Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-06-11
2001-02-13
Dickson, Paul N. (Department: 3618)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S740000, C280S743200
Reexamination Certificate
active
06186540
ABSTRACT:
THE TECHNICAL FIELD OF THE INVENTION AND PRIOR ART
The present invention refers to a method of filling an empty, flexible container to be provided in a vehicle with a gas when the container is subjected to a powerful retardation, wherein the gas-filled container functions as a force absorbing cushion which protects against injuries. Furthermore, the present invention refers to a container device for a vehicle, comprising a flexible container provided to be filled with gas when the container device is subjected to a powerful retardation and thereby to function as a force absorbing cushion which protects against injuries.
It is known to provide an apparatus for inflating an empty flexible container, such as an air bag, incorporated in the passenger compartment of an automotive vehicle as an alternative or preferably as a supplement to safety belts. In the event of collision, resulting in the application of significant retardation or deceleration forces to the vehicle and the apparatus, the air bags are inflated immediately, or extremely quickly in front of the driver or passengers in order to protect the driver or passengers from injuries that they otherwise might suffer if thrown against the steering wheel or the instrument panel of the vehicle.
However, it has been recognized that such airbags also may lead to injuries in cases when the driver or a passenger is in a position too close to the airbag prior to its inflating. The forces by which the airbag during the inflating in such cases hits the driver or passenger might be powerful enough to seriously injure or even kill the driver or the passenger. Moreover, if a seat for a child is position close to such an airbag prior to its inflating, the forces by which the airbag during the inflating hits said seat might be powerful enough to seriously injure a child seated in said seat.
DE-A-2 501 602 discloses such an previously known airbag device for an automotive vehicle. The device comprises a first receptacle which is filled with pressurized gas to be expanded for filling the airbag upon retardation, and an ignition chamber comprising a medium to be combusted for raising the temperature of the expanding gas during the filling of the airbag. During said combustion carbon monoxide is formed. Said gas contains an inert gas, such as argon, helium or neon, and a small amount of oxygen in order to enable the conversion of said carbon monoxide to carbon dioxide.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,344 discloses another previously known airbag device comprising two gas receptacles and a combustion chamber provided upstream of an inflatable, flexible container and having ignition means for initiating the combustion of the gases from the receptacles in the combustion chamber. The combustion chamber is generally separated from the flexible container by means of an end wall in the form of a burst disk which bursts when the pressure in the combustion chamber reaches a predetermined level.
DE-A-2 344 517 discloses still another, previously known airbag for a vehicle, which is provided to be inflated less quickly in case of a collision at a relatively low speed and more quickly in case of a collision at a relatively high speed. To this end the known airbag comprises two different propellants, one for each inflating situation.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The object of the present invention is to improve the security of an airbag for the driver and the passengers in case of a collision, and to prevent injuries due the airbag filling process.
This object is obtained by the method initially defined and comprising the following steps of operation: partly filling the container during a first filling step, sensing a value of a parameter reflecting the size of the container, and continuing filling of the container during a second filling step if said value fulfils a predetermined condition. By such a method it is possible to detect if an object or a person is positioned in an inflating direction of the airbag and to reduce the filling degree of the airbag in case of such a detection. Consequently, by the method according to the invention it is possible to prevent injuries due to the circumstances that the airbag during the filling process hits such an object or person. As a consequence, said second filling step is not performed if said value does not fulfil said predetermined value. Alternatively, said second filling step may include discharge of gas from the container if said value does not fulfil said predetermined condition.
According to one embodiment of the invention, said parameter includes the length of the container along one direction and said filling step is performed if said length exceeds a predetermined level after the first filling step. Thus, it is possible to fully inflate the airbag under the condition that the airbag may expand freely in said direction, i.e. that no object or person is hindering the fully expansion of the airbag. Thereby, said one direction is substantially opposite to the travel direction of said vehicle.
According to another embodiment of the invention, said parameter includes the pressure within the container and said second filling step is performed if said pressure is below a predetermined pressure level after the first filling step. If the expansion of the airbag is hindered by an object or a person it is possible to detect a higher pressure within the container than if the container is expanded to its full size during the first filling step.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, said first filling step comprises partly filling the container by the supply of at least one gas. In this case, the second filling step may comprise for example continuing filling of the container with a further gas, the ignition of a propellant or a combination thereof.
According to a further embodiment of the invention, said first filling step comprises partly filling the container by the supply of at least two gases and a second filling step comprises filling the container by igniting the two gases. Thereby the two gases may be mixed together within the container during the first filling step. Furthermore, said two gases may comprise at least oxygen and hydrogen. The ignition of a mixture of oxygen and hydrogen results in a powerful immediate expansion of the container during the second filling step. Furthermore, said two gases may comprise an inert component including at least one of argon, helium and nitrogen.
The object stated above is also obtained by the container device initially defined and characterized by first filling means for partly filling the container during the first filling step, means for sensing a parameter reflecting the size of the container, and second filling means for continuing filling of the container during the second filling step if said parameter fulfils a predetermined condition. Such a device enables the protection of an object or a person hindering the full expansion of an airbag. Moreover, said device enables to partly fill the airbag to prevent high forces from hitting said object or persons.
Preferred embodiments of the container device are defined in the dependent claims
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REFERENCES:
patent: 5184845 (1993-02-01), Omura
patent: 5348344 (1994-09-01), Blumenthal et al.
patent: 5513879 (1996-05-01), Patel et al.
patent: 5820161 (1998-10-01), Svensson
patent: 5957490 (1999-09-01), Sinnhuber
patent: 40 41 049 A1 (1992-07-01), None
patent: 195 26 334 A1 (1997-01-01), None
patent: 0 357 225 A1 (1990-03-01), None
patent: 0 405 710 A1 (1991-01-01), None
patent: 0 656 283 A1 (1995-06-01), None
patent: 2 306 409 (1997-05-01), None
AGA Aktiebolag
Dickson Paul N.
Fleming Faye M.
Pearne & Gordon. LLP
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