Rollover seat system

• US 5,492,368 A
• Filed: 05/22/1995
• Issued: 02/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 02/23/1995
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: General Motors Corporation (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Inventors: Pywell, James F., Miller, Harold J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Rice, Kenneth R.
• Application Number:
  US08/447,298
• Time in Patent Office: 274 Days
• Field of Search: 180/268, 280/806, 280/807
• US Class Current: 280/806
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4609 using a plurality of tensioners
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/4638 comprising a piston moving along or in parallel to the reel axis
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/1952 Transmission of tensioning power by cable; Return motion locking means therefor
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/4604 characterised by arrangements in vehicle or relative to seat belt
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/4633 Linear actuators, e.g. comprising a piston moving along reel axis and rotating along its own axis

Abstract

A vehicle seat system for a vehicle seat mounted on the vehicle floor is provided including a resilient vehicle seat bun for normally supporting a seated occupant at a given height above the vehicle floor; a lap restraint to cross over the seated occupant to restrain the occupant in the vehicle seat; a belt wrench tensionally associated with the lap restraint to tension the lap restraint to an extent to significantly pull down toward the vehicle floor the seated occupant into the seat bun such that the seated occupant'"'"'s head is brought closer to the floor; and a sensor to activate the belt wrench when the vehicle undergoes a displacement condition indicative of a vehicle rollover condition.

Claims

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

a resilient vehicle seat bun for normally supporting a seated occupant at a given height above the vehicle floor;

a lap restraint to cross over the seated occupant to restrain the occupant in the vehicle seat;

a belt wrench tensionally associated with the lap restraint to tension the lap restraint to an extent to significantly pull down toward the vehicle floor the seated occupant into the seat bun such that a head of a seated occupant is brought closer to the floor; and

a sensor to activate the belt wrench when the vehicle undergoes a displacement condition indicative of a vehicle rollover condition.

2. A vehicle seat system as described in claim 1 wherein the belt wrench pulls with a tensional force of over 500 pounds force.

3. A vehicle seat system as described in claim 1 wherein the belt wrench is a pyrotechnically rotary powered wrench.

4. A vehicle seat system as described in claim 1 wherein there is additionally a pretensioner which tensions the lap restraint in the displacement condition indicative of a vehicle rollover condition.

5. A vehicle seat system as described in claim 4 wherein the pretensioner works substantially faster than the belt wrench.

6. A vehicle seat system as described in claim 1 wherein the lap restraint is also operatively associated with a shoulder harness.

7. A vehicle seat system as described in claim 6 wherein an end of the shoulder harness generally opposite the lap restraint is connected to a signalled retractor.

8. A vehicle seat system as described in claim 6 wherein an end of the lap restraint opposite the belt wrench is connected to a pretensioner.

9. A vehicle seat system as described in claim 1 wherein the seat bun is collapsible.

10. A vehicle seat system as described in claim 9 wherein the seat bun has a fluid cushion which is valved to a releasing position upon activation by the sensor.

11. A vehicle seat system as described in claim 9 wherein the seat bun has a mechanical suspension which is released upon activation by the sensor.

12. A vehicle seat system for a vehicle seat mounted on a vehicle floor comprising:

a resilient vehicle seat bun for normally supporting a seated occupant at a given height above the vehicle floor;

a lap restraint with first and second ends to cross over the seated occupant combined with a shoulder restraint with first and second ends to restrain the occupant in the vehicle seat;

a pyrotechnic rotary belt wrench tensionally associated with the first end of the belt restraint to tension the lap restraint to an extent of an least 500 pounds force to significantly pull down toward the vehicle floor the seated occupant into the seat bun such that a head region of a seated occupant is brought closer to the vehicle floor;

a pretensioner tensionally associated with the second end of the lap restraint to tension the lap restraint and shoulder harness first end working significantly faster to tension the lap restraint and shoulder harness before a completion of the tensioning of the lap restraint by the belt wrench;

a signalled belt retractor providing an anchor for the second end of the shoulder restraint; and

a sensor to activate the belt wrench and the pretensioner when the vehicle floor undergoes a displacement condition indicative of a vehicle rollover condition.

13. A method of confining a seated vehicle occupant in a vehicle in an attempt to minimize injuries in a rollover condition comprising:

normally supporting the seated occupant on a resilient vehicle seat bun at a given height above a floor of the vehicle;

restraining in the vehicle seat the seated occupant by a belt restraint which crosses over the seated occupant'"'"'s lap;

tensioning the belt restraint with a belt wrench tensionally associated with the belt restraint to an extent to significantly pull down toward the vehicle floor the vehicle occupant into the seat bun such that a head region of the seated occupant is brought closer to the vehicle floor; and

sensing a displacement of the vehicle floor indicative of a vehicle rollover condition and thereafter signalling the belt wrench to tension the belt restraint.

14. A method as described in claim 13 wherein the belt wrench pulls with at least 500 pounds force.

15. A method as described in claim 13 further including pretensioning the belt restraint.

16. A method as described in claim 13 further including collapsing the seat bun in response to the rollover condition.