Portable passenger air bag

A portable air bag device that can be connected to a vehicle, for example to an existing restraint belt system of the vehicle. The portable air bag device includes an enclosure containing a gas pressure container, controllable release valve and control/sensor for activating the device during rapid deceleration.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
The present invention is directed to a portable air bag that can be 
releasably connected to a vehicle to protect against injury during an 
accident. 
PRIOR ART 
Air bags have been in development for a number of years, and are currently 
being seriously introduced into new vehicles being sold today. The cost of 
adding air bags to vehicles has been a significant deterrent in the wide 
spread acceptance of this promising safety device. 
The prior art air bags all require some type of permanent attachment to the 
vehicle. For example, many air bag models are associated with the steering 
column and dashboard of the vehicle, 
The prior art air bags are connected to the vehicle primarily to anchor the 
air bag or related mechanism securely. Other reasons for attaching the air 
bag to the vehicle including remote sensors and/or gas supplies that are 
integrally connected with the air bag. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a portable air bag. 
Another object of the present invention is to provide a portable air bag 
that cooperates with a vehicle restraint belt for operation thereof. 
A further object of the present invention is to provide a portable air bag 
comprising an enclosure containing an air bag, gas pressure cylinder 
fluidly connected to the air bag, a controllable valve associated with the 
gas pressure cylinder, and a sensor/control for detecting an accident and 
controlling the activation of the device. 
The present invention is directed to a portable air bag that can be carried 
around by an individual an moved with the person from one vehicle to the 
next. Portable air bags are not presently known or available. In order to 
allow an air bag device to be completely portable, the device must contain 
all the necessary component of fixed air bag type systems in a single 
portable unit. The desire for portability requires certain features and 
construction such as small size, light weight, compact construction and 
new arrangement in order to become successful in marketing and operation. 
The portable air bag according to the present invention includes an 
enclosure that can be releasably connected to or anchored to a vehicle. 
The preferred connection is to an existing restraint belt system of the 
vehicle because of its location relative to a passenger and structural 
strength. Current vehicles are provided with the combination of lap and 
shoulder belts. Thus, the portable air bag device according to the present 
invention is preferably releasably connected to either or both of the lap 
and shoulder belts. 
The device can be attached to the lap or shoulder restraint belt in various 
ways. The attachment should provide a strong and secure connection in 
order to maintain the proper location and orientation of the device during 
the rest stage while being worn by a passenger, and during the deployment 
stage. Further, the construction and materials of the enclosure and 
attachment must be durable and wearproof to provide years of use, and 
sufficiently strong to endure the loads during the deployment operation. 
It is anticipated that the enclosure and attachment will be made of 
acrylic backed nylon woven material. 
The main components of the air bag device according to the present 
invention include a pressurized gas container and an inflatable air bag 
preferably folded in a desired manner, and located within an enclosure. 
The device includes means for deploying the air bag such as a sensor for 
detecting a situation requiring deployment of the air bag and a control 
for operating the deployment of the air bag based on the detection signal. 
The preferred means for deploying the air bag includes an electrical sensor 
for sensing one or more conditions indicating an accident in combination 
with an electrical connection or control for operating a gas release valve 
on the gas pressure container such as a solenoid valve. The electrical 
sensor is preferably a pressure sensor or a plurality of pressure sensors 
positioned on or within the device in such a manner so as to detect a 
sudden deceleration of the vehicle. The preferred location of the sensor 
is between the passenger and the belt restraint to detect the pressure 
exerted by the passenger on the belt during rapid deceleration. In one 
embodiment, the sensor is placed on the flap of an attachment, which 
attachment is used for releasably connecting the device to the restraint 
belt of the vehicle. 
The enclosure is designed to open in some manner upon the activation of the 
device causing the air bag to be inflated by the pressurized gas container 
such as a pressure cylinder. The enclosure can be provided with a rip seam 
so that the air bag being inflated bursts the rip seam. The rip seam can 
be a line of weakness in the material of the enclosure. 
The gas pressure container is secured within the enclosure. For example, 
the gas pressure container can be applied with a Velcro fastener 
adhesively bonded to the outer surface of the gas pressure container, 
which Velcro fastener cooperates with a Velcro fastener connected to the 
enclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The portable air bag device according to the present invention must be 
connected to the vehicle in some manner after a passenger enters the 
vehicle and sits in position. The preferred connection is to a lap 
restraint belt or to a shoulder restraint belt, or both. 
FIGS. 1 and 3 show the air bag device 10 connected to a lap restraint belt 
12 with an air bag (not shown) contained within the device in an 
uninflated manner. FIGS. 2 and 4 show the air bag 14 fully inflated after 
deployment, and connected to the enclosure 16. 
An embodiment of the air bag device 10 is shown in FIG. 5. The device 10 
includes an enclosure 16 with a rip seam 18 to allow egress of the air bag 
from the enclosure 16 during deployment. An attachment for connecting the 
enclosure 16 to the lap restraint belt 12 is defined by flaps 20 and 22 in 
this embodiment. 
The contents of the enclosure 16 are shown in FIG. 6. The air bag device 10 
comprises a pressure cylinder 24 fitted with a electrical controllable 
release valve 26 such as a solenoid valve. The flap 22 is provided with 
three (3) pressure sensors 28 wired to a power source 30, for example a 
battery, and the electrical controllable release valve 26. The pressure 
sensors 28 are preferably wired in parallel so that a single sensor can 
activate the device. However, other electrical circuit arrangements for 
the sensor system can be further developed to improve the reliability and 
accuracy of the sensing operation. The air bag 14 is folded and positioned 
in a space between the air cylinder 14 and enclosure 16. In FIGS. 6-8, the 
pressure cylinder 24 and electrical controllable release valve 26 are 
shown disposed within the air bag 14 for directly releasing gas into the 
air bag 14. 
The air bag device is shown unattached to the restraint belt 12 is FIG. 7, 
and attached to the restraint belt 12 in FIG. 8. The flap 20 is provide 
with Velcro material 32 and flap 22 is provided with Velcro material 34. 
The flap 20 is folded over flap 22, as shown in FIG. 8, and pressed 
together to secure the air bag device 10 to the restraint belt 12. 
FIG. 9 shows the location of the opening 36 into the air bag 14 where the 
release valve 26 attaches for an embodiment of the device that attaches to 
a lap type restraint belt. FIG. 10 shows the location of the opening 38 in 
the air bag 14' where the release valve 26 attaches for an embodiment of 
the device that attaches to a shoulder type restraint belt. The difference 
in the location of the opening between these two embodiments is for best 
positioning of the fully inflated air bag with respect the passenger. 
OPERATION 
A person carries the unattached portable air bag device into a vehicle 
while getting seated. The person puts on the seat belt and then fasteners 
the portable air bag to the lap or seat belt, or both in the case of two 
units. 
The air bag remains in this rest stage until an occurrence such as an 
accident that results in a rapid declaration of the vehicle. The person's 
body in this situation will be moved forward with significant force due to 
deceleration stimulating the pressure sensors 28 in the device 10. 
The one or more activated pressure sensors electrically connect the power 
source 30 to the electrical controllable release valve 26 causing it to 
open. The pressurized gas in the cylinder 24 exits and inflates the air 
bag 14 causing it to burst through the rip seam 18 of the enclosure 16, 
and positions itself properly between the passenger and steering column or 
dash board.