Vehicle air-bag minimum distance enforcement apparatus, method and system
First Claim
1. A vehicle safety device comprising:
- a first air-bag mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle;
a first seat mounted within the passenger compartment, the first seat being movably connected to a frame of the vehicle by a first seat position adjusting mechanism, the first seat position adjusting mechanism allowing the first seat to move relative to the first air-bag along a first axis between a forward-most position and a rearward-most position, the forward-most position being defined as a position of the first seat in which a distance between a passenger seated in the first seat and the first air-bag is equal to a minimum safe clearance, displacement of the first seat away from the forward-most position increasing the distance between the first seat and the first air-bag;
wherein the first air-bag is fixedly positioned with respect to one of a steering wheel assembly for a driver and a dashboard arrangement for a passenger other than the driver.
1 Assignment
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A vehicle air-bag minimum enforcement apparatus for use with a first air-bag and a first seat mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the apparatus including a first seat position adjusting mechanism to movably connect the first seat with respect to the vehicle, and to allow the first seat to move relative to the first air-bag along a first axis between a forward-most position and a rearward-most position, in which the forward-most position is a position of the first seat in which a distance between a passenger seated in the first seat and the first air-bag is equal to a minimum clearance distance, displacement of the first seat away from the forward-most position increasing the distance between the first seat and the first air-bag, and the first air-bag is fixedly positioned with respect to one of a steering wheel assembly for a driver and a dashboard arrangement for a passenger other than the driver, in which the minimum clearance distance is the distance between a reference line of a seat-back of the first seat less a predetermined protrusion of an occupant. The predetermined protrusion of the occupant is one of a fixed distance, and an actual occupant protrusion. The actual occupant protrusion is determinable based on an extracted seat belt length.
-
Citations
49 Claims
-
1. A vehicle safety device comprising:
-
a first air-bag mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle;
a first seat mounted within the passenger compartment, the first seat being movably connected to a frame of the vehicle by a first seat position adjusting mechanism, the first seat position adjusting mechanism allowing the first seat to move relative to the first air-bag along a first axis between a forward-most position and a rearward-most position, the forward-most position being defined as a position of the first seat in which a distance between a passenger seated in the first seat and the first air-bag is equal to a minimum safe clearance, displacement of the first seat away from the forward-most position increasing the distance between the first seat and the first air-bag;
wherein the first air-bag is fixedly positioned with respect to one of a steering wheel assembly for a driver and a dashboard arrangement for a passenger other than the driver. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 39)
-
-
9. A vehicle safety device comprising:
-
a first seat mounted within a passenger compartment of the vehicle, the first seat being movably connected to a frame of the vehicle by a first seat position adjusting mechanism, the first seat position adjusting mechanism allowing the first seat to move along a first axis between a forward-most position and a rearward-most position;
a first air-bag mounted within the passenger compartment in front of the forward-most position of the first seat, the forward-most position being defined as a position of the first seat in which a distance between a passenger seated in the first seat and the first air-bag is equal to a minimum safe clearance;
a pedal mount;
at least one vehicle control pedal movably coupled to the pedal mount, wherein the pedal mount is movably mounted to the vehicle so that the at least one vehicle control pedal may be moved toward and away from the first seat;
a cable extending from a first end coupled to an actuator of a vehicle control device, around first and second pulley assemblies to a second end thereof, the second end of the cable being coupled to an anchor member, the first pulley assembly including a first pulley rotatably and movably coupled to the pedal mount and the second pulley assembly including a second pulley rotatably and non-movably coupled to the pedal mount; and
an abutment member coupled to the at least one pedal and abutting the first pulley assembly so that, upon actuation of the pedal, the first pulley moves relative to the pedal mount applying a corresponding force to the cable to operate the actuator of the vehicle control device;
wherein the first seat is a driver'"'"'s seat and the first air-bag is mounted in a steering wheel of the vehicle.
-
-
32. A method of maintaining a minimum safe clearance between an air-bag mounted in a vehicle and a vehicle passenger to be protected by the air-bag, wherein the vehicle includes a seat which may be moved toward and away from the air-bag, the method comprising the steps of:
-
limiting motion of the seat toward the air-bag to prevent motion of the seat beyond a forward-most position wherein, when in the forward-most position, a passenger seated in the seat is separated from the air-bag by a predetermined minimum safe clearance; and
adjusting a position of at least one vehicle control pedal to achieve a desired distance between the seat and the at least one pedal;
wherein the air-bag is fixedly positioned with respect to one of a steering wheel assembly for a driver and a dashboard arrangement for a passenger other than the driver. - View Dependent Claims (33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38)
-
-
40. A vehicle air-bag minimum enforcement apparatus for use with a first air-bag and a first seat mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
-
a first seat position adjusting mechanism to movably connect the first seat with respect to the vehicle, and to allow the first seat to move relative to the first air-bag along a first axis between a forward-most position and a rearward-most position, wherein;
the forward-most position is a position of the first seat in which a distance between a passenger seated in the first seat and the first air-bag is equal to a minimum clearance distance, displacement of the first seat away from the forward-most position increasing the distance between the first seat and the first air-bag, and the first air-bag is fixedly positioned with respect to one of a steering wheel assembly for a driver and a dashboard arrangement for a passenger other than the driver. - View Dependent Claims (41, 42, 43, 44, 46, 47, 48, 49)
-
-
45. A vehicle air-bag minimum enforcement apparatus for use with a first air-bag and a first seat mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle, the apparatus comprising:
-
means for providing first seat position adjusting to movably connect the first seat with respect to the vehicle, and to allow the first seat to move relative to the first air-bag along a first axis between a forward-most position and a rearward-most position, wherein;
the forward-most position is a position of the first seat in which a distance between a passenger seated in the first seat and the first air-bag is equal to a minimum clearance distance, displacement of the first seat away from the forward-most position increasing the distance between the first seat and the first air-bag, and the first air-bag is fixedly positioned with respect to one of a steering wheel assembly for a driver and a dashboard arrangement for a passenger other than the driver.
-
Specification