Anti-submarine vehicle occupant restraint system

• US 6,837,540 B2
• Filed: 10/12/2001
• Issued: 01/04/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 10/13/2000
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: GM Global Technology Operations Incorporated (Motors Liquidation Co. GUC Trust)
• Original Assignee: NHK Spring Company Limited
• Inventors: Shimizu, Eiji, Yamaguchi, Hiroyoshi
• Primary Examiner(s): Cuomo, Peter M.
• Assistant Examiner(s): MCPARTLIN, SARAH BURNHAM
• Application Number:
  US09/976,324
• Publication Number:
  US 20020053792A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,180 Days
• Field of Search: 297/216.1, 297/284.11, 297/330
• US Class Current: 297/216.1
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4221 due to impact coming from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42709 involving residual deformation or fracture of the structure
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42763 with anti-submarining systems
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering

Abstract

In a vehicle occupant restraint system provided in association with a vehicle seat for preventing a vehicle occupant from slipping forward under a seat belt in an impact situation such as a vehicle crash, a pair of support members are provided on either side of the seat frame, and pivotally support a pair of arms across which a cross member extends. The cross member comprises an energy absorbing structure adapted to undergo a controlled deformation under a load occurring as the front part of the seat bottom is raised. The energy absorbing structure may consist of a relatively deformable member wrapped around the cross member or a feature for controlling a mode of deformation of the cross member. When the cross member consists of a pipe member, the energy absorbing structure may comprise a relatively deformable member filled inside the pipe member or perforations formed in the pipe member.

Claims

1. A vehicle occupant restraint system provided in association with a vehicle seat for preventing a vehicle occupant from slipping forward under a seat belt in an impact situation such as a vehicle crash, comprising:

a pair of fixed support members attached to either side of a seat frame at a front part of a seat bottom;

an arm pivotally attached to a front end of each of said fixed support members;

a cross member extending between free ends of said arms; and

a power unit provided in association with at least one of said support members for actuating said arms and cross member upward so as to selectively raise a front part of said seat bottom in an impact situation such as a vehicle crash;

wherein said cross member comprises a pipe member including a feature for controlling a mode of deformation of said pipe member as said pipe member is actuated upward to restrain the vehicle occupant in an impact situation.

2. A vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein a relatively deformable member is placed over said pipe member.

3. A vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 1, wherein said feature comprises a slot or hole formed in said pipe member.

4. A vehicle occupant restraint system in according to claim 1, wherein said feature comprises a notch formed in said pipe member.

5. A vehicle occupant restraint system provided in association with a vehicle seat for preventing a vehicle occupant from slipping forward under a seat belt in an impact situation such as a vehicle crash, comprising:

a pair of fixed support members attached to either side of a at frame at a front part of a seat bottom;

an arm pivotally attached to a front end of each of said fixed support members;

a cross member extending between free ends of said arms; and

a power unit provided in association with at least one of said support members for actuating said arms and cross member upward so as to selectively raise a front part of said seat bottom in an impact situation such as a vehicle crash;

wherein said cross member comprises a pipe member having a wall flattened from an otherwise cylindrical profile to define a planar surface for engaging the vehicle occupant.

6. A vehicle occupant restraint system according to claim 5, wherein said pipe member is provided with a depending flange extending in parallel with said pipe member.

7. A vehicle occupant restraint system provided in association with a vehicle seat for preventing a vehicle occupant from slipping forward under a seat belt in an impact situation such as a vehicle crash, comprising:

a pair of fixed support members attached to either side o a seat frame at a front part of a seat bottom;

an arm pivotally attached to a front end of each of said fixed support members;

a cross member extending between free ends of said arms; and

a power unit provided in association with at least one of said support members for actuating said arms and cross member upward so as to selectively raise a front part of said seat bottom in an impact situation such as a vehicle crash;

wherein said cross member comprises a pipe member adapted to undergo a controlled deformation under a load occurring as said front part of said seat bottom is raised, and further wherein a relatively deformable member is included inside said pipe member.