SAFETY APPARATUS
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a vehicle safety apparatus, and particularly relates to a vehicle safety apparatus having an air bag which is inflatable to restrain movement of a person seated in a vehicle.
A known safety apparatus includes an air bag which is inflated to restrain movement of a person seated in a vehicle. Typically, the air bag is stored either in the steering wheel of the vehicle or in the instrument panel of the vehicle. Upon the occurrence of sudden vehicle deceleration such as occurs in a collision, the air bag is inflated from a storage condition to an extended condition.
In order further to protect a person seated in a vehicle, it has been suggested that an air bag for restraining sideward movement of the person could be mounted on the door of the vehicle. Upon the occurrence of a collision, the air bag is extended from the door of the vehicle to a location between the person and the door. When an air bag is mounted on the door of the vehicle, the air bag must extend along the door of the vehicle for a distance sufficient to have a portion of the air bag between the door and the person seated in the vehicle throughout a range of adjusting movement of the seat. Arrangements for mounting air bags on the door of a vehicle are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,966,388 and 5,033,236.
In a further effort to protect a person seated in a vehicle, it has been suggested that an air bag be provided in a forwardly projecting side wing on the back of a vehicle seat. Upon the occurrence of a collision, the air bag is inflated to protect the head of the person. Such a safety apparatus is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,946,191.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a new and improved safety apparatus for restraining sideward movement of a person seated on a vehicle seat in the event of sudden vehicle deceleration, such as occurs during a vehicle collision. The safety apparatus includes an air bag which is inflatable from a storage condition to an extended condition. An inflator assembly provides gas to inflate the air bag from the storage condition to the extended condition. The inflator assembly and the air bag are mounted on the vehicle seat. The vehicle seat is movable relative to the body of the vehicle, and thus the inflator assembly and air bag move with the vehicle seat relative to the body of the vehicle. When inflated, the air bag extends between a hip of a person seated on the vehicle seat and the door of the vehicle.
The inflator assembly and air bag may be mounted on the seat of the vehicle at a level below the hip of a person seated on the seat. When the air bag is in the extended condition, the air bag may extend upwardly from a level below the hip of a person seated on the seat of the vehicle to a location adjacent to the shoulders of the person seated on the seat.
Also, if desired, the inflator assembly could include two sources of fluid. Specifically, a first source of fluid could be mounted on the seat of the vehicle at a level below the hip of a person seated on the seat and a second source of fluid could be mounted on the seat of the vehicle at a level above the hip of the person seated on the seat.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The foregoing and other features of the present invention will become apparent to one skilled in the art to 5 which the present invention relates upon a consideration of the following description of the invention with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein:
FIG. 1 is a schematic pictorial illustration depicting a person seated on a seat of a vehicle and an inflated air 10 bag disposed between a hip of the person and a door of the vehicle;
FIG. 2 is a schematic illustration depicting the air bag of FIG. 1 when the air bag is in a storage condition;
FIG. 3 is a schematic illustration, generally similar to 15 FIG. 2, illustrating the air bag in an inflated condition;
FIG. 4 is a schematic side elevational view, taken generally along the line 4—4 of FIG. 3, with parts broken away;
FIG. 5 is a schematic side elevational view, generally 20 similar to FIG. 4, of a second embodiment of the invention; and
FIG. 6 is a schematic illustration, generally similar to FIG. 2, of a third embodiment of the invention.
25 DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
A safety apparatus 10 (FIG. 1) is provided to restrain movement of a person 12 seated on a seat 14 of a vehicle in the event of sudden vehicle deceleration, such as
30 occurs during a collision. The seat 14 is movable forwardly and rearwardly along tracks 15 relative to a door 16 and body 18 of the vehicle. The safety apparatus 10 is mounted on the seat 14 for movement with the seat relative to the door 16 and body 18 of the vehicle.
35 The safety apparatus 10 includes an air bag 32 and an inflator assembly 22 which contains a source of gas for inflating the air bag. The inflator assembly 22 is mounted on a lower portion of the frame of the seat 14 by bolts 24. The inflator assembly 22 is disposed at a
40 level which is lower than the upper side of a seat cushion 26. Since the inflator assembly 22 is mounted on the lower portion of the seat 14, the position of the inflator assembly remains constant relative to the person 12 seated on the seat when the position of the seat is ad
45 justed relative to the body 18 and door 16 of the vehicle. Although the inflator assembly 22 could have many different constructions, it is contemplated that the inflator assembly may be constructed in a manner similar to that disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,902,036 and 4,907,819.
50 The air bag 32 is mounted on the lower portion of the frame of the seat 14 along with the inflator assembly 22. When the air bag 32 is in the storage condition shown in FIG. 2, the air bag is folded into a compact unit which is disposed adjacent to the inflator assembly 22. The
55 folded air bag 32 is protected by a rigid plastic housing 34. The rigid plastic housing 34 stores the folded air bag 32 at a level below the upper, generally horizontal surface of the seat cushion 26. The housing 34 has preweakened seams which, upon initiation of inflation of
60 the air bag 32, rupture in a predetermined manner to direct the air bag upward and outward against the door 16.
In the event of sudden vehicle deceleration, such as occurs in a collision, a sensor senses the deceleration 65 and actuates the inflator assembly 22. The inflator assembly 22 directs gas into the air bag 32 to inflate the air bag. As the air bag 32 is inflated by a flow of gas from the inflator assembly 22, the air bag inflates upward and
