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Vehicle air bag minimum distance enforcement apparatus, method and system

  • US 6,916,040 B1
  • Filed: 08/25/2003
  • Issued: 07/12/2005
  • Est. Priority Date: 09/23/1998
  • Status: Expired due to Term
First Claim
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1. A vehicle safety system for providing a minimum safe clearance distance between a passenger and a front air-bag arrangement in a vehicle, comprising:

  • a position determining arrangement to determine distance information for a distance between a passenger in a front seat arrangement of the vehicle and the front air-bag arrangement of the vehicle and to provide distance information, the front seat arrangement being movable within the vehicle by a front seat position adjusting arrangement that allows the front seat arrangement to move relative to the front air-bag arrangement at least between a minimum safe clearance position and a rearward position, the minimum safe clearance position providing the minimum safe clearance distance between the passenger in the front seat arrangement and the front air-bag arrangement, displacement of the front seat arrangement toward the rearward position increasing a distance between the front seat arrangement and the front air-bag arrangement;

    wherein the front air-bag arrangement is fixedly positioned with respect to one of a steering wheel assembly for a driver passenger and a dashboard arrangement for a non-driver passenger, and the front seat arrangement is movable to the minimum safe clearance position based on the distance information.

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