Vehicle air bag minimum distance enforcement apparatus, method and system

A vehicle safety device comprising:

• a first air-bag mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle;
• and
• a first seat mounted within the passenger compartment, the first seat being movably connected to a frame of the vehicle by a first seat position adjusting mechanism, the first seat position adjusting mechanism allowing the first seat to move relative to the first air-bag along a first axis between a forward-most position and a rearward-most position,
• the forward-most position being defined as a position of the first seat in which a distance between a passenger seated in the first seat and the first air-bag is equal to a minimum safe clearance, displacement of the first seat away from the forward-most position increasing the distance between the first seat and the first air-bag;
• wherein the first seat is movable vertically, and the first air-bag is fixedly positioned with respect to one of a steering wheel assembly for a driver and a dashboard arrangement for a passenger other than the driver.

A vehicle safety device comprising:

• a first air-bag mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle;
• a first seat mounted within the passenger compartment, the first seat being movably connected to a frame of the vehicle by a first seat positiQn adjusting mechanism, the first seat position adjusting mechanism allowing the first seat to move relative to the first air-bag along a first axis between a forward-most position and a rearward-most position, the forward-most position being defined as a position of the first seat in which a distance between a passenger seated in the first seat and the first air-bag is equal to a minimum safe clearance, displacement of the first seat away from the forward-most position increasing the distance between the first seat and the first air-bag;
• and
• a height sensor to sense a position of a portion of a passenger seated in the first seat corresponding to a height of the eyes of the passenger;
• wherein:
• the first air-bag is fixedly positioned with respect to one of a steering wheel assembly for a driver and a dashboard arrangement for a passenger other than the driver, and
• the height sensor is operable to provide data for use by a control unit for use in vertically adjusting a height of the first seat to attain an optimum eye height of a passenger seated in the first seat.

A vehicle safety device comprising:

• a first air-bag mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle;
• a first seat mounted within the passenger compartment, the first seat being movably connected to a frame of the vehicle by a first seat position adjusting mechanism, the first seat position adjusting mechanism allowing the first seat to move relative to the first air-bag along a first axis between a forward-most position and a rearward-most position,
• the forward-most position being defined as a position of the first seat in which a distance between a passenger seated in the first seat and the first air-bag is equal to a minimum safe clearance, displacement of the first seat away from the forward-most position increasing the distance between the first seat and the first air-bag;
• and
• a distance sensor to sense a position of a passenger seated in the first seat corresponding to a distance between the passenger and the first air-bag;
• wherein:
• the first air-bag is fixedly positioned with respect to one of a steering wheel assembly for a driver and a dashboard arrangement for a passenger other than the driver, and
• the distance sensor is operable to provide data to a control unit for use in horizontally moving the first seat along the first axis until the distance sensor indicates that the first seat is in the forward-most position.

A vehicle safety device comprising:

• a first air-bag mounted within a passenger compartment of a vehicle;
• a first seat mounted within the passenger compartment, the first seat being movably connected to a frame of the vehicle by a first seat position adjusting mechanism, the first seat position adjusting mechanism allowing the first seat to move relative to the first air-bag along a first axis between a forward-most position and a rearward-most position,
• the forward-most position being defined as a position of the first seat in which a distance between a passenger seated in the first seat and the first air-bag is equal to a minimum safe clearance, displacement of the first seat away from the forward-most position increasing an actual distance between the first seat and the first air-bag;
• a pedal position adjusting mechanism for moving at least one pedal toward and away from the first seat, the first seat being a driver seat;
• a distance sensor for use in determining the actual distance and for providing it to a control unit for defining the forward-most position based on a distance between a passenger seated in the first seat and the first air-bag;
• and
• a passenger notification device coupled to the control unit for notifying the passenger, when the passenger moves forward within the minimum safe clearance, that the minimum safe clearance has been encroached upon;
• wherein the first air-bag is fixedly positioned with respect to one of a steering wheel assembly for a driver and a dashboard arrangement for a passenger other than the driver.

A method of maintaining a minimum safe clearance between an air-bag mounted in a vehicle and a vehicle passenger to be protected by the air-bag, wherein the vehicle includes a seat which may be moved toward and away from the air-bag, the method comprising the steps of:

• limiting motion of the seat toward the air-bag to prevent motion of the seat beyond a forward-most position wherein, when in the forward-most position, a passenger seated in the seat is separated from the air-bag by a predetermined minimum safe clearance;
• and
• adjusting a position of at least one vehicle control pedal to achieve a desired distance between the seat and the at least one pedal;
• wherein:
• the air-bag is fixedly positioned with respect to one of a steering wheel assembly for a driver and a dashboard arrangement for a passenger other than the driver;
• and
• the vehicle includes a computer and a sensor for detecting a distance between a passenger seated in the seat and the air-bag, the step of limiting motion of the seat being performed to prohibit further forward directed movement of a seat when the sensor indicates that the distance between a passenger seated in the seat and the air-bag is equal to the minimum safe clearance.