Extendible safety impact bags for vehicles

A method and apparatus for preparing a moving vehicle for impending impact with another vehicle or object which incorporates the extending of the air bag to fill in the space between an extendible bumper. A detection apparatus senses a dangerous speed of the vehicle or an approaching object in the path of the vehicle and extends the bumper forwardly or rearwardly from the body of the vehicle while at the same time filling the space between the body and bumper with an inflated air bag. Should the impact not take place, or the dangers facing the vehicle have decreased, the apparatus retracts to its initial inoperative condition. One form incorporates a first filled bag which is filled at all times, and then a second bag which is inflated when the bumper is extended. A modified form moves an elongated bag into position with its longer dimension filling the space between the body of the vehicle and the bumper, and correspondingly returns the bag so that its shorter dimension fits in between the retracted bumper and the body of the vehicle.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED PATENT APPLICATIONS 
This application is related to Applicant's two pending patent applications 
inasmuch as they all relate to air-filled bags placed between the body of 
the vehicle and its bumper. These two applications are: SAFETY MECHANISM 
FOR IMPENDING VEHICULAR IMT, Ser. No. 353,079, filed on Mar. 1, 1982; 
and SAFETY APATUS AND METHOD FOR VEHICULAR IMT, Ser. No. 417,178, 
filed on Sept. 10, 1982. 
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
This invention is in the general field of safety air bags for vehicles, and 
more particularly to air bags placed between the body of the vehicle and 
its bumpers. More particularly, the invention relates to such air bags 
that can fill the void between extendible bumpers. Any dangerous 
condition, such as excessive speed, rapidly approaching object in the way 
of the moving vehicle, or excessive brake pedal action prepares such a bag 
for an impending impact. 
2. Description of the Prior Art 
There have been many attempts to alleviate the damaging and sometimes 
injurious effects of an impact between two vehicles or a vehicle and an 
object. 
The most commonly known attempt to alleviate such a problem in recent times 
is the one in which the bumper is provided with a support means which 
"gives" upon impact. This allows the shock of such an impact to be 
partially absorbed. Although this type of device has been placed on the 
market, it is primarily used to keep the vehicle itself from sustaining 
too much damage during impact. 
Other shock absorbing devices, such as U.S. Pat. No. 4,192,538 (Gulli) 
attempts to place a flexible air container between a pair of bumper 
members. In this method, the air container is constantly inflated for use 
and makes no possible provision for preparing the apparatus for use for an 
impending impact other than just deflating the bag during such impact. 
Another U.S. Patent issued to Lundman, No. 3,346,292, pushes a bumper 
forward when an impact is suspected by the vehicle operator prior to a 
possible impact. No air bags are provided in this method to properly 
absorb such an impact, limiting the cushioning to a minimal amount. 
Another apparatus, shown in German Pat. No. 2,309,139 issued to Baya Pena 
illustrates a piston-type of absorption apparatus. No air bags are used in 
this method. 
Weman, U.S. Pat. No. 3,927,901, employs a continuous inflated air bag 
system surround the exterior of the body of a vehicle. No extendible 
bumpers are employed in his device. 
All of the aforementioned devices have not been readily placed on the 
market because they have proved either too expensive to install, or they 
have not effectively solved the problem of first preparing the vehicle for 
impact, and for detecting such impending impact with another vehicle or 
object when the condition is indicated that would be injurious to the 
person in the vehicle or extensive damage being caused to the vehicle from 
such an impact. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
Injury to passengers and operators of vehicles has long been of the 
greatest concern to manufacturers of such vehicles. Insurance companies 
have been also concerned at the mounting claims from such accidents 
occuring from impact between vehicles and objects. Governmental safety 
agencies have been established in order to forward some suggestions and 
laws to further solve the growing problem. 
Commercial vehicles, such as delivery carts, towmotors, and even such 
vehicles as recreational rides, and the like, have recently experienced 
quite a large amount of damage and injury to passengers and operators of 
such vehicles. 
I have worked for many years in such a field as described above, and have 
come up with some simple and inexpensive methods and devices to accomplish 
the task of reducing such damages and injuries. 
I have provided a vehicle with the method and apparatus for anticipating an 
oncoming danger to the passengers of the vehicle, and have provided the 
methods and apparatus for effecting such preparation to certain mechanisms 
that will further prepare the vehicle for such an impending impact. 
It is an object of this invention to provide apparatus and methods for 
anticipating a speed of the vehicle that is in excess allowable to keep 
injury and damage to a minimum. 
It is a further object of this invention to provide means and apparatus for 
extending the bumpers of the vehicle outwardly from the vehicle to accept 
a shock of an impact with another vehicle or an object. 
Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a means for retracting 
the bumpers of a vehicle after the danger of impending impact has passed. 
Another object of this invention is to provide an inflated safety air bag 
between the body of a vehicle and its bumper and a method and apparatus 
for extending the air bag to a further position with the bumper is 
extended outwardly from the vehicle, keeping an inflated air bag in 
condition and position to accept an impact with another vehicle or object. 
It is yet a further object of this invention to provide an anticipation of 
possible impact which incorporates a method and apparatus for detecting a 
speed of the vehicle that could cause injury or damage if impact took 
place, such detection apparatus being including a radar device scanning 
ahead for objects; triggering the bumper and airbag assembly into 
operation if excessive brake pressure is applied by the operator; sensing 
a flow of air past the vehicle that indicates to such a flow detector that 
the vehicle is traveling at a speed in excess of that necessary to avoid 
damage or injury from an impact; and a sensing mechanism directly 
connected between the speedometer and transmission to indicate when such a 
damaging or injurious speed is being experienced. 
These and other objects of this method and apparatus of my invention will 
become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the description 
of a preferred embodiment which follows, in conjunction with a review of 
the appended drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
The invention, as indicated in the side elevation of FIG. 1, is housed 
within a vehicle V. The vehicle V is shown moving along a road, or the 
like, and in close proximity to another vehicle or object O. 
FIG. 2 shows the safety apparatus 10, generally, as it is incorporated in 
the vehicle V and attached to forward and rearward bumpers 12 and 12' 
through a connection means cooperating with a frame plate 14. 
FIG. 2, at its right hand end, shows an upper portion that illustrates the 
safety apparatus in a retracted, inoperative condition, while the lower 
portion of the right hand end of the Figure illustrates the safety 
apparatus of the invention in an extended condition. The Figure is divided 
in this manner to show in a simplified form the general operation of the 
method of the invention. 
Cylinders 16, being attached fixedly to the frame 14, have piston rods 18 
and pistons 20 cooperating to form an extendible connection and support 
for the bumpers 12 and 12'. Springs 22 normally urge the piston 20 
outwardly to force the bumpers to their outermost position. 
An extension of the piston rod 18, in each case, passes through the rear of 
the cylinder 16 and has an integrally formed rack 26 attached thereto. A 
groove 28 is formed on the extension 24 in order to accomadate a solenoid 
actuated latch mechanism 30. This latch mechanism is controlled by a 
control console which will be described later in this application. 
Pinion 32, operated by motor 34, moves the rack 26 back into a retracted 
inoperative position when and if the safety method of the invention 
indicates that there is no danger of impending impact with another object 
by the vehicle incorporation the safety apparatus. This retraction also 
takes place if the speed of the vehicle has returned to a normal safe 
level somewhere in the range of 15 miles per hour or less. Motor 34 is 
reversible. 
The motor 38 is shown for operating an air pump 36 which supplements an air 
reservoir 40. This second motor can also be integrated with the motor 36 
in a manner which can operate both jobs. Shown is a conduit 42 
interconnects the pump with the reservoir. 
A solenoid operated valve arrangement 44 controls the flow of air into 
one-way valves 56 and 58 and this control is effected by the master 
control console 46. It is well known in the art as to how to have such a 
control console. 
Air bags 48 and 50 are provided in the area between the frame 14 and the 
bumper 12. The air bag 48 is always filled with air and is attached to the 
frame 14. Air bag 50 is normally deflated during most conditions and is 
hurriedly inflated when the bumper is extended forwardly to an anticipated 
impact situation. Lines 52 and 54 provide a connection between the bags 48 
and 54 with their respective solenoid valves 44. 
If an impact is accomplished with another object or vehicle, exhaust valve 
60 allows the air bag 50 to be deflated in a metered manner while 
absorbing the shock of the impact. 
A second speedometer cable 62 which is connected to the transmission 
alongside the conventional cable 64 is shown leading into the control 
console unit 46 and brings a reading of actual speed of the vehicle to the 
control console for purposes of determining whether the speed is in excess 
of that desired to maintain the safety apparatus in a condition normally 
inoperative until necessary. 
Another safety feature of my method is to be sure that the extension takes 
place of the bumpers. Severe actuation of the brake mechanism will start 
the bumper extension and the bag inflation that prepares the vehicle for 
possible impact. This braking method is shown in the previously mentioned 
patent issued to me and in the pending applications of mine. The brake is 
shown in FIG. 1 at 66. The radar detector, as is similar to those shown in 
issued patents and is well known in the art, is shown at 68 and is 
interconnected through the control console to activate the preparatory 
safety system. Also, I have shown in FIG. 1, that the fan, or 
supplementary fan blade apart from the cooling fan, can be incorporated 
into the system to detect when the flow of air is passing through the 
vehicle at a rate that would determine that the vehicle is traveling at an 
unacceptable safe speed. This detector fan 70 can be on the order of a 
pinwheel construction and can be placed alongside the engine immediately 
behind the radiator or alongside it. 
FIG. 5 indicates that the air bags 48 and 50 can be surrounded by a shroud 
of a protective material such as aluminum, or the like, and the segments 
80 and 82 can nest with one another during the extending of the bumper 
from the frame. Should impact take place, these covers can be fractured 
easily and then later replaced econimically. FIG. 6 shows an 
accordian-like cover 83 with ribs 85. 
The alternate embodiment of FIGS. 7 through 11 shows another method of 
filling the space between an extended bumper and the frame of the vehicle, 
while still being able to be moved back from such an extended position if 
there is no danger of impending impact. 
In this arrangement, the bag 100 is inflated at all times, and and can be 
injected with more air through a solenoid valve 124 on the reservoir 40 
and conduits 126. 
The bags 100 are shown connected to a fixed collar 102 by pivotal 
connections 104. The collar is affixed to the extendible rod 18 as was 
shown in the earlier embodiment of FIGS. 1 through 4. All of the 
components that show similar reference numerals are shown in FIGS. 7 
through 10 that are identical to the components of FIGS. 1 through 4. 
A flexible strip 106 is shown in FIGS. 8 through 11 as being pivotally 
affixed at one end to the collar 102 and is interconnected by a 
frictionally slidable arrangement to a rigid strip 108. This rigid strip 
has a base portion 110 and an upturned portion 112. The bag 100 is placed 
into the cradle arrangement and is affixed to the strip 108 at 114. 
The slidable and frictional connection between the strips 106 and 108 is 
shown in FIG. 11. Fasteners, such as rivets, or the like, are shown at 116 
and affixed to the strip 106. An elongated slot 118 is formed in the strip 
108 and allows the rivets to move along the slot when an impact with 
another object forces the bumper 12 into an inward direction toward the 
frame 14. 
A solenoid 120 is shown attached to the rear of the frame member 14 and has 
a latching member 122 passing through an opening in the frame. This 
latching member is located in such a position so as to retain the bag 
holder, or cradle, in the condition of FIG. 10 during an impact situation 
and thus prevents the bag and cradle from being forced to return to its 
initial position of FIG. 9. 
The operation of this alternate embodiment allows a bag or series of bags 
to be placed between the bumper and frame of a vehicle housing the safety 
device of the invention without employing the dual layer bag method of 
FIGS. 1 through 6. In certain situations this method and apparatus may be 
preferable over existing systems. 
While the embodiments of this invention shown and described are fully 
capable of achieving the objects and advantages desired, it is to be 
understood that such embodiments have been shown and described soley for 
the purposes of illustration and not for the purposes of limitation.