Airbag inflation devices and methods
OwnerMurray Kornhauserinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Methods and apparatus for inflating airbags in vehicles. Systems for inflating airbags comprise electrical storage devices interfaced with switching devices that switch the electrical energy into an actuating subsystem to inflate the airbags. The actuating systems can be coils, which are interfaced with plates that open the airbag. The airbags are inflated with ambient or above ambient pressures. Airbag inflation systems described herein eliminate the need to use external gases which are potentially harmful to inflate the airbags. Furthermore, the use of air from the automobile's passenger compartment eliminates overpressure problems which may exist as a result of multiple airbags being inflated at one time.
Claims22
A system for inflating an airbag in a vehicle comprising:
- energy storage means for storing electrical energy;
- switching means interfaced with the energy storage means for switching the electrical energy so that the electrical energy can actuate inflation of the airbag;
- and
- energy conversion means interfaced with the switching means for receiving the electrical energy used to inflate the airbag.
An automobile airbag inflation system which causes an airbag included therein to inflate when the automobile experiences an impact comprising:
- energy storing means for storing electromagnetic energy which will cause the airbag to inflate when the automobile experiences an impact;
- sensor means interfaced to the energy storing means for sensing when the automobile experiences an impact;
- switch means interfaced to the sensor means for switching the electromagnetic energy to inflate the airbag upon receiving a signal from the sensor means that the automobile has experienced an impact;
- energy conversion means interfaced to the energy storing means for converting the electromagnetic energy from the energy storing means after switching;
- and
- inflation means interfaced to the energy conversion means for inflating the airbag.
A method of inflating an airbag which protects passengers in an automobile passenger compartment during a collision comprising the steps of:
- sensing the collision;
- switching electromagnetic energy to a coil after the collision is sensed;
- converting the electromagnetic energy to mechanical energy;
- and
- inflating the airbag using the mechanical energy.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.