Vehicle safety apparatus for restraining occupant

Claim 2

Safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an accident, said safety apparatus comprising a confinement expandable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which the confinement is adapted to restrain movement of the occupant during an accident, means for effecting expansion of said confinement to the expanded condition in such a manner as to induce stress in at least one direction in said confinement, and means for dissipating the kinetic energy of the occupant including exhaust opening means, patch means having a first condition for at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means and a second condition providing for dissipation of the kinetic energy of the occupant and means for mounting said patch means on said confinement and for enabling relative movement to occur in at least said one direction between said patch means and said confinement while maintaining said patch means in said first condition to at least in part isolate said patch means from said stresses.

Claim 3

Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for mounting said patch means on said confinement includes reinforcing means secured to said confinement for strengthening said confinement in an area around said exhaust opening means.

Claim 4

Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 2 wherein said patch means is positioned between said reinforcing means and said confinement.

Claim 5

Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means mounting said patch means on said confinement includes reinforcing means for strengthening said confinement around said exhaust opening means, said reinforcing means cooperating with said confinement to form a pocket extending around said exhaust opening means, said patch means being disposed in said pocket.

Claim 6

Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said confinement is made of a first material and said patch means is made of a second material, said first material having a greater elasticity than said second material so that said confinement is stretched relative to said patch means upon expansion of said confinement.

Claim 7

Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting means for said patch means includes means for connecting portions of said patch means to said confinement.

Claim 8

Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said means for expanding said confinement includes a source of fluid and means for directing a flow of fluid from said soUrce of fluid in such a manner as to expand said confinement outwardly in said one direction.

Claim 9

Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said mounting means secures said patch means to said confinement in such a manner as to oppose relative movement between said patch means and said confinement in a direction transverse to said one direction.

Claim 10

Safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an accident, said safety apparatus comprising a confinement expandable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which said confinement is disposed to restrain movement of the occupant during an accident, and means for supplying fluid to expand said confinement upon the occurrence of an accident, said confinement having means for dissipating kinetic energy of the occupant absorbed by the confinement including exhaust opening means for enabling fluid pressure within the confinement to be relieved therefrom, patch means for at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means to thereby facilitate initial inflation of said confinement, and means for mounting said patch means to allow for relative movement in the direction of confinement expansion between at least a portion of said patch means and said confinement while maintaining said patch means in a blocking relationship with said exhaust opening means to thereby minimize any tendency for premature rupturing of the patch means during initial inflation of said confinement, said patch means being adapted to be forced out of the blocking relationship with said exhaust opening means under the influence of fluid pressure in said confinement to thereby enable fluid to escape from the interior of said confinement to minimize any tendency of the occupant to rebound from said confinement.

Claim 11

Safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an accident, said safety apparatus comprising a confinement expandable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which said confinement is disposed to restrain movement of the occupant during an accident, and means for supplying fluid to expand said confinement upon the occurrence of an accident, said confinement having means for dissipating kinetic energy of the occupant absorbed by the confinement including exhaust opening means for enabling fluid pressure within the confinement to be relieved therefrom, patch means for at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means to thereby facilitate initial inflation of said confinement, and means for mounting said patch means to allow for relative movement in the direction of confinement expansion between at least a portion of said patch means and said confinement while maintaining said patch means in a blocking relationship with said exhaust opening means to thereby minimize any tendency for premature rupturing of the patch means during initial inflation of said confinement, said patch means being adapted to be forced out of the blocking relationship with said exhaust opening means under the influence of fluid pressure in said confinement to thereby enable fluid to escape from the interior of said confinement to minimize any tendency of the occupant to rebound from said confinement.

Claim 12

Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said mounting means includes reinforcing means for strengthening said confinement in an area around said exhaust opening means.

Claim 13

In a safety apparatus including a confinement inflatable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which said confinement is adapted to restrain movement of an occupant of the vehicle during an accident, means for supplying fluid to inflate said confinement from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition upon the occurrence of an accident, exhaust opening means formed in said confinement for enabling fluid to flow from the interior of said confinement, and patch means having a first condition for at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means until a predetermined fluid pressure is present within said confinement and a second condition providing for fluid flow through said exhaust opening means, the combination with said patch means and confinement of mounting means for enabling relative movement to occur between said patch means and said confinement while said patch means is in said first condition and at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means to thereby minimize the stress applied to said patch means by inflation of said confinement to the expanded condition.

Claim 14

In a safety apparatus including a confinement inflatable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which said confinement is adapted to restrain movement of an occupant of the vehicle during an accident, means for supplying fluid to inflate said confinement from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition upon the occurrence of an accident, exhaust opening means formed in said confinement for enabling fluid to flow from the interior of said confinement, and patch means having a first condition for at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means until a predetermined fluid pressure is present within said confinement and a second condition providing for fluid flow through said exhaust opening means, the combination with said patch means and confinement of mounting means for enabling relative movement to occur between said patch means and said confinement while said patch means is in said first condition and at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means to thereby minimize the stress applied to said patch means by inflation of said confinement to the expanded condition.

Claim 15

Safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an accident, said safety apparatus comprising a confinement inflatable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which said confinement is adapted to restrain movement of an occupant of the vehicle, a source of fluid connected in fluid communication with said confinement for inflating said confinement to the expanded condition upon the occurrence of an accident, said confinement including an opening which is adapted to enable fluid to escape from said confinement to minimize any tendency of the occupant to rebound from the confinement, and a patch mounted on said confinement in a blocking relationship with the opening in said confinement and adapted to be moved away from the opening under the influence of the fluid pressure within the confinement when this fluid pressure reaches a predetermined fluid pressure, said patch being formed of a material Having a lower elasticity than said confinement and being mounted on said confinement with at least one portion of said patch unrestrained against relative movement between said patch and said confinement to thereby enable said confinement to move relative to said one portion of said patch upon inflation of said confinement while said patch is in the blocking relationship with the opening in said confinement.

Claim 16

Safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an accident, said safety apparatus comprising a confinement inflatable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which said confinement is adapted to restrain movement of an occupant of the vehicle, a source of fluid connected in fluid communication with said confinement for inflating said confinement to the expanded condition upon the occurrence of an accident, said confinement including an opening which is adapted to enable fluid to escape from said confinement to minimize any tendency of the occupant to rebound from the confinement, and a patch mounted on said confinement in a blocking relationship with the opening in said confinement and adapted to be moved away from the opening under the influence of the fluid pressure within the confinement when this fluid pressure reaches a predetermined fluid pressure, said patch being formed of a material Having a lower elasticity than said confinement and being mounted on said confinement with at least one portion of said patch unrestrained against relative movement between said patch and said confinement to thereby enable said confinement to move relative to said one portion of said patch upon inflation of said confinement while said patch is in the blocking relationship with the opening in said confinement.

Claim 17

An exhaust assembly associated with a confinement which is expanded to restrain movement of an occupant of a vehicle during a collision wherein the exhaust assembly comprises patch means having a first condition for at least partially blocking an exhaust opening in the confinement and a second condition providing for dissipation of the kinetic energy of the occupant by enabling fluid to flow from said exhaust opening, and means for mounting said patch means on said confinement and enabling relative movement to occur in the general direction of confinement expansion between said patch means and said confinement while maintaining said patch means in said first condition to minimize stress in said patch means effected by expansion of said confinement.

Claim 18

An exhaust assembly associated with a confinement which is expanded to restrain movement of an occupant of a vehicle during a collision wherein the exhaust assembly comprises patch means having a first condition for at least partially blocking an exhaust opening in the confinement and a second condition providing for dissipation of the kinetic energy of the occupant by enabling fluid to flow from said exhaust opening, and means for mounting said patch means on said confinement and enabling relative movement to occur in the general direction of confinement expansion between said patch means and said confinement while maintaining said patch means in said first condition to minimize stress in said patch means effected by expansion of said confinement.

Claim 19

An exhaust assembly as set forth in claim 13 wherein said patch means is made of a material which is relatively inelastic compared to a material forming the confinement.

Claim 20

Safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an accident, said safety apparatus comprising a confinement expandable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which said confinement is disposed to restrain movement of the occupant during an accident, and means for supplying fluid to expand said confinement upon the occurrence of an accident, said confinement having means for dissipating kinetic energy of the occupant absorbed by the confinement including exhaust opening means for enabling fluid pressure within the confinement to be relieved therefrom, patch means for at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means to thereby facilitate initial inflation of said confinement, and means for mounting said patch means to allow for relative movement in the direction of confinement expansion between at least a portion of said patch means and said confinement while maintaining said patch means in a blocking relationship with said exhaust opening means to thereby minimize any tendency for premature rupturing of the patch means during initial inflation of said confinement, said mounting means including means for securing said patch means to said confinement with said portion of said patch means unrestrained against limited movement relative to said confinement and other portions of said patch means restrained against movement relative to said confinement.

Claim 21

Safety apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle during an accident, said safety apparatus comprising a confinement expandable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which said confinement is disposed to restrain movement of the occupant during an accident, and means for supplying fluid to expand said confinement upon the occurrence of an accident, said confinement having means for dissipating kinetic energy of the occupant absorbed by the confinement including exhaust opening means for enabling fluid pressure within the confinement to be relieved therefrom, patch means for at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means to thereby facilitate initial inflation of said confinement, and means for mounting said patch means to allow for relative movement in the direction of confinement expansion between at least a portion of said patch means and said confinement while maintaining said patch means in a blocking relationship with said exhaust opening means to thereby minimize any tendency for premature rupturing of the patch means during initial inflation of said confinement, said mounting means including means for securing said patch means to said confinement with said portion of said patch means unrestrained against limited movement relative to said confinement and other portions of said patch means restrained against movement relative to said confinement.

Claim 22

Safety apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said means for securing said patch means to said confinement includes stitching extending through said other portions of said patch means.

Claim 23

In a safety apparatus including a confinement inflatable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which said confinement is adapted to restrain movement of an occupant of the vehicle during an accident, means for supplying fluid to inflate said confinement from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition upon the occurrence of an accident, exhaust opening means formed in said confinement for enabling fluid to flow from the interior of said confinement, and patch means for at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means until a predetermined fluid pressure is present within said confinement, the combination with said patch means and confinement of mounting means for enabling relative movement to occur between said patch means and said confinement while said patch means is at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means to thereby minimize the stress applied to said patch means by inflation of said confinement to the expanded condition and wherein one portion of said patch means is secured to said confinement while another portioN of said patch means is free to move relative to said confinement.

Claim 24

In a safety apparatus including a confinement inflatable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which said confinement is adapted to restrain movement of an occupant of the vehicle during an accident, means for supplying fluid to inflate said confinement from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition upon the occurrence of an accident, exhaust opening means formed in said confinement for enabling fluid to flow from the interior of said confinement, and patch means for at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means until a predetermined fluid pressure is present within said confinement, the combination with said patch means and confinement of mounting means for enabling relative movement to occur between said patch means and said confinement while said patch means is at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means to thereby minimize the stress applied to said patch means by inflation of said confinement to the expanded condition and wherein one portion of said patch means is secured to said confinement while another portioN of said patch means is free to move relative to said confinement.

Claim 25

In a safety apparatus including a confinement inflatable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which said confinement is adapted to restrain movement of an occupant of the vehicle during an accident, means for supplying fluid to inflate said confinement from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition upon the occurrence of an accident, exhaust opening means formed in said confinement for enabling fluid to flow from the interior of said confinement, and patch means for at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means until a predetermined fluid pressure is present within said confinement, the combination with said patch means and confinement of mounting means for enabling relative movement in the direction of expansion of said confinement to occur between said patch means and said confinement while said patch means is at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means to thereby minimize the stress applied to said patch means by inflation of said confinement to the expanded condition and wherein a portion of said patch means on one side of said exhaust opening means is stitched to said confinement and another portion of said patch means extending transversely to said one portion is free to move relative to said confinement.

Claim 26

In a safety apparatus including a confinement inflatable from a collapsed condition to an expanded condition in which said confinement is adapted to restrain movement of an occupant of the vehicle during an accident, means for supplying fluid to inflate said confinement from the collapsed condition to the expanded condition upon the occurrence of an accident, exhaust opening means formed in said confinement for enabling fluid to flow from the interior of said confinement, and patch means for at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means until a predetermined fluid pressure is present within said confinement, the combination with said patch means and confinement of mounting means for enabling relative movement in the direction of expansion of said confinement to occur between said patch means and said confinement while said patch means is at least partially blocking said exhaust opening means to thereby minimize the stress applied to said patch means by inflation of said confinement to the expanded condition and wherein a portion of said patch means on one side of said exhaust opening means is stitched to said confinement and another portion of said patch means extending transversely to said one portion is free to move relative to said confinement.