Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-29
2001-07-03
Culbreth, Eric (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S736000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06254125
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a method for operating a compressed-gas device in a motor vehicle. The invention also relates to a compressed-gas device for a motor vehicle having a compressed-gas cartridge which is coupled with a control device and a sensor which is provided to detect an accident and which is coupled with the control device.
2. Discussion of the Prior Art
Such a method and such a compressed-gas device are known, for instance, in the form of an airbag or side bag in a motor vehicle. In such a device, a compressed-gas cartridge is provided which is filled with gas under pressure. The side bag is, for instance, connected to the compressed-gas cartridge. In the event of an accident, the compressed-gas cartridge is triggered. This means that the gas contained in the compressed-gas cartridge flows abruptly into the side bag and fills it. The side bag is in this way inflated, for instance in the manner of a cushion, and then forms a protection for the driver of the motor vehicle. The triggering of the compressed-gas cartridge and the filling of the side bag take place so rapidly that the driver is protected at the very moment of the accident against possible injuries resulting therefrom.
A side bag is provided preferably for protection in the event of a side-impact accident. It is possible, for instance, in the event of a rear-end collision that the compressed-gas cartridge of the side bag will not be triggered and the side bag will thus not be filled. In this case, the compressed-gas cartridge which is still under pressure continues to be present in the motor vehicle after the accident.
If it now becomes necessary, for instance in connection with the rescuing of the driver involved in the accident, to cut open parts of the motor vehicle by means of metal shears or the like. There is the possibility that upon this violent action on the motor vehicle the compressed-gas cartridge is damaged or destroyed, which may lead to an explosion of the compressed-gas cartridge. This obviously represents a danger for the passengers of the motor vehicle as well as for the rescue personnel.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide a method for operating a compressed-gas device in a motor vehicle, and a compressed-gas device for a motor vehicle which do not endanger the parties concerned even after an accident.
Pursuant to this object, and others which will become apparent hereafter, one aspect of the present invention resides in bringing the compressed-gas device into an unpressurized condition after an accident. In the case of a compressed-gas device of the type indicated above, the object is achieved in accordance with the invention in that the compressed-gas cartridge is provided with a vent valve by means of which the compressed-gas cartridge can be vented after detecting an accident.
In the case of the invention, a distinction is made between the moment at which the accident occurs and the time after the accident. In accordance with the invention, the compressed-gas cartridge is brought into an unpressurized condition after the accident. This, however, is carried out in the manner that any protective measures taking place at the moment of the accident are not impeded thereby. The compressed-gas cartridge is therefore in the simplest case only vented once the accident is over. If the compressed-gas cartridge was triggered by the accident and if therefore the corresponding side bag was inflated, then the compressed-gas cartridge is already without pressure and thus harmless. However, if the compressed gas cartridge was—for whatever reasons—not triggered by the accident, then the invention assures that this compressed-gas cartridge will also be vented after the accident and thus brought into an unpressurized condition.
The invention thus has the result that within a certain period of time after an accident, all compressed-gas devices of the motor vehicle are without pressure. Such unpressurized devices can no longer constitute a danger for the passengers of the motor vehicle or for rescue personnel.
The present invention relates in this case not only to a controlling of compressed gas cartridges for airbags, side bags or the like so as to make them unpressurized. In the same way, the invention can be applied in very general manner to pressure devices in a motor vehicle, for instance to a pneumatic suspension or pneumatic level control, or the like.
In one advantageous embodiment of the invention in which the compressed gas device has a compressed-gas cartridge and in which the motor vehicle is provided with a sensor for detecting an accident, the compressed-gas cartridge is vented upon detecting an accident. This represents the special application of the method of the invention to known airbag or side bag devices. In these cases, the controlling of the compressed-gas device of the motor vehicle so as to make it unpressurized is achieved by venting the compressed-gas cartridge.
It is particularly advantageous if the compressed-gas cartridge is vented after a presettable period of time. The venting of the compressed-gas cartridge is understood to mean in this connection that the gas contained in the compressed-gas cartridge at least does not flow out abruptly. In this way there is avoided, on the one hand, any influencing or even impeding of any possible inflating of the corresponding airbag or side bag caused by the accident. On the other hand, assurance is thus had that the compressed-gas cartridge becomes unpressurized in every case and is thus harmless after the presettable period of time and upon expiration of a venting period.
In a further development of the invention, the compressed-gas cartridge is vented regardless of whether it has already been triggered by the accident or not. This results in the substantial simplification that no distinction need be made between triggered and non-triggered compressed-gas cartridges. Rather, all compressed-gas cartridges of the motor vehicle are vented so that in every case the entire compressed-gas device of the motor vehicle becomes unpressurized.
Further features, applications and advantages of the invention result from the following description of the embodiments of the invention shown in the drawing. In this connection, all features described or shown form the object of the invention, both individually or in any desired combination, regardless of their combination in the claims or the referral back thereof and regardless of their wording and/or representation in the specification and/or the drawing.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use, reference should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.
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Cohen & Pontani, Lieberman & Pavane
Culbreth Eric
Lum L.
LandOfFree
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