Vehicle safety device

• US 3,888,329 A
• Filed: 05/14/1973
• Issued: 06/10/1975
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: James Monaghan
• Original Assignee: James Monaghan
• Inventors: Monaghan, James
• Primary Examiner(s): Schonberg, David
• Assistant Examiner(s): Silverstrim, John P.
• Application Number:
  US05/360,345
• Time in Patent Office: 757 Days
• Field of Search: 280/15B 297/384,390,216,150,144,145,146 312/266,268 180/103
• US Class Current: 280/734
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/022 mounted on seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/02 Occupant safety arrangements or fittings , e.g. crash pads seat belts with crash pads B60R22/14; removable children's seats having a front guard or barrier B60N2/2839

Abstract

The disclosure relates to a vehicle occupant restraint device, particularly a passenger restraint device. The device comprises a resilient pad for restraining the passenger, a rigid transverse crossmember, an upright rotatable arm, a transverse pivot shaft and an orientation maintenance means operably coacting between the transverse pivot shaft and the crossmember which preserves the orientation of the pad throughout its operating movement. The device also may include spring means for urging the device into a storage position. The device may also include an automatic operation system for positively restraining the passenger upon the occurrence of a vehicle accident event to provide an automatic passive restraint.

Claims

1. A resuable vehicle safety device adapted for restraining a vehicle occupant comprising, a resilient restraint pad, a transversely extending crossmember for supporting said pad, a rotatable support arm having one end operably connected to said crossmember, a transversely extending pivot shaft, said support arm having its opposite end pivotally connected to said pivot shaft for rotation of said support arm in a vertical longitudinal plane for moving said crossmember and said pad from a prepared storage position in front of and spaced from said occupant to a restraint position in contact with the torso of said occupant, orientation maintenance means connected to said pivot shaft and said crossmember to control rotation of said crossmember about its transversely extending axis and resultiNg in an angular rotation of said crossmember with respect to said support arm which is substantially equal and opposite to the angular rotation of said support arm about said pivot shaft for substantially preserving a predetermined orientation of said pad with respect to said occupant as said support arm is moved in said vertical longitudinal plane, manual means operably connected to said support arm for moving said support arm and said pad through said vertical longitudinal plane to a closer prepared position in closer proximity to the occupant'"'"''"'"'s torso than when in said prepared storage position, a manually-operated clutch means releasably locking said support arm in said closer prepared position, sensing means for sensing a vehicle accident event when said restraining pad is in said prepared positions, power means connected to said support arm for moving said support arm and said restraint pad from said prepared positions into contacting engagement with said occupant, said power means including actuation means operably connected to said sensing means for actuating said power means upon the sensing of an accident event by said sensing means, and said clutch means including release means to enable said support arm to be rotated in a direction toward said occupant from said closer prepared position and preventing movement away from said occupant from said closer prepared position so that said restraint pad may be moved by said power means into contact with said occupant upon the sensing of an accident event by said sensing means while generally maintaining said predetermined orientation.

2. A safety device according to claim 1, wherein said actuation means includes a switching means for actuating said power means upon the sensing of an accident event by said sensing means.

3. A safety device in accordance with claim 2, wherein said power means includes a source of pressurized fluid, a fluid-operated cylinder and piston with a rack fixed to said piston, a control valve actuated by said switching means for selectively applying fluid to said cylinder and piston, a gear rotatably mounted on said transverse pivot shaft in driven relation to said rack, and a torsion spring disposed with one end in driving relation to said rotatable support arm and with with the other end in driven relation to said gear.

4. A safety device according to claim 2, wherein said power means comprises, a source of pressurized fluid, a fluid-operated motor operatively associated with said support arm for rotating said arm upon actuation, and a control valve actuated by said switching means for selectively applying pressurized fluid from said source to said fluid-operated motor.

5. A safety device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said restraint pad includes rearwardly projecting side walls for restraining the occupant from sidewards movement.

6. A safety device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said restraint pad disposed in closer spaced proximity from said torso includes an air cushion adapted to be inflated from a source of high pressure air, said power means also includes pressurized air means for supplying high pressure air and, said pressurized air means being connected in fluid communication with said air cushion, and said actuation means being operable for actuating said power means to supply high pressure air for inflating said air cushion upon the sensing of an accident event by said sensing means for ultra-rapidly restraining a vehicle occupant from movement, with two combined restraining forces.

7. A safety device in accordance with claim 1, wherein said clutch means includes separable clutch parts for manually positioning and releasably locking said pad in said other prepared position, and said clutch means includes pressurized air means for applying air under pressure between said clutch parts for unlocking said clutch upon the sEnsing of an accident event to automatically release said clutch upon the occurence of an accident event.

8. A reusable vehicle safety device adapted for restraining a vehicle occupant comprising, a resilient restraint pad, a transversely extending crossmember for supporting said pad, a rotatable support arm having one end operably connected to said crossmember a transversely extending pivot shaft, said support arm having its opposite end pivotally connected to said pivot shaft for rotation of said support arm in a vertical, longitudinal plane for moving said crossmember and said pad from a prepared storage position in front of and spaced from said occupant to a restraint position in contact with the torso of said occupant, Orientation maintenance means connected to said pivot shaft and said crossmember to control rotation of said crossmember about its transversely extending axis and resulting in an angular rotation of said crossmember with respect to said support arm which is substantially equal and opposite to the angular rotation of said support arm about said pivot shaft substantially preserving a predetermined orientation of said pad with respect to said occupant as said support arm is moved in said vertical longitudinal plane, sensing means for sensing a vehicle accident event when said restraint pad is in said prepared storage position, power means connected to said support arm for moving said support arm and restraint pad from said prepared storage position into contacting engagement with said occupant, said power means including actuation means operably connected to said sensing means for actuating said power means upon the sensing of an accident event by said sensing means, and deactuation means for deactuating said power means after a period of time to permit the return of said pad to said prepared storage position from said restraint position.

9. A safety device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said device includes time extension means for automatically extending the period of actuation of said power means upon the sensing of a plurality of successive vehicle accident events by said sensing means for protecting said occupant during the duration of the accident.

10. A safety device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said sensing means comprises an impact sensor.

11. A safety device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said sensing means comprises a distance-sensing sensor.

12. A safety device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said sensing means comprises a deceleration sensor.

13. A safety device in accordance with claim 8, wherein said restraint pad comprises an air cushion which is disposed on the surface of said pad proximate to said occupant and which is actuable by said sensing means.

14. A reusable vehicle safety device adapted for restraining a seated vehicle occupant comprising, a resilient restraint pad, a transversely extending crossmember for supporting said pad, a rotatable support arm having one end operably connected to said crossmember, a transversely extending pivot shaft, said support arm having its opposite end pivotally connected to said pivot shaft for rotation of said support arm in a vertical longitudinal plane between the occupant and the vehicle exterior to enable moving said crossmember and said restraint pad from prepared storage position in front of and spaced from said occupant to a restraint position in closer proximity to the torso of said occupant, and a transverse pivotal connection to said crossmember at said one end for angular rotation of said crossmember and said restraint pad with respect to said support arm, orientation maintenance means connected to said pivot shaft and said crossmember for preserving a predetermined orientation of said pad with respect to said occupant as it moves in said vertical longitudinal plane throughout its operating movement from said prepared storage position to said reStraint position, manual means operably connected to said support arm for moving said support arm and said pad through said vertical longitudinal plane, manually-operated clutch means releasably locking said support arm and said crossmember in said restraint position in closer proximity to said occupant to prevent angular movement of said support arm away from said occupant and angular rotation of said crossmember with respect to said support arm to maintain said pad in its optimum oriented position for contact with the occupant'"'"''"'"'s torso when said support arm and said pad are in the restraint position.

15. A safety device according to claim 14, wherein said orientation maintenance means comprises a planetary action mechanism coacting between said transverse pivot and said crossmember.

16. A safety device in accordance with claim 14, including, spring means operably connected to said arm for urging said arm in a direction away from said occupant for moving said arm and said restraint pad from said restraint position to the prepared storage position in front of and spaced from the occupant.

17. A safety device according to claim 14, wherein the general plane of said restraint pad is disposed in parallel relation to the general plane of the occupant'"'"''"'"'s torso, and said crossmember and said restraint pad comprise rigid and resilient parts adapted to further insure optimum orientation with said torso.

18. A safety device in accordance with claim 14, wherein said restraint pad disposed in said closer prepared position in closer spaced proximity from said torso includes an air cushion which is automatically inflated by a source of high pressure air actuatable by a manual dashboard switch when a vehicle accident is imminent to provide contacting firm engagement of said restraint pad with the occupant.

19. A safety device in accordance with claim 18, wherein said restraint pad disposed in said closer prepared position in closer proximity from said torso includes an air cushion which is automatically inflated by a source of high pressure air actuatable by a sensor upon sensing of an accident event to provide contacting firm engagement of said restraint pad with the occupant.