Goodrich Corporation

Universal Propolusion Company

Steven Hailstone

Donald J Lewis

Paul G Curry

Terry W Merrifield

Jeffrey Allyn Baker

Cherie Alexander

Steven K Butt

Shyam S Karigiri

The present invention comprises an external airbag system for mounting on a vehicle () that deploys into the region above the bumper () to prevent or mitigate injuries that would have otherwise been caused by a person striking the grill () or hood area () of the vehicle. The airbag () is stored in a housing () mounted within the front bumper () of the vehicle. The airbag () is deployed upwardly through an opening () in the upper surface of the bumper () into the region between the upper surface of the bumper () and the front surface of the grill () and hood (). The airbag () is generally T-shaped and includes a plurality of internal tethers () extending internally between the opposing inner surfaces () at regular intervals to cause the airbag () to be tufted. The internal tethers () reduce the volume of the airbag () for a given frontal area thereby decreasing the inflation time required, without resort to fabricating the airbag () from multiple independent chambers. Selected of the internal tethers () may be designed to break as the airbag reaches close to its full inflation pressure to allow a portion of the airbag to bulge outwardly after the air bag is fully deployed. The remaining tethers () are designed to break as the pressure increases when the airbag is collapsed in a collision.

Vehicle frontal airbag system

An inflatable restraint system for holding and securing an aircrew member in his seat during ejection from an aircraft has one or more members forming a shield around him or her. The system is controlled to inflate after the aircrew member has started the sequence of ejection and before the rockets that power the seat from the aircraft are ignited. The forces of windblast are deflected by the inflatable restraint from the aircrew member as the aircrew member enters into and remains in the windblast and in his seat.

Inflatable restraint systems for ejection seats

Growing community of inventors

Chandler, AZ, United States of America

Steven Hailstone