Air bag system for restraining movement of an adult and/or a child

Claim 2

A vehicle safety apparatus for restraining movement of an adult and/or a child, said apparatus comprising: an inflatable air bag having wall means for at least partially defining an upper chamber for holding gas to restrain the adult and a lower chamber for holding gas to restrain the child; a first gas source for inflating said upper chamber to a first pressure to restrain the adult; a second gas source for inflating said lower chamber to a second pressure which is less than said first pressure to restrain the child; means for simultaneously actuating said first and second gas sources to inflate said upper and lower chambers; and barrier means for separating said upper chamber from said lower chamber, said barrier means at least partially defining said upper and lower chambers.

Claim 3

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said barrier means is formed of fabric and is flexible.

Claim 4

An apparatus as set forth in claim 1 wherein said barrier means retards gas flow between said upper and lower chambers.

Claim 5

A vehicle safety apparatus for restraining movement of an adult and/or a child, said apparatus comprising: an inflatable air bag having wall means for at least partially defining an upper chamber for holding gas to restrain the adult and a lower chamber for holding gas to restrain the child; a first gas source for inflating said upper chamber to a first pressure to restrain the adult; a second gas source for inflating said lower chamber to a second pressure which is less than said first pressure to restrain the child; means for simultaneously actuating said first and second gas source to inflate said upper and lower chambers; a first longitudinally extending compartment for holding said first gas source; and a second longitudinally extending compartment for holding said second gas source, said first and second compartments being disposed in a linear array with the longitudinal axes of said first and second compartments being in alignment; said wall means having a forwardly facing portion, a rearwardly facing portion and two side portions, said rearwardly facing portion of said wall means having an outer side surface area facing toward the adult and/or child and being disposed on a first side of the linear array of compartments, said rearwardly facing portion of said wall means being contoured to have a lower surface area for engagement with the child and an upper surface area for engagement with the adult, said lower surface area being convex and extending outwardly and downwardly from the linear array of compartments, said upper surface area being convex and extending outwardly and upwardly from said lower surface area, said upper and lower surface areas each having a length which is at least as great as the length of the linear array of compartments.

Claim 6

A vehicle safety apparatus for restraining movement of an adult and/or a child, said apparatus comprising: an inflatable air bag having wall means for at least partially defining an upper chamber for holding gas to restrain the adult and a lower chamber for holding gas to restrain the child; a first gas source for inflating said upper chamber to a first pressure to restrain the adult; a second gas source for inflating said lower chamber to a second pressure which is less than said first pressure to restrain the child; means for simultaneously actuating said first and second gas source to inflate said upper and lower chambers; a first longitudinally extending compartment for holding said first gas source; and a second longitudinally extending compartment for holding said second gas source, said first and second compartments being disposed in a linear array with the longitudinal axes of said first and second compartments being in alignment; said wall means having a forwardly facing portion, a rearwardly facing portion and two side portions, said rearwardly facing portion of said wall means having an outer side surface area facing toward the adult and/or child and being disposed on a first side of the linear array of compartments, said rearwardly facing portion of said wall means being contoured to have a lower surface area for engagement with the child and an upper surface area for engagement with the adult, said lower surface area being convex and extending outwardly and downwardly from the linear array of compartments, said upper surface area being convex and extending outwardly and upwardly from said lower surface area, said upper and lower surface areas each having a length which is at least as great as the length of the linear array of compartments.

Claim 7

A vehicle safety apparatus for restraining movement of an adult and/or a child and for absorbing inertial energy, said apparatus comprising: an inflatable air bag having wall means for defining an upper chamber for holding gas to restrain said adult and a lower chamber for holding gas to restrain said child; a first gas source means for inflating said upper chamber to a relatively high pressure for positioning a portion of said wall means to provide a relatively firm surface of impact for said adult and for restraining said adult; a second gas source means for inflating said lower chamber to a relatively low pressure for positioning a portion of said wall means to provide a relatively soft surface of impact for said child and for restraining said child; and means for simultaneously actuating said first and second gas source means for inflating upper and lower chambers simultaneously.

Claim 8

A vehicle safety apparatus for restraining movement of an adult and/or a child and for absorbing inertial energy, said apparatus comprising: an inflatable air bag having wall means for defining an upper chamber for holding gas to restrain said adult and a lower chamber for holding gas to restrain said child; a first gas source means for inflating said upper chamber to a relatively high pressure for positioning a portion of said wall means to provide a relatively firm surface of impact for said adult and for restraining said adult; a second gas source means for inflating said lower chamber to a relatively low pressure for positioning a portion of said wall means to provide a relatively soft surface of impact for said child and for restraining said child; and means for simultaneously actuating said first and second gas source means for inflating upper and lower chambers simultaneously.

Claim 9

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said wall means including an outer wall for separating said upper and lower chambers from an external atmosphere.

Claim 10

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said upper and lower chambers are effectively sealed from each other for preventing gas from the upper chamber from entering the lower chamber due to inertial force of said adult.

Claim 11

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 further including tether straps attached to said inflatable air bag and extending across said upper chamber.

Claim 12

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first gas source means is a first gas generator and said second gas source means is a second gas generator.

Claim 13

An apparatus as set forth in claim 9 wherein said first and second gas generators each contain gas generating material, the amount of said gas generating material contained in said first gas generator being greater than the amount of said gas generating material contained in said second gas generator.

Claim 14

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 further including barrier means for preventing gas flow from said first gas source means from entering into said lower chamber and for preventing gas flow from said second gas source means from entering into said upper chamber.

Claim 15

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 further including a first longitudinally extending compartment for holding said first gas source means and a second longitudinally extending compartment for holding said second gas source means, said first and second compartments being disposed in a linear array with the longitudinal axes of said first and second compartments being in alignment.

Claim 16

An apparatus as set forth in claim 12 further including barrier means for blocking gas flow between said upper and lower chambers, said barrier means at least partially defining said upper and lower chambers.

Claim 17

An apparatus as set forth in claim 5 wherein said first gas source means is effective to provide a first volume of gas, said second gas source means is effective to provide a second volume of gas, said first volume of gas being greater than said second volume of gas, said first and second gas source means including means for fully inflating said lower chamber prior to full inflation of said upper chamber.

Claim 18

A vehicle safety apparatus for restraining movement of an adult and/or child, said apparatus comprising: an inflatable air bag having a first upper chamber for holding gas to restrain said adult and a second lower chamber for holding gas to restrain said child, said air bag having an outer wall for separating said first and second chambers from an external atmosphere and for partially defining said first chamber and partially defining said second chamber; a first gas source means for producing a relatively low volume of gas for inflating said second chamber to a relatively low pressure.

Claim 19

A vehicle safety apparatus for restraining movement of an adult and/or child, said apparatus comprising: an inflatable air bag having a first upper chamber for holding gas to restrain said adult and a second lower chamber for holding gas to restrain said child, said air bag having an outer wall for separating said first and second chambers from an external atmosphere and for partially defining said first chamber and partially defining said second chamber; a first gas source means for producing a relatively low volume of gas for inflating said second chamber to a relatively low pressure.

Claim 20

An apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein a portion of said outer wall which at least partially defines said first chamber is positioned to restrain movement of said adult, and a portion of said outer wall which at least partially defines said second chamber is positioned to restrain movement of said child.

Claim 21

An apparatus as set forth in claim 15 further including barrier means for separating said first chamber from said second chamber, said barrier means at least partially defining said upper and lower chambers.

Claim 22

An apparatus as set forth in claim 15 further including means for simultaneously actuating said first and second gas source means.

Claim 23

An apparatus as set forth in claim 15 wherein said first gas source means is a gas generator and said second source means is a second gas generator.

Claim 24

A vehicle safety apparatus for restraining movement of an adult and/or a child, said apparatus comprising: a single inflatable air bag having wall means for at least partially defining an upper chamber for holding gas to restrain said adult and a lower chamber for holding gas to restrain said child; a first gas source means for inflating said upper chamber to a first pressure to restrain said adult; a second gas source means for inflating said lower chamber to a second pressure which is less than said first pressure to restrain said child; and means for simultaneously actuating said first and second gas source means to inflate said upper and lower chambers.

Claim 25

A vehicle safety apparatus for restraining movement of an adult and/or a child, said apparatus comprising: a single inflatable air bag having wall means for at least partially defining an upper chamber for holding gas to restrain said adult and a lower chamber for holding gas to restrain said child; a first gas source means for inflating said upper chamber to a first pressure to restrain said adult; a second gas source means for inflating said lower chamber to a second pressure which is less than said first pressure to restrain said child; and means for simultaneously actuating said first and second gas source means to inflate said upper and lower chambers.

Claim 26

An apparatus as set forth in claim 20 wherein said wall means includes a continuous outer wall which at least partially defines said upper chamber and which at least partially defines said lower chamber.