Patent US3747952A successfully refreshed from Google Patents.
US3747952A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Protective device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1971-09-17
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Granted: 1973-07-24
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Expires: 1991-09-17
Abstract
Abstract A protective device for occupants of vehicles includes a manifold disposed in front of passengers and connected with a source of high pressure gas. The manifold has closely spaced ports facing the passengers and may be covered with a padding material having outwardly opening pockets at the ports. The pockets contain flexible tube elements which are connected to the ports and are normally deflated and compacted into the pockets. When the vehicle experiences a collision, the high pressure gas is generated or released and inflates the tube elements, causing them to expand from the pockets and form a protective cushion in front of the passengers. This cushion has little or no fabric or surface tension forces and when used with proper valves or tube element shapes can provide controlled retarding force.
Inventors
- 👤 R Graebe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-01 17:24
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/02; B60R21/16; B60R21/23; B60R21/231; B60R21/20; B60R21/205; B60R21/26; B60R21/261; B60R2021/23107; B60R2021/26058; B60R2021/2612; B60R2021/2615; B60R21/04; B60R21/045; B60R21/206; B60R21/237; Y; Y10; Y10T; Y10T137/00; Y10T137/1624
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 19
Claim 1
Independent Claim
143 words
A protective device comprising: a manifold having a plurality of ports facing generally in the same direction; independent flexible tube elements connected with the ports and normally disposed in a deflated and compact condition; housing means formed from a padding material which extends across and substantially covers the manifold, the housing means having pockets in which the tube elements are disposed when deflated, cover devices normally closing the ends of the pockets to protect and obscure the tube elements contained therein; a source of high pressure gas connected to the manifold; and means for initiating the flow of gas into the manifold and tube elements to inflate the tube elements so that they expand and project outwardly from the pockets to form a protective cushion, the ends of the pockets being shaped to guide the direction the tube elements will take when inflated.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
143 words
A protective device comprising: a manifold having a plurality of ports facing generally in the same direction; independent flexible tube elements connected with the ports and normally disposed in a deflated and compact condition; housing means formed from a padding material which extends across and substantially covers the manifold, the housing means having pockets in which the tube elements are disposed when deflated, cover devices normally closing the ends of the pockets to protect and obscure the tube elements contained therein; a source of high pressure gas connected to the manifold; and means for initiating the flow of gas into the manifold and tube elements to inflate the tube elements so that they expand and project outwardly from the pockets to form a protective cushion, the ends of the pockets being shaped to guide the direction the tube elements will take when inflated.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
150 words
A protective device comprising: a manifold having a plurality of ports projecting therefrom and facing generally in the same direction; independent flexible tube elements connected with the ports and normally disposed in a deflated and compact condition, the tube elements having their inner ends fitted over and embracing the ports; housing means formed from a padding material which extends across and substantially covers the manifold, the housing means having pockets into which the ports of the manifold project and in which the tube elements are disposed when deflated; cover devices normally closing the ends of the pockets to protect and obscure the tube elements contained therein; a source of high pressure gas connected to the manifold; and means for initiating the flow of gas into the manifold and tube elements to inflate the tube elements so that they expand and project outwardly from the pockets to form a protective cushion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
150 words
A protective device comprising: a manifold having a plurality of ports projecting therefrom and facing generally in the same direction; independent flexible tube elements connected with the ports and normally disposed in a deflated and compact condition, the tube elements having their inner ends fitted over and embracing the ports; housing means formed from a padding material which extends across and substantially covers the manifold, the housing means having pockets into which the ports of the manifold project and in which the tube elements are disposed when deflated; cover devices normally closing the ends of the pockets to protect and obscure the tube elements contained therein; a source of high pressure gas connected to the manifold; and means for initiating the flow of gas into the manifold and tube elements to inflate the tube elements so that they expand and project outwardly from the pockets to form a protective cushion.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
143 words
A protective device comprising: a manifold having a plurality of ports facing generally in the same direction; independent flexible tube elements connected with the ports and normally disposed in a deflated and compact condition; closed vessels adjacent said ports and having ends presented towards the manifold, the vessels containing compressed gas; pins for puncturing the ends to allow the compressed gas to flow from the vessels; explosive charges for driving the pins into the vessels; deflecting surfaces disposed between the vessel ends and the manifold for deflecting some of the gas released from the vessels into the flexible tube elements attached to the ports, the deflecting surfaces being apertured so that some of the gas flows into the manifold, whereby the tube elements will inflate and expand away from the manifold when the vessels are punctured so as to form a protective cushion.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
143 words
A protective device comprising: a manifold having a plurality of ports facing generally in the same direction; independent flexible tube elements connected with the ports and normally disposed in a deflated and compact condition; closed vessels adjacent said ports and having ends presented towards the manifold, the vessels containing compressed gas; pins for puncturing the ends to allow the compressed gas to flow from the vessels; explosive charges for driving the pins into the vessels; deflecting surfaces disposed between the vessel ends and the manifold for deflecting some of the gas released from the vessels into the flexible tube elements attached to the ports, the deflecting surfaces being apertured so that some of the gas flows into the manifold, whereby the tube elements will inflate and expand away from the manifold when the vessels are punctured so as to form a protective cushion.
Claim 7
Independent Claim
292 words
A device for protecting the occupants in the passenger compartment of a vehicle during a collision, said device comprising: a manifold having a plurality of closely spaced ports facing the passenger compartment, the ports being in communication with one another through the interior of the manifold; a source of high pressure gas connected with the manifold; means for causing the source of high pressure gas to discharge the gas Into the manifold so that the gas will flow through the ports; and inflatable tube elements formed from a flexible material with each tube element being substantially longer than it is wide and with the width being substantially less than the width of an occupant, each tube element further being closed at one end and having an opening at its other end, the open ends of the tube elements being connected to the manifold at the ports thereof with each port opening into a different tube element, whereby the interiors of all the tube elements are in communication through the manifold, the tube elements being stored in a deflated and compact condition remote from the occupants and being inflated to an expanded condition in which at least some of them engage the occupants when the high pressure gas is discharged into the manifold, the ports of the manifold being positioned in close proximity to one another so that the adjacent tube elements will be close to one another when inflated, the positioning being such that when the tube elements are inflated the closed ends of a plurality of tube elements will engage an occupant both crosswise and lengthwise and as the occupant sinks into those tube elements other tube elements will be presented to the sides of the occupant to provide lateral confinement.
Claim 8
Independent Claim
292 words
A device for protecting the occupants in the passenger compartment of a vehicle during a collision, said device comprising: a manifold having a plurality of closely spaced ports facing the passenger compartment, the ports being in communication with one another through the interior of the manifold; a source of high pressure gas connected with the manifold; means for causing the source of high pressure gas to discharge the gas Into the manifold so that the gas will flow through the ports; and inflatable tube elements formed from a flexible material with each tube element being substantially longer than it is wide and with the width being substantially less than the width of an occupant, each tube element further being closed at one end and having an opening at its other end, the open ends of the tube elements being connected to the manifold at the ports thereof with each port opening into a different tube element, whereby the interiors of all the tube elements are in communication through the manifold, the tube elements being stored in a deflated and compact condition remote from the occupants and being inflated to an expanded condition in which at least some of them engage the occupants when the high pressure gas is discharged into the manifold, the ports of the manifold being positioned in close proximity to one another so that the adjacent tube elements will be close to one another when inflated, the positioning being such that when the tube elements are inflated the closed ends of a plurality of tube elements will engage an occupant both crosswise and lengthwise and as the occupant sinks into those tube elements other tube elements will be presented to the sides of the occupant to provide lateral confinement.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
70 words
A protective device according to claim 4 and further characterized by a housing in front of the manifold and having pockets aligned with the ports, each pocket containing a separate tube element which is housed entirely within the pocket when in its deflated and compact condition, each pocket being oriented to direct the tube element therein into a selected portion of the passenger compartment when the tube element is inflated.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
28 words
A protective device according to claim 5 wherein the ends of the pockets are normally closed by cover devices to obscure and protect the tube elements contained therein.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
34 words
A protective device according to claim 5 wherein the ports project from the manifold and into the pockets; and wherein the tube elements at their inner ends are fitted over and embrace the ports.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
26 words
A protective device according to claim 5 wherein the housing includes a padding material presented toward the occupants and extending across and substantially covering the manifold.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
65 words
A protective device according to claim 4 wherein the source of high pressure gas comprises a closed vessel at at least some of the ports, and means for puncturing each vessel to allow gas to flow therefrom, each vessel being in communication with the interior of the tube element attached to the port at which it is disposed and with the interior of the manifold.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
31 words
A protective device according to claim 9 wherein the means for puncturing each vessel includes an explosive charge and a pin which is driven into the vessel by the explosive charge.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
44 words
A protective device according to claim 4 and further characterized by means associated with the tube elements for controlling the rate at which the gas is expelled from the tube elements and discharged back into the manifold once the tube elements have been inflated.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
34 words
A protective device according to claim 11 wherein the means for controlling the rate at which the gas is expelled from the tube elements comprises orifices at the open ends of the tube elements.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
53 words
A protective device according to claim 12 wherein the means for controlling the rate at which the gas is expelled from the tube elements further includes check valves at the ports and oriented to permit gas to freely enter the tube elements and to restrict the discharge of gas from the tube elements.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
36 words
A protective device according to claim 11 wherein the means for controlling the rate at which the gas is expelled from the tube elements does not substantially impede the flow of gas into the tube elements.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
13 words
A protective device according to claim 4 wherein the tube elements are tapered.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1976-07-23 | 1977-01-22 | 1977-07-24 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-07-23 | 1981-01-22 | 1981-07-24 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-07-23 | 1985-01-22 | 1985-07-24 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |