US5752713A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Vehicle occupant crash protector
Assignee: Tokai Rika Co Ltd
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Filing: 1996-09-20
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Granted: 1998-05-19
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Expires: 2016-09-20
Abstract
Abstract A structurally-simple and inexpensive vehicle occupant crash protector is provided which can be miniaturized in its entirety and cope with an impact which occurs at the side of a vehicle. A folded air bag is disposed in the vicinity of a window of a vehicle. An end of the air bag in the direction in which said bag expands and moves, is pulled out by a wire retracted to a tensile device so that the air bag is expanded and a state of expansion of the air bag is held. Thus, the tensile device rapidly expands the air bag and helps the inflation thereof. Further, the end of the expanded and inflated air bag is supported by the wire retracted to the tensile device so that the expanded state of the air bag is properly held.
Inventors
- 👤 Naoki Matsuura
- 👤 Kenji Matsui
- 👤 Shoichi Ibe
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-11-05 18:22
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/02; B60R21/16; B60R21/23; B60R21/231; B60R21/23138; B60R21/20; B60R21/21; B60R21/2334; B60R21/2338; B60R2021/23386; B60R22/00; B60R22/34; B60R22/46; B60R22/4619
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 21
Claim 1
Independent Claim
128 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector which copes with an impact which occurs at the side of a vehicle, comprising: a bag provided so as to be folded in the vicinity of a window of the vehicle and expanded in a direction across said window by a flow of gas injected from an inflator; at least one through member provided at an end of said bag in the direction in which said bag expands and moves; a fixing member provided in the vicinity of the window; and a tensile device for retracting therein and supporting the other end of a string member having one end fixed to said fixing member and extending through said through member, thereby expanding said bag and holding a state of expansion of said bag.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
128 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector which copes with an impact which occurs at the side of a vehicle, comprising: a bag provided so as to be folded in the vicinity of a window of the vehicle and expanded in a direction across said window by a flow of gas injected from an inflator; at least one through member provided at an end of said bag in the direction in which said bag expands and moves; a fixing member provided in the vicinity of the window; and a tensile device for retracting therein and supporting the other end of a string member having one end fixed to said fixing member and extending through said through member, thereby expanding said bag and holding a state of expansion of said bag.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
112 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 1, wherein said fixing member is placed near the window of the vehicle at a portion of a side of an end of the expanded bag in the direction in which said bag expands and moves, said tensile device is placed near the window of the vehicle at a portion across said window from said fixing member of the side of the end of the expanded bag in the direction in which said bag expands and moves, and said string member extending between said fixing member and said tensile device is capable of supporting the portion of said expanded bag through said through member.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
36 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 1, wherein said tensile device is activated by a gas generating portion with an acceleration sensor, which responds to the impact occurring at the side of the vehicle.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
140 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 3, wherein said gas generating portion includes a cylindrical portion integrally connected to a gas injection hole defined in said gas generating portion, a piston member disposed in the vicinity of the gas injection hole so as to be slidable within a cylinder of said cylindrical portion, a pulley member composed of a small-diameter wheel portion and a large-diameter wheel portion concentric with the small-diameter wheel portion, said small-diameter wheel portion and said large-diameter wheel portion being integrally formed, and a drawing wire having one end fixed to said piston member and the other end which is pulled out from said cylindrical portion so as to be wound around the small-diameter wheel portion of said pulley member, and said string member is fixed to the large-diameter wheel portion of said pulley member.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
106 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector which copes with an impact occurring at the side of a vehicle, comprising: a bag disposed so as to be folded in the vicinity of a window of the vehicle and expanded in a direction across said window by the flow of gas injected from an inflator; an attachment member provided at an end of said bag in the direction in which said bag expands and moves; and a tensile device for retracting therein and supporting a string member whose one end is fixed to said attachment member, thereby expanding said bag and holding a state of expansion of said bag.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
106 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector which copes with an impact occurring at the side of a vehicle, comprising: a bag disposed so as to be folded in the vicinity of a window of the vehicle and expanded in a direction across said window by the flow of gas injected from an inflator; an attachment member provided at an end of said bag in the direction in which said bag expands and moves; and a tensile device for retracting therein and supporting a string member whose one end is fixed to said attachment member, thereby expanding said bag and holding a state of expansion of said bag.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
36 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 5, wherein said tensile device is activated by a gas generating portion with an acceleration sensor, which responds to the impact occurring at the side of the vehicle.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
140 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 6, wherein said gas generating portion includes a cylindrical portion integrally connected to a gas injection hole defined in said gas generating portion, a piston member disposed in the vicinity of the gas injection hole so as to be slidable within a cylinder of said cylindrical portion, a pulley member composed of a small-diameter wheel portion and a large-diameter wheel portion concentric with the small-diameter wheel portion, said small-diameter wheel portion and said large-diameter wheel portion being integrally formed, and a drawing wire having one end fixed to said piston member and the other end which is pulled out from said cylindrical portion so as to be wound around the small-diameter wheel portion of said pulley member, and said string member is fixed to the large-diameter wheel portion of said pulley member.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
25 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 5, wherein said bag is shaped in the form of a triangle as seen from a side.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
25 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 5, wherein said bag is shaped in the form of a quadrangle as seen from a side.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
98 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector which copes with an impact occurring at the side of a vehicle, comprising: a bag disposed so as to be folded in the vicinity of a window of the vehicle and expanded in a direction across said window by the flow of gas injected from an inflator; a string member for pulling said bag; and a tensile device for retracting therein and supporting said string member at the time of an impact which occurs at the side of the vehicle, thereby expanding said bag and holding a state of expansion of said bag.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
98 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector which copes with an impact occurring at the side of a vehicle, comprising: a bag disposed so as to be folded in the vicinity of a window of the vehicle and expanded in a direction across said window by the flow of gas injected from an inflator; a string member for pulling said bag; and a tensile device for retracting therein and supporting said string member at the time of an impact which occurs at the side of the vehicle, thereby expanding said bag and holding a state of expansion of said bag.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
36 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 10, wherein said tensile device is activated by a gas generating portion with an acceleration sensor, which responds to the impact occurring at the side of the vehicle.
Claim 15
Dependent Claim
140 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 11, wherein said gas generating portion includes a cylindrical portion integrally connected to a gas injection hole defined in said gas generating portion, a piston member disposed in the vicinity of the gas injection hole so as to be slidable within a cylinder of said cylindrical portion, a pulley member composed of a small-diameter wheel portion and a large-diameter wheel portion concentric with the small-diameter wheel portion, said small-diameter wheel portion and said large-diameter wheel portion being integrally formed, and a drawing wire having one end fixed to said piston member and the other end which is pulled out from said cylindrical portion so as to be wound around the small-diameter wheel portion of said pulley member, and said string member is fixed to the large-diameter wheel portion of said pulley member.
Claim 16
Dependent Claim
40 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 10, wherein said bag includes a string engaging member which is provided at an end thereof in the direction in which said bag expands and moves, and engages with said string member.
Claim 17
Dependent Claim
68 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 13, wherein said string engaging member is at least one through member provided at an end of said bag, a fixing member is provided in the vicinity of a window of the vehicle, and said string member has one end fixed to said fixing member and extending through said through member and the other end supported by said tensile device.
Claim 18
Dependent Claim
109 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 14, wherein said fixing member is disposed in the vicinity of the window of the vehicle at a portion of a side of an end of the expanded bag in the direction in which said bag expands and moves, said tensile device is disposed in the vicinity of the window of the vehicle at a portion across said window from said fixing member and across the direction in which said bag expands and moves, and said string member extending between said fixing member and said tensile device is capable of supporting the portion of said expanded bag via said through member.
Claim 19
Dependent Claim
36 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 13, wherein said string engaging member is an attachment member provided at the end of said bag and to which one end of said string member is attached.
Claim 20
Dependent Claim
25 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 16, wherein said bag is shaped in the form of a triangle as seen from a side.
Claim 21
Dependent Claim
25 words
A vehicle occupant crash protector according to claim 16, wherein said bag is shaped in the form of a quadrangle as seen from a side.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 2001-05-18 | 2001-11-17 | 2002-05-19 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 2005-05-18 | 2005-11-17 | 2006-05-19 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 2009-05-18 | 2009-11-17 | 2010-05-19 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |