WO2008033110A1 - Safety device provided with an air bag and a valve for the operation thereof - Google Patents

Abstract

The invention relates to a safety device which is provided with an air bag, is used for transport means and comprises an inflatable envelope connected to a working gas tank and a system for supplying said gas to the envelope, wherein the envelope comprises a triggering mechanism provided with an emergency sensor and a valve. The system for supplying a gas to the envelop is placed inside the tank along the axis thereof, the tank, in the operating state thereof, is pressurised, the triggering mechanism of the gas supply system is embodied in the form of a bistable actuator and the armature of a locking member is used in the form of an emergency sensor. The valve comprises a locking member which is fastened inside the tank along the axis thereof and consists of an armature, a coil, a magnetization coil and a magnetically hard insert provided with a sealing cup and a spring, which are fixed to the valve body by means of the base of an adjusting screw, wherein a part of the internal cavity of the body is connected to the cavity of a safety air bag through a hole in the bottom of the body. The inventive device is devoid of sensors, system blocks and power supplies and is one hundred percent operational with an operating speed less than 1 millisecond. The system is easily rechargeable after operation. The air bags provided with the inventive valve can be arranged in transport means in a frontal position, i.e. at an angle of 0° and along the perimeter of a cabin at an optimal angular pitch ranging from 30 to 45 degrees.

Description

 SAFETY DEVICE WITH INFLATABLE CUSHION AND VALVE FOR

HIS WORKS

The invention relates to security devices with an inflatable casing, such as an airbag, designed to be installed in vehicles, in particular, an airbag located inside the perimeter of the steering wheel of a car, as well as near the driver's and passenger’s seats in the cab (cabin) of a car, airplane, train car etc. In the most general form, the design of a safety device with an air bag includes: shock sensors (in modern systems up to 10 sensors), an electronic system unit, a shell (s) for filling with gas and a system for supplying gas to the shell. The gas supply system includes: a gas source (generator or gas cylinder), a channel that connects the inlet of the envelope to the gas source and the start-up unit. The launch unit commands the creation of a gas stream from the source to the envelope. As a source of gas is often used tank with compressed gas. The shell in the operating mode of the vehicle is folded, for example in the steering wheel, in front of the passenger or driver seat.

The known safety device is made in the form of a safety cushion installed folded inside the steering wheel, along the axis of the steering shaft (patent RU 2144877). The used safety device is its layout: airbag - valve - gas source and their constructive implementation led to the creation of a new steering gear design, which is characterized by a considerable weight, an increase in size, which affected its application in the automotive industry. A safety device with an inflatable casing is known, where a gas reservoir is used as a gas source. However, in the device, the gas supply to the envelope (along the line: airbag - valve - gas source) is more often carried out with the destruction of valve parts (pushed through the valve membrane), (US 5152550 Bl). The destruction of the membrane is accompanied by the formation of a large number of sharp fragments, which leads to a decrease in the reliability of the safety device, making it dangerous to humans.

Known valve reusable (patent RU 2005249), which is devoid of the disadvantages of the valve used in the security device under the patent (US 5152550). The valve body forms a valve cavity with three interconnecting channels: the first channel is between the valve cavity and the volume of reduced pressure, the second channel is between the valve cavity and the volume of increased pressure, and the third channel - connecting the valve cavity (using a control valve) with the atmosphere and a source of control pressure. The locking organ consists of telescopically connected dome-shaped fairings. The valve operates in the presence of an external control source of pressure, which causes a fairly large valve size, complicates control and reduces reliability, which limits its scope, in particular in safety devices. In fact, the valve, being fast-acting and suitable for providing adjustable filling of the cushion, does not provide, due to its dimensions, layout requirements and makes it impossible, for example, to install it inside the steering wheel.

The closest in technical essence and the achieved result is the apparatus for filling the safety airbags [airbags] with gas (SU 1795617 patent). In the case of a gas cylinder (tank) a check valve is installed, designed to fill the cylinder with compressed gas. The gas supply system in the shell includes two openings in the cylinder body to connect the gas cylinder to the cavity of the safety cushion. The gas release valves are installed in both cavities of the gas cylinder, the membranes have a bell-shaped form [made in the form of conical caps], under which there is a reciprocal recess on the end of the glass, which serves as a stop for the membrane. The glass retainer is made using balls and a stop ring, with which the electric igniter (gas generating device) is sealed in a glass through a gasket. The balls are installed in a groove made in the cylinder body, and the retaining ring is connected to the cylinder body through a shear cut. The electric igniter (gas generating device) is equipped with a charge of combustible gas-forming material, which is used as a pyrotechnic composition SC-1. The electric igniter (gas generator device) has a connector for connecting wires on one of the external surfaces of the apparatus.

The proposed apparatus in the manufacture of filled through the check valve with air. The capacity of the gas cylinder is 300 cm3. Air pressure in the cylinder (250-300) kgc / cm2. The dimensions of the device do not exceed 180x100x50 mm.

The device works as follows:

When a car collides with an obstacle, the electric current from a battery or other power source due to an emergency sensor (not shown) is analyzed by the system unit and fed through a connector in electric igniter to start the gas generator device. During the combustion of combustible material. Under the action of a pressure pulse, the body of the gas generator device moves out of the glass, the thrust rings together with the gaskets move, cutting off the stoppers along the way. After that the balls roll out of the groove, the glasses are released and pushed together with the membranes from parts C and D of the gas cylinder. Air enters the airbag cavity through the holes. Destroyed membranes remain in the grooves at the ends of the glass.

In the event of a failure, for example, if it does not work, in the cavity of the electric igniter (gas generator device), the gas release valve opens, through which air flows out of the cavity. In the event that a vehicle enters a fire condition as the temperature rises, the safety valve melts the fusible element and the air from the cylinder flows into the atmosphere.

The disadvantages of the known device are as follows: the mode of filling the shell (pillow) is limited by the initial parameters of the gas source. In addition, the shell filling mode during an accident is established on the basis of information obtained and analyzed only by the moment the gas generator starts up, which does not allow the shell filling to be adjusted in accordance with the optimal protection. What does not allow the most accurate estimate of the force and direction of the push; react to the push as soon as possible and at the same time quickly bring the pillow closer to the person’s body and slow down when in contact with the body. The presence of several gas generators increases the size of the device. Re-use of a safety device requires the replacement of gas generators, which increases the cost of operating the device.

The invention is based on the task of improving the safety device for a vehicle with an inflatable _ pillow by implementing a new layout scheme: a cylinder (tank) with gas - a valve - a pillow, as well as the creation of a high-speed valve, which will simultaneously be an inertial impact sensor that will allow more accurate evaluate the force and direction of the impact, react to the impact as a rather quick, while quickly moving the pillow towards the body and slowing it down by the time it comes into contact with the body, with m Minimum dimensions ensure guaranteed operation without the use of electric current sources.

In solving this problem, a safety device for a vehicle with an inflatable cushion, which includes an inflatable a shell connected to the working gas tank, a gas supply system to the shell, including a trigger mechanism with an emergency sensor, and a valve in which, in accordance with the invention, the gas supply system to the shell is installed inside the tank, along the axis of the latter (coaxially), the tank in working condition is under pressure. At the same time, the device contains a bistable actuator as the trigger for the system of gas supply to the shell, and the armature of the valve closure member as an emergency sensor, and the bottom of the reservoir is made with holes.

The task is also solved by a safety device valve, which includes a housing and a locking member, in which, according to the invention, cylindrical valves are arranged coaxially in the valve housing, the magnetization coil inside which is installed a locking member, which consists of a movable anchor and a fixed insert with a cuff fixed on the bottom of the body basis of the adjusting screw. In this case, the anchor of the locking member is made in the form of a hollow cylinder with a bottom, in which there are radial channels and axial holes; radial channels are made in the bottom cylindrical part of the armature, and axial holes are made in the bottom of the armature cylinder; the insert, which is the valve seat, is made of magnetically hard material; the cuff has a round plate shape, with the possibility of sealing by an annular shoulder the gap between the end surfaces of the armature and the hard-insert in the closed state of the valve.

The main distinctive feature of a safety device for an air cushion vehicle and a valve for its operation is the original use, as a trigger, of the gas supply system into the shell - a bistable electromagnetic system with impulse control (a bistable actuator). The operating principle of a bistable actuator is usually used in electromagnets (PCT / UA02 / 00068 (WO2003 / 060932). In the inventive device (drive - system), the anchor performs a dual function, one of which is not inherent in the armature, namely the function of the emergency sensor. Operating the state of the valve, with a bistable permanent magnet, is closed. The anchor is attracted by magnetic flux to the insert - the valve seat, made of a hard magnetic material. Air does not flow into the pillow. With such a constructive solution, the closure organ anchor It holds the holding force of the closed magnetic circuit and opens the valve, releasing the air to fill the airbag exactly at the moment of impact, or one millisecond later, ensuring one hundred percent actuation. opens from impacts at an angle relative to the axis up to 45 °, which excludes erroneous triggers from jolts on uneven roads and the operation of extra pillows just in case. The holding force can be set in a large range, which is achieved by changing one of the valve parameters, for example, the volume of the hard magnetic insert, or the mass of the armature, or by changing the force of the return spring, etc. At the same time, the repeatability of the operation parameters is almost absolute. It should be noted that the armature of the valve’s locking valve is made in the form of a hollow cylinder with radial channels in the bottom part and axial holes in the bottom. Such a constructive solution allowed the device to quickly fill the cushion with compressed air or gas in an emergency, followed by slowing down, and as a result, unaccented contact of the pillow with the human body.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS FIG. 1. depicts a safety device for a vehicle, with an air bag and a valve for operating the device (view from the side of the inflatable envelope, the air bag is not shown). FIG. 2. Section 1-1 in FIG. 1 (valve closed state). FIG. 3. section 1-1 in fig.l (open state of the valve). 4. volumetric image of a safety device for a vehicle and a valve (exploded view).

FIG. 2 and 3 are presented in section along line 1-1 of FIG. 1 of the inventive safety device, which is depicted in FIG. The gas supply system to the airbag of the claimed device comprises: a tank 1 with a cavity 4 filled with compressed air or gas; outlets 3 placed in the bottom 2; channel 5 formed by the shape of the frame of the coil 9; radial channels 6 and axial holes 7 anchors. The trigger mechanism [bistable actuator], which gives the command to create a gas flow from the gas source into the inflatable envelope, consists of: from reservoir 1, which is also the valve body; coil 9, installed between the bottom 2 and figured washer 8 along the axis of the housing 1. On the coil 9, the magnetization and demagnetization windings 10 are wound. state, and in Fig. 3 in the open state). The anchor 11 is made in the form of a hollow cylinder with a bottom (cup), set by the bottom 12 in the opposite direction from the inflatable envelope 13. The bottom part of the armature 11 is made with radial channels 6, and the bottom 12 with axial holes 7. The outer cylindrical surface of the armature 11 is made with an annular groove 14 and is equipped with a sealing ring 15. The bottom of the armature 12 is made with an annular ledge 16. In the closed position of the valve, the anchor 11 with its annular protrusion 16 rests on the plane of the figured washer 8, and with its end surface 25 the anchor is pressed by the magnetic flux to the hard magnetic insert 19, creating a closed magnetic system: the body - the figured washer - the anchor - magnetic hard th insert - valve bottom. In the center of the hard magnetic insert 19, a sealing cuff 17 is installed, with an annular collar 18 towards the bottom 12 and pressed against the base 21 of the adjusting screw 20 to the bottom 2. The return spring 22 is installed along the valve axis, between the adjusting screw 20 and the bottom of the armature 12. This arrangement of parts allows compensate for the holding force of the hard magnetic insert 19 while adjusting the valve for impact sensitivity. The anchor 11 is centered along the axis of the valve guide rods 23, which provides the axial stability of the armature from distortions. An additional cylinder 24 is connected to tank 1 (fig. 1), which provides an increase in the volume of gas in the tank to the required parameters. The cylinder 24 is equipped with a spool 26.

The security device for a vehicle with an inflatable cushion, works as follows.

During operation of the vehicle (outside the emergency situation), the initial position of the safety device - the airbag (shell) 13 is folded (Fig. 2 conditionally), the gas under pressure is in the tank 1 and the cylinder 24, (the valve is in the closed state of Fig. 2). To fill the tank 1 with the cylinder 24 with the working gas through the spool 26, it is necessary to close the line of the gas supply system into the shell, i.e. close the valve. The valve anchor is held in the initial closed position by creating a closed magnetic flux in the contour of the bistable actuator. Bringing the valve into working condition (closed state, Fig. 2) is carried out by applying to the winding of the magnetization coil 10 a short current control pulse, which creates a magnetic flux. Under the action of the magnetic flux, the anchor 11 of the valve closure member moves toward the bottom 2, compressing the spring 22, until the end surface 25 of the armature 11 touches the end surface of the hard magnetic insert 19. As a result, a closed magnetic circuit is formed. At the same time elastic sealing cuff 17 elastic annular collar (protrusion) 18 enters into the internal cavity of the armature 11, sealing the valve, and the sealing ring 15, at the same time seals the gap between the coil and the armature. The anchor moving along the axis of the inner cylindrical surface of the coil 9, provides a sealing tank. Working gas (air) through the valve 26 from the compressor (not shown in the figure) is fed into the tank with a balloon and fills them to the required pressure. The security device is reset.

The sealing of the valve in the well-known invention (patent RU 2005249) is provided by pressing the closure member on top of the seat surface. Which leads to the deformation of the sealing seat, the indentation of mechanical particles, the shells on the surface of the saddle and, consequently, the loss of its tightness. Sealing the inventive valve by two elements. The sealing ring 14 and the elastic annular shoulder (protrusion) 18 of the cuff 17. The annular shoulder (protrusion) 18 of the elastic cuff 17 enters the internal cavity of the armature And tangentially in a parallel plane, and not perpendicular, as in the well-known. This eliminates deformation and damage to the cuff, in addition, provides self-cleaning of the contacting surfaces during operation. And sealing is achieved by clamping the annular flange with a working gas in a small contact area, which ensures easy separation of parts during the subsequent opening of the valve, which increases the reliability of the entire device.

According to the invention, the filling of the shell with gas is carried out as follows.

Valves with air bags can be installed around the perimeter of the vehicle cabin, with the bottom of the tank towards the center of the cabin. Trip set _^ atmanie .klapana a _collision. emergency situation occurs due to negative acceleration of the vehicle, and the valve will work, the direction of the axis of which most closely coincides with the direction of impact, from the opposite side of the bottom 2 of the tank 1. Changing the angle of the impact direction relative to the valve axis affects the valve operation in the following way: - the greater the angle the stronger should be the blow that leads to the opening of the valve. Exceeding the angle of more than 45 degrees makes the valve not sensitive to impacts, which ensures that the airbags open up in exactly the right direction, taking into account the impact force.

Moreover, each subsequent stroke will lead to the opening of pillows, the directions of the axes of the valves of which will coincide, or will be close to the directions of impacts. Anchor 11 O having its own mass, under the action of acceleration overcomes the holding force of the hard magnetic insert and moves opening the gas supply channel (Fig. 3). Compressed air through the radial channels 6 and the axial holes 7 enters the channel 5 and through the holes 3 of the bottom 2 of the tank 1 into the cavity of the safety cushion (shell) 13, which opens (FIG. 3). Moreover, the shell opens (works) instantly, in the first milliseconds (ms) all radial channels 6 and axial holes 7 of the armature 11 open, and then axial holes 7, due to movement of the anchor 11, gradually [over 5-15 m. c] cover themselves as the bottom 12 of the armature 11 approaches the inner surface of the tank 1. The bottom 12 of the armature 11 comes into contact with the thickening of the guide bar 23 fixed along the axis of the tank, which provides an incomplete (specified) overlap of the axial holes 7 in the bottom of the anchor. The process of filling the pillow, according to the invention, provides a quick exit of the pillow to the working position [not exceeding 18-20 ms] and ensures a “soft” meeting of the human body with the pillow. Changing the geometrical parameters of the flow sections of the channels and holes, as well as the length of the armature stroke, allows to change the valve speed and the dynamics of the pillow opening over a wide range.

The anchor 11 of the valve shut-off element according to the invention performs the function of an inertial shock sensor in an emergency, and the change in the force of the spring 22, which is regulated by the screw 20, sets the sensitivity of the sensor in a large range, with high repeatability. Moreover, the device gives a 100% guarantee of operation without circuitry and a power source, which are often destroyed at the moment of impact. The presence of a demagnetization coil in the coil allows the valve to work with the currently existing system units and sensors, or turn on from the on-board radar signal that the vehicle is approaching, for example, to a pedestrian.

Experiments conducted by the authors have shown that when struck, the valve opens slightly and does not “blink” for a single millisecond. Considering the response time of a known valve (patent 2206467 RU), which does not exceed 3 ms, the applicants believe that the use of a safety device that is claimed with a pillow will increase the reliability of protecting a person from injuries in accidents.

The described device has a valve with a flow area of 1 inch, while its dimensions are 67mm in diameter. and a length of 36mm., which provides an easy layout of devices in the interior of the vehicle. The design features of the valve make it insensitive to working pressure; an increase in the pressure of the gas accumulated in the tank and the cylinder does not affect the performance of the valve and allows you to provide the optimal setting of the speed of filling the airbag and the dynamics of its filling over time. The presence of a cylinder connected to the tank (or several cylinders) allows optimizing the pressure in the tank with the volume of the airbag being filled without compromising the layout capabilities. Suppose several cylinders located radially to the tank are easy to “mask” under the spokes of the steering wheel of a car. With small overall dimensions, the device is easily assembled in a vehicle, for example, in the racks of a car body. And its simplicity and correspondingly low cost allows the installation of a larger number of smaller airbags, which reduces the negative impact on the ears of a person of compressible air in the cabin when opening large volume pillows. The device eliminates the need to constantly scan the cabin for the presence of people on the seats (so as not to expose extra cushions), since cushions are revealed only from the side of impact and at the required angle. The 100% guarantee of the device's operation upon impact allows the airbags to pass from the auxiliary means (relative to the seat belts) to the main one, increasing the degree of human protection. It should be noted that after operation no elements of the safety device need to be replaced, it is enough just to fold the airbag, to apply a control (magnetizing) impulse to the magnetization coil and to create a gas pressure in the tank with the balloon.

The inventive safety device, based on a bistable electromagnetic system with impulse control, does not need sensors, system units and power supplies, while providing a 100% guarantee of operation with a speed of less than 1 millisecond. Devices located around the perimeter of the cabin with an angular pitch of 30-45 degrees create a system that allows you to significantly increase the safety of people in vehicles.

Claims

CLAIM 1. A safety device with an inflatable cushion, including an inflatable casing connected to the working gas reservoir, a system for supplying gas to the casing, including a trigger mechanism with an emergency sensor, and a valve, characterized in that the system for supplying the gas to the casing is installed inside the tank, along the axis of the latter (coaxially), and the reservoir in working condition is under pressure. 2. The safety device, under item 1, characterized in that as a trigger mechanism of the gas supply system into the shell of the safety device contains a bistable actuator, and as an emergency sensor, the armature of the valve block. 3. Security device, according to any one of paragraphs. 1.2, characterized in that the bottom of the tank is made with holes. 4. The safety device valve according to claim 1, comprising a housing and a locking member, characterized in that the cylindrical housing (1), coaxial to the latter, has a coil (9) with windings (10), inside which a locking member is installed, consisting from a movable anchor (11) and a fixed magnetic-hard insert (19) with a cuff (17) fixed on the bottom (2) of the body (1) with the base (21) of the adjusting screw (20). 5. Valve according to claim 4, characterized in that the armature of the closure member is made in the form of an empty cylinder with a bottom (12), in which radial channels (6) and axial bores (7) are made. 6. Valve, according to any one of paragraphs.4.5, characterized in that the radial channels are made in the bottom cylindrical part of the locking member. 7. Valve, according to any one of paragraphs.4,5,6, characterized in that the axial bores of the armature are made in the bottom of the cylinder of the locking member. 8. Valve according to any one of paragraphs.4, 5, 6, 7, characterized in that the insert (19), which serves as a valve seat, is made of a hard magnetic material. 9. Valve, according to any one of paragraphs.4, 5, 6, 7, 8, characterized in that the cuff (17) has a round plate shape, with the possibility of sealing the gap between the end surfaces (25) of the armature and the magnetic-solid ring with an annular collar. insert (19) in the closed state of the valve.