System and method for protecting an occupant in a rear impact of a vehicle
AssigneeInstitute for Injury Research
InventorDavid C Viano
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A system (100) and method (900) for assessing for protecting the occupant (70) of a vehicle (50) during a rear crash (62). The system (100) can use a wide variety of assemblies, subassembly, and component configurations to protect the occupant (70) from undesirable kinematics (91). Such a system (100) can among other components include an anti-ramping guide (272) and/or a rear pretensioner (305).
Claims20
A system (100) for protecting an occupant (70) of vehicle (50) during a rear crash (62), with the occupant (70) having a torso (74) with a mid-hip location of an H-point (76), said system (100) comprising:
- a seat assembly (200) within the vehicle (50), said seat assembly (200) including an anti-ramping guide (272) wherein said anti-ramping guide (272) is adapted to prevent a vertical increase in the H-point (76) during the rear crash (62).
A system (100) for protecting an occupant (70) of vehicle (50) during a rear crash (62), with the occupant (70) having a torso (74) with a mid-hip location of an H-point (76), said system (100) comprising:
- a seat assembly (200) within the vehicle (50), said seat assembly (200) including:
- a headrest (210) adapted to the support the head of the occupant (70);
- a backrest (230) adapted to support the torso (74) of the occupant (70);
- a seat bottom (250) adapted to be sat on by the occupant (70);
- a side frame (270) secured to said backrest (230) and said seat bottom (250);
- and
- an anti-ramping guide (272) that is adapted to prevent a vertical increase in the H-point (76) during the rearward movement of the occupant 70 in the rear crash (62);
- wherein said anti-ramping guide (272) is adapted to vertically lower the H-point (76) of the occupant (70) during the rear crash (62);
- and
- wherein said anti-ramping guide (272) includes a shell (274) and a plurality of deformable brackets (276).
A method (900) for protecting an occupant (70) seated on a seat assembly (200) with an anti-ramping guide (272) within a vehicle (50) from a rear impact (62) to the vehicle (50), said method (900) comprising:
- detecting (910) a rear crash (62) to the vehicle (50);
- and
- directing (950) the movement of the occupant (70) in response to the rear crash (62);
- wherein said anti-ramping guide (272) is adapted to prevent a vertical increase in the H-point (76) during the rear crash (62);
- wherein said anti-ramping guide (272) is adapted to horizontally move the H-point (76) of the occupant (70) in a rearward direction during the rear crash (62).
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.