United States Patent
`
`3,642,303
`115)
`Irish et al.
`145) Feb. 15, 1972
`
`{54] VEHICLE OCCUPANT RESTRAINT
`SYSTEM
`
`{72}
`
`Inventors: Fred J. Irish, Pontiac; Robert F. McLean,
`Birmingham,both of Mich.
`
`{73] Assignee: General Motors Corporation, Detroit,
`Mich.
`Feb. 13, 1970
`
`(22] Filed:
`
`4/1947 Whitmer........0.. ees 244/121
`2,418,798
`
` Lipkin..........
`4/1966
`++1.280/150
`3,243,822
`3/1969
`Terry etal...
`...-280/150
`3,430,979
`3,473,824 10/1969
`Careyetal...
`..280/150
`3,527,475
`9/1970
`Careyet al... ceseseeereeee 280/150
`
`
`
`Primary Examiner—KennethH.Betts
`Attorney—W.E. Finken,A. M.Heiter and R.L.Phillips
`
`{21} Appl. No.: 11,148
`
`[57}
`
`‘ABSTRACT
`
`(5S2] US. Chocc cccscerrevenssceseceenreresssneceas280/150 AB
`
`Ent. Chee
`[SE]
`cssseseersesesseseecssenseenecseeneesB60r 21/10
`{58] Field of Search................. 280/150 AB, 150.B; 244/121,
`244/122
`
`[56]
`
`References Cited
`
`UNITED STATES PATENTS
`
`3,414,292 12/1968
` Oldberg etal... eee280/150
`3,197,234
`7/1965
`Bertrand...........
`.-.280/150
`
`3,451,693
`6/1969
`++. 280/150
`Carey........
`
`2,834,606
`5/1958 Bertrand... ccesseeeeeeee 280/150
`
`A vehicle occupantrestraint system having a plurality of bags
`which areinflated on vehicle impact with a stationary or mov-
`ing object. One of the bags receives the impact of the occu-
`pant’s torso and on such impact, has controlled pressure relief
`to prevent excessive rebounding of the occupant. Another bag
`receives the impact of the occupant’s head and has controlled
`pressure relief to prevent excessive relative movement
`between the occupant’s head andtorso. A third bag receives
`the impact of the occupant’s legs and remainsinflated on im-
`pact by the occupant to maintain the occupantin the normal
`seated position.
`
`8 Claims, 3 DrawingFigures
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`PATENTEDFES 15 1972
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`—
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`3,642,303
`
` INVENTORS
`BeeSJ.bese
`8Y Kobert FLeave
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`VEHICLE OCCUPANTRESTRAINT SYSTEM
`invention relates to vehicular occupant
`restraint
`This
`systems and more particularly to multiple bag restraint
`systemsfor restraining vehicle occupants on vehicle impact
`with a stationary or moving object.
`In a vehicle having a single bag or cushion thatis inflated on
`vehicle impact with a stationary or moving object, an occu-
`pant may reboundoff the inflated bag on impact therewith
`and may also become dislodged from the seat if he is not
`otherwise restrained by a belt restraint arrangement.
`The vehicle occupant restraint system according to the
`present invention comprises a plurality of bags that are in-
`flated on vehicle impact with a stationary or moving object.
`Oninflation, one of these bags expandsto receive the impact
`of the occupant’s torso and then on such impact, has con-
`trolled pressure relief to cushion the occupantwhile acting to
`prevent excessive rebound of the occupant’s torso. Another
`bag expandsto receive the impactof the occupant’s head and
`then on such impact also has controlled pressure relief to
`cushion the occupant’s headwhile controlling relative angular
`movement between the occupant’s head. and torso. A third
`bag expands to receive the impactof the occupant’s legs and
`remains inflated on such impact andacts to maintain the occu-
`pant in the normalseated position. The bags maybeinflated
`through a single manifold from a single fluid pressure source
`and mayalso be inflated through separate manifolds from
`separatefluid pressure sources.
`An objectof the present invention is to provide aninflatable
`vehicle occupantrestraint system that operates to prevent ex-
`cessive rebounding of the occupantandalso maintainsthe oc-
`cupant in the normalseatedposition.
`Another object is to provide a multiple bag vehicle occu-
`pant restraint system in which one bagacts to cushion the im-
`pact of the occupant while preventing excessive rebound
`thereof and other bag operates to maintain the occupantin the
`normalseatedposition.
`Another object
`is to provide in a vehicle an occupant
`restraint system that operates to simultaneously inflate at least
`two inflatable bags with one bag on inflation operating to
`receive impact of the occupant’s torso and to prevent exces-
`sive rebound thereof through pressure relief while the other
`bag remainsinflated on impact by the occupant’s legs and acts
`to retain the occupant ontheseat.
`Another object
`is to provide in a vehicle an occupant
`restraint system thatis inflatable to receive impact of both the
`occupant’s head.and torso and prevent excessive rebound of
`the
`torso while controlling relative angular movement
`between the torso and head and also to receive the impact of
`the occupant’s legs to prevent dislodgement of the occupant
`from the seat.
`
`2
`21, which may also be called a knee bag, is conditioned when
`inflated to receive the impactof the occupant's legs 25 below
`the knees and prevent contact of the legs with instrument
`panel 12. The bag 22, which mayalso becalled a head bag,is
`conditioned wheninflated to receive the impact of the occu-
`pant’s head 28 and prevent contact of the head with
`windshield 11.
`The fluid for inflating the bags 20, 21 and 22is normally
`stored under pressure in a pressure vessel or tank 30. Fluid
`pressure delivery for bag inflation is controlled by a valve 31
`whichis normally closed and is opened by a sensing device 32
`that senses impactof the vehicle with a stationary or moving
`object. Both the valve 31 andthe sensing device 32 may be of
`any appropriate type. When valve 31 is opened onvehicle im-
`pact, the fluid under pressure in tank 30 is delivered through a
`pipe 34 to a manifold -36 that is connected to deliver fluid to
`all the bags.
`/
`The manifold 36 is mounted adjacent the lower edge ofin-
`strument panel 12 and as best shown in FIG. 2, comprises a
`cylinder 37 that is closed at both ends to form a chamber, 38
`thatis open to pipe 34. Thetorso bag 20 has a throat whichis
`sealingly clamped completelyalongits lip to the outer surface
`of the manifold cylinder 37 by a clamp 40 and bolts 41. The
`manifold cylinder 37 has an axially extending slot 43 that pro-
`vides a continuous
`fluid connection. between. manifold
`chamber38andtheinterior of torso bag 20. The throat of the
`knee bag 21 is sealingly clamped completely alongits lip to
`anotherportion of the outer surface of cylinder 37 bya clamp
`formed integral with clamp 40. An axially extending slot 44 in
`cylinder 37 providesfor fluid delivery from manifold chamber
`38 to the interior of knee bag 21.
`Fluid is permitted to travel from manifold 36tofill knee bag
`21 but is prevented from flowing in the reverse direction bya
`one-way valve 46 comprising a valve member48that extends
`axially along the external surface ofcylinder 37 beyond both
`endsofslot 44. The valve member48is secured along oneaxi-
`ally extending edge by oneaxial row ofthe clamp bolts 41 and
`is free at its ends and the otheraxially extending edge. The
`valve member 48 has spring characteristics such that when
`there is no pressuredifferential between manifold 36 and knee
`bag 21, the valve member 48 assumes the normal position
`shownin dashline in whichit seats on cylinder 37 to close-or
`block the slot 44, Whenfluid pressure is supplied to manifold
`36, the valve member 48is movedby this pressureto the full
`line position shown to provide communication between
`manifold 36 and knee bag 21.
`The head bag 22is secured to the top of torso bag 20 by any
`appropriate meansor maybeintegral therewith. The interior
`of head bag 22 is connected through anorifice 50 to the interi-
`or of torso bag 20 and is also openable to the atmosphere
`These and other objects of. the present. invention will be
`through an orifice 51 that has a flow area larger than orifice
`more apparent from the following description and drawing in
`which:
`50. Orifice 51 is normally closed by a patch 52 which is
`releasably sealingly secured to the exterior of head bag 22.
`FIG. 1 is a side elevation with parts broken awayof a vehicle
`Describing now the operation of the occupant restraint
`having an occupantrestraint system according to the present
`system shownin FIGS.1 and2,the valve 31 is normally closed
`invention wherein the bags are inflated through a single
`with the bags 20, 21 and 22 deflated and stored in a folded
`manifold fromasingle fluid pressure source.
`FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the manifold
`position along the dash 12. Then when the vehicle impacts a
`shownin FIG. 1.
`stationary or moving object, the sensing device 32 operatesto
`FIG.3 is a schematic view of a multiple manifold—muitiple
`effect opening of valve 31 to permit fluid delivery from tank
`fluid pressure source arrangementforinflating the bags shown
`30 to manifold 36. The manifold 36 distributes the fluid
`in FIG. 1.
`directly to torso bag 20 and knee bag21, the one-way valve 46
`Referring to FIG. 1, there is shown a vehicle 10 having a
`opening to permit the fluid delivery to knee bag 21. The torso
`windshield 11, an instrument panel 12, a toeboard 14 and a
`bag 20 then exhausts fluid through orifice 50 to head bag 21
`seat 16 on whicha vehicle occupant18 sits.
`which is thus filled later than the torso bag and knee bag.
`The occupantrestraint system according to the present in-
`Preferably, the stored pressure in tank 30, the sizes of the
`vention comprises three inflatable bags 20, 21 and 22 which
`manifold openingsto the torso bag and knee bag andthesize
`are normally stowed in a collapsed, folded position on the -
`of the torso bag opening to the head bag are determined in
`70
`lower edge of the instrument panel 12. The bags 20, 21 and
`relation to the volumesof these bags so that pressure builds to
`22, wheninflated with fluid pressure, expand to the positions
`high, low and intermediate values in the knee, head and torso
`shown with bag 26 located intermediate the other bags. The.
`bags, respectively, prior to these bags being impacted by the
`occupant.
`bag 20, which mayalso be called a torso bag, is conditioned
`wheninflated to receive the impact of the occupnat’s torso 24
`On impact ofthe occupant’s torso 24 with the thusinflated
`andprevent contact of the torso with instrument panel 12. Bag
`torso bag 20, the intermediate pressure therein is increased
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`sufficiently by this impactto force additional fluid through ori-
`fice 50 into head bag 22 resulting in controlled pressurerelief
`of the torso bag 20 as the impact of the occupant'’s torso with
`this bag continues with the bag then collapsing aboutthe oc-
`cupant’s torso to provide a very soft cushion therefor and to
`prevent excessive rebound thereof.
`On impact of the occupant’s head 28 with the thusinflated
`head bag 22, the low pressurethereinis increased sufficiently
`by. this impact to blow off patch 52 so that there is then pro-
`vided controlled pressure relief through orifice 51 to the at-
`mosphere. The orifice 50, since it provides more flow restric-
`tion than orifice 51, permits the latter orifice to control the
`collapse of head bag 22 at a faster rate than torso bag 20 to
`thereby control the relative angular movement between the
`occupant’s head andtorso.
`On inflation of the knee bag 21, the one-way valve 46
`opened to permit such inflation. Then on impactofthis bag by
`the occupant’s legs, the one-way valve 46 closes so that this
`bag remainsinflated with the high pressure while the torso bag
`20 and head bag 22 are being relieved of pressure. Inflation of
`the knee bag 21 is maintained to restrain the occupant in the
`seat 16 by preventing him from slipping downward and toward
`the front of the vehicle.
`:
`The multiple manifold—multiple fluid pressure source ar-
`rangement shownin FIG, 3 for the bag arrangement shown in
`FIG. 1 comprises.a tank 56 that is connected by a valve 57 toa
`manifold 59 that directs fluid to the torso bag 20 and thus to
`the head bag. Another tank 61 is connected by a valve 62 toa
`manifold 64 that directs fluid to the knee bag 21. Both valves
`57 and 62 are controlled by a vehicle impact sensor 66 to
`simultaneously open on vehicle impact. Thus,in the FIG. 3 ar-
`rangement, the knee bag remainsinflated while the torso bag
`and head bag collapse on impact by the occupant since the
`knee bag and torso bag in this arrangement have separate
`pressure supplies. Furthermore, the FIG. 3 arrangement ena-
`bles easy determination of the three different. pressure zones
`provided by the three bags.
`:
`The above embodimentis illustrative of the present inven-
`tion which may be modified within the scope of the appende
`claims.
`:
`We claim:
`:
`I. Ina vehicle occupant restraint system the combination of
`first inflatable bag meansthat on inflation by fluid pressure as-
`sumes a position to receive impact of 4 vehicle occupant’stor-
`so; secondinflatable bag meansthatoninflation by fluid pres-
`sure assumes a position to receive impact of the occupant’s
`legs to maintain the occupant
`in a seated position; fluid
`delivery meansfor delivering fluid under pressure simultane-
`ously to said first and second inflatable bag means;said fluid
`delivery means comprising a manifold continuously open to
`said first inflatable bag means and one-way valve meansfor
`opening said manifold -to said second inflatable bag means;
`and said first inflatable bag means including flow restriction
`meansfor relieving pressure in said first inflatable bag means
`by restricting. flow therefrom when said first inflatable bag
`means is impacted by the occupant’s torso. while pressure is
`maintained in said secondinflatable bag means.
`2. In a vehicle occupantrestraint system the combination of
`first inflatable bag meansthat oninflation by fluid pressure as-
`sumesa position to receive impactof a vehicle occupant’s tor-
`so; secondinflatable bag meansthatoninflation by fluid pres-
`sure assumes a position to receive impact of the occupant’s
`legs to maintain. the occupant in a seated position; manifold
`means for delivering fluid under pressure simultaneously to
`said first and second.
`inflatable bag means; said manifold
`means including one-way valve means for opening said
`manifold meansto said secondinflatable bag means;third in-
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`flatable bag meansthatoninflation by fluid pressure assumes
`a position to receive the impact of the occupant’'s head; said
`first inflatable bag meansincludingflow restriction means for
`delivering fluid from said manifold meansto said third inflata-
`ble. bag meansandalsofor-relieving pressure in said first in-
`flatable bag meansbyrestricting flow from said first inflatable
`bag meansto said third inflatable bag means whensaidfirst in-
`flatable: bag means is impacted by the occupant's torso; and
`said.
`third inflatable bag means including flow-
`restriction
`meansfor relieving pressure in said third inflatable bag means
`by restricting flow from said third inflatable bag means to the
`atmosphere whensaid third inflatable bag means is impacted
`by the occupant’s head.
`:
`3. In combination with a vehicle including a seat for sup-
`porting an occupantin seated position and a source ofpres-
`sure fluid, an occupantrestraint system comprising, first in-
`flatable cushion means engageable by’ the torso of the seated
`occupant, second inflatable cushion means engageable by the
`legs of the seated occupant, means communicating the first
`and.second cushion meanswith the pressure fluid source for
`inflation thereof, means communicating the first cushion
`meanswith the atmosphere to exhaust pressure fluid from the
`first cushion means upon the pressure therein exceeding a
`predetermined level, and means maintaining the pressurefluid
`within the second cushion-means upon inflation thereof, the
`first and second cushion means cooperating to maintain the
`‘occupantin a seated position upon engagementthereofby the
`occupant.
`4. The combination recited in claim 3 including third in-
`flatable cushion means engageable by the head ofthe seated
`occupant, and means. communicating the third cushion means
`with the pressurefluid source forinflation thereof.
`5. The combination recited in claim 3 wherein the first
`cushion means is continuously open to the. pressure fluid
`source, the means maintaining the pressure fluid within the
`second cushion meansuponinflation thereof including means
`limiting the flow of pressure fluid only from the second
`cushion meansto the source’
`6.. The combination recited in claim 3 wherein the means
`communicating the first and. second cushion means with the
`pressure fluid source include a manifold. open continuously to
`the first cushion means, the means maintaining the pressure
`fluid within the second cushion means. uponinflation thereof
`including means permitting flow of pressure fluid from the
`manifold to the second cushion means.andrestricting flow of
`pressurefluid from the second cushion meansto the manifold.
`7. In combination with a vehicle including a seat for sup-
`porting an occupant in seated position and a source of pres-
`sure fluid, an occupantrestraint system comprising,first in-
`flatable cushion means engageable by the torso of the seated
`occupant, secondinflatable cushion means engageable by the
`legs of the seated occupant, common fluid delivery means
`simultaneously communicating the first and second cushion
`means with the pressure fluid source for inflation thereof,
`means communicating the first cushion means with the at-
`mosphere to exhaust pressure fluid from the first cushion
`meansupon the pressure therein exceeding a predetermined
`level, and means maintaining the pressure fluid within the
`second cushion means upon inflation thereof, the first and
`second cushion means cooperating to maintain the occupant
`in a seated position upon engagement thereof by the occu-
`pant.
`8. The combination recited in claim 7 including third in-
`flatable cushion means engageable by the head of the seated
`occupant, and means communicating the third inflatable
`cushion means with the second inflatable cushion means for
`inflation thereof from the pressure fluid source.
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