Rear Impact Occupant Protection Apparatus and Method

• US 20060186713A1
• Filed: 05/01/2006
• Published: 08/24/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 12/17/1997
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Vehicular Sciences LLC (Acacia Research Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Automotive Technologies International Incorporated
• Inventors: Breed, David S.
• Granted Patent: US 7,604,080 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/216.120
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/02246 Electric motors therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4228 due to impact coming from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/829 characterised by their adjusting mechanisms, e.g. electric motors
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/865 providing a fore-and-aft movement with respect to the occupant's head
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/888 with arrangements for protecting against abnormal g-forces, e.g. by displacement of the head-rest
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0011 Rear collision or recoiling bounce after frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0048 Head
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/207 in vehicle seats

Abstract

Vehicle including a system for preventing injury to an occupant'"'"'s head and neck during a rear impact includes a support structure for supporting the occupant including an upper body support portion for supporting the occupant'"'"'s head and neck, the support structure having a plurality of different positions selectable by the occupant, and a positioning system for adjusting the position of the support structure prior to the rear impact such that the upper body support portion is closer to and preferably in contact with the occupant'"'"'s head and neck during the rear impact. As a result, motion of the occupant'"'"'s head and neck relative to the occupant'"'"'s back is thereby reduced and preferably eliminated during the rear impact. Whiplash injuries are therefore reduced if not eliminated using the invention.

Claims

1. A vehicle including a system for preventing injury to an occupant'"'"'s head and neck during a rear impact, comprising:

a support structure for supporting the occupant including an upper body support portion for supporting the occupant'"'"'s head and neck, said support structure having a plurality of different positions selectable by the occupant; and

a positioning system for adjusting the position of said support structure prior to the rear impact such that said upper body support portion is closer to and preferably in contact with the occupant'"'"'s head and neck during the rear impact whereby motion of the occupant'"'"'s head and neck relative to the occupant'"'"'s back is thereby reduced and preferably eliminated during the rear impact.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said positioning system is arranged to adjust the position of said support structure based on the determined position of the occupant'"'"'s head and/or neck.

3. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said support structure comprises a seat having a seat back portion, said upper body support portion comprising a headrest movable relative to said seat back portion.

4. The vehicle of claim 3, wherein said headrest is resettable and does not undergo permanent damage during the rear impact.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said upper body support portion is arranged to simultaneously support both the occupant'"'"'s head and neck.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a position determining system for determining the position of the occupant'"'"'s head and/or neck.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, further comprising a crash sensor for detecting or predicting the rear impact and a control module coupled to said crash sensor and said positioning system and arranged to control said positioning system to adjust the position of said support structure upon a detection or prediction of the rear impact by said crash sensor.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein said positioning system is activatable such that upon activation of said positioning system, said upper body support portion is moved closer to and preferably into contact with the occupant'"'"'s head and neck during the rear impact.

9. The vehicle of claim 8, further comprising a position determining system for determining the position of the occupant'"'"'s head and/or neck, said positioning system being arranged to adjust the position of said support structure based on the determined position of the occupant'"'"'s head and/or neck.

10. A vehicle including a system for preventing injury to an occupant'"'"'s head and neck during a rear impact, comprising:

a support structure for supporting the occupant including an upper body support portion for supporting the occupant'"'"'s head and neck, said support structure having a plurality of different positions selectable by the occupant; and

a positioning system for adjusting the position of said support structure from a first position in which said upper body support portion is apart from the occupant'"'"'s head and neck to a second position in which the upper body support portion is closer to and preferably in contact with the occupant'"'"'s head and neck, said positioning system being activated to adjust said support structure prior to the rear impact.

11. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein said support structure comprises a seat having a seat back portion, said upper body support portion comprising a headrest movable relative to said seat back portion.

12. The vehicle of claim 11, wherein said headrest is resettable and does not undergo permanent damage during the rear impact.

13. The vehicle of claim 10, wherein said upper body support portion is arranged to simultaneously support both the occupant'"'"'s head and neck.

14. The vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a position determining system for determining the position of the occupant'"'"'s head and/or neck, said positioning system being arranged to adjust the position of said support structure based on the determined position of the occupant'"'"'s head and/or neck.

15. The vehicle of claim 10, further comprising a crash sensor for detecting or predicting the rear impact and a control module coupled to said crash sensor and said positioning system and arranged to control said positioning system to adjust the position of said support structure upon a detection or prediction of the rear impact by said crash sensor.

16. A method for preventing injury to a vehicular occupant'"'"'s head and neck during a rear impact involving the vehicle, comprising:

enabling the occupant to selectively adjust a support structure which is designed to support the occupant'"'"'s head and neck into one of a plurality of different positions;

detecting or predicting the rear impact;

determining that the occupant'"'"'s head and/or neck require support for the rear impact; and

adjusting the position of the support structure prior to the rear impact such that an upper body support portion of the support structure is closer to and preferably in contact with the occupant'"'"'s head and neck during the rear impact whereby motion of the occupant'"'"'s head and neck relative to the occupant'"'"'s back is thereby reduced and preferably eliminated during the rear impact.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising determining the position of the occupant'"'"'s head and/or neck prior to the rear impact, the position of the support structure being adjusted prior to the rear impact based on the determined position of the occupant'"'"'s head and/or neck.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the support structure comprises a seat having a seat back portion, the upper body support portion comprising a headrest movable relative to seat back portion.

19. The method of claim 16, wherein the step of adjusting the support structure comprises moving the support structure from a first position in which the upper body support portion is apart from the occupant'"'"'s head and neck to a second position in which the upper body support portion is closer to and preferably in contact with the occupant'"'"'s head and neck, further comprising moving the upper body support portion back to the first position after the rear impact.

20. The method of claim 16, further comprising constructing the upper body support portion to prevent permanent damage thereto during the rear impact.