Rollover deployed reclining seatback

• US 20060220426A1
• Filed: 04/05/2005
• Published: 10/05/2006
• Est. Priority Date: 04/05/2005
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Eddie Cooper, Edward Moffatt
• Original Assignee: Eddie Cooper, Edward Moffatt
• Inventors: Moffatt, Edward, Cooper, Eddie
• Application Number:
  US11/099,425
• Publication Number:
  US 20060220426A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 297/216.190
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/0276 reaction to emergency situations, e.g. crash
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4221 due to impact coming from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4228 due to impact coming from the rear
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42709 involving residual deformation or fracture of the structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42736 of the whole seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42745 of the back-rest B60N2/433 takes precedence; higher part of the back-rest moving together with the headrest B60N2/888
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/028 specially adapted for use in sleeping position, e.g. for reclining seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/201 with the belt anchor connected to a slider movable in a vehicle-mounted track for passive restraint systems B60R22/06
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/46 Reels with means to tension the belt in an emergency by forced winding upelectrical circuits for triggering safety arrangements B60R21/01 ; tensioners using reels only guiding the belt during normal use, e.g. splitted reels B60R22/195

Abstract

A vehicle seat system utilizes a rollover sensor coupled to an actuator that is actuated under rollover conditions to rotate either the seatback or the seatback and seat cushion to a protective position such that the head of a seated occupant is brought closer to the vehicle floor when the vehicle undergoes a rollover condition.

Claims

1. A vehicle seat system for a vehicle seat mounted on a floor of a vehicle, comprising:

a seat cushion for normally supporting the legs and buttocks of a seated occupant at a given position relative to the vehicle floor;

a seat back for normally supporting the torso of said seated occupant at a given position relative to said seat cushion;

a sensor for providing an activation signal when the vehicle undergoes a condition indicative of a rollover condition;

an actuator coupled to said sensor and actuatable to rotate said seat back to a protective position such that the head of a seated occupant is brought closer to said vehicle floor when said vehicle undergoes said condition.

2. A vehicle seat system in accordance with claim 1, comprising:

a latch coupled to said seat back to retain said seat in said protective position.

3. A vehicle seat system in accordance with claim 1, wherein:

said seat back is rotatable to said protective position independent of said seat cushion.

4. A vehicle seat system in accordance with claim 3, comprising:

a seatbelt torso restraint carried by said seat back to retain said torso.

5. A vehicle seat system in accordance with claim 4, comprising:

an attachment affixing said seatbelt torso restraint to said seat back.

6. A vehicle seat system in accordance with claim 3, comprising:

a seatbelt torso restraint not carried by said seat back, said seatbelt torso restraint being affixed to a member movable from a first position to a second position coincident with said seat back being moved to said protective position

7. A vehicle seat system in accordance with claim 1, wherein;

said seat cushion is rotated to a protective position along with said seat back.

8. A vehicle seat system in accordance with claim 7, wherein:

said seat cushion protective position is one in which the front of said seat cushion is raised relative to the rear of said seat cushion.

9. A vehicle seat system in accordance with claim 7, comprising:

a latch coupled to said seat back to retain said seat in said protective position.

10. A vehicle seat system in accordance with claim 7, comprising:

a seatbelt torso restraint carried by said seat back.

11. A vehicle seat system in accordance with claim 10 comprising:

an attachment affixing said seatbelt torso to said seat back.

12. A vehicle seat system in accordance with claim 7, comprising:

a seatbelt torso restraint not carried by said seat back, said seatbelt torso restraint being affixed to a member movable from a first position to a second position coincident with said seat back being moved to said protective position.

13. A method of utilizing a vehicle seat assembly comprising a seat cushion and a seat back to attempt to minimize injuries to an occupant seated on said seat assembly in a rollover condition, comprising:

normally supporting the occupant on the vehicle seat with the seat back in a given vertical position;

sensing a vehicle rollover condition; and

rotating said vehicle seat back to a protective position in response to sensing said vehicle rollover condition.

14. A method in accordance with claim 13, comprising:

latching said vehicle seat back is said protective position.

15. A method in accordance with claim 13, comprising:

normally supporting the occupant on the vehicle seat with the seat cushion in a given horizontal position;

rotating said seat cushion with said seat back in response to sensing said vehicle rollover condition, such that the front of said seat cushion is raised relative to the rear of said seat cushion.

16. A method in accordance with claim 15, comprising:

retaining said seat cushion and said seat back in said protective position.

17. A method in accordance with claim 13, comprising:

normally supporting the occupant on the vehicle seat with the seat cushion in a given horizontal position;

rotating said seat cushion with said seat back to a protective position in response to sensing said vehicle rollover condition, such that the front of said seat cushion is raised relative to the rear of said seat cushion in said given horizontal position.

18. A method in accordance with claim 17, comprising:

retaining said seatback and said seat cushion in said protective position.

19. A method in accordance with claim 18, comprising:

providing one or more latches to retain said seatback in said protective position.

20. A method in accordance with claim 13, comprising:

providing rollover sensing apparatus;

providing a controller responsive to said rollover sensing apparatus;

providing a drive apparatus coupled to said seat and responsive to said controller to move said seatback to said protected position.

21. A method in accordance with claim 20, comprising;

selecting said drive apparatus to be one of a pyrotechnic device, an electrically actuated device;

an energy storage mechanical device;

or a spring.