Vehicle occupant protection apparatus

• US 6,086,097 A
• Filed: 06/09/1998
• Issued: 07/11/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Original Assignee: TRW Inc. (Northrop Grumman Corporation)
• Inventors: Van Wynsberghe, Roy D.
• Primary Examiner(s): Swann, J. J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): ZEENDER, FLORIAN M
• Application Number:
  US09/093,898
• Time in Patent Office: 763 Days
• Field of Search: 280/748, 180/282, 180/274, 180/271, 180/268, 297/216.1, 297/216.15, 297/216.16, 297/216.17, 296/68.1
• US Class Current: 280/748
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4235 transversal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4242 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42736 of the whole seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0018 Roll-over
• 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

An apparatus (10) includes a vehicle seat (12) and a release device (80) which is mounted on the seat (12). The seat (12) includes a cushion (26), a frame (16), and a spring (70). The spring (70) is connected to the frame (16) in a load-bearing relationship with the cushion (26) so as to transmit a vehicle occupant weight load from the cushion (26) to the frame (16). The release device (80) is actuatable to release the spring (70) from the load-bearing relationship.

Claims

1. Apparatus comprising:

a vehicle seat including a cushion, a frame, and a spring connected to said frame in a load-bearing relationship with said cushion so as to transmit a vehicle occupant weight load from said cushion to said frame; and

a release device mounted on said seat, said release device being actuatable to disconnect said spring from said frame to irreversibly release said spring from said load-bearing relationship.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 further comprising means for actuating said release device upon the occurrence of a vehicle crash.

3. Apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein said actuating means includes means for sensing the occurrence of a rollover crash and means for responding to said sensing means by actuating said release device.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3 further comprising a vehicle occupant restraint system including seat belt webbing which is extendable about an occupant of said seat, said restraint system further including a pretensioner which is actuatable to impart tension to said webbing.

5. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said release device is actuatable to sever said spring.

6. Apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein said release device comprises a mounting member which interconnects said spring and said frame, said mounting member being formed of a material having a strength sufficient for said mounting member normally to retain said spring in said load-bearing relationship, said material being responsive to electric current so as to have a second, lesser strength when subjected to electric current of at least a predetermined actuating level, said second strength being insufficient for said mounting member to retain said spring in said load-bearing relationship.

7. Apparatus as defined in claim 6 further comprising means for subjecting said mounting member to said actuating level of electric current upon the occurrence of a vehicle crash.

8. Apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein said material is a shape memory effect alloy.