Integral automatic system for protection and rescue of occupants in crashed automobiles

In an automobile having one or more security systems, including seat belts, air bags and an anti-skid braking system, and having a plurality of electrically controllable devices which are in predetermined states of operation during normal use of an automobile, which predetermined states may be hazardous to the occupants of the automobile upon the occurrence of an accident, including electric window drives, door locks, fuel valve, seat belt locks which are in circuit with the battery of the automobile, an improved system to increase the safety and facilitate the prompt rescue of automobile occupants which comprises an impact-operated sensing and electrical disconnector means mounted on said automobile;

• and a single, master central control unit mounted on said automobile;
• said impact-operated disconnector means and said single, master central control unit being in circuit with said battery, said central control unit also being in circuit with said plurality of electrically controllable devices;
• and
• said system being characterized in that the occurrence of a crash will cause the impact sensing and disconnector means to activate the central control unit and initiate the distribution of a series of commands in a progressive manner after a predetermined delay to at least more than one of said plurality of electrically controllable devices to cancel at least part of said predetermined states of said at least more than one of said plurality of electrically controllable devices to enhance the safety of and facilitate the rescue of the automobile occupants following impact.