Airbag restraint system

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] The present invention relates to airbag systems and more particularly pertains to a new airbag restraint system for inhibiting passengers in bucket seats from colliding with one another during an accident.

[0003] 2. Description of the Prior Art

[0004] The use of airbag systems is known in the prior art. U.S. Pat. No. 5,172,790 describes a system for controlling the deploying of airbags in a vehicle. Another type of airbag systems is U.S. Pat. No. 5,222,761 having an airbag restraint system for deploying airbags to protect passengers during an impact into the side of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 6,220,625 has an apparatus that deploys between the side of a vehicle and the passengers to inhibit impact of the passengers with the side of the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 6,620,623 has a side airbag device for deploying between a passenger and a side of the vehicle to inhibit impact of the passenger with the vehicle. U.S. Pat. No. 5,072,966 has an energy absorbing structure positioned in the side of the vehicle and deploys during a collision to inhibit contact between the side of the vehicle and the passenger adjacent to the structure.

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a new airbag restraint system that protects passengers in bucket seats from colliding with one another during an accident.

[0006] Even still another object of the present invention is to provide a new airbag restraint system that may be positioned on the roof or floor of the vehicle to accommodate different configurations of vehicles.

[0007] To this end, the present invention generally comprises a housing member being designed for being coupled to an interior of the vehicle whereby the housing member is positioned between the bucket seats. An inflation assembly is positioned in the housing member. The inflation assembly is designed for being operationally coupled to the vehicle whereby the inflation assembly is actuated when the vehicle is involved in the accident. An airbag member is operationally coupled to the inflation assembly. The airbag member is positioned in the housing when the airbag member is deflated. The inflation assembly inflates the airbag member whereby the airbag member extends from the housing member when the inflation assembly is actuated by an accident. The airbag member is designed for extending between the bucket seats to inhibit collision of the passengers with each other. The airbag member comprises height whereby the height of the airbag member positions the airbag between the upper body of each of the passengers to inhibit collision of the passengers with each other during an accident.

[0008] There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the invention in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the invention that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

[0009] The objects of the invention, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the invention, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

[0015] With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new airbag restraint system embodying the principles and concepts of the present invention and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

[0016] As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the airbag restraint system 10 generally comprises a housing member 11 being designed for being coupled to an interior of the vehicle whereby the housing member 11 is positioned between the bucket seats. The housing member 11 may be coupled to the ceiling, as shown in FIG. 1, or to the floor, as shown in FIGS. 2 through 4.

[0017] An inflation assembly 12 is positioned in the housing member 11. The inflation assembly 12 is designed for being operationally coupled to the vehicle whereby the inflation assembly 12 is actuated when the vehicle is involved in the accident.

[0018] An airbag member 13 is operationally coupled to the inflation assembly 12. The airbag member 13 is positioned in the housing when the airbag member 13 is deflated. The inflation assembly 12 inflates the airbag member 13 whereby the airbag member 13 extends from the housing member 11 when the inflation assembly 12 is actuated by an accident. The airbag member 13 is designed for extending between the bucket seats to inhibit collision of the passengers with each other. The airbag member 13 comprises height whereby the height of the airbag member 13 positions the airbag between the upper body of each of the passengers to inhibit collision of the passengers with each other during an accident.

[0019] The housing member 11 comprises a perimeter wall 14. The perimeter wall 14 defines an interior space 15 of the housing member 11. The interior space 15 of the housing member 11 comprises an open end 16 whereby the open end 16 permits the airbag member 13 to extend from the interior space 15 of the housing member 11 when the airbag member 13 is inflated by the inflation assembly 12. The inflation assembly 12 is positioned in the interior space 15 of the housing member 11.

[0020] The housing member 11 comprises a lid portion 17. The lid portion 17 is hingably coupled to the perimeter wall 14 whereby the lid portion 17 is positioned adjacent the open end 16 of the interior space 15. The lid portion 17 is positioned over the open end 16 to inhibit damage to the airbag member 13 when the airbag member 13 is positioned in the interior space 15 of the housing member 11. The lid portion 17 pivots away from the open end 16 of the interior space 15 to allow the airbag member 13 to extend from the housing member 11 when the airbag member 13 is inflated by the inflation assembly 12.

[0021] The lid portion 17 of the housing member 11 comprises a shoulder 18. The shoulder 18 extends around a perimeter of the lid portion 17 whereby the shoulder 18 permits a portion of the lid portion 17 to be positioned in the open end 16 of the interior space 15 to inhibit the lid portion 17 from shifting with respect to the perimeter wall 14 of the housing member 11 when the lid portion 17 is positioned over the open end 16 of the interior space 15.

[0022] The inflation assembly 12 comprises a tank member 19. The tank member 19 is operationally coupled to the airbag member 13. The tank member 19 is designed for storing a gas in a compressed state to inflate the airbag member 13 when the inflation assembly 12 is actuated by an impact of the vehicle.

[0023] The inflation assembly 12 comprises a valve member 20. The valve member 20 is operationally coupled between the tank member 19 and the airbag member 13. The valve member 20 is designed for being operationally coupled to the vehicle whereby the valve member 20 releases the gas from the tank member 19 into the airbag member 13 when the valve member 20 is actuated by the vehicle during an accident.

[0024] The inflation assembly 12 comprises a hose member 21. The hose member 21 is operationally coupled between the tank member 19 and the airbag member 13 whereby the hose member 21 is for providing fluid communication between the tank member 19 and the airbag member 13.

[0025] In use, the housing member 11 is installed in the interior of the vehicle so that the housing member 11 is positioned between a pair of bucket seats of the vehicle. The inflation assembly 12 is then installed into the interior space 15 of the housing member 11. The inflation assembly 12 is operationally coupled to the vehicle, such as the battery and an impact sensor, to actuate the inflation assembly 12 when the vehicle is involved in an accident. The airbag member 13 is then operationally coupled to the inflation assembly 12 and packed into the interior space 15 of the housing member 11. During an accident the inflation assembly 12 is actuated and inflates the airbag member 13 which forces the lid portion 17 of the housing member 11 open and the airbag member 13 extends from the housing member 11. The airbag member 13 is positioned between the head and upper torso of one of the passengers and the head and upper torso of the other passenger so that the airbag member 13 prevents one of the passengers from colliding the other of the passengers in the bucket seats.

[0026] With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of the invention, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art. All equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by the present invention.

[0027] Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.