Standing vehicle occupant restraint system

• US 9,724,547 B2
• Filed: 04/02/2013
• Issued: 08/08/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 04/02/2012
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Original Assignee: Lockheed Martin Corporation (Martin Marietta Corporation)
• Inventors: Shepherd, Patrick E., Villarreal, Ricardo
• Primary Examiner(s): Morrow, Jason S.
• Assistant Examiner(s): Hicks, E Turner
• Application Number:
  US13/855,560
• Publication Number:
  US 20140232166A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,589 Days
• Field of Search: 296 681, 296 63, 296 6502, 296 6503, 29618713, 297470, 297471, 297472, 297473
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 35/0012 Sit harnesses
• CPC Class Codes: A62B 35/04 incorporating energy absorbing means
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2/4242 vertical
• CPC Class Codes: B60N 2002/247 to support passengers in a half-standing position

Abstract

Presented herein is a restraint system comprising an attachment point configured to attach to a hatch opening of a vehicle, a harness having a seat and a strap attached to the attachment point and to the seat. The harness is configured to accept an occupant and support a portion of the occupant at a position below the hatch opening. The restraint system further comprises an energy absorption mechanism configured to dampen rapid acceleration or deceleration of the occupant. The strap is attached to the attachment point by a quick release mechanism. The energy absorption mechanism may comprise a retraction mechanism having a damper mechanism that is a spring, a coil spring, a viscous fluid, a fluid having a dynamically changeable viscosity or a magnetorheological fluid. The energy absorption mechanism may comprise tear-away sections configured to dampen vehicle motion energy.

Claims

1. A vehicle comprising:

an egress hatch having an opening located on a roof of the vehicle; and

an occupant restraint system comprising;

a harness comprising an elastic seat configured to secure an occupant in a seated position and stretch under stress and a strap extending along an underside of the seat with free ends of the strap extending from opposite sides of the seat; and

a G-force dampening mechanism contained within the strap and comprising tear-away sections, attached along tear paths to an underside of the elastic seat, configured to automatically tear away from the seat to dampen the G-forces imparted on the occupant in the seated position during rapid acceleration or deceleration; and

the free ends of the strap of the harness adapted to be coupled to the egress hatch.

2. The vehicle of claim 1, the occupant restraint system further comprising a mount adjacent a periphery of the opening and configured to secure the free ends of the strap, having the G-force dampening mechanism to the vehicle, wherein the strap of the harness comprises a quick release mechanism to allow the occupant to exit the vehicle.

3. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the quick release mechanism is configured to disengage the strap from the mount.

4. The vehicle of claim 2, wherein the quick release mechanism is configured to disengage the mount from the vehicle.

5. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the G-force damping mechanism further comprising a retraction mechanism coupled to the vehicle and including a belt coupled to a free end of the strap, the retraction mechanism is configured to release a portion of the belt under tension to mitigate body weight of the occupant during the rapid acceleration or deceleration and reduce the G-force imparted on the occupant by the rapid acceleration or deceleration.

6. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the harness comprises adjustable straps configured to secure the occupant by the waist and legs to the seat and allow the occupant to stand up through the opening, wherein the adjustable straps are further configured to permit the occupant to sit without adjusting the adjustable straps.

7. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the occupant restraint system is configured to allow an occupant to extend at least partially outside the hatch while being secured without adjustment to the system.

8. The vehicle of claim 1, wherein the retraction mechanism further comprises at least one of a spring, a coil spring, a viscous fluid, a fluid having a dynamically changeable viscosity or a magnetorheological fluid.

9. A restraint system comprising:

a harness with a cushioned seat and a strap extending along an underside of the seat such that free ends of the strap extend from opposite sides of the seat;

a first belt connected at one end to a first free end of the strap coupled to the seat and connected to an anchor at another end of the first belt, and configured to allow the seat to move throughout a free length of the first belt;

a second belt connected at one end to a second free end of the strap extending from another side of the seat and connected to a second anchor at another end of the second belt, and configured to allow the seat to move throughout a free length of the second belt; and

a G-force dampening mechanism comprising a retraction dampening mechanism located at vehicle attachment points of the harness, the retraction dampening mechanism configured to store a portion of a first belt wherein the free length of the first belt is configured to secure the seat to the vehicle and is configured to be adjusted, the retraction dampening mechanism having a damper configured to resist rapid release of the first belt during times of rapid acceleration or deceleration of the occupant in the seat; and

wherein the G-force dampening mechanism further comprising tear-away sections integrated into the strap at locations along the underside of the seat, the tear-away sections being attached along tear paths to and under the seat to automatically tear away from the seat to dampen a G-force imparted on the occupant during the times of the rapid acceleration or deceleration.

10. The system of claim 9, wherein the tear-away sections are configured to absorb energy by tearing away from the underside of the seat as the occupant travels towards the floor of the vehicle.

11. The system of claim 9, wherein the seat is formed from elastic material configured to absorb energy by stretching under stress.

12. The system of claim 9, wherein the damper comprises at least one of a spring, a coil spring, a viscous fluid, a fluid having a dynamically changeable viscosity, or a magnetorheological fluid.

13. A restraint system comprising:

an attachment point configured to attach to a hatch opening of a vehicle;

a harness having an elastic seat to stretch under stress and configured to accept an occupant and support a first portion of the occupant at a position below the hatch opening and a second portion above the hatch opening, the harness further having a strap extending along an underside of the elastic seat with free ends of the strap extending from opposite sides of the elastic seat wherein a respective one free end configured to attach to the attachment point and the strap being attached to and along the underside of the elastic seat; and

an energy absorption mechanism including a belt disposed between the elastic seat and the attachment point, the energy absorption mechanism secures the strap attached to the elastic seat to the attachment point and resists rapid release of the belt during times of rapid acceleration or deceleration of the occupant in the elastic seat to dampen the rapid acceleration or deceleration of the occupant.

14. The restraint system of claim 13, wherein the strap is attached to the attachment point by a quick release mechanism.

15. The restraint system of claim 13, wherein the energy absorption mechanism comprises a retraction mechanism to resist the rapid release of the belt to automatically control the acceleration or deceleration of the occupant in the harness and mitigate G-forces on the occupant.

16. The restraint system of claim 15, wherein the retraction mechanism comprises a damper mechanism configured to damp the acceleration or deceleration of the occupant, the damper mechanism comprising one of a spring, a coil spring, a viscous fluid, a fluid having a dynamically changeable viscosity or a magnetorheological fluid.

17. The restraint system of claim 13, wherein the energy absorption mechanism comprises tear-away sections integrated into a portion of the strap extending along the underside of the elastic seat and configured to dampen vehicle motion energy transferred to the occupant wherein the tear-away sections are attached along tear paths at locations along the underside of the elastic seat.