Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
2000-03-14
2001-04-17
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S742000, C137S068230
Reexamination Certificate
active
06217066
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
This invention relates to safety systems for protecting vehicular passengers, such as those traveling in automobiles and aircraft, and more particularly to those safety systems which utilize passive restraints, such as air bags and similar inflatable restraints which require almost instantaneous inflation from gas sources, such as compressed air or the reaction products of pyrotechnic inflator cartridges.
Inflatable gas cushions (air bags) are widely used in certain types of passenger carrying vehicles, most prevalently in land based automotive equipment. Generally, passive passenger restraints, such as inflatable gas bags are filled by compressed air or other gases and are located in the automobile steering column and in other fixed locations within the automobile, such as the dashboard and side panels. In the event of sudden deceleration of the vehicle, as in a crash, sensors identify the event and the compressed air or other gas is released to expand the bags at high speed directly towards the passenger. Air bags have generally proven to be effective in alleviating to some extent injuries which might otherwise be occasioned by virtue of a passenger striking a rigid surface within the vehicle. On the other hand it has now become apparent through experience that in some instances occupants require protection from the rapid inflation of the aribag system itself.
It has in the past been proposed, for various reasons, to inflate the protective air or gas filled cushion gradually, usually by sequentially releasing inflating gas, so that the full force of deployment of the bag was extended over a longer period of time. Control of the rate of bag inflation might be desired for example, in response to the position of the vehicle occupant to be restrained, or as a function of the ambient temperature or even as a function of the severity of the impending crash event.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,460,405 which was issued Oct. 24, 1995 discloses a passenger protective inflating system in which an inflator assembly
20
is provided which contains a plurality of inflating gas sources
22
,
24
,
26
and
28
that are capable of supplying different volumes of gas, depending upon the instructions issued by controller
50
. These four sources of inflating gas may be activated either simultaneously or in sequence depending upon the values received by controller
50
from sensors
52
,
72
and
70
.
A different type of multi-stage gas inflating apparatus is the subject of U.S. Pat. No. 3,972,545 which, in this case, discloses the use of separate quantities of ignitable materials contained within chambers
16
and
17
that are separated by a consumable partition
15
. The reaction of combustible materials within chambers
16
and
17
are initiated by means of squibs
19
and
20
which can be fired either separately or simultaneously, depending upon the severity of the emergency situation that has been sensed.
When utilizing multiple sources of inflating gas, for example separate containers of compressed air, in which the gases are expanded and released suddenly in pulsed sequence into a common duct which flows the gas toward the cushion, a reverse pressure shockwave often results from the activation or firing of the first container of gas; this shockwave is then responsible for the premature activation or firing of the second or subsequent additional containers. Since sequential activation is undertaken to alleviate the severity of cushion expansion, the essentially simultaneous activation of all gas sources by the shock wave vitiates the original reason for sequential gas release.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION
It is a principal object of this invention to provide a passenger restraint system in which multiple inflator cartridges are provided and in which means is included to ensure that operation of one inflator cartridge is not responsible for premature activation of cartridges to be fired later.
It is an additional object of this invention to provide a multiple source inflator system in which transmission of a pressure wave between the first activated of a plurality of pressurized gas containers cannot effect premature activation and release of gas from containers programmed to be later released.
An additional object of this invention is to provide an inflation system utilizing multiple gas inflator sources in which sources can be sequentially fired and in which the shockwave generated by the first operated inflator container is shielded from additional inflator by means of suitable pressure isolating apparatus.
A further object of this invention is to provide a multiple source inflator system in which at least some of the inflator cartridges are provided with shielding apparatus that prevent activation of the cartridges by reason of shock waves occurring from earlier activation of other cartridges.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3972545 (1976-08-01), Kirchoff et al.
patent: 5348344 (1994-09-01), Blumenthal et al.
patent: 5460405 (1995-10-01), Faigle et al.
patent: 5863066 (1999-01-01), Blumenthal
patent: 6095561 (2000-08-01), Siddiqui et al.
patent: 6142519 (2000-11-01), Smith
patent: 6149193 (2000-11-01), Canterberry et al.
Adkisson Rick A.
Coleman Daniel E.
Coleman Pamela A.
Riley Michael C.
Am-Safe, Incorporated
Coleman Pamela A.
Dickson Paul N.
Mayor Brown & Platt
Speer Richard A.
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