Combined air bag device and steering column for vehicles

For use in a vehicle having a steering wheel to communicate steering directions to a steering mechanism, and having collision-sensing means mounted thereon to rapidly generate a signal in response to a collision, a combined air bag device and steering column comprising:

• (a) a hollow tubular steering column having an upper end and a lower end, said upper end adapted to be connected to said steering wheel and said lower end adapted to be connected to said steering mechanism, whereby rotation of said steering wheel is communicated through said steering column to said steering mechanism to control the direction of travel of said vehicle,
• (b) an elongated tubular reservoir positioned within said hollow tubular steering column, said reservoir containing prior to collision a pressurized fluid and having an outlet at the upper end thereof, said tubular reservoir being removable from said steering column longitudinally thereof, the lower end of said tubular reservoir being free of any connection to said steering mechanism,
• (c) an inflatable cushion mounted on said steering wheel and having an inlet, said inflatable cushion being inflated by pressurized fluid from said reservoir in the event of a collision to protect the driver of said vehicle from injury,
• (d) closure means interposed between the outlet of said reservoir and the inlet of said inflatable cushion and preventing the passage of pressurized fluid from said reservoir to said inflatable cushion,
• (e) opening means to rapidly open said closure means in response to a signal generated by said collision-sensing means thereby to rapidly inflate said inflatable cushion,
• (f) means for causing said reservoir to leak before bursting whereby, in the event of a flaw developing in the wall of said reservoir, said pressurized fluid will slowly leak through said flaw rather than catastrophically burst therethrough.