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US 6,417,764 B2Granted
Safety system for vehicles
OwnerMark Christopher Tonkininventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A safety system for a vehicle has a number of airbags (100-106) typically sited within a recess (108) in paneling of a vehicle (V). To avert the possibility of extensive damage caused by an impact, the airbags are selectively deployed. Each airbag (100-106) has a multi-chambered structure (118-122). The multi-chambered structure of each airbag is further arranged such that the chambers are rupturable separately from one another and are not of a vented type. More preferable, the individual chambers (118-122) are rupturable at different pressures whereby an airbag as a whole provides a cascade of energy absorbing impacts.
Claims19
An airbag deployment system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
- at least one airbag housed in the vehicle having an interior shell;
- a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag;
- and
- means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, the at least one airbag having a plurality of inflatable chambers, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use, said means for inflating arranged to inflate independently the plurality of inflatable chambers to cause, in use, coexistence of inflated states of individual chambers of said plurality of inflatable chambers.
1 more element
An airbag deployment system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
- at least one airbag housed in the vehicle having an interior shell;
- a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag;
- means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, the at least one airbag having a plurality of inflatable chambers, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use, said means for inflating arranged to inflate independently the plurality of inflatable chambers to cause, in use, coexistence of inflated states of individual chambers of said plurality of inflatable chambers;
- and
- deflation means to enable deflation of at least one of the chambers at a predetermined pressure level in response to an impact, wherein the deflation means defines respective different predetermined pressure levels in respect of the chambers of the airbag.
2 more elements
An airbag deployment system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
- at least one airbag housed in the vehicle having an interior shell;
- a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag;
- means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use and said at least one airbag comprises a plurality of inflatable chambers;
- and
- deflation means to enable deflation of at least one of the chambers at a predetermined pressure level in response to an impact, wherein the deflation means defines respective different predetermined pressure levels in respect of the chambers of the airbag, wherein the predetermined pressure level for deflation of a first one of the chambers is lower than the predetermined pressure level for deflation for a second one of the chambers, wherein the first chamber is deployed in use at an outermost position with respect to the second chamber and the vehicle.
2 more elements
An airbag deployment system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
- at least one airbag housed in the vehicle having an interior shell;
- a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag;
- and
- means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, the at least one airbag having a plurality of inflatable chambers, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use, said means for inflating arranged to inflate independently the plurality of inflatable chambers to cause, in use, coexistence of inflated states of individual chambers of said plurality of inflatable chambers, wherein the at least one airbag comprises between 2 and 10 independent chambers having respective deflation means rupturable at different respective internal pressures.
1 more element
An airbag deployment system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
- at least one airbag housed in the vehicle having an interior shell;
- a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag;
- means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use and said at least one airbag comprises a plurality of inflatable chambers, said means for inflating arranged to inflate independenty the plurality of inflatable chambers to cause, in use, coexistence of inflated states of individual chambers of said plurality of inflatable chambers;
- and
- sensor means communicating with the controller and operable to determine a relative change in proximity to the vehicle of objects external to the vehicle, wherein the vehicle has a side with side paneling and the sensor means comprises a proximity sensor positioned to detect objects at the side of the vehicle and the system includes airbags operable to protrude outwardly from the side paneling of the vehicle.
2 more elements
An airbag deployment system for a vehicle, the system comprising:
- at least one airbag housed in the vehicle having an interior shell;
- a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag;
- means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use and said at least one airbag comprises a plurality of inflatable chambers, said means for inflating arranged to inflate independently the plurality of inflatable chambers to cause, in use, coexistence of inflated states of individual chambers of said plurality of inflatable chambers;
- and
- sensor means communicating with the controller and operable to determine a relative change in proximity to the vehicle of objects external to the vehicle, wherein the sensor means comprises means for detecting whether a trailing vehicle is approaching at a rate such that impact with said vehicle is inevitable and the system includes an airbag operable to protrude outwardly from a rear end of said vehicle.
2 more elements
A vehicle containing an airbag deployment system comprising:
- at least one airbag;
- a controller operable to determine whether to deploy the at least one airbag;
- and
- means for inflating the at least one airbag in response to actuation by the controller, the at least one airbag having a plurality of inflatable chambers, wherein the at least one airbag is positionable relative to the interior shell of the vehicle when deployed in use, said means for inflating arranged to inflate independently the plurality of inflatable chambers to cause, in use, coexistence of inflated states of individual chambers of said plurality of inflatable chambers.
1 more element
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.