NECK INJURY MITIGATION SYSTEMS AND METHODS

• US 20120169033A1
• Filed: 12/30/2010
• Published: 07/05/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/30/2010
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Original Assignee: Autoliv ASP Incorporated (Autoliv Incorporated)
• Inventors: Wang, Bin, Williams, Jeffrey D., Heasman, Paul Edward, Jamison, Patrick Dee
• Granted Patent: US 8,714,595 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 280/733
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0039 Body parts of the occupant or pedestrian affected by the accident
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/288 with means to adjust or regulate the amount of energy to be absorbed
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/289 Energy-absorption curves
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/0136 responsive to actual contact with an obstacle , e.g. to vehicle deformation, bumper displacement or bumper velocity relative to the vehicle monitoring crash strength in combination with passenger seat detection B60R21/01558
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/205 in dashboards
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/231 characterised by their shape, construction or spatial configuration
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/4676 comprising energy-absorbing means operating between belt reel and retractor frame

Abstract

Seat belt systems and inflatable airbags can be used to mitigate the potential for injury to an occupant'"'"'s neck. The seat belt systems provide for moderating the seat belt loads acting on the occupant to allow an improved synchronization of the occupant torso and head rebound timing, which in turn limits head and torso differential loading (frontal whiplash) and therefore occupant neck loads and neck, based on the position of the occupant, loads on the seatbelt, or a predetermined time in the crash event. Airbags are also provided with a sloped impact face. Additionally, airbags are also provided with a relatively flat top portion.

Claims

1. A method for reducing injury of an occupant in a vehicle in the event of a crash event, comprising:

inflating an airbag cushion in the vehicle in front of an occupant;

activating a seatbelt system to restrain the occupant and act on the occupant with predetermined seat belt loads at various locations; and

moderating the seat belt loads acting on the occupant during the crash event to allow synchronization of the occupant torso and head rebound timing which in turn limits head and torso differential loading and therefore occupant neck loads.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein moderating the seat belt loads is initiated when the occupant'"'"'s torso reaches an arrested state and is poised to transition from forward movement to rearward movement.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein moderating the seat belt loads is initiated when a seatbelt of the seatbelt system has been stretched to its limit and is ready to propel the occupant rearward in the vehicle after maximum forward displacement and full arrest of the occupant has occurred.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein moderating the seat belt loads is initiated at a predetermined time.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein moderating the seat belt loads is initiated within a range between about 40 milliseconds and about 200 milliseconds after an impact has been sensed.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the moderating of the seat belt loads results in a digression in the load amount measured at a shoulder belt.

7. A method for reducing injury of an occupant in a vehicle in the event of a crash event, comprising:

inflating an airbag cushion in the vehicle in front of an occupant,

wherein the airbag cushion comprises

a bottom portion,

a top portion, and

a sloped impact face between the bottom portion and the top portion, which is directed toward an occupant'"'"'s head in the event of an impact,

wherein the face has a bottom that is adjacent to the bottom portion and a top that is adjacent to the top portion, and

wherein the face is sloped such that a tangent taken from the bottom of the face upward defines an angle in a range up to about 36°

;

activating a seatbelt system to restrain the occupant and act on the occupant with predetermined seat belt loads at various locations; and

moderating the seat belt loads acting on the occupant during the crash event to allow synchronization of the occupant torso and head rebound timing which in turn limits head and torso differential loading and therefore occupant neck loads.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein moderating the seat belt loads is initiated when the occupant'"'"'s torso reaches an arrested state and is poised to transition from forward movement to rearward movement.

9. The method of claim 7, wherein moderating the seat belt loads is initiated when a seatbelt of the seatbelt system has been stretched to its limit and is ready to propel the occupant rearward in the vehicle after maximum forward displacement and full arrest of the occupant has occurred.

10. The method of claim 7, wherein moderating the seat belt loads is initiated at a predetermined time.

11. The method of claim 7, wherein moderating the seat belt loads is initiated within a range between about 40 milliseconds and about 200 milliseconds after an impact has been sensed.

12. The method of claim 7, wherein the moderating of the seat belt loads results in a digression in the load amount measured at a shoulder belt.

13. The method of claim 7, wherein the angle of the sloped impact face is between about 15°

and about 36°

.

14. The method of claim 7, wherein the angle of the sloped impact face is between about 20°

and about 36°

.

15. The method of claim 7, wherein the angle of the sloped impact face is between about 20°

and about 30°

.

16. The method of claim 7, wherein the angle of the sloped impact face is between about 28°

.

17. The method of claim 7, wherein the top portion of the airbag cushion is relatively flat such that it is substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

18. A method for reducing injury of an occupant in a vehicle in the event of a crash event, comprising:

inflating an airbag cushion in the vehicle in front of an occupant,

wherein the airbag cushion comprises

a bottom portion,

a top portion, and

an impact face between the bottom portion and the top portion, which is directed toward an occupant'"'"'s head in the event of an impact,

wherein the face has a bottom that is adjacent to the bottom portion and a top that is adjacent to the top portion, and

wherein the length of the airbag cushion extending between a lowest point of the bottom portion and the highest point of the top portion is not substantially greater than the length from the thighs of an AM50 dummy to the top of the head of an AM50 dummy when the dummy is in a normal seated position;

activating a seatbelt system to restrain the occupant and act on the occupant with predetermined seat belt loads at various locations; and

moderating the seat belt loads acting on the occupant during the crash event to allow synchronization of the occupant torso and head rebound timing which in turn limits head and torso differential loading and therefore occupant neck loads.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein moderating the seat belt loads is initiated when the occupant'"'"'s torso reaches an arrested state and is poised to transition from forward movement to rearward movement.

20. The method of claim 18, wherein moderating the seat belt loads is initiated when a seatbelt of the seatbelt system has been stretched to its limit and is ready to propel the occupant rearward in the vehicle after maximum forward displacement and full arrest of the occupant has occurred.

21. The method of claim 18, wherein moderating the seat belt loads is initiated at a predetermined time.

22. The method of claim 18, wherein moderating the seat belt loads is initiated within a range between about 40 milliseconds and about 200 milliseconds after an impact has been sensed.

23. The method of claim 18, wherein the moderating of the seat belt loads results in a digression of the load amount measured at a shoulder belt.

24. The method of claim 18, wherein the face is sloped such that a tangent taken from the bottom of the face upward defines an angle in a range up to about 36°

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the angle of the sloped impact face is between about 15°

and about 36°

.

26. The method of claim 24, wherein the angle of the sloped impact face is between about 20°

and about 36°

.

27. The method of claim 24, wherein the angle of the sloped impact face is between about 20°

and about 30°

.

28. The method of claim 24, wherein the angle of the sloped impact face is between about 28°

.

29. The method of claim 18, wherein the top portion of the airbag cushion is relatively flat such that it is substantially parallel with a longitudinal axis of the vehicle.

30. The method of claim 18, wherein the length of the airbag cushion extending between a lowest point of the bottom portion and the highest point of the top portion is no greater than the length from the thighs of an AM50 dummy to the top of the head of an AM50 dummy when the dummy is in a normal seated position.

31. The method of claim 18, wherein the length of the airbag cushion extending between a lowest point of the bottom portion and the highest point of the top portion is less than the length from the thighs of an AM50 dummy to the top of the head of an AM50 dummy when the dummy is in a normal seated position.