Safety restraint protection for aircraft occupants seated facing the side of the aircraft

• US 8,939,465 B2
• Filed: 07/18/2012
• Issued: 01/27/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 07/18/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Key Safety Systems, Inc. (Ningbo Junsheng Investment Group Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Kastelic, Kurt, Wallner, John P., Gunther, David Sr.
• Primary Examiner(s): Fleming, Faye M.
• Application Number:
  US14/232,919
• Publication Number:
  US 20140159356A1
• Time in Patent Office: 923 Days
• Field of Search: 280/730.1, 280/730.2
• US Class Current: 280/730.2
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/002 Seats provided with an occupancy detection means mounted therein or thereon detection means responsive to presence or absence of children B60N2/266
• CPC Class Codes: B60R 21/20 Arrangements for storing inflatable members in their non-use or deflated condition; Arrangement or mounting of air bag modules or components
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06 Arrangements of seats, or adaptations or details specially adapted for aircraft seats crew seat constructions for emergency purposes B64D25/04
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0606 with privacy shells, screens, separators or the like class dividers B64D11/0023
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/062 Belts or other passenger restraint means for passenger seats
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/06205 Arrangements of airbags
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 11/0647 Seats characterised by special upholstery or cushioning features
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/00 Emergency apparatus or devices, not otherwise provided for parachutes B64D17/00, B64D19/00; jettisoning of fuel tanks or fuel per se B64D37/00; specially adapted for protection against criminal attack, e.g. anti-hijacking systems B64D45/0015 ; safety belts or body harnesses in general A62B35/00; safety belts or body harnesses for land vehicles B60R22/00; jettisonable parts of fuselage facilitating emergency escape B64C
• CPC Class Codes: B64D 25/04 Seat modifications

Abstract

A restraint system (120, 120a) for protecting at least one aircraft occupant, the aircraft including a cabin having at least one seat (54, 56, 58) facing a longitudinal center line of the aircraft, the restraint system including a first airbag (162) inflatable from a stored position to an inflated position, the airbag when inflated being adjacent the seated occupant and located on a side of the occupant facing the front of the aircraft, the airbag reducing occupant movement toward the front of the aircraft and cushioning the occupant from any impact, the system also includes a mechanism (222, 240) to lessen movement of the lower legs of the occupant.

Claims

1. A restraint system (120, 120a) on an aircraft for protecting at least one aircraft occupant, the aircraft including a cabin having at least one center facing seat (54, 56, 58) facing a longitudinal center line of the aircraft, the restraint system including a first airbag (160, 162, 164) inflatable from a stored position to an inflated position, the airbag when deployed and inflated being adjacent a forward facing side of the center facing seat to protect the seated occupant, the deployed and inflated airbag being located on a side of the occupant closer to the front of the aircraft, the airbag reducing occupant movement toward the front of the aircraft and cushioning the occupant from any impact.

2. The systems according to claim 1 wherein the center facing seat (54, 56, 58) has seating for one or more occupants, and the restraint system includes additional first airbags (160, 162, 164) between each forward facing side of each center facing seat to protect each seated occupant.

3. The system according to claim 1 including a second airbag inflatable from a stored position to an inflated position, the airbag when deployed and inflated being adjacent a rearward facing side of the center facing seat to protect the seated occupant, the deployed and inflated second airbag being located on a side of the occupant closer to facing the rear of the aircraft, the second airbag reducing occupant movement toward the rear of the aircraft and cushioning the occupant from any impact.

4. The system according to claim 1 wherein each first airbag, in its stored position is stored in one of a bulkhead (62), a permanent aircraft structure, a roof of the aircraft or a side of a seat back or an armrest of the center facing seat and configured to deploy therefrom.

5. The system according to claim 1 wherein each second airbag, in its stored position is stored in one of a bulkhead (62), permanent aircraft structure (64), roof (200) of the aircraft or a side of a seat back or an armrest of the center facing seat and configured to deploy therefrom.

6. The system according to claim 1 including a controller sensitive to an activation signal to activate the first or second airbag or both during an emergency which requires activation of the airbags.

7. The system according to claim 1 including a weight sensor installed in the seat to detect the presence of a seated occupant, the system configured not to activate an airbag or airbags associated with an unoccupied seat.

8. The system according to claim 1 including a 2-point seat belt system securable about the occupant'"'"'s lower torso.

9. The system according to claim 1 including a 3-point seat belt system securable about the occupant'"'"'s torso.

10. The system according to claim 1 including a leg protection (222, 224, 242) mechanism configured to deploy to reduce induced motion of the lower leg or tibia of the occupant in the event of a crash or accident.

11. The systems according to claim 10 wherein the leg protection mechanism includes one of an inflatable airbag (222, 224) or movable piston (240).