Apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant's legs
First Claim
1. A safety apparatus for helping to protect the lower legs of a vehicle occupant during a vehicle collision, said safety apparatus including:
- a first air bag inflatable into engagement with the bottom of at least one of the vehicle occupant'"'"'s shoes; and
a second air bag inflatable into engagement with the back of at least one of the vehicle occupant'"'"'s lower legs.
7 Assignments
0 Petitions
Accused Products
Abstract
A safety apparatus (70) for helping to protect an occupant (30) of a vehicle (10) in the event of a vehicle collision comprises an air bag system including at least one inflatable air bag (80) having a deflated condition and an inflated condition. The air bag (80), when inflated, unlocks at least one of the occupant'"'"'s knees (50) to minimize forces transmitted through at least the corresponding one of the occupant'"'"'s legs (40) to the occupant'"'"'s pelvis (36). Seat belt webbing (74) restrains forward movement of the occupant (30) relative to the vehicle (10) when the occupant'"'"'s knee (50) is unlocked.
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Citations
22 Claims
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1. A safety apparatus for helping to protect the lower legs of a vehicle occupant during a vehicle collision, said safety apparatus including:
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a first air bag inflatable into engagement with the bottom of at least one of the vehicle occupant'"'"'s shoes; and
a second air bag inflatable into engagement with the back of at least one of the vehicle occupant'"'"'s lower legs. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4)
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5. A safety apparatus for helping to protect the lower legs of a vehicle occupant during a vehicle collision, said apparatus comprising:
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an inflatable air bag inflatable into a position to engage the back of at least one of the vehicle occupant'"'"'s lower legs; and
an inflator for inflating said inflatable air bag. - View Dependent Claims (6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13)
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14. A safety apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle in the event of a vehicle collision, said apparatus comprising:
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an air bag system including at least one inflatable air bag having a deflated condition and an inflated condition, said air bag, when inflated, unlocking at least one of the occupant'"'"'s knees to minimize forces transmitted through at least the corresponding one of the occupant'"'"'s lower legs to the occupant'"'"'s pelvis; and
seat belt webbing for restraining forward movement of the occupant relative to the vehicle when the at least one of the occupant'"'"'s knees is unlocked;
said at least one air bag being inflated into engagement with the at least one of the occupant'"'"'s lower legs to cause the at least one of the occupant'"'"'s lower legs to pivot at the occupant'"'"'s corresponding knee;
said at least one air bag engaging the back of the at least one of the occupant'"'"'s lower legs and raising the at least one lower leg to cause the at least one lower leg to pivot at the occupant'"'"'s corresponding knee. - View Dependent Claims (15)
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16. A safety apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision, said safety apparatus comprising:
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a first air bag inflatable into a first position adjacent one side of the lower legs of the vehicle occupant;
a second air bag inflatable into a second position adjacent the other side of the lower legs of the vehicle occupant; and
a third air bag inflatable into engagement with the back of at least one of the vehicle occupant'"'"'s lower legs. - View Dependent Claims (17, 18, 19)
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20. A safety apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision, said safety apparatus comprising:
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a first air bag inflatable into a first position adjacent one side of the lower legs of the vehicle occupant;
a second air bag inflatable into a second position adjacent the other side of the lower legs of the vehicle occupant; and
a third inflatable air bag which, as it inflates, engages the bottom of at least one of the occupant'"'"'s shoes and lifts at least a corresponding one of the occupant'"'"'s lower legs to cause the corresponding one of the lower legs to pivot at the occupant'"'"'s corresponding knee. - View Dependent Claims (21)
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22. A safety apparatus for helping to protect a vehicle occupant in the event of a vehicle collision, said safety apparatus comprising:
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a first air bag inflatable into a first position adjacent one side of the lower legs of the vehicle occupant;
a second air bag inflatable into a second position adjacent the other side of the lower legs of the vehicle occupant; and
a third air bag inflatable into engagement with the shin of each of the occupant'"'"'s lower legs to help pivot the lower legs at the occupant'"'"'s knees rearwardly in the vehicle and to cushion forward movement of the lower legs in a vehicle collision.
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Specification