Easy ejector seat with skeletal crash safety beam

• US 7,156,416 B2
• Filed: 10/24/2002
• Issued: 01/02/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 09/24/1997
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Cozy, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Arjuna Indraeswaran Rajasingham
• Inventors: Rajasingham, Arjuna Indraeswaran
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming; Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US10/279,171
• Publication Number:
  US 20030127837A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,531 Days
• Field of Search: 280/735, 280/730.1, 280/730.2, 280/734
• US Class Current: 280/730.1
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 2203/723 Impact absorbing means, e.g. bumpers or airbags
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 3/02 Loading or unloading personal conveyances; Facilitating access of patients or disabled persons to, or exit from, vehicles
• CPC Class Codes: A61G 3/06 Transfer using ramps, lifts or the like
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/06 slidable B60N2/12 , B60N2/2209 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/062 transversally slidable
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/067 by linear actuators, e.g. linear screw mechanisms
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/245 for handicapped persons
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4214 longitudinal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4221 due to impact coming from the front
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4235 transversal
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/42736 of the whole seat
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4279 electric or electronic triggering
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/205 inflatable in the direction of an obstacle upon impending impact, e.g. using air bags
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0004 Frontal collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/0006 Lateral collision
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 2021/022 mounted on seats
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/02 Occupant safety arrangements or fittings , e.g. crash pads seat belts with crash pads B60R22/14; removable children's seats having a front guard or barrier B60N2/2839
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/23138 specially adapted for side protection B60R21/23184, B60R21/232 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B62D 21/157 for side impacts

Abstract

An arrangement in passenger vehicles, that diverts the impact energy in lateral or side impacts away from the passengers to the remaining mass of the vehicle thereby protecting the passengers, and in the same arrangement provides utilitarian access to the vehicle, such utilitarian access making it possible to both install multi-element contoured surround seats for passengers and the driver, and also a safety device for head-on collision protection that obviates the need for conventional seat belts and front impact airbags. An indo-skeletal structural arrangement proposed for the vehicle, provides further benefits by targeting the strength of the vehicle to protect passengers while minimizing other massive elements in the vehicle.

Claims

1. An Air Cushion System for protecting at least one protected entity, from impact from an impacting object comprising:

a) an impacted structure comprising said protected entity;

b) at least one sacrificial chamber located in a predetermined position within said impacted structure, such that said impact from impacting object, will compress said sacrificial chamber, said sacrificial chamber being filled with a compressible fluid at the time of said impact;

c) at least one elongate fluid path, each with first and second spaced apart end, and each comprising flow control mechanisms, that is connected to said sacrificial chamber at its first end, and filled with said compressible fluid, such that under impact to the sacrificial chamber, said fluid paths conduct a predetermined controlled volume of said compressible fluid out of said sacrificial chamber to predetermined locations away from said sacrificial chamber;

d) one or more micro-air cushions placed in predetermined locations and supported by said impacted structure, said micro-air cushions being connected to said at least one fluid path at its second end, thereby receiving predetermined controlled volumes of said compressible fluid from said fluid paths at and immediately following said impact;

thereby said sacrificial chamber inflating said micro-air cushions in predetermined directions unrelated to the direction of compression of said sacrificial chamber by transferring fluid from the first end of said at least one fluid path, to the second end of said at least one fluid path and protecting said protected entity.

2. An Air-cushion System as in claim 1, wherein said sacrificial chamber retains some of the compressible fluid during and after impact to provide secondary protection to said impacted structure.

3. An Air-cushion System as in claim 1, wherein said micro-air-cushions are placed in positions such that on inflation following impact, they hold and cushion the protected entity.

4. An Air-cushion System as in claim 1, wherein said micro-air-cushions are placed in positions such that on inflation following impact, they provide support to said protected entity, in the event of a predetermined small displacement of said protected entity relative to said impacted structure.

5. An Air-cushion System as in claim 1, further comprising a safe position of the protected entity relative to the impacted structure positioned within a motion space consisting of free space adequate to allow motion of said protected entity, between the position of said protected entity prior to impact, to the safe position, where the protected entity will sustain controlled forces over a predetermined period of time during and following said impact, thereby allowing said micro-air-cushion on inflation following impact, to displace said protected entity across said motion space to said safe position and thereafter cushioning said protected entity from further damage following impact.

6. An Air-cushion System as in claim 1, wherein said protected entity is a anatomical element of a passenger in a vehicle, and wherein said micro-aircushions are anatomical micro-aircushions designed to inflate on impact to predetermined sizes, shapes and pressure appropriate to protect said anatomical element of said passenger in said vehicle.

7. An Air-cushion System as in claim 1, further comprising:

a) proactive impact sensors that provide a means to detect an impact event prior to said impact on said impacted structure, detection of said impact event comprising the detection of at least one of the expected timing and expected severity of said impact, said proactive impact sensors being mounted on said impacted structure and in the vicinity of said protected entity and pointed in a predetermined direction of expected impact by the impacting object,

b) an inflation means for said sacrificial chambers, activated by said proactive impact sensors

thereby providing a means to inflate the sacrificial chambers just prior to the impact, and thereafter providing the protection of the Air-cushion System.

8. An Air-cushion System as in claim 1, wherein the protected entity is the head and neck of a passenger, the impacted object is a vehicle, and the impacting object impacts the vehicle from the rear of said vehicle, and wherein said sacrificial chamber is mounted in a position that will compress on impact by the impacting object, thereby said air-cushion system protecting said passenger from whip-lash injury.

9. Two or more Air-cushion Systems as in claim 1, consisting of a First set of Air-cushion Systems and a Second Set of Air-cushion systems, wherein the sacrificial chambers of said Second Set of Air-cushion systems are mounted adjacent to the Micro Air-cushions of said First Set of Air-cushion Systems, such that on inflation of the Micro Air-cushions of said First Set of Air-Cushion Systems, the sacrificial chambers of said Second Set of Air-Cushion systems are compressed, thereby creating a cascaded system of Air-cushion Systems to protect one or more protected entities.

10. An air cushion system as in claim 1, wherein at least one of said sacrificial chamber and micro air-cushions are vented to ensure that the micro aircushions support the protected entity for a predetermined time before deflating to provide protection to the protected entity immediately after said impact.

11. An air cushion system as in claim 10, wherein said protected entity is an occupant of a motor vehicle and said predetermined time is the expected time of a roll over of said motor vehicle following said impact.