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US3856326A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Occupant restraint system

Assignee: Motors Liquidation Co
•
Filing: 1972-11-24
•
Granted: 1974-12-24
•
Expires: 1992-11-24
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Abstract

Abstract A vehicle includes an energy absorbing bumper system having an impact bar supported by like spaced pairs of telescopic energy absorbing struts. Each strut includes an inner member having an outer closed end secured to the impact bar and an outer member secured to the frame of the vehicle. An apertured end cap on the open inner end of the inner member provides a piston slidably received within the outer member and cooperating with the outer closed end of the outer member to provide a variable volume first chamber receiving a displaceable pressurized fluid medium such as Freon or other gas liquefied under pressure at ambient temperatures. A piston slidably received within the inner member divides the interior thereof into a variable volume second chamber receiving pressurized compressed gas to provide a gas spring biasing the inner member and impact bar outwardly of the outer member. A normally closed valve in the outer closed end of the outer member includes a metering pin received within the aperture of the end cap to provide a variable area orifice controlling the rate of flow of the fluid medium between the first and second chambers under impact forces applied to the impact bar to absorb the energy of such forces. An inflatable occupant restraint cushion is mounted within the occupant compartment of the vehicle and communicated with the valves in the outer closed ends of the outer members. When the inner members move within the outer members under impact forces applied to the impact bar, the fluid medium is displaced from the first chambers to the second chambers through the variable area orifices after the pressurized gas in the third chambers is initially compressed. The area of the orifices is gradually decreased by the metering pins as the inner members move within the outer members to pressurize the first chambers and absorb the energy of the impact forces. Should the impact forces exceed a predetermined limit, the inner members will move within the outer members to a position wherein the pistons of the inner members engage their respective metering pins and open the valves to permit the flow of the fluid medium to the inflatable cushion to inflate the cushion. The fluid medium expands to a vapor as it flows to the cushion.

Inventors

  • 👤 B Lindbert
  • 👤 W Mccollum
  • 👤 E Mertz

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-09 09:41
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R19/00; B60R19/02; B60R19/24; B60R19/26; B60R19/32; B60R21/00; B60R21/02; B60R21/16; B60R21/26; B60R21/26005

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 8
Claim 1
Independent Claim 131 words
In an automotive vehicle, the combination comprising, an inflatable occupant restraint mounted within an occupant compartment of the vehicle, a bumper impact bar, energy absorbing means supporting the impact bar on the vehicle and including a piston movable within a chamber containing a gas liquefied under pressure and ambient temperature, means controlling the displacement of the liquefied gas from one side of the piston to the other side of the piston upon impact of the impact bar with an obstacle to absorb the energy of the resultant impact forces, and means responsive to the displacement of a predetermined volume of liquefied gas to the other side of the piston for communicating the chamber and the restraint to release the liquefied gas for expansion and flow to the restraint for inflation thereof.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 131 words
In an automotive vehicle, the combination comprising, an inflatable occupant restraint mounted within an occupant compartment of the vehicle, a bumper impact bar, energy absorbing means supporting the impact bar on the vehicle and including a piston movable within a chamber containing a gas liquefied under pressure and ambient temperature, means controlling the displacement of the liquefied gas from one side of the piston to the other side of the piston upon impact of the impact bar with an obstacle to absorb the energy of the resultant impact forces, and means responsive to the displacement of a predetermined volume of liquefied gas to the other side of the piston for communicating the chamber and the restraint to release the liquefied gas for expansion and flow to the restraint for inflation thereof.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 149 words
In an automotive vehicle, the combination comprising, an inflatable occupant restraint mounted within an occupant compartment of the vehicle, a bumper impact bar, energy absorbing means supporting the impact bar on the vehicle and including a piston movable within a chamber containing a gas liquefied under pressure and ambient temperature, means controlling the displacement of the liQuefied gas from one side of the piston to the other side of the piston upon impact of the impact bar with an obstacle to absorb the energy of the resultant impact forces, means including normally closed valve means for communicating the chamber and the restraint, and means responsive to the displacement of a predetermned volume of liquefied gas to the other side of the piston for opening the valve means and communicating the chamber and the restraint to release the liquefied gas for expansion and flow to the restraint for inflation thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 149 words
In an automotive vehicle, the combination comprising, an inflatable occupant restraint mounted within an occupant compartment of the vehicle, a bumper impact bar, energy absorbing means supporting the impact bar on the vehicle and including a piston movable within a chamber containing a gas liquefied under pressure and ambient temperature, means controlling the displacement of the liQuefied gas from one side of the piston to the other side of the piston upon impact of the impact bar with an obstacle to absorb the energy of the resultant impact forces, means including normally closed valve means for communicating the chamber and the restraint, and means responsive to the displacement of a predetermned volume of liquefied gas to the other side of the piston for opening the valve means and communicating the chamber and the restraint to release the liquefied gas for expansion and flow to the restraint for inflation thereof.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 169 words
In an automotive vehicle, the combination comprising, an inflatable occupant restraint mounted within an occupant compartment of the vehicle, a bumper impact bar, energy absorbing means supporting the impact bar on the vehicle and including an apertured piston movable within a chamber containing a gas liquefied under pressure and ambient temperature, means including resiliently seated valve means communicating the chamber and the restraint, control means on the valve means received within the piston aperture to control the displacement of the liquefied gas through the piston aperture from one side of the piston to the other side of the piston upon impact of the impact bar with an obstacle to absorb the energy of the resultant impact forces, and means operative upon the displacement of a predetermined volume of liquefied gas to the other side of the piston for engaging the control means to unseat the valve means and communicate the chamber and the restraint and release the liquefied gas for expansion and flow to the restraint for inflation thereof.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 169 words
In an automotive vehicle, the combination comprising, an inflatable occupant restraint mounted within an occupant compartment of the vehicle, a bumper impact bar, energy absorbing means supporting the impact bar on the vehicle and including an apertured piston movable within a chamber containing a gas liquefied under pressure and ambient temperature, means including resiliently seated valve means communicating the chamber and the restraint, control means on the valve means received within the piston aperture to control the displacement of the liquefied gas through the piston aperture from one side of the piston to the other side of the piston upon impact of the impact bar with an obstacle to absorb the energy of the resultant impact forces, and means operative upon the displacement of a predetermined volume of liquefied gas to the other side of the piston for engaging the control means to unseat the valve means and communicate the chamber and the restraint and release the liquefied gas for expansion and flow to the restraint for inflation thereof.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 169 words
In an automotive vehicle, the combination comprising, an inflatable occupant restraint mounted within an occupant compartment of the vehicle, a bumper impact bar, energy absorbing means supporting the impact bar on the vehicle and including an apertured piston movable within a chamber containing a gas liquefied under pressure and ambient temperature, valve means on the chamber including a resiliently seated valve member and a metering member projecting therefrom through the piston aperture, the metering member controlling the displacement of the liquefied gas from one side of the piston to the other side of the piston upon impact of the impact bar with an obstacle to absorb the energy of the resultant impact forces, means operable upon the displacement of a predetermined volume of liquefied gas to the other side of the piston for engaging the metering member and unseating the valve means, and means communicating the valve means and the restraint to conduct the liquefied gas from the chamber for expansion and flkow to the restraint for inflation thereof.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 169 words
In an automotive vehicle, the combination comprising, an inflatable occupant restraint mounted within an occupant compartment of the vehicle, a bumper impact bar, energy absorbing means supporting the impact bar on the vehicle and including an apertured piston movable within a chamber containing a gas liquefied under pressure and ambient temperature, valve means on the chamber including a resiliently seated valve member and a metering member projecting therefrom through the piston aperture, the metering member controlling the displacement of the liquefied gas from one side of the piston to the other side of the piston upon impact of the impact bar with an obstacle to absorb the energy of the resultant impact forces, means operable upon the displacement of a predetermined volume of liquefied gas to the other side of the piston for engaging the metering member and unseating the valve means, and means communicating the valve means and the restraint to conduct the liquefied gas from the chamber for expansion and flkow to the restraint for inflation thereof.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US1784387A Cited
GB953312A Cited
US3547467A Cited
US3700273A Cited
US3689054A Cited
US3713665A Cited
US3718332A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1977-12-23 1978-06-24 1978-12-24 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1981-12-23 1982-06-24 1982-12-24 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1985-12-23 1986-06-24 1986-12-24 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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