Supplemental side impact protection system for automotive vehicle

• US 8,235,432 B2
• Filed: 11/12/2007
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 03/30/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Original Assignee: Ford Global Technologies, LLC (Ford Motor Company)
• Inventors: Ryan, Sean, Ruthinowski, Rich, Rao, Manoharprasad K.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dayoan, Glenn
• Assistant Examiner(s): Blankenship, Gregory
• Application Number:
  US11/938,569
• Publication Number:
  US 20080061566A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,730 Days
• Field of Search: 293/126, 293/128, 293/116, 293/118, 296/187.12, 280/163, 280/164.1, 280/166
• US Class Current: 293/118
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/38 adjustably or movably mounted, e.g. horizontally displaceable for securing a space between parked vehicles adjustably mounted for compensating manufacturing tolerances B60R19/24, B60R19/26
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 19/42 extending primarily along the sides of, or completely encircling, a vehicle ornamental or guard strips B60R13/04

Abstract

A supplemental impact protection system for an automotive vehicle includes an external energy management structure having a first position for normal vehicle operation and a second position for deployment during an impact event. A mounting system allows selective positioning of the energy management structure in either the first or second position, as determined by a controller which assesses an impact potential of the vehicle and operates the mounting system to move the energy management structure to the second, or deployed, position in the event that the assessed impact potential satisfies a predetermined threshold.

Claims

1. A supplemental impact protection system for an automotive vehicle, comprising:

an external energy management structure comprising a step beam having a first, lowered position for normal vehicle operation and a second, raised position for deployment during an impact event;

a mounting system for fastening said energy management structure to a vehicle and using at least one gas device to rotatably position the energy management structure in said second position in real time during an impact; and

a controller for assessing an impact potential of a vehicle and for operating said at least one gas device to move said energy management structure to said second position in the event that the assessed impact potential satisfies a predetermined threshold.

2. A supplemental impact protection system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one gas device has a pyrotechnic source for moving said energy management structure into said second position.

3. A supplemental impact protection system according to claim 1, wherein said at least one gas device comprises a device having a supply of high pressure gas for moving said energy management structure into said second position.