US3765699A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Occupant restraint system
Assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
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Filing: 1971-10-22
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Granted: 1973-10-16
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Expires: 1991-10-22
Abstract
Abstract A vehicle includes a bumper or other portion which experiences a rapid change in velocity upon vehicle impact with an obstacle, an occupant compartment, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion within the compartment, and a source of pressure fluid for inflating the cushion. A sensor primarily responsive to the change in velocity of the bumper or other portion of the vehicle includes a housing of dielectric material having a sector-shaped recess, a spool-shaped mass of electrically conductive material slidable within the recess, and a pair of tension springs of electrically conductive material which are hooked between the mass and the housing to maintain the mass in unactuated position in engagement with the side walls of the recess adjacent the apical end thereof. The sensor is mounted on the bumper or other portion and is subjected to the velocity change thereof upon vehicle impact with an obstacle. The time for the mass to travel to actuated position is comparable within an order of magnitude to the deceleration time period of the sensor whereby movement of the mass to actuated position is responsive to the occurrence of a change in vehicle velocity above a predetermined value. When the mass moves to actuated position, it completes an electrical circuit across a pair of contacts located adjacent the basal end of the recess to initiate release of the pressure fluid to the cushion for inflation thereof. The springs and mass and the spring anchors to the housing are connected across a source of power in a diagnostic circuit so that any fracture of either spring can be detected.
Inventors
- 👤 J Marquardt
- 👤 V Orlando
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 02:55
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/01; G; G01; G01P; G01P15/00; G01P15/02; G01P15/08; G01P15/135; H; H01; H01H; H01H47/00; H01H47/002
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 6
Claim 1
Independent Claim
253 words
In combination with a vehicle having a portion thereof subject to impact engagement with an obstacle and experiencing substantially the total change in vehicle velocity in a short deceleration time period upon such impact engagement, and an occupant compartment experiencing significant deceleration from such impact after such portion has experienced substantially the total change in vehicle velocity, an occupant restraint system comprising, a source of pressure fluid, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted within the compartment for inflation by the source, a sensor responsive to the occurrence of a change in vehicle velocity which is greater than a predetermined value upon vehicle impact with an obstacle, said sensor including a support, means mounting said support on said portion of the vehicle to simultaneously subject said support to substantially the total change in vehicle velocity experienced thereby, a mass mounted on said support for movement relative thereto between unactuated and actuated positions, means constraining said mass against movement to actuated position, the time period for the mass to change its energy by moving from unactuated to actuated position being comparable to or greater than the deceleration time period of said portion of the vehicle and said support whereby movement of said mass to actuated position is responsive to said occurrence of a change in vehicle velocity greater than said predetermined value, and means operative upon movement of said mass to actuated position to release the pressure fluid and initiate inflation of the cushion prior to the onset of significant deceleration of the occupant compartment.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
253 words
In combination with a vehicle having a portion thereof subject to impact engagement with an obstacle and experiencing substantially the total change in vehicle velocity in a short deceleration time period upon such impact engagement, and an occupant compartment experiencing significant deceleration from such impact after such portion has experienced substantially the total change in vehicle velocity, an occupant restraint system comprising, a source of pressure fluid, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted within the compartment for inflation by the source, a sensor responsive to the occurrence of a change in vehicle velocity which is greater than a predetermined value upon vehicle impact with an obstacle, said sensor including a support, means mounting said support on said portion of the vehicle to simultaneously subject said support to substantially the total change in vehicle velocity experienced thereby, a mass mounted on said support for movement relative thereto between unactuated and actuated positions, means constraining said mass against movement to actuated position, the time period for the mass to change its energy by moving from unactuated to actuated position being comparable to or greater than the deceleration time period of said portion of the vehicle and said support whereby movement of said mass to actuated position is responsive to said occurrence of a change in vehicle velocity greater than said predetermined value, and means operative upon movement of said mass to actuated position to release the pressure fluid and initiate inflation of the cushion prior to the onset of significant deceleration of the occupant compartment.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
185 words
In combination with a vehicle subject to impact engagement with an obstacle and having an occupant compartment subject to deceleration upon such impact engagement, an occupant restraint system comprising, a source of pressure fluid, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted within the compartment for inflation by the source, a sensor including a support, means operative upon impact engagement of the vehicle with an obstacle to subject said support to substantially the total change in vehicle velocity in a short deceleration time period prior to the onset of significant deceleration of the occupant compartment, a mass mounted on said support for movement relative thereto between unactuated and actuated position, means constraining said mass against movement to actuated position, the period of natural frequency of said mass requiring the occurrence of a change in vehicle velocity greater than a predetermined value in a short deceleration time period for movement of said mass to actuated position, and means operative upon movement of said mass to actuated position to release the pressure fluid and initiate inflation of the cushion prior to the onset of deceleration of the occupant compartment.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
185 words
In combination with a vehicle subject to impact engagement with an obstacle and having an occupant compartment subject to deceleration upon such impact engagement, an occupant restraint system comprising, a source of pressure fluid, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted within the compartment for inflation by the source, a sensor including a support, means operative upon impact engagement of the vehicle with an obstacle to subject said support to substantially the total change in vehicle velocity in a short deceleration time period prior to the onset of significant deceleration of the occupant compartment, a mass mounted on said support for movement relative thereto between unactuated and actuated position, means constraining said mass against movement to actuated position, the period of natural frequency of said mass requiring the occurrence of a change in vehicle velocity greater than a predetermined value in a short deceleration time period for movement of said mass to actuated position, and means operative upon movement of said mass to actuated position to release the pressure fluid and initiate inflation of the cushion prior to the onset of deceleration of the occupant compartment.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
194 words
In combination with a vehicle subject to impact engagement with an obstacle and having an occupant compartment subject to deceleration upon such impact engagement, an occupant restraint system comprising, a source of pressure fluid, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted within the compartment for inflation by the source, a sensor including a support, means operative upon impact engagement of the vehicle with an obstacle to subject said support to substantially the total change in vehicle velocity in a short deceleration time period prior to the onset of significant deceleration of the occupant compartment, a mass, means mounting the mass on the support for movement relative thereto between unactuated and actuated position along predetermined paths, means constraining said mass against movement to actuated position, the period of natural frequency of said mass requiring the occurrence of a change in vehicle velocity greater than a predetermined value in a short deceleration time period for movement of said mass along predetermined paths to actuated position, and means operative upon movement of said mass to actuated position to release the pressure fluid and initiate inflation of the cushion prior to the onset of deceleration of the occupant compartment.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
194 words
In combination with a vehicle subject to impact engagement with an obstacle and having an occupant compartment subject to deceleration upon such impact engagement, an occupant restraint system comprising, a source of pressure fluid, an inflatable occupant restraint cushion mounted within the compartment for inflation by the source, a sensor including a support, means operative upon impact engagement of the vehicle with an obstacle to subject said support to substantially the total change in vehicle velocity in a short deceleration time period prior to the onset of significant deceleration of the occupant compartment, a mass, means mounting the mass on the support for movement relative thereto between unactuated and actuated position along predetermined paths, means constraining said mass against movement to actuated position, the period of natural frequency of said mass requiring the occurrence of a change in vehicle velocity greater than a predetermined value in a short deceleration time period for movement of said mass along predetermined paths to actuated position, and means operative upon movement of said mass to actuated position to release the pressure fluid and initiate inflation of the cushion prior to the onset of deceleration of the occupant compartment.
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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) | 1976-10-15 | 1977-04-16 | 1977-10-16 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1980-10-15 | 1981-04-16 | 1981-10-16 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1984-10-15 | 1985-04-16 | 1985-10-16 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |