SYSTEME DE SECURITE ET DE DEPLOIEMENT DE COUSSINS GONFLABLES POUR VEHICULES DE TRANSPORT

AIRBAG SAFETY & DEPLOYMENT PROGRAM FOR TRANSPORTATION VEHICLES

Abrégé français

Un nombre croissant d'enfants et d'adultes de santé fragile ont été tués par le déploiement soudain de coussins gonflables lors d'accidents à faible vitesse (source : Department of Transportation, États-Unis, dossier 74-14 daté du 8-13-1997). Un des facteurs clé était la proximité de la victime par rapport au coussin gonflable déployé. L'introduction de coussins gonflables extérieurs comme complément au système actuel éliminerait souvent le besoin de déployer le coussin gonflable intérieur lors d'accident à faible vitesse. Le présent système se distingue par le fait que se coussin pourrait se déployer une fraction de seconde avant la collision, ce qui préviendrait l'accident ou en réduirait considérablement la gravité. La présente invention fait état de déploiements visuels manuels et de déploiements visuels dirigés par un système de laser informatisé. Le déclenchement du coussin gonflable n'est commandé que dans le cas de collisions inévitables. La présente invention s'applique à des voitures, des camions, des trains, des roulottes, des moto-neiges, etc.

Abrégé anglais

A GROWING NUMBER OF CHILDREN AND FRAIL ADULTS WERE KILLED BY
THE SUDDEN DEPLOYMENT OF AIRBAGS IN LOW VELOCITY CRASHES.
SOURCE: U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DOCKET 74-14 DATE
8-13-1997
A KEY FACTOR WAS THE VICTIM'S PROXIMITY TO THE DEPLOYING AIRBAG.
INTRODUCTION OF EXTERNAL AIRBAGS TO SUPPLEMENT THE PRESENT
SYSTEM WOULD OFTEN ELIMINATE THE NECESSITY OF INTERNAL AIRBAG
DEPLOYMENT IN LOW VELOCITY CRASHES.
THE MOST OUTSTANDING FEATURE IS THAT DEPLOYMENT WOULD TAKE
PLACE A FRACTION OF A SECOND BEFORE THE COLLISION.
THIS WILL EITHER PREVENT THE ACCIDENT OR GREATLY REDUCE ITS
SCOPE.
DESCRIPTIONS WILL INCLUDE MANUAL AS WELL AS LASER-COMPUTER
DIRECTED VISUAL DEPLOYMENTS THAT WILL ACTIVATE ONLY IN
INESCAPABLE COLLISION SITUATIONS.
APPLICABILITY: CARS, TRUCKS, TRAINS, TRAILERS SNOWMOBILES ETC.

Revendications

Claims Page

This Invention relates to External Airbags that will inflate
outside of a vehicle offering protection to both the people
inside the vehicle and Pedestrians or other objects and vehicles
outside the object vehicle.
The inventive idea for this invention is that children and
frail adults will not be dependent entirely on the workings
of the interior Airbag which has a tendency to hurt or even
kill the frail user by the great force of the split second
opening.
Claim 1: The External Airbag will prevent accidental killing
of Pedestrians or drivers by manual or laser controlled
deployment of the Airbag shown visually on pages 3,5,7,10
14,15,16.
Claim 2: Vehicle to Vehicle collisions are prevented by means
of External Airbags that are deployed manually or automatically
as shown in diagrams on pages 3,7,10,14.15,16.
Claim 3: Snowmobiles will be prevented from sinking through
thin ice covered lakes by the inclusion of inflating external
airbags as shown in diagram 18 and would give increased
protection to the riders if engulfed in an avalanche.
Claim 4: External Airbags attached to the front of Metro
trains and activated either manually by the driver or
by the severence of a laser beam will prevent a body that
has fallen in the path of the train from crushing the body
but the large external Airbag will push the body forward a
required distance till the train can come to a halt as shown
in diagram 20.
Claim 5: Stopping collisions in advance by computer controlled
laser beams that determine if the object is moving in relative
motion and not hostile or moving in an inescapable speed towards
the object at collision force which will activate and deploy
External Airbags and prevent a collision as shown in diagrams
on pages 7 and 10.

Description

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EXTERNAL AIRBAGS FOR CARS TRUCKS AND TRAILERS
A TEN TON TRUCK IS MOVING ALONG A ROAD AT 40 MILES AN HOUR.
SUDDENLY A SMALL BOY CHASING A BALL RUNS ACROSS THE PATH OF
THE TRUCK TOO LATE FOR THE DRIVER TO BRAKE IN TIME THE DRIVER
PULLS A MANUAL SWITCH AND DEPLOYS A LARGE EXTERNAL AIRBAG
THAT INFLATES IN 2/lOths OF A SECOND.
THE BOY IS DEFLECTED TO ONE SIDE INSTEAD OF BEING CRUSHED
TO DEATH BY THE WHEELS OF THE TRUCK.
DEPLOYMENT TIME FOR INTERNAL AIRBAGS IS APPROXIMATELY l/lOth
OF A SECOND. THE EXTERNAL AIRBAGS WILL BE LARGER AND MUCH
STRONGER THEN THE INTERNAL AIRBAGS.THE DEPLOYMENT TIME OF 2/lOths
OF A SECOND IS AN ESTIMATE.
AT THE PRESENT TIME THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION'S
NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION IS RECOMENDING
LOWER LESS AGGRESSIVE DEPLOYMENT TIMES FOR INTERNAL AIRBAGS.
MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS DOCKET 74-14 STATES THAT THERE
IS A SUBSTANTIAL NUMBER OF SMALL CHILDREN AND FRAIL ADULTS
KILLED BY THE POWERFUL FORCE OF THE AIRBAGS DURING THE DEPLOYMENT
PROCESS DURING RELATIVELY LOW SPEED CRASHES.
EXTERNAL AIRBAGS
EXTERNAL AIRBAGS WILL BE LOCATED OUTSIDE THE VEHICLE AND CAN
BE DEPLOYED WITH MUCH GREATER SPEED AND FORCE SINCE THEY DO
NOT COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE BODY OF THE CHILD DURING THE
DEPLOYMENT PROCEDURE.
THE INTERNAL AIRBAGS WILL SELDOM REQUIRE DEPLOYMENT DURING
LOW SPEED CRASHES AND CAN BE DEPLOYED LESS AGGRESSIVELY AND
A FRACTION OF A SECOND LATER DURING SEVERE HIGH SPEED COLLISIONS.

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AIRBAG FILL UP SPEED:
WHEN A CAR EQUIPPED WITH AN AIRBAG IS INVOLVED IN A
COLLISION A SENSING DEVICE CALLED AN ACCELEROMETER IS
THE TRIGGER THAT INFLATES THE AIRBAG. THIS DEVICE IS
LINKED TO A CYLINDER OF COMPRESSED AIR WHICH INFLATES
THE AIRBAG IN l/lOth OF A SECOND. THE INTERNAL AUTOMOBILE
AIRBAG IS DESIGNED TO IMMEDIATELY DEFLATE AFTER A COLLISION
SO THAT THE DRIVER WILL NOT GET TRAPPED.
THE EXTERNAL AIRBAG WILL NOT DEFLATE AFTER THE EVENT.
WILL THERE BE ANY UNNECESSARY DEPLOYMENT:
AT 50 MILES AN HOUR THE LASERS WILL FORM A RECTANGLE
14.6 FEET LONG AND SLIGHTLY WIDER THAN THE TRUCK IN
WIDTH.THE VELOCITY OF THE TRUCK WILL DETERMINE THE
AREA OF COVERAGE ACCORDING TO THE TABLE SHOWN
IF THE CHILD MANAGED TO RUN ACROSS THE PATH OF THE
MOVING TRUCK BEFORE THE 14.6 ZONE WAS REACHED THEN
NO DEPLOYMENT WOULD TAKE PLACE
IF THE CHILD RAN ACROSS THE TRUCKS PATH AT THE 8 FOOT
MARK DEPLOYMENT WOULD STILL BE INCOMPLETE BUT THE EXPANSION
BE FROM BELOW THE BUMPER IN AN UPWARD
ROLL PREVENTING HIM FROM GOING UNDER THE WHEELS AND
SHOOTING HIM TO THE LEFT OR THE RIGHT OF EITHER AIRBAG.
MOST CITY DRIVING WILL BE UNDER 50 MILES AN HOUR SO THEY
WOULD DEPLOY FROM A MUCH CLOSER DISTANCE.
FINAL WARNING LASERS:
LASERS SITUATED ABOVE THE CAB OF THE TRUCK JUST
OVER THE WINDSHIELD ARE BEAMED ON THE AREA THAT
IS JUST BEYOND THE DEPLOYMENT ZONE
THE FINAL WARNING LASERS CAN DISTINGUISH IF AN
OBJECT LIKE ANOTHER VEHICLE IS MOVING IN THE SAME
DIRECTION IS STATIONERY OR MOVING TOWARDS THE TRUCK.
THE DRIVER WILL NOT HAVE TO FOCUS ON THE PANEL SCREEN
WHILE DRIVING BUT A WARNING BUZZER WILL INFORM HIM
OF OBSTRUCTIONS IN THE FINAL WARNING ZONE.
EXAMPLE:
ANOTHER TRUCK CARRYING LONG STEEL PIPES IS INVOLVED
IN A MAJOR ACCIDENT. ONE OF THE PIPES COMES FLYING
THROUGH THE AIR TOWARDS THE WINDSHIELD OF THE FIRST
TRUCK.

THE COMPUTER DIREDTED LASERS WILL DEPLOY BOTH THE
INTERNAL AND THE EXTERNAL AIRBAGS SINCE THE LIFE OF
THE DRIVER WAS IN DANGER.IF THE SAME PIPE WAS
FIRED AT A LOW LEVEL JUST TWO FEET FROM THE GROUND
THE PROGRAM WOULD DEPLOY ONLY THE EXTERNAL AIRBAG.

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DIAGRAM:
ALTHOUGH OBJECT VEHICLE (A) IS INSIDE THE COLLISION FIELD
OF HOST VEHICLE (B) THERE WILL BE NO AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT
SINCE THEIR RELATIVE VELOCITIES ARE VERY CLOSE.
IF THERE WAS A DRAMATIC AND SUDDEN CHANGE IN THIS RELATIVE
VELOCITY WHICH THE COMPUTER CALCULATES AS AN INESCAPABLE
COLLISION RESOLUTION ACCORDING TO THE FIVE PROGRAM CODES
AND THE COMPUTER-LASER IMAGE ON THE VEHICLE SCREEN THE
NECESSARY AIRBAGS WILL BE DEPLOYED.

THE LASER IMAGE EVALUATER
THE LASERS GIVE A FAIRLY CLOSE OUTLINE OF ANY OBJECT
THAT ENTERS ITS FIELD.
WHEN THE LASERS ESTABLISH THAT THE ENTRY INSIDE THE
DEPLOYMENT ZONE IS A CHILD AND NOT THE EDGE OF ANOTHER
VEHICLE MOVING IN A PARALLEL DIRECTION THE AIRBAGS
WILL DEPLOY WITH THREE FACTORS SATISFIED. THE SPEED
THE PROXIMITY AND THE SHAPE.

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THE TRAVEL RECORD AND AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT TAPE

VEHICLE (C) A POLICE CAR SUSPECTS VEHICLE (B) TOOK
PART IN A BANK ROBBERY FOLLOWED BY A HIGH SPEED
CHASE.
THE OFFICERS WILL STOP VEHICLE (B) AND ASK FOR THE
90 MINUTE TAPE WHICH RECORDS VELOCITIES AS WELL AS
ACTIVATES AIRBAG DEPLOYMENTS.

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DEPLOYMENT PROGRAM CODES FOR EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL AIRBAGS
__________________________________________________________
1: HOSTILE MOVEMENT IN A COLLISION FIELD
MEANS THAT THE HOST VEHICLE IS BOUND TO CRASH INTO A
VEHICLE OR OBJECT THAT CAN DO SIGNIFIGANT HARM TO THE
HOST VEHICLE.
THIS MEANS THAT BOTH THE EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL AIRBAGS
WILL RECEIVE THE FIRST DEPLOYMENT CODE FOR ALL SYSTEMS.

2: ENTRY OF A DEFENSLESS OBJECT INSIDE THE COLLISION ZONE.
THIS MEANS THE DEFENSELESS OBJECT LIKE THE CHILD WOULD
TRIGGER DEPLOYMENT OF AN EXTERNAL AIRBAG BUT THE FORCE
IS CONSIDERED TOO SMALL TO DEPLOY THE INTERNAL AIRBAGS.
3: RELATIVE MOVEMENT OF HOST VEHICLE TO THE OBJECT.
THIS MEANS THE DIFFERENCE IN VELOCITY OF THE HOST VEHICLE
TO THE OBJECT INSIDE THE COLLISION FIELD.
FOR EXAMPLE IF THE HOST VEHICLE AND THE OBJECT ANOTHER
CAR IN FRONT OF THE HOST VEHICLE ARE BOTH INSIDE THE
COLLISION ZONE BUT BOTH VEHICLES ARE MOVING AT THE
SAME SPEED OR A VERY SMALL DIFFERENCE THE AIRBAGS WILL
NOT DEPLOY SINCE THE DIRECTION OF MOVEMENT IS THE SAME
AND THE SPEED IS THE SAME SO THERE WILL BE NO COLLISION.
INSTEAD THE AUDIO SYSTEM WILL WARN WITH LOUD BEEPS TO TELL
THE HOST VEHICLE TO SLOW DOWN AND LET THE OBJECT VEHICLE
MOVE SAFELY AHEAD.
4: HOSTILE PROXIMITY.
THIS MEANS THAT OBJECTS IN A COLLISION FIELD SHOW A LARGE AND
ALARMING DIFFERENCE IN VELOCITY TOWARDS EACH OTHER.
THIS MAY BE CAUSED BY THE OBJECT EITHER STOPPING OR GREATLY
DECELERATING WHICH IN BOTH CASES WOULD MEAN A COLLISION
OF THE HOST VEHICLE WITH CONSIDERABLE FORCE.
THE IMENDING COLLISION WILL ALWAYS DEPLOY AN EXTERNAL
AIRBAG BUT THE INTERNAL AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT WILL BE DETERMENED
BY THE FOLLOWING CODE:
5: THE EXPECTED PROBABLE FORCE OF THE IMPENDING COLLISION.
AN ANALYSIS OF THE LASERS OUTLINE OF THE OBJECT AND THE
COMBINED VELOCITIES OF THE TWO VEHICLES WILL INFORM THE
COMPUTER THE PROBABLE COLLISION FORCE TO BE EXPECTED.
NOTE:
THE DEPLOYMENT RANGE IS TAILOR MADE FOR EACH CLASS OF VEHICLE.
FOR EXAMPLE A 900 POUND MOOSE IN THE COLLISION ZONE OF A SMALL
CAR WOULD QUALIFY FOR DUAL SYSTEM AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT.
A MOOSE IN THE COLLISION ZONE OF A VERY LARGE TRUCK WOULD BE
A DEFENSLESS OBJECT IN A COLLISION ZONE AND CONSEQUENTLY
ONLY EXTERNAL AIRBAGS WOULD REQUIRE DEPLOYMENT.

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VELOCITY DISTANCE AND
DEPLOYMENT TIMES TABLE
FOR EXTERNAL AIRBAGS
AT 52 MILES AN HOUR: AT 50 AT 48AT 46
MPH MPH 46 MPH
274,560 FEET IN 1 HOUR 264,000 253440242,880
4576 FEET IN ONE MINUTE 4,400 4,2244,0488
76.266 FEET IN ONE SECOND 73.333 70,467.466
7.626 FT IN l/lOTH SECOND 7.333 7.046.746
15.252 FT IN 2/lOths SECOND 14.666 14.08 13.492
DEPLOYMENT
22,878 FT IN 3/lOths SECOND 21.999 21.12 20.238
30.504 FT IN 4/lOthS SECOND 29.332 28.16 26.984
38.13 FT IN 5/lOths SECOND 36.665 35.2 33.73
45.756 FT IN 6/lOths SECOND 43.998 42.224 40.476
53.382 FT IN 7/lOths SECOND 51.331 49.28 47.222
61.008 FT IN 8/lOthS SECOND 58.664 56.32 53.968
68.634 FT IN 9/lOthS SECOND 65.997 65.997 63.36
76.26 FT IN 1.00 SECOND 73.33 70.467.46

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WHAT TAKES PLACE DURING A REAR END COLLISION
CAR A CRASHED INTO A THIRD VEHICLE AT EXACTLY 4 SECONDS.
THIS RESULTED IN TOTAL LOSS OF VELOCITY FOR CAR A WHILE
CAR B WAS RACING TOWRDS THE REAR OF CAR A AT 50 MILES AN
HOUR.
THE COLLISION ZONE AT THAT SPEED IS EXACTLY WHAT THE VEHICLE
WILL TRAVEL IN 2/lOths OF A SECOND AT 50 miles AN HOUR.
THIS ACCORDING TO THE AIRBAG DEPLOYMENT DISTANCE TABLE IS
14.6 FEET FROM THE FRONT BUMPER OF VEHICLE B.
CAR B TRAVELS APPROXIMATELY 1/20 th OF A SECOND TO SPAN THE
3.40 FEET AN ENTER THE COLLISION FIELD WHICH IS 14.6 FEET
FROM CAR A. ALL SYSTEMS ARE NOW SATISFIED FOR DEPLOYMENT.
THE DRIVER OF CAR B MEANWHILE HAS SLAMMED ON HIS BRAKES SO
THE SPEED IS CLOSER TO 40 MILES AN HOUR AT IMPACT POINT.
THE SIZE OF THE AIRBAGS EXTENDS AT LEAST 3 FEET FROM THE FRONT
BUMPER OF CAR B.
WHEN THE COLLISION OCCURS CAR B SHOULD BE STOPPED BY TWO OF
ITS POWERFUL AIRBAGS OR THE FORCE OF THE COLLISION GREATLY
REDUCED.
WHAT IS NOT YET KNOWN IS THE EXACT AMOUNT OF RESISTANCE THE
AIRBAGS WILL PROVIDE AT VARIOUS SPEEDS.
CAN EXTERNAL AIRBAGS FILL THE NEW DEPOWERING VOID
DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY
ADMINISTRATION. DOCKET NO 74-14 NOTICE 114.
FEDERAL MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY STANDARDS OCCUPANT CRASH
PROTECTION.
SUMMARY: NHTSA IS TEMPORARILY AMENDING THE AGENCYS OCCUPANT
CRASH PROTECTION STANDARD TO ENSURE THAT VEHICLE MANUFACTURERS
CAN QUICKLY DEPOWER ALL AIRBAGS SO THAT THEY INFLATE LESS
AGGRESSIVELY. THE AGENCY IS TAKING THIS ACTION TO PROVIDE AN
IMMEDIATE BUT INTERIM SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF THE FATALITIES
AND INJURIES THAT CURRENT AIR BAG DESIGNS ARE CAUSING IN
RELATIVELY LOW SPEED CRASHES TO SMALL,BUT GROWING NUMBERS
OF CHILDREN,AND OCCASIONALLY TO ADULT OCCUPANTS."
ADMINISTRATOR,NATIONAL HIGHWAY TRAFFIC SAFETY ADMINISTRATION
400 SEVENTH STREET,SW,WASHINGTON,DC 20590.
t

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EXTERNAL AIRBAGS FOR TRAILERS AND TANKERS
SITUATION 1:
A LARGE TANKER TRUCK CARRYING DANGEROUS CHEMICALS IS MOVING
ALONG A HIGHWAY BY THE INTERSECTION OF A HILLY ROAD.
A SCHOOL BUS FILLED WITH CHILDREN IS COMING DOWN THE INTERSECTING
ROAD WHEN IT HITS A PATCH OF ICE AND STARTS HURTLING OUT OF
CONTROL TOWARDS THE TANKER TRUCK.
BOTH OF THE DRIVERS SEE EACH OTHER BUT BECAUSE THE TANKER IS
IN A TRAFFIC JAM HE CAN'T MOVE BACKWARDS OR FORWARDS.
THE BUS FILLED WITH SCREAMING CHILDREN CRASHES INTO THE TRUCK
WHICH EXPLODES AND BURNS KILLING HALF THE CHILDREN AND
BLOCKING THE HIGHWAY FOR SEVERAL HOURS.

SITUATION TWO:
IN THIS SITUATION THE SCHOOL BUS SPINS COMPLETELY AROUND
ON THE ICE PATCH AND THE SCHOOL BUS IS HURTLING TOWARDS
THE TANKER TRUCK BACKWARDS.
THE TRUCK DRIVER PULLS A RELEASE SWITCH AND TWO OR THREE
LARGE EXTERNAL AIRBAGS ALONG THE SIDE OF THE TANKER TRUCK
INFLATE IN 2/lOths OF A SECOND AND THERE IS NO EXPLOSION.
SITUATION:3
SEEING THE ONCOMING DISASTER THE SCHOOL BUS DRIVER PRESSES
A MANUAL RELEASE SWITCH AND A LARGE EXTERNAL AIRBAG INFLATES
FROM UNDER THE FRONT BUMPER OF THE BUS.
THE TRUCK DRIVER ALSO RELEASES HIS EXTERNAL AIRBAGS AT THE
SAME TIME AND THE TWO SETS OF HELIUM INFLATED AIRBAGS COLLIDE
WITH EACH OTHER THUS AVERTING A MAJOR ACCIDENT.

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EXTERNAL AIRBAGS FOR SNOWMOBILES

EACH WINTER THERE ARE SEVERAL SNOWMOBILE FATALITIES
THAT RESULT WHEN A SNOWMOBILE MOVING OVER AN ICE
COVERED LAKE OR RIVER BREAKS THROUGH THE ICE AND
THE DRIVER IS DROWNED.
AN EXTERNAL AIRBAG WILL BE SITUATED UNDER THE SEAT
OF THE DRIVER THAT WILL DEPLOY BY FLICKING A SWITCH
NEAR THE STEERING WHEEL.
THE DEPLOYMENT MECHANISM IS IN A WATERPROOF HOUSING
AND CAN DEPLOY UNDER WATER LIFTING THE SNOWMOBILE
AND ITS RIDER TO THE SURFACE.
THE LARGE HELIUM FILLED AIRBAG WILL DEPLOY IN 2/lOths
OF A SECOND OR LESS.

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TRAINS SUBWAY AND METRO SYSTEMS

IN THE MONTREAL METRO ALONE THERE ARE AT LEAST TWO OR
THREE INCIDENTS A YEAR OF SUICIDES ACCIDENTAL FALLS AND
DELIBERATE MURDER ATTEMPTS CAUSING SOMEONE TO FALL IN THE
PATH OF AN ONCOMING TRAIN.
A SET OF INVISIBLE INFRARED LASER BEAMS ABOUT 60 FEET ABOVE
ABOVE THE TRACKS WILL BE THE TRIGGERING DEVICE THAT WILL DEPLOY
AN EXTERNAL AIRBAG IN 2110ths OF A SECOND.
ONCE A FALLING BODY BREAKS THE LASER BEAMS THE AIRBAGS WILL
DEPLOY AND THE BRAKES WILL AUTOMATICALLY APPLY.
THE BODY WILL BE TOSSED FORWARD TILL THE TRAIN CAN COME TO
A STOP.

Dessin représentatif