Personnel restraint system for vehicular occupants

Claim 2

In a carbon dioxide inflating gas, automated personnel restraint system for personnel carrying vehicles, having a liquid carbon dioxide gas supply disposed in a tank sealed by a thin rupturable metal diaphragm, the improvement comprising: a. an electrically ignitible firing squib, adapted on igniting to evolving a required volume of high pressure gas at a flame temperature adapted to igniting a magnesium composition, and to rapidly propelling a cutter knife and rupturing said diaphragm, said squib being electrically insulatively disposed in a squib enclosure in said tank neck adapted to withstand said gas pressure; b. at least one case cooperatively radially integrally connected to said tank neck and opening into said squib enclosure on propelling said knife to a predetermined tank neck stop; c. a predetermined weight of magnesium pyrotechnic composition cooperatively disposed in said at least one case, said composition secured in said case by a pair of very thin foil membranes, said predetermined weight of said composition evolving a predetermined heat of combustion with the oxygen of the air; d. a metal tubular duct cooperatively adaptively securely containing said carbon dioxide tank in a fixed position at one end of said duct, the duct volume containing sufficient oxygen in the contained air to combust said magnesium composition, the weight of said metal duct providing adequately safe strength and heat transfer characteristics for the magnesium combustion reaction; e. a cover means for a first end of said duct disposed adjacent said carbon dioxide tank; f. insulated electrically conductive wire means connecting said electric squib to an impact sensor means disposed exteriorly to said duct; and g. a tubular coupling means, conductively tightly connecting the gas exit of the second duct end to a flexible membrane gas inlet tube of an impact restraint bag.

Claim 3

In the automated personnel restraint system improvement of claim 3, the further improvement wherein at least one mixing orfice is coaxially disposed in said duct adjacent said metal cases containing magnesium composition, said at least one orfice having a coaxially disposed mixing aperture.

Claim 4

In the automated personnel restraint system improvement of claim 3, the further improvement wherein a metal heat exchanger is coaxially disposed in said duct adjacent said second duct end.

Claim 5

In a carbon dioxide inflating gas, automated personnel restraint system for personnel carrying vehicles, having a liquid carbon dioxide gas supply disposed in a tank sealed by a thin rupturable metal diaphragm, the improvement comprising: a. a cutter knife coaxially slidably disposed in the tank neck exteriorly disposed to rupturing said metal diaphragm, said knife having cutting edges adjacently disposed to said diaphragm and a piston face oppositely disposed to said cutting edges, said knife having positioning shoulders thereon, adapted to stop said knife in a cooperatively predetermined position on a tank neck stop on propelling said knife; b. an electrically ignitible firing squib, adapted on igniting to evolving a required volume of high pressure gas at a flame temperature adapted to igniting a magnesium composition, and to rapidly propelling said cutter knife and rupturing said diaphragm, said squib being electrically insulatively and loosely disposed in a squib enclosure in said tank neck adapted to withstand said gas pressure; c. at least one case cooperatively radially integrally connected to said tank neck and opening into said squib enclosure on propelling said knife to said predetermined tank neck stops; d. a predetermined weight of magnesium pyrotechnic composition cooperatively disposed in said at least one case, said composition secured in said case by a pair of very thin foil membranes, said predetermined weight of said composition evolving a predetermined heat of combustion with the oxygen of the air; e. a metal tubular duct cooperatively adaptively securely containing said carbon dioxide tank in a fixed position at a first end of said duct, the duct volume containing sufficient oxygen in the contained air to combust said magnesium composition, the weight of said metal duct providing adequately safe strength and heat transfer characteristics for the magnesium combustion reaction; f. a cover means for said first end of said duct disposed adjacent said carbon dioxide tank; g. insulated electrically conductive wire means connecting said electric squib to an impact sensor means disposed exteriorly to said duct; and h. a tubular coupling means, conductively tightly connecting the gas exit of the second duct end to a flexible membrane gas inlet tube of an impact restraint bag.

Claim 6

In the automated personnel restraint system improvement of claim 6, the further improvement wherein at least one mixing orfice is coaxially disposed in said duct adjacent said metal cases containing magnesium composition, said at least one orfice having a coaxially disposed mixing aperture.

Claim 7

In the automated personnel restraint system improvement of claim 6, the further improvement wherein a metal heat exchanger is coaxially disposed in said duct adjacent said second duct end.

Claim 8

In the automated personnel restraint system improvement of claim 6, the further improvement wherein a. a multiple accordion pleated folds, flexible membrane, non-combustible, impact restraint bag, having a bag height, width and length of suitable dimensions, is folded flat in the plane of said multiple folds; and b. a flexible membrane, non-combustible, distending gas inlet tube is permanently cooperatively affixed to a bag face aperture, at a first inlet tube terminus, and is secured to aid tubular coupling means at a second inlet tube terminus.

Claim 9

In the automated personnel restraint system improvement of claim 6, the further improvement wherein, the muLtiple accordion pleated folded flat impact restraint bag has a transverse axial U-fold.

Claim 10

In the automated personnel restraint system improvement of claim 6, the further improvement wherein, a long, flat protective case encloses said impact restraint bag and said gas inlet tube, said case having a shallow top case cover and a shallow bottom case cover, said top and bottom case covers having confronting case front lips, and having an integral frangible plastic hinge cooperatively securing the confronting case rear lips together, said integral frangible plastic hinge closely securing said top and bottom case cover prior to the breaking of said frangible hinge on expansion of said gas inlet tube and said restraint bag.

Claim 11

In the automated personnel restraint system improvement of claim 11 the further improvement wherein a flexible hinge also cooperatively secures said confronting case rear lips together.

Claim 12

In the automated personnel restraint system improvement of claim 6, the further improvement wherein said tank neck adaptively points to said second duct terminus.

Claim 13

In a carbon dioxide inflating gas, automated personnel restraint system for personnel carrying vehicles, having a carbon dioxide liquid supply disposed in a sealed tank, the combination comprising: a tubular duct; a cover means sealing a first duct terminus, adjacent to a first duct end section; a sealed tank containing liquid carbon dioxide, said tank secured in said first duct end section; a tank venting means, providing rapid release of said liquid carbon dioxide from said tank on signal; a combustible metal composition disposed adjacent said tank venting means, said composition providing heat energy on burning in the air resident in said duct; an ignition means, on signal concurrently actuating said tank ventilation and metal combustion ignition; whereby the heat of combustion of said metal composition provides the required energy for rapidly vaporizing said liquid carbon dioxide to gas, in said tubular duct.

Claim 14

In the automated personnel restraint system improvement of claim 14, the further improvement wherein the metal composition is a magnesium pyrotechnic composition.