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Occupant restraint and protection system for an automotive vehicle

  • US 4,130,298 A
  • Filed: 01/12/1976
  • Issued: 12/19/1978
  • Est. Priority Date: 01/12/1976
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A system for restraining and protecting the driver and passengers of an automotive vehicle against injury as a result of a collision of the vehicle with another object, said vehicle including a vehicle body having laterally spaced windshield posts for supporting a windshield, a dashboard, the lower ends of said windshield posts intersecting said dashboard, a front seat for supporting the driver and one or more passengers in said vehicle body, and a roof overlying said seat, said system comprising expansible cushioning means adapted to be mounted on the underside of the roof of said vehicle body in a collapsed, inoperative position and expandable to an operative position engaging the laps and pelvic areas of the driver and passengers seated on the front seat of said vehicle body so as to restrain said driver and passengers against forward movement in said vehicle body and thereby prevent injury thereto in the event of a collision, a pair of elongated, laterally spaced arms adapted to be mounted in said vehicle body for movement about axes located adjacent to the intersection of the lower ends of said windshield posts with said dashboard and from inoperative positions adjacent to said windshield posts to operative positions wherein one end of each arm is disposed generally adjacent to the knees of the driver and passengers, said ends of said arms being connected to said cushioning means and operable to extend and hold the latter in its operative, expanded position extending laterally across the front seat of said vehicle body and engaging the laps and pelvic areas of the driver and passengers, and actuating means for effecting movement of said arms from their inoperative to their operative positions and expansion of said cushioning means.

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