Occupant restraint system and kit with compartmentalization

• US 6,666,520 B2
• Filed: 11/06/2001
• Issued: 12/23/2003
• Est. Priority Date: 06/16/1998
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Gary H. Murphy, George E. Temple IV, Keith A. Gudeman
• Original Assignee: Gary H. Murphy, George E. Temple IV, Keith A. Gudeman
• Inventors: Gudeman, Keith A., Murphy, Gary H., Temple, George E. IV
• Primary Examiner(s): WHITE, RODNEY BARNETT
• Application Number:
  US09/992,884
• Publication Number:
  US 20020079734A1
• Time in Patent Office: 777 Days
• Field of Search: 297/483, 297/464, 297/473, 297/474, 297/475, 297/216.1, 297/216.13, 297/452.2
• US Class Current: 297/483
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0067 Buses
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/1818 Belt guides
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2022/3424 Multi-spool or multi-belt retractors
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 22/26 secured to the seat

Abstract

A compartmentalized occupant restraint system and kit for restraining an occupant in a seating arrangement comprising a vehicle seat with a seat frame, a seat bottom, and a seat back. The occupant restraint system and kit has a lower anchoring assembly for being attached adjacent to the lower edge of the seat back, an upper anchoring assembly for being attached adjacent to the upper edge of the seat back, a first elongate, flexible member extendably and retractably retained on the lower anchoring assembly, a mechanism for coupling a portion of the first elongate, flexible member to the upper anchoring assembly such that the body portion of the first elongate, flexible member traverses the seat back, a first buckle element coupled to the body portion of the lower elongate flexible member, a first corresponding buckle element for buckling to the first buckle element and for being coupled to the vehicle seat whereby, when the lower anchoring assembly, the upper anchoring assembly, and the second buckle element are coupled to the vehicle seat, an occupant can be restrained by the first elongate flexible member at three restraining points. A rigid spine can be disposed with a first end retained adjacent to a rigid lower member of the seat back frame and a second end fixed relative to a rigid upper member of the seat back frame.

Claims

1. A kit for retrofitting a vehicular seat with an occupant restraint system demonstrating compartmentalization wherein the vehicular seat comprises a seat frame with a seat bottom frame and a seat back frame wherein the seat back frame is constructed to pivot about a pivot axis in response to the application of a given amount of force thereto in a forward direction, the kit comprising:

a rigid spine with a first end adapted to be disposed adjacent to a rigid lower member of a seat back frame and a second end adapted to be fixed relative to a rigid upper member of a seat back frame;

an upper anchoring assembly;

a means for fixing the upper anchoring assembly adjacent to the second end of the rigid spine;

a lower anchoring assembly;

a means for fixing the lower anchoring assembly adjacent to the first end of the rigid spine;

a first elongate, flexible member with a body portion;

a means for coupling the elongate, flexible member to the upper anchoring assembly at a point of coupling;

a means for coupling the elongate, flexible member to the lower anchoring assembly at a point of coupling;

a first buckle element coupled to the first elongate flexible member;

a first corresponding buckle element adapted to be coupled to a vehicle seat for buckling to the first buckle element;

an axis member for acting as a pivot axis for the rigid spine;

a means for mounting the axis member adjacent to the first end of the rigid spine so that the rigid spine can pivot about the axis member; and

an energy absorbing means for being operably associated with the rigid spine to resist pivoting of the rigid spine until a force sufficient to overcome the energy absorbing means is applied in a forward direction to a seat back and the spine whereupon the energy absorbing means allows the spine to pivot about the axis member.

2. The kit of claim 1 wherein the energy absorbing means comprises a shear pin for passing through an aperture in the rigid spine at a given distance from the axis member whereby the shear pin prevents rotation of the rigid spine until a given force is applied to the rigid spine whereupon the shear pin shears to allow the rigid spine to rotate about the axis member.

3. The kit of claim 1 wherein the energy absorbing means comprises a resiliently compressible member for being interposed between the rigid spine and a backing member.

4. The kit of claim 3 wherein the energy absorbing means comprises a helical spring.

5. The kit of claim 1 further comprising:

a second elongate flexible member with a body portion for being extendably and rectractably retained by the lower anchoring assembly;

a means for coupling a portion of the second elongate flexible member to the upper anchoring assembly whereby the body portion of the second elongate flexible member can traverse a seat back from a lower edge to an upper edge;

a second buckle element coupled to the body portion of the second elongate flexible member;

a second corresponding buckle element for buckling to the first buckle element and adapted to be coupled to a vehicle seat;

whereby, when the first anchoring assembly, the second anchoring assembly, and the second buckle element are coupled to a vehicle seat, an occupant can be restrained by the first elongate flexible member at three restraining points with a first restraining point comprising the lower anchoring assembly, a second restraining point comprising the upper anchoring assembly, and a third restraining point comprising the coupling of the second buckle element to the second corresponding buckle element.

6. The kit of claim 5 further comprising a third elongate flexible member with a proximal end for being retained by the lower anchoring assembly, a fourth elongate flexible member with a proximal end for being retained by the lower anchoring assembly, a third buckle element retained at a distal end of the third elongate flexible member, and a third corresponding buckle element retained at a distal end of the fourth elongate flexible member.

7. The kit of claim 1 wherein the upper anchoring assembly comprises a U-shaped member adapted to straddle an upper edge of a seat back with a first leg of the U extending downwardly along a back of a seat back, the base of the U engaging the upper edge of a seat back, and a second leg of the U extending downwardly along a front of a seat back.

8. The kit of claim 7 wherein the second leg of the upper anchoring assembly includes an adjusting plate with a means for adjustably retaining the portion of the first elongate flexible member that is coupled to the upper anchoring assembly whereby the relative distance between the lower anchoring assembly and the portion of the first elongate flexible member that is attached to the upper anchoring assembly can be selectively varied to accommodate an occupant'"'"'s size.

9. The kit of claim 1 further comprising a means for cupping the first end of the rigid spine.

10. The kit of claim 9 wherein the means for cupping the first end of the rigid spine comprises a member with a C-shaped profile wherein a forward wall the C-shaped profile prevents the first end of the spine from sliding too far in a first direction, a rear wall of the C-shaped profile prevents the first end of the spine from sliding too far in a second direction, and a base of the C-shaped profile supports the first end of the spine.

11. The kit of claim 10 further comprising a means for preventing the first end of the spine from lifting out of the C-shaped profile.

12. The kit of claim 11 wherein the means for preventing the first end of the spine from lifting out of the C-shaped profile comprises a tether with a portion fixed to the member with a C-shaped profile and a portion fixed to the rigid spine.

13. The kit of claim 12 wherein the tether has a first end fixed to the forward wall of the member with a C-shaped profile, a second end fixed to the rear wall of the member with a C-shaped profile, and a body portion that passes through an aperture in the rigid spine.

14. The kit of claim 11 wherein the means for preventing the first end of the rigid spine from lifting out of the C-shaped profile comprises a coupling strap with a first end fastened to the rigid spine and a second end adapted to be fastened to a seat frame.

15. The kit of claim 1 further comprising a rigid second spine adapted to traverse from a lower edge of a seat back to an upper edge of a seat back and further comprising a third anchoring assembly adapted to anchor a first end of the second spine adjacent to a lower edge of a seat back and a fourth anchoring assembly adapted to anchor a second end of the second spine adjacent to an upper edge of a seat back.

16. The kit of claim 1 further comprising an elongate tether for supplementing the energy absorbing means in resisting pivoting of the rigid spine by being disposed forward of the spine traversing from a first lateral edge of a seat back to a second lateral edge of a seat back.

17. The kit of claim 1 further comprising a vehicular seat.

18. The kit of claim 17 wherein the vehicular seat comprises a bus seat.

19. The kit of claim 17 wherein the vehicular seat comprises a train seat.

20. The kit of claim 17 wherein the vehicular seat comprises an airplane seat.

21. The kit of claim 17 wherein the vehicular seat is mounted on tracks for slidability.

22. A kit for fitting a vehicular seat with an occupant restraint system demonstrating compartmentalization wherein the vehicular seat comprises a seat frame with a seat bottom frame and a seat back frame wherein the seat back frame is constructed to pivot about a pivot axis in response to the application of a given amount of force thereto, the kit comprising:

an upper anchoring assembly with a means for fixing the upper anchoring assembly adjacent to an upper portion of a seat back frame;

a lower anchoring assembly with a means for fixing the lower anchoring assembly adjacent to a lower portion of a seat back frame;

a first elongate, flexible member with a body portion;

a means for coupling the elongate, flexible member to the upper anchoring assembly at a point of coupling;

a means for coupling the elongate, flexible member to the lower anchoring assembly at a point of coupling;

a first buckle element coupled to the first elongate flexible member; and

a first corresponding buckle element for being coupled to a the vehicle seat for buckling to the first buckle element.

23. The kit of claim 22 further comprising a unitary base plate for being mounted to a vehicular seat and wherein the means for coupling the means for coupling the elongate, flexible member to the lower anchoring assembly comprises a spool fixed to the unitary base plate.

24. The kit of claim 23 further comprising a second elongate, flexible strap with a proximal end coupled to the unitary base plate by a spool fixed to the unitary base plate.

25. The kit of claim 24 further comprising a third elongate, flexible strap extendably and retractably coupled to the unitary base plate by a spool, a third buckle element coupled to a distal end of the third elongate flexible strap, a fourth elongate flexible strap with a proximal end coupled to the unitary base plate, and a fourth buckle element coupled to a distal end of the second elongate flexible strap for coupling with the third buckle element.

26. The kit of claim 22 further comprising:

a second elongate, flexible member with a body portion extendably and rectractably retained on the lower anchoring assembly;

a means for coupling a portion of the second elongate, flexible member to the upper anchoring assembly whereby the body portion of the second elongate flexible member can traverse a seat back frame from the lower edge to the upper edge;

a second buckle element coupled to the body portion of the second elongate flexible member;

a second corresponding buckle element for buckling to the first buckle element and adapted to be coupled to a vehicle seat;

whereby, when the first anchoring assembly, the second anchoring assembly, and the second buckle element are coupled to a vehicular seat, an occupant can be restrained by the first elongate flexible member at three restraining points with a first restraining point comprising the lower anchoring assembly, a second restraining point comprising the upper anchoring assembly, and a third restraining point comprising the coupling of the second buckle element to the second corresponding buckle element.

27. The kit of claim 26 further comprising a third elongate, flexible member with a proximal end for being retained by the lower anchoring assembly, a fourth elongate, flexible member with a proximal end for being retained by the lower anchoring assembly, a third buckle element retained at a distal end of the third elongate, flexible member, and a third corresponding buckle element retained at a distal end of the fourth elongate, flexible member whereby a third occupant can be restrained at two restraining points with a first restraining point comprising the proximal end of the third elongate, flexible member and a second restraining point comprising the proximal end of the fourth elongate, flexible member.

28. The kit of claim 22 wherein the upper anchoring assembly comprises a U-shaped member adapted to overly an upper edge of a seat back with a first leg of the U adapted to extend downwardly along a back of a seat back, the base of the U adapted to engage an upper edge of a seat back, and a second leg of the U adapted to extend downwardly along a front of a the seat back.

29. The kit of claim 28 wherein the second leg of the upper anchoring assembly comprises an adjusting plate with a means for adjustably retaining the portion of the first elongate, flexible member that is coupled to the upper anchoring assembly whereby the relative distance between the lower anchoring assembly and the portion of the first elongate flexible member that is attached to the upper anchoring assembly can be selectively varied to accommodate an occupant'"'"'s size.

30. The kit of claim 22 further comprising a rigid spine with a first end adapted to be disposed adjacent to a rigid lower member of a seat back frame adjacent to the lower anchoring assembly and a second end adapted to be fixed relative to a rigid upper member of a seat back frame adjacent to the upper anchoring assembly.

31. The kit of claim 30 wherein the first end of the spine is adapted to be retained adjacent to a lower edge of a seat back by an axis member adapted to pivotably couple the first end of the spine to a vehicular seat.

32. The kit of claim 31 further comprising an energy absorbing means for being operably associated with the rigid spine to resist pivoting of the rigid spine until a force sufficient to overcome the energy absorbing means is applied in a forward direction to a seat back and the spine whereupon the energy absorbing means allows the spine to pivot about the axis member.

33. The kit of claim 32 wherein the energy absorbing means comprises a shear pin for passing through an aperture in the rigid spine at a given distance from the axis member whereby the shear pin prevents rotation of the rigid spine until a given force is applied to the rigid spine whereupon the shear pin shears to allow the rigid spine to rotate about the axis member.

34. The kit of claim 33 wherein the energy absorbing means comprises a resiliently compressible member for being interposed between the rigid spine and a backing member.

35. The kit of claim 34 wherein the energy absorbing means comprises a helical spring.

36. The kit of claim 30 wherein a first end of the rigid spine is adapted to be retained adjacent to a the lower edge of a the seat back by a means for cupping the first end of the rigid spine comprising a member with a C-shaped profile wherein a forward wall the C-shaped profile prevents the first end of the spine from sliding too far in a first direction, a rear wall of the C-shaped profile prevents the first end of the spine from sliding too far in a second direction, and a base of the C-shaped profile supports the first end of the spine.

37. The occupant restraint system and kit of claim 36 further comprising a means for preventing the first end of the spine from lifting out of the C-shaped profile.