being designed to exclude a direct contact with an object and a damage in a collision;

said gas flow being adapted to generate a force of reaction, applied to said vehicle and directed backward in an opposite direction to driving and to inertial forces of said vehicle, thereby reducing said driving and inertial forces and an impact of said vehicle during said action of a force of a collision on said vehicle,

whereby said reduced driving, inertial, and impact forces reduce damage to said vehicle and injury to occupants of said vehicle.

2. The vehicle impact force limiting system of claim 1 wherein:

said gas flow is adapted to reduce said inertial force and the front-impact of said vehicle during a frontal vehicle collision.

3. The vehicle impact force limiting system of claim 1 wherein:

said gas flow is adapted to decrease the forces inside said vehicle during a rear-end collision.

4. The vehicle impact force limiting system comprising:

at least one gas generator attached to a vehicle and adapted to produce gas at the beginning of a direct contact with an object in a collision and to discharge a flow of said gas forward into an atmosphere when said at least one gas generator is activated during an action of a force of an impact on said vehicle in a vehicle collision of a selected severity;

said at least one gas generator being disposed outside the crush zone of said vehicle, which is adapted to absorb a force of a collision, and said disposition of said at least one gas generator being designed to exclude a direct contact with an object and a damage in said vehicle collision;

said gas flow being adapted to generate a force of reaction, applied to said vehicle and directed backward in an opposite direction to inertial force of said vehicle, thereby reducing said inertial force and an impact of said vehicle and decreasing the forces inside said vehicle during said action of a force of an impact on said vehicle in said vehicle collision of selected severity,

whereby said reduced inertial and impact forces reduce damage to said vehicle and injury to occupants of said vehicle during said collision.

5. The vehicle impact force limiting system of claim 4, wherein:

said gas flow is adapted to reduce said inertial force and the front-impact of said vehicle during a frontal vehicle collision.

6. The vehicle impact force limiting system of claim 4 wherein:

said gas flow is adapted to reduce the rear-impact of said vehicle during a rear-end collision.

7. A vehicle impact force limiting system comprising:

at least one gas generator attached to a vehicle and adapted to generate gas at the beginning of a direct contact with an object in a collision and to discharge a flow of said gas forward and longitudinally of said vehicle into an atmosphere when a force of an impact acts on said vehicle and activates said at least one gas generator during a vehicle collision;

said at least one gas generator being located outside the vehicle'"'"'s crush zone which is designed to buckle and bend in a crash to absorb the force of said crash, and said location of said at least one gas generator is designed to exclude a direct contact with an object and a damage in a collision;

said gas flow being adapted to produce a force which is applied to said vehicle and directed backward in an opposite direction to inertial force of said vehicle, thereby reducing said inertial force and a severity of an impact of said vehicle when said force of an impact acts on said vehicle during said vehicle collision.

whereby said reduced inertial and impact forces minimize damage to said vehicle and injury to occupants of said vehicle during said collision.

8. The vehicle impact force limiting system of claim 7 wherein:

said gas flow is adapted to reduce said inertial movement and the front-impact of said vehicle during a frontal vehicle collision.

9. The vehicle impact force limiting system of claim 7 wherein:

said gas flow is adapted to reduce the rear-impact of said vehicle during a rear-end collision.