Torso equipment support system (TESS)

• US 10,391,898 B1
• Filed: 06/01/2018
• Issued: 08/27/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/01/2018
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: BAE Systems Land & Armaments Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Original Assignee: BAE Systems Land & Armaments Incorporated (BAE Systems Plc)
• Inventors: Richards, Marvin K., Olofsson, James P.
• Primary Examiner(s): Brindley, Timothy J
• Application Number:
  US15/995,988
• Time in Patent Office: 452 Days
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 13/0531 Spine
• CPC Class Codes: A41D 2600/00 Uses of garments specially adapted for specific purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A45F 3/06 specially adapted for military purposes
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 35/00 Safety belts or body harnesses; Similar equipment for limiting displacement of the human body, especially in case of sudden changes of motion buckles A44B11/00; accessories for children's furniture A47D15/00; children's seats B60N2/24; safety belts or body harnesses for land vehicles B60R22/00; harnesses for parachutes B64D17/30; harnessing in aircraft B64D25/06; releasable fastenings F16B
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4242 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/686 Panel like structures
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/688 Particular seat belt attachment and guiding
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/027 Four-point seat belt systems, e.g. with the two upper points connected together
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/02 Semi-passive restraint systems, e.g. systems applied or removed automatically but not both ; Manual restraint systems knee, leg or head belts B60R22/001; devices for releasing in an emergency, remote or automatic unbuckling devices B60R22/32
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/14 incorporating enlarged restraint areas, e.g. vests, nets , crash pads, optionally for children crash pads for occupants' safety on vehicles in general B60R21/02
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0619 with energy absorbing means specially adapted for mitigating impact loads for passenger seats, e.g. at a crash
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/062 Belts or other passenger restraint means for passenger seats
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/06 Harnessing

Abstract

A torso equipment support system, for use with a seat bucket of an aviation or ground vehicle, providing upper torso and worn equipment support to an occupant. The system includes a base, a flexible column, a support beam, and a shoulder harness assembly. The shoulder harness assembly is coupled to the support beam and configured for releasable attachment with shoulder belts worn by the occupant. The shoulder harness assembly includes a yoke and a set of restraint shoulder straps. The yoke is slideably coupled to the support beam at a first vertically oriented portion and has a second portion that is split into two horizontally projecting members for extension over the shoulders of the occupant. The set of restraint shoulder straps project inwardly for extension over the shoulders of the occupant from at least one retractor, and extend to the horizontally projecting members.

Claims

1. A torso equipment support system, for use with a seat bucket of an aviation or a ground vehicle, comprising:

a base that mounts to the seat bucket at a first lower location;

a flexible column coupled to the base and biased toward a vertically upright orientation;

a support beam coupled to and vertically disposed above the flexible column; and

a shoulder harness assembly coupled to the support beam and configured for releasable attachment with shoulder belts worn by the occupant, the shoulder harness assembly comprising;

an adjustable yoke slideably coupled to the support beam at a first vertically oriented portion permitting vertical height adjustment and having a second portion that is split into two horizontally projecting members for extension over a shoulder of an occupant; and

a set of restraint shoulder straps that project inwardly for extension over the shoulder of the occupant from at least one retractor located at a second upper location on the seat bucket, and that extends to a fixed engagement with the two horizontally projecting members.

2. The torso equipment support system of claim 1, wherein the flexible column is made of an elastomer, spring, or mechanical joint.

3. The torso equipment support system of claim 1, wherein the support beam is contoured to the spine of the occupant.

4. The torso equipment support system of claim 1, wherein the set of restraint shoulder straps project from two retractors that comprise dual inertial reels.

5. The torso equipment support system of claim 1, wherein the set of restraint shoulder straps project from a single retractor that is an inertial reel.

6. The torso equipment support system of claim 1, wherein the set of restraint shoulder straps are configured to attach to shoulder belts secured to a vest worn by the occupant.

7. The torso equipment support system of claim 1, wherein the set of restraint shoulder straps and yoke move together.

8. The torso equipment support system of claim 1, wherein the set of restraint shoulder straps and yoke include a forward edge with a buckle for releasable attachment.

9. The torso equipment support system of claim 1, wherein releasable attachment of the set of restraint shoulder straps with the shoulder belts is operably connected to a primary restraint release buckle that is further connected to each of a plurality of restraint lap buckles.

10. The torso equipment support system of claim 1, wherein the base, the flexible support column, and the support beam are located between a seat cushion and the seat bucket.

11. A vehicle seating system providing upper torso and worn equipment support to an occupant, comprising:

a seat system, including;

a vehicle seat including a bottom cushion portion and an upright seat back having a top and a bottom;

a vest for wear by the occupant that includes a pair of shoulder belts for releasable coupling; and

a torso equipment support system coupled to the seat system including;

a vertical support assembly structure having a first end and a second end vertically disposed from one another, the first end fixedly secured near the bottom of the upright seat back;

a shoulder harness assembly coupled to the vertical support assembly structure, comprising;

an adjustable yoke slideably coupled to the second end of the vertical support assembly structure and including two generally horizontally projecting members for extension over shoulders of the occupant; and

a set of restraint shoulder straps that project inwardly for extension over the shoulders of the occupant from at least one retractor secured to the vehicle seat, and extending to engagement with the two horizontally projecting members, the shoulder harness assembly configured for releasable coupling with the pair of shoulder belts.

12. The vehicle seating system of claim 11, wherein the vertical support assembly structure includes a base that is fixedly secured near the bottom of the upright seat back.

13. The vehicle seating system of claim 11, wherein the vertical support assembly structure includes a flexible column made of an elastomer, spring, or mechanical joint that is biased toward a vertically upright orientation.

14. The vehicle seating system of claim 11, wherein the vertical support assembly structure includes a support beam contoured to the spine of the occupant.

15. The vehicle seating system of claim 11, wherein the set of restraint shoulder straps project from two retractors that comprise dual inertial reels.

16. The vehicle seating system of claim 11, wherein the set of restraint shoulder straps project from a single retractor that is an inertial reel.

17. The vehicle seating system of claim 11, wherein the at least one retractor is a power haul back type retractor.

18. The vehicle seating system of claim 11, wherein the shoulder harness assembly includes a forward edge with a buckle for releasable attachment.

19. The vehicle seating system of claim 11, wherein the shoulder belts are connected to a primary restraint release buckle on the vest that is connected to a plurality of restraint lap buckles.

20. The vehicle seating system of claim 11, wherein the vertical support assembly structure is at least partially located within a cushion covering the upright seat back of the vehicle seat.