Vehicle occupant restraint system

Claim 1

Safety apparatus for restraining movement of the driver of a vehicle in a collision comprising: a. an inflatable confinement having a collapsed inoperative position and an expanded operative position in which the confinement is positioned to contact the vehicle driver and restrain movement thereof, said confinement being disposed about the vehicle steering wheel and mounted on the vehicle steering shaft to rotate therewith; b. annular fluid source means nonrotatably mounted on the mast jacket of the vehicle steering column and operable upon activation thereof to supply pressurized gas for inflating said confinement; c. diffuser means disposed in the path of flow from said fluid source means, said diffuser being mounted on the vehicle steering shaft for rotation therewith, and having a generally cup-shaped configuration with a plurality of circumferentially spaced radially disposed passages therethrough, said fluid source means being disposed centrally within said cup-shaped configuration and said confinement having an opening therein with the margin thereof received over the outer periphery of said diffuser and engaged therearound in fluid sealing relationship; d. fluid sealing means disposed intermediate said diffuser means and the vehicle steering column mast jacket in a manner permitting relative rotation and fluid-pressure sealing engagement therebetween; and e. means responsive to a coLlision of said vehicle and operatively connected to said fluid source means for activating same and inflating said confinement to the expanded operative position.