Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-03-25
2001-03-13
English, Peter C. (Department: 3619)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S739000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06199895
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION
This invention generally relates to inflatable restraint systems for motor vehicles. More specifically, this invention relates to inflatable restraint systems that use selectable ventilation to control the energy absorbing characteristics of the inflatable restraint.
BACKGROUND
In a conventional inflatable restraint system, a sensor is used to detect the occurrence of a vehicle impact and, upon such occurrence, to deploy an inflatable cushion. Once deployed with inflation gas, the inflatable cushion provides a layer between the passenger of a vehicle and the hard surfaces of an automotive interior during vehicle impact. These systems are highly effective and have saved lives in thousands of vehicles. For some passenger and impact situations, however, the conventional inflatable restraint systems are not optimized. These situations may occur, for example, with passengers who are much smaller than the average adult, with passengers who are unbelted or “out-of-position,” or in low severity impacts. In such cases, conventional inflatable restraint system may deploy an inflatable cushion with less-than-optimal energy absorption characteristics, such as excessive force.
Various techniques have been explored to control the energy absorption characteristics of the inflatable cushion. One such technique uses a dual level inflator. In these systems, a first inflator charge is used to deploy the inflatable cushion with inflation gas upon the detection of a vehicle impact, and the second inflator charge is used to further inflate the inflatable cushion only in response to specific situations. These techniques, however, suffer from the expense and complication of using such a dual level inflator.
Another such technique, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 5,074,583 (Fujita et al.), uses a discharge valve to allow ventilation of the inflatable cushion when the pressure in the inflatable cushion reaches a certain level. The ventilation of the inflatable cushion through the discharge valve limits and reduces the pressure in the inflatable cushion and may prevent the deployment of an inflatable cushion with excessive force. This technique, however, only allows control of the pressure of the inflatable cushion and does not allow any control of the energy absorption characteristic of the inflatable cushion in response to different passenger and impact situations.
Other, more recent, techniques use movable shutters, instead of discharge valves, that may be selectively activated. The ventilation of the inflatable cushion through the movable shutters also alters the energy absorption characteristics of the inflatable cushion by reducing the pressure in the inflatable cushion. Unlike the discharge valve technique, the movable shutters allows control of the energy characteristics of the inflatable cushion in response to different passenger situations. But, because of the slow response of the mechanical shutters, these techniques do not allow control of the energy absorption characteristics of the inflatable cushion in response to low severity impacts. Vehicle impacts occur too fast for a determination of a low severity impact and for an appropriate mechanical response.
Thus, the current techniques in the art fail to provide a simple, cost-effective technique to control the energy absorption characteristics of the inflatable cushion in response to passengers who are much smaller than the average adult, passengers who are unbelted or “out-of-position,” and low severity impacts.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
This invention provides for an inflatable restraint system that overcomes the problems and disadvantages of the conventional techniques in the art. Additionally, the present invention provides for an inflatable restraint system that controls the energy absorption characteristics of the inflatable cushion in response to passengers who are much smaller than the average adult, passengers who are unbelted or “out-of-position,” and low severity impacts. Further, the present invention provides for an inflatable restraint system that can be easily modified during testing procedures and for optimal performance in different vehicles.
The invention includes an inflatable restraint system with a base plate defining a vent aperture, an inflatable cushion secured to the base plate, and a single conventional inflator for inflating the inflatable cushion with inflation gas. In some vehicle impacts, the vent aperture remains sealed with a vent plug, which inhibits ventilation of the inflation gas from the inflatable cushion through the vent aperture. In other vehicle impacts, depending on the placement and force of the impact, the speed and direction of the vehicle, and the size and placement of the passengers, the energy absorption characteristics of the inflatable cushion may be controlled. This is accomplished by an initiator, which may be selectively activated to rupture the vent plug and thereby allow selective ventilation of the inflation gas through the vent aperture. Further, by using base plates with a smaller or larger vent aperture size, the ventilation characteristics, such as the flow rate, of the inflatable restraint system can be easily modified during testing procedures and for optimal performance for different vehicle applications.
Further features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following discussion and accompanying drawings.
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English Peter C.
Lyon P.C.
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