US3895841A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vacuum actuated vehicle safety device
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1974-09-03
•
Granted: 1975-07-22
•
Expires: 1994-09-03
Abstract
Abstract Vehicle seats are formed with a plurality of openings, each connected through a pressure-actuated valve to an impact actuated valve and thence to a vacuum tank. Upon a crash occurring, the impact-actuated valve is opened. Pressure of the body of the operator and passengers has caused opening of only those pressure-actuated valves with whose seat openings said bodies are in contact. The operator and passengers are held in their seats by atmospheric pressure and the absence of pressure (vacuum) in the portion of the seat with which the bodies are in contact. The vacuum tank may be pumped in various ways, as by a pump driven by the vehicle engine, by the vacuum in the intake manifold of the engine, etc. The impact-actuated valve may be opened by the inertia of a pendulum-like weight against a spring tending to seat the valve.
Inventors
- 👤 Herbert A Lebert
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-06 02:57
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60K; B60K25/00; B60K25/04; B60N; B60N2/00; B60N2/24; B60N2/42; B60N2/427; B60N2/42772; B60N2/42781
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
240 words
A device to momentarily hold an occupant in a vehicle seat against impact-created forces tending to impel the occupant out of his seat, comprising a seat cushion having an air-pervious outer covering, first means in said cushion having a cavity, a plurality of passages throughout said cushion, each leading from said cavity to a discrete area of said covering, a first valve in each said passage, each said first valve having valve opening means shaped to be individually contacted by the body of said occupant and responsive to the pressure of the occupant against said valve opening means, said valve opening means opening communication through the particular first valve with which it is associated through one said passage to said cavity only when a portion of the body of the occupant rests on said valve opening means, said cavity having a normal pressure state and an emergency vacuum state, said first means when in vacuum state pulling air through only those first valves which are open to create a subatmospheric pressure between the occupant and said cushion tending to force the occupant toward said cushion, a source of vacuum, a conduit between said source and said cavity, and a normally-closed impact second valve in said conduit, said second valve having second means therein responsive to impact against the vehicle in which the seat is installed to open said valve, whereby said cavity is changed from pressure state to vacuum state.
Claim 2
Independent Claim
240 words
A device to momentarily hold an occupant in a vehicle seat against impact-created forces tending to impel the occupant out of his seat, comprising a seat cushion having an air-pervious outer covering, first means in said cushion having a cavity, a plurality of passages throughout said cushion, each leading from said cavity to a discrete area of said covering, a first valve in each said passage, each said first valve having valve opening means shaped to be individually contacted by the body of said occupant and responsive to the pressure of the occupant against said valve opening means, said valve opening means opening communication through the particular first valve with which it is associated through one said passage to said cavity only when a portion of the body of the occupant rests on said valve opening means, said cavity having a normal pressure state and an emergency vacuum state, said first means when in vacuum state pulling air through only those first valves which are open to create a subatmospheric pressure between the occupant and said cushion tending to force the occupant toward said cushion, a source of vacuum, a conduit between said source and said cavity, and a normally-closed impact second valve in said conduit, said second valve having second means therein responsive to impact against the vehicle in which the seat is installed to open said valve, whereby said cavity is changed from pressure state to vacuum state.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
169 words
an impact valve for use in a vehicle safety device comprising a body formed with a valve seat, a first port and a second port, one said port on each side of said seat, a valve disk in said body, first means biasing said disk against said seat to close off communication between said ports, a pendulum, second means connecting said pendulum to said disk, said pendulum having a normal position and a displaced position, whereby pre-determined severe impact imparted to said pendulum moves said pendulum to displaced position and raises at least a portion of said disk from said seat to establish communication between said ports, third means in proximity to said pendulum to hold said pendulum in displaced position until restored to normal position, and reset fourth means to restore said pendulum to normal position, said third means comprising an annular member surrounding said pendulum when in normal position, said pendulum and annular member being magnetizable and one of said last two mentioned elements comprising a magnet.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
169 words
an impact valve for use in a vehicle safety device comprising a body formed with a valve seat, a first port and a second port, one said port on each side of said seat, a valve disk in said body, first means biasing said disk against said seat to close off communication between said ports, a pendulum, second means connecting said pendulum to said disk, said pendulum having a normal position and a displaced position, whereby pre-determined severe impact imparted to said pendulum moves said pendulum to displaced position and raises at least a portion of said disk from said seat to establish communication between said ports, third means in proximity to said pendulum to hold said pendulum in displaced position until restored to normal position, and reset fourth means to restore said pendulum to normal position, said third means comprising an annular member surrounding said pendulum when in normal position, said pendulum and annular member being magnetizable and one of said last two mentioned elements comprising a magnet.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
49 words
A device according to claim 1 in which said first means comprises a vacuum compartment and cushion material between said compartment and said covering, plurality of passages dispersed throughout said cushion, each leading from said compartment to a discrete area of said covering, said compartment formed with said cavity.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
80 words
A device according to claim 1 which further comprises a sheet of air-impervious skin between said cushion material and said covering and overlying said passages, said first valve comprising a slit in said skin over the distal end of said passage, said slit being normally closed under action of either vacuum or atmospheric pressure; said skin around said slit deforming to open said slit when a portion of the body of said occupant rests on the covering vicinal said slit.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
96 words
A device according to claim 1 in which said second valve comprises a tube slidable in said passage having a closed first end adjacent said compartment and an open first end adjacent said covering, said tube being formed with an aperture spaced from said first end, said aperture being normally out of communication with said compartment, the portion of the body of said occupant resting on the covering vicinal said second valve pushing said first end of said tube into sAid compartment to establish communication between said compartment, said aperture, said tube and said second end.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
A device according to claim 2 which further comprises a seat frame, springs on said frame, said compartment fitting against said springs, said compartment being flexible to flex to accommodate the shape of the occupant resting on said seat.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
126 words
A device according to claim 1 in which said second valve comprises a body formed with a valve seat, a first port and a second port, one said port on each side of said seat, one said port connected to said source of vacuum and the other said port connected to said cavity, a valve disk in said body, third means biasing said disk against said seat to close off communication between said ports, a pendulum, fourth means connecting said pendulum to said disk, said pendulum having a normal position and a displaced position, whereby pre-determined severe impact imparted to said pendulum moves said pendulum to displaced position and raises at least a portion of said disk from said seat to establish communication between said ports.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
39 words
A device according to claim 7 which further comprises fifth means in proximity to said pendulum to hold said pendulum in displaced position until restored to normal position and reset sixth means to restore said pendulum to normal position.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
40 words
A device according to claim 8 in which said fifth means comprises an annular member surrounding said pendulum when in normal position, said pendulum and annular member being magnetizable and one of said last two mentioned elements comprising a magnet.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device according to claim 9 in which said reset sixth means comprises means for moving said annular member out of proximity to said pendulum.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
33 words
A device according to claim 2 in which said compartment comprises a back, a front, spacers holding said back and front apart and means sealing around the perimeters of said back and front.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
25 words
A device according to claim 2 in which said reset fourth means comprises means for moving said annular member out of proximity to said pendulum.
References Cited (Backward Citations)
US529119A
Cited
US3014226A
Cited
US3240510A
Cited
US3137523A
Cited
US3409326A
Cited
US3608961A
Cited
US3730588A
Cited
US3770318A
Cited
USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1978-07-21 | 1979-01-20 | 1979-07-22 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1982-07-21 | 1983-01-20 | 1983-07-22 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1986-07-21 | 1987-01-20 | 1987-07-22 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |