Recording mechanism for a safety device used in a motor vehicle

Claim 2

In a motor vehicle safety device actuated in a collision, by means of an actuating force such as deceleration and acceleration, to release gas under pressure for supplying a pressurized gas force to operate said safety device for protecting occupants of said vehicle, the improvement comprising a mass displaceable from a rest position in response to said actuating force, and means for supporting and guiding said mass, said supporting and guiding means comprising a member having a portion thereof movable, in response to said pressurized gas force, into engagement with said mass whereby the position of said mass, at the time of the release of said pressurized gas, is recorded.

Claim 3

In a motor vehicle safety device as claimed in claim 1, said portion being deformable in response to said pressurized gas for contacting and holding said mass in position at the time of actuation of said safety device to thereby record the position of said mass.

Claim 4

In a motor vehicle safety device as claimed in claim 1, said mass comprising a cylindrically-shaped piston, said member comprising a cylinder and coaxial with said piston so that it laterally encloses said piston, the improvement further comprising a spring positioned within said cylinder and biasing said piston against the movement in the direction of movement of the motor vehicle, and said portion comprising the cylindrically-shaped surface of said cylinder, said surface being deformable for displacement inwardly into contact and holding engagement with said piston to thereby record the positions of said mass.

Claim 5

In a motor vehicle safety device as claimed in claim 3, said piston having a pair of axially spaced ring-like ridges formed on its cylindrically-shaped surface and said ridges are disposed in sliding contact with said surface of said cylinder.

Claim 6

In a motor vehicle safety device as claimed in claim 3, the improvement further comprising a switch connected to said mass for initiating said pressurized gas force in response to a predetermined axial movement by said mass.

Claim 7

In a motor vehicle safety device as claimed in claim 3, said means for supporting and guiding further comprising a housing enclosing said member and forming a space about said member, a propellant charge positioned in the space about said member and arranged upon ignition to provide said pressurized gas force which contacts the exterior surface of said member and deforms it inwardly.

Claim 8

In a motor vehicle safety device as claimed in claim 1, said member comprising a housing enclosing said mass, said mass including a body and an elongated leaf spring secured at one end to said housing and extending from its secured end into said housing with its other end free to deflect within said housing, said body located within said housing and supported on said leaf spring intermediate the free end and the secured end thereof, said portion extending through said housing adjacent the free end of said spring and said spring guided by and arranged to move along said portion, said portion being deformable by said gas force for moving into contact and holding engagement with said leaf spring.

Claim 9

In a motor vehicle safety device as claimed in claim 7, said leaf spring having a slot therethrough adjacent its free end and said portion extending through said slot so that said leaf spring can move over said portion until said portion is deformed into holding engagement with said spring.

Claim 10

In a motor vehicle safety device as claimed in claim 8, said portion comprising a tubular member open at its ends, said means for suppoRting and guiding comprising a second housing enclosing said housing containing said portion and the ends of said tubular member being open to the space within said second housing and the housing containing said leaf spring being sealed from the space within said second housing so that the pressurized gas can flow through said tubular member for deforming it outwardly into contact with said leaf spring.

Claim 11

In a motor vehicle safety device as claimed in claim 1, said mass comprising a first piston, said member comprising a housing enclosing said first piston and laterally guiding the side surfaces of said piston when it moves through the space formed by said housing, spring means located within said housing and acting on said first piston for maintaining it in a rest position until said certain forces act on said piston, a pressure tube connected to said housing and opening into the space within said housing and the axis of said pressure tube extending transversely of and intersecting the path of movement of said first piston within said housing, said portion comprising a second piston positioned within and axially displaceable through said pressure tube, means for holding said second piston in spaced relationship from the intersection of said housing and said pressure tube, a pointed member mounted in the end of said second piston which faces toward the space within said housing, said pressure tube disposed in communication with the pressurized gas force so that in response to the pressurized gas force, said said second piston is displaceable into contact with said first piston and said pointed member in the end of said piston marks said first piston for recording the position of said first piston at the time of the activation of the safety device.

Claim 12

In a motor vehicle safety device as claimed in claim 10, said means for holding said second piston in spaced relationship from said first piston comprising a spring-biased ball mounted in said pressure tube and seated in holding engagement with said second piston and holding action of said spring-biased ball being insufficient to hold said second piston against the action of the pressurized gas force.

Claim 13

In a motor vehicle safety device as claimed in claim 10, the improvement further comprising a switch connected to said mass for initiating said pressurized gas force in response to a predetermined axial movement by said mass.

Claim 14

In a motor vehicle safety device as claimed in claim 7, the improvement further comprising a switch connected to said mass for initiating said pressurized gas force in response to a predetermined axial movement by said mass.