US 6,582,015 B2 · Seat and occupant restraint system with adaptable actuator

Abstract

A restraint system for moving a vehicle seat and occupant toward the vehicle floor. Fluid cylinders or rotary spoolers are mounted to the seat and have respectively a pair of extendable piston rods or rotary outputs connected via rods or flexible members to a cable slidably mounted to the seat with one cable end connected to the buckle of a three point belt assembly mounted to the seat and an opposite end connected to one end of the lap portion of the belt assembly. Activation causes the cable to be pulled tensioning the belt assembly and application of downward pressure to the seat.

Drawings

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Drawings

Claims12

Dependent claims

A seat restraint system mountable to a vehicle comprising:

a seat;
a suspension for mounting said seat to a vehicle floor operable to allow said seat to move to and from the vehicle floor;
belt means mounted to said seat and operable to restrain an occupant on said seat, said belt means includes a belt with a first end portion and a second end portion with a first locking device mounted therebetween and to said belt, said belt means further including a second locking device lockingly engageable and mateable with said first locking device;
a connector mounted to said seat and connected to said belt and said second locking device, said connector is a cable slidably mounted to said seat with opposite ends connected to said first end portion and said second locking device;
and,
a seat retractor having a flexible portion connected in sequence to said connector between said opposite ends of said cable and operable to tighten said belt and move said seat toward the vehicle floor upon crash, said seat retractor includes a device with a rotary output connected to said flexible portion.

3 more elements

A seat restraint system mountable to a vehicle comprising:

a seat mountable to a vehicle floor and being movable to and from the vehicle floor;
a belt assembly mountable to said seat to restrain an occupant on said seat, said belt assembly including a retractor and a belt with a lap portion with a first end and a first locking device mounted to said belt between said retractor and said first end, said
assembly further including a second locking device lockingly engageable and mateable with said first locking device;
a bar mounted to said seat;
an interconnecting flexible device mounted to said seat, said interconnecting flexible device is slidably mounted to said bar, said flexible device connected to said second locking device and to said first end of said lap portion, said flexible device and said belt assembly including a stop to limit movement of said flexible device relative to said bar;
a retracting device;
and,
a flexible element connected between said retracting device and said flexible device and to said flexible device between said second locking device and said first end of said lap portion with said flexible device being continuous between said second locking device and said first end of said lap portion to pull said flexible device tightening said belt assembly until said stop limits further movement of said flexible device with further pulling of said flexible device by said retracting device moving said seat toward the vehicle floor upon crash.

5 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Description7,210 words

Summary552 words

#1. Field of the Invention

#This invention is in the field of tethers, harnesses, and other restraint systems used in vehicles.

#2. Description of the Prior Art

Brief description of the drawings20 figures

#FIG. 1 is a side view of a vehicle seat showing vertical excursion.

#FIG. 2 is a front view of a third alternative embodiment of the seat incorporating the present invention.

#FIG. 3 is a side view of a fourth alternate embodiment of the seat incorporating the present invention.

Detailed description6,215 words

#For the purposes of promoting an understanding of the principles of the invention, reference will now be made to the preferred embodiments illustrated in the drawings and specific language will be used to describe the same. It will nevertheless be understood that no limitation of the scope of the invention is thereby intended, such alterations and further modifications in the illustrated device, and such further applications of the principles of the invention as illustrated therein being contemplated as would normally occur to one skilled in the art to which the invention relates.

#FIG. 1 depicts a typical suspension seat 10 utilized in a large vehicle, such as a truck. Seat 10 is mounted by means of an air bag within housing 13 atop vehicle floor 12. Occupant 11 is secured within the seat by means of a conventional three point belt assembly 14 with the belt extending through a D-loop 15 mounted to the B pillar of the truck. One end of the belt is secured to a retractor mounted either directly to the vehicle or to the frame of the seat. Dash line 16 depicts the upper limit of the vertical movement of the occupant. The amount of vertical movement will vary with each type of seat; however, a typical seat has a vertical movement of approximately four to six inches unless the vehicle rolls over in which case the vertical movement of the occupant may increase to approximately nine inches when the vehicle is in an upside-down condition.

#FIGS. 2 and 3 illustrate respectively the third and fourth alternative embodiments of the restraint systems incorporating the present invention. Seats 30 of FIGS. 2 and 3 are identical except in FIG. 2 the retractor and D-loop used with the seat belt are mounted external of the seat, whereas in FIG. 3 the D-loop and associated retractor are mounted directly to the seat. In FIG. 3 an additional retractor and associated belt are used to isolate the seat back from passenger force applied to the belt during a crash. The restraint systems incorporating the present invention for moving the seat and occupant toward the vehicle flow are identical for use with the seats of FIGS. 2 and 3.

Facts

Application

09/912,178Filed 24 Jul 2001 · us provisional application

Priority

17 Aug 2000

Published

US 2002/0021041 A121 Feb 2002

Granted

24 Jun 2003

Term ended

19 Oct 2021

Estimated · how

20 years from earliest known nonprovisional domestic filing plus recorded patent term adjustment, including 87 days of adjustment. Maintenance-fee lapses, terminal disclaimers and statutory extensions have not been checked. The continuity chain may be incomplete; this is not an enforceability determination.

Classification13 codes

B60R 22/1951
With means to tension the belt in an emergency, e.g. means of the through-anchor or splitted reel type: characterised by arrangements in vehicle…
B60N 2/4221
Longitudinal: due to impact coming from the front
B60N 2/4242
Characterised by the direction of the g-forces: vertical
B60N 2/42736
Involving substantially rigid displacement: of the whole seat

Timeline

17 Aug 2000Priority claimedParent application 60/226,071
24 Jul 2001Application filedUS 09/912,178
24 Jul 2001Assigned to Indiana Mills & Manufacturing, Inc.assignment of assignor's interest
21 Feb 2002PublishedUS 2002/0021041 A1
24 Jun 2003GrantedUS 6,582,015 B2
19 Oct 2021Term endedEstimated, includes 87 days of adjustment

Seat and occupant restraint system with adaptable actuator

Life of this patent

Seat and occupant restraint system with adaptable actuator

Life of this patent

Life of this patent

Abstract

Drawings

Drawings

Claims12

Description7,210 words

Drawings

Classification13 codes

Life of this patent

Description7,210 words