Vehicle passenger restraint system

Claim 2

An energy dissipating anchor comprising in combination, a housing having a generally cylindrical bore therein, a piston having a plurality of relief passages therethrough and an annular groove therein, said relief passages terminating in said annular groove, means mounting said piston in said cylindrical bore for movement relative thereto in two opposite directions, a generally cylindrical rod, means rigidly connecting one end of said rod to said piston for unitary movement therewith, means mounting said rod on said housing for bodily shiftable movement relative thereto in said two opposite directions, said rod and said piston defining a generally annular closed chamber in said cylindrical bore, a compressible liquid in said annular chamber, a blocking ring mounted in said annular groove on said piston and closing said relief passages, a holding ring surrounding said blocking ring, a sleeve having a reinforcing shoulder thereon, and means mounting said sleeve in said cylindrical bore for unitary movement with said piston in one of said two opposite directions and for movement relative thereto upon movement of said piston in the other of said two opposite directions, said reinforcing shoulder on said sleeve being operable during unitary movement of said sleeve and said piston in said one direction to maintain said blocking ring and said holding ring in said annular groove so that movement of said piston and said rod in said one direction is resiliently resisted by said compressible liquid and said compressible liquid thereafter being operable upon momentary movement of said piston and said rod in said other of said two opposite directions and upon substantial separation of said reinforcing shoulder and said holding ring to radially expand said blocking ring and said holding ring to permit substantially unrestricted flow of said compressible liquid out of said annular chamber thereby releasing substantially all of the potential energy of said compressible liquid.

Claim 3

An energy releasing anchor as recited in claim 1 wherein the outside diameter of said cylindrical rod is equal to at least 80 percent of the diameter of said cylindrical bore.

Claim 4

In a vehicle passenger restraint system, at least one elastically deformable belt member, means fixedly securing one end of said belt member to a rigid portion of said vehicle, a housing having a generally cylindrical bore therein, means closing one end of said cylindrical bore and pivotally mounting said housing on a rigid portion of said vehicle, a piston having a plurality of relief passages therethrough and an annular groove therein, means mounting said piston in said cylindrical bore for movement relative thereto in two opposite directions, a generally cylindrical rod having an outer diameter equal to at least 80 percent of the diameter of said cylindrical bore, means rigidly connecting one end of said rod to said piston for unitary movement therewith, means mounting said rod in said housing for bodily shiftable movement in said two opposite directions said piston and said rod defining a closed annular chamber in said housing, means fixedly securing the other end of said elastically deformable belt member to the other end of said rod, a compressible liquid in said annular chamber, a generally C-shaped blockinG ring mounted in said annular groove in said piston and closing said relief passages, said blocking ring being radially expandable to open said relief passages, a holding ring surrounding said blocking ring, said holding ring being radially expandable to permit radial expansion of said blocking ring, a sleeve having an arcuate reinforcing shoulder thereon, and means mounting said sleeve in said cylindrical bore for sliding movement in one of said two opposite directions, said holding ring being engageable with said reinforcing shoulder on said sleeve to move said sleeve as a unit with said piston upon forced movement of said piston in said one direction under a tensile force applied to said belt member and elastically deforming the latter, said reinforcing shoulder being operable during such unitary movement to prevent radial expansion of said blocking and holding rings so that movement of said piston is resiliently resisted by said compressible liquid, and said compressible liquid thereafter being operable upon momentary movement of said piston and rod in the other of said two opposite directions and upon substantial separation of said reinforcing shoulder and said holding ring to radially expand said blocking and said holding rings to permit substantially unrestricted flow of said compressible liquid out of said annular chamber and substantially unimpeded movement of said piston in said one direction thereby releasing substantially all of the potential energy of said compressible liquid and said elastically deformed belt member.

Claim 5

In a vehicle passenger restraint system, at least one elastically deformable belt member, means fixedly securing one end of said belt member to a rigid portion of said vehicle, a housing having a generally cylindrical bore therein, means closing one end of said cylindrical bore and pivotally mounting said housing on a rigid portion of said vehicle, a piston having a plurality of relief passages therethrough and an annular groove therein, means mounting said piston in said cylindrical bore for movement relative thereto in two opposite directions, a generally cylindrical rod having an outer diameter equal to at least 80 percent of the diameter of said cylindrical bore, means rigidly connecting one end of said rod to said piston for unitary movement therewith, means mounting said rod in said housing for bodily shiftable movement in said two opposite directions said piston and said rod defining a closed annular chamber in said housing, means fixedly securing the other end of said elastically deformable belt member to the other end of said rod, a compressible liquid in said annular chamber, a generally C-shaped blockinG ring mounted in said annular groove in said piston and closing said relief passages, said blocking ring being radially expandable to open said relief passages, a holding ring surrounding said blocking ring, said holding ring being radially expandable to permit radial expansion of said blocking ring, a sleeve having an arcuate reinforcing shoulder thereon, and means mounting said sleeve in said cylindrical bore for sliding movement in one of said two opposite directions, said holding ring being engageable with said reinforcing shoulder on said sleeve to move said sleeve as a unit with said piston upon forced movement of said piston in said one direction under a tensile force applied to said belt member and elastically deforming the latter, said reinforcing shoulder being operable during such unitary movement to prevent radial expansion of said blocking and holding rings so that movement of said piston is resiliently resisted by said compressible liquid, and said compressible liquid thereafter being operable upon momentary movement of said piston and rod in the other of said two opposite directions and upon substantial separation of said reinforcing shoulder and said holding ring to radially expand said blocking and said holding rings to permit substantially unrestricted flow of said compressible liquid out of said annular chamber and substantially unimpeded movement of said piston in said one direction thereby releasing substantially all of the potential energy of said compressible liquid and said elastically deformed belt member.

Claim 6

In a vehicle passenger restraint system, the combination comprising, an elastically deformable belt connected to said vehicle and adapted to effect deceleration of the mass of a passenger in said vehicle concurrently with deceleration of said vehicle, a combination cushion and energy-releasing unit disposed between said vehicle and said belt including a housing and a reaction member supported on said housing for movement relative thereto in two opposite directions, one of said housing and said reaction member being connected to said belt and the other being connected to said vehicle such that forces exerted on said belt by said passenger during deceleration of said vehicle effect displacement of a portion of said belt relative to said vehicle and concurrent movement of said reaction member in one of said two opposite directions relative to said housing, a resilient medium disposed between said housing and said reaction member, means disposed between said resilient medium and said reaction member operative to establish therebetween in a restraining relationship whereby movement of said reaction member in said one direction relative to said housing is resisted by said resilient medium with concurrent elastic deformation thereof and storage therein of potential energy, said resilient medium thereby exerting a force on said belt resisting displacement of said portion thereof so that said belt is elastically deformed during deceleration of said passenger and a part of the kinetic energy of said passenger is transformed into stored potential energy in said deformed belt and in said deformed resilient medium, and triggering means operatively associated with said resilient medium and said reaction member responsive to initial movement of the latter in the other of said two opposite directions corresponding to initial rebound of said resilient medium and initial contraction of said belt to effect substantially instantaneous termination of said restraining relationship between said resilient medium and said reaction member thereby to release said potential energy of said belt and said resilient medium independently of said passenger.

Claim 7

In a vehicle passenger restraint system, the combination comprising, an elastically deformable belt connected to said vehicle and adapted to effect deceleration of the mass of a passenger in said vehicle concurrently with deceleration of said vehicle, a combination cushion and energy-releasing unit disposed between said vehicle and said belt including a housing and a reaction member supported on said housing for movement relative thereto in two opposite directions, one of said housing and said reaction member being connected to said belt and the other being connected to said vehicle such that forces exerted on said belt by said passenger during deceleration of said vehicle effect displacement of a portion of said belt relative to said vehicle and concurrent movement of said reaction member in one of said two opposite directions relative to said housing, a resilient medium disposed between said housing and said reaction member, means disposed between said resilient medium and said reaction member operative to establish therebetween in a restraining relationship whereby movement of said reaction member in said one direction relative to said housing is resisted by said resilient medium with concurrent elastic deformation thereof and storage therein of potential energy, said resilient medium thereby exerting a force on said belt resisting displacement of said portion thereof so that said belt is elastically deformed during deceleration of said passenger and a part of the kinetic energy of said passenger is transformed into stored potential energy in said deformed belt and in said deformed resilient medium, and triggering means operatively associated with said resilient medium and said reaction member responsive to initial movement of the latter in the other of said two opposite directions corresponding to initial rebound of said resilient medium and initial contraction of said belt to effect substantially instantaneous termination of said restraining relationship between said resilient medium and said reaction member thereby to release said potential energy of said belt and said resilient medium independently of said passenger.

Claim 8

An energy-releasing anchor comprising, in combination, a housing, a reaction member disposed on said housing for movement relative thereto in two opposite directions, means attached to said reaction member for moving the latter in one of said two opposite directions, a resilient medium disposed between said housing And said reaction member, means disposed between said resilient medium and said reaction member operative to establish therebetween a restraining relationship whereby movement of said reaction member in said one direction is resisted by said resilient medium with concurrent elastic deformation thereof and storage therein of potential energy, and triggering means operatively associated with said resilient medium and said reaction member responsive to initial movement of the latter in the other of said two opposite directions corresponding to initial rebound of said resilient medium to effect substantially instantaneous termination of said restraining relationship between said resilient medium and said reaction member thereby to release said stored potential energy independently of said reaction member.

Claim 9

An energy-releasing anchor comprising, in combination, a housing, a reaction member disposed on said housing for movement relative thereto in two opposite directions, means attached to said reaction member for moving the latter in one of said two opposite directions, a resilient medium disposed between said housing And said reaction member, means disposed between said resilient medium and said reaction member operative to establish therebetween a restraining relationship whereby movement of said reaction member in said one direction is resisted by said resilient medium with concurrent elastic deformation thereof and storage therein of potential energy, and triggering means operatively associated with said resilient medium and said reaction member responsive to initial movement of the latter in the other of said two opposite directions corresponding to initial rebound of said resilient medium to effect substantially instantaneous termination of said restraining relationship between said resilient medium and said reaction member thereby to release said stored potential energy independently of said reaction member.

Claim 10

An energy-releasing anchor comprising, in combination, a housing, a reaction member disposed on said housing for movement relative thereto in two opposite directions, one side of said reaction member cooperating with said housing in defining in the latter a closed chamber, means connected to said reaction member operative to move the latter in one of said two opposite directions effecting a reduction of the volume of said closed chamber a compressible fluid medium disposed in said closed chamber, passage means on said reaction member communicating the other side thereof with said closed chamber and adapted to permit substantially unrestricted flow of said fluid medium out of said closed chamber, blocking means disposed in said passage means operative to effect complete blocking of said passage means so that movement of said reaction member in said one direction is resiliently resisted by said fluid medium with concurrent compression thereof and consequent storage therein of potential energy, and triggering means associated with said blocking means responsive to initial movement of said reaction member in the other of said two opposite directions corresponding to initial rebound expansion of said compressed fluid medium to effect substantially instantaneous unblocking of said passage means thereby to release said stored potential energy independently of said reaction member.

Claim 11

An energy-releasing anchor comprising, in combination, a housing, a reaction member disposed on said housing for movement relative thereto in two opposite directions, one side of said reaction member cooperating with said housing in defining in the latter a closed chamber, means connected to said reaction member operative to move the latter in one of said two opposite directions effecting a reduction of the volume of said closed chamber a compressible fluid medium disposed in said closed chamber, passage means on said reaction member communicating the other side thereof with said closed chamber and adapted to permit substantially unrestricted flow of said fluid medium out of said closed chamber, blocking means disposed in said passage means operative to effect complete blocking of said passage means so that movement of said reaction member in said one direction is resiliently resisted by said fluid medium with concurrent compression thereof and consequent storage therein of potential energy, and triggering means associated with said blocking means responsive to initial movement of said reaction member in the other of said two opposite directions corresponding to initial rebound expansion of said compressed fluid medium to effect substantially instantaneous unblocking of said passage means thereby to release said stored potential energy independently of said reaction member.

Claim 12

An energy-releasing anchor comprising, in combination, a housing having a generally cylindrical bore therein, a piston disposed in said housing for bodily movement relative thereto in two opposite directions, one side of said piston cooperating with said housing in defining therein a closed chamber, a rod rigidly attached to said piston and operative to move said piston in one of said two opposite directions effecting a reduction of the volume of said closed chamber, a compressible fluid medium disposed in said closed chamber, passage means on said piston communicating the other side thereof with said closed chamber and adapted to permit substantially unrestricted flow of said fluid medium out of said closed chamber, blocking means disposed in said passage means operative to effect complete blocking of said passage means so that movement of said piston in said one direction is resiliently resisted by said fluid medium with concurrent compression thereof and consequent storage therein of potential energy, and triggering means associated with said blocking means responsive to initial movement of said piston in the other of said two opposite directions corresponding to initial rebound expansion of said compressed fluid medium to effect substantially instantaneous unblocking of said passage means thereby to release said stored potential energy independently of said piston.

Claim 13

An energy-releasing anchor comprising, in combination, a housing having a generally cylindrical bore therein, a piston disposed in said housing for bodily movement relative thereto in two opposite directions, one side of said piston cooperating with said housing in defining therein a closed chamber, a rod rigidly attached to said piston and operative to move said piston in one of said two opposite directions effecting a reduction of the volume of said closed chamber, a compressible fluid medium disposed in said closed chamber, passage means on said piston communicating the other side thereof with said closed chamber and adapted to permit substantially unrestricted flow of said fluid medium out of said closed chamber, blocking means disposed in said passage means operative to effect complete blocking of said passage means so that movement of said piston in said one direction is resiliently resisted by said fluid medium with concurrent compression thereof and consequent storage therein of potential energy, and triggering means associated with said blocking means responsive to initial movement of said piston in the other of said two opposite directions corresponding to initial rebound expansion of said compressed fluid medium to effect substantially instantaneous unblocking of said passage means thereby to release said stored potential energy independently of said piston.

Claim 14

An energy-releasing anchor comprising, in combination, a housing having a generally cylindrical bore therein, a piston disposed in said housing for bodily movement relative thereto in two opposite directions, one side of said piston cooperating with said housing in defining therein a closed chamber, a rod rigidly attached to said piston and operative to move the latter in one of said two opposite directions effecting a reductIon of the volume of said closed chamber, a compressible liquid disposed in said closed chamber, means defining an annular groove in said piston, means defining a plurality of passages in said piston between said one side of the latter and said groove, said groove and said passages cooperating in communicating said closed chamber with the other side of said piston to permit substantially unrestricted flow of said compressible liquid out of said closed chamber, blocking means disposed in said annular groove and operative to effect complete blocking of said plurality of passages so that movement of said piston in said one direction is resiliently resisted by said liquid with concurrent compression thereof and consequent storage therein of potential energy, and a sleeve member disposed on said piston for unitary movement therewith in said one direction and for movement relative thereto in response to movement of said piston in the other of said two opposite directions, said sleeve engaging said blocking means to reinforce the latter against the pressure exerted thereon by said compressed liquid during movement of said piston in said one direction and releasing said blocking means in response to initial movement of said piston in said other direction corresponding to initial expansion rebound of said compressed liquid thereby to permit displacement of said blocking means from said groove by said compressed liquid and substantially instantaneous release of said stored potential energy independently of said piston.

Claim 15

An energy-releasing anchor comprising, in combination, a housing having a generally cylindrical bore therein, a piston disposed in said housing for bodily movement relative thereto in two opposite directions, one side of said piston cooperating with said housing in defining therein a closed chamber, a rod rigidly attached to said piston and operative to move the latter in one of said two opposite directions effecting a reductIon of the volume of said closed chamber, a compressible liquid disposed in said closed chamber, means defining an annular groove in said piston, means defining a plurality of passages in said piston between said one side of the latter and said groove, said groove and said passages cooperating in communicating said closed chamber with the other side of said piston to permit substantially unrestricted flow of said compressible liquid out of said closed chamber, blocking means disposed in said annular groove and operative to effect complete blocking of said plurality of passages so that movement of said piston in said one direction is resiliently resisted by said liquid with concurrent compression thereof and consequent storage therein of potential energy, and a sleeve member disposed on said piston for unitary movement therewith in said one direction and for movement relative thereto in response to movement of said piston in the other of said two opposite directions, said sleeve engaging said blocking means to reinforce the latter against the pressure exerted thereon by said compressed liquid during movement of said piston in said one direction and releasing said blocking means in response to initial movement of said piston in said other direction corresponding to initial expansion rebound of said compressed liquid thereby to permit displacement of said blocking means from said groove by said compressed liquid and substantially instantaneous release of said stored potential energy independently of said piston.