Land vehicles – Wheeled – Attachment
Reexamination Certificate
1999-12-27
2001-10-23
DePumpo, Daniel G. (Department: 3611)
Land vehicles
Wheeled
Attachment
C280S806000, C280S808000, C297S484000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06305713
ABSTRACT:
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to apparatus for restraining an occupant in an automotive vehicle seat during rapid deceleration. More particularly, the invention relates to a four point restraint apparatus.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
It is known in the automotive vehicle art to provide various types of seat belts or restraint apparatus for restraining an occupant in the seat and providing controlled deceleration of portions of the body to limit the forces applied to the occupant's body during rapid deceleration of a vehicle from a cause such as a collision. Four point restraint apparatus are among the many types provided for use in various types of vehicles.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention provides a four point restraint apparatus designed to reduce and distribute forces applied to the body of an occupant during rapid deceleration conditions. As used herein, the term “cushion” conventionally refers to the body supporting lower portion of a seat and, in particular, to the structural cushion frame assembly to which cushion materials are typically attached. The term “seat back” similarly refers to a back supporting portion and, particularly, to the structural seat back frame which is connected to the cushion and to which cushion materials are typically also attached.
In a preferred form, an apparatus according to the invention includes:
a seat having a cushion mountable on a vehicle underbody and a seat back connected with the cushion;
a first pair of flexible lap belts connected at laterally opposite sides of the seat through at least one dynamic pretensioner and having inner ends transversely connectable to one another across pelvic regions of the occupant;
a second pair of flexible shoulder belts connected to a support in the body through at least one load-limiting retractor and, when in use, extending in parallel relation forward of the seat back, passing closely adjacent the neck portion and across the clavicle of the occupant from points not below the level of the clavicle, the shoulder belts extending, essentially parallel, downward across front edge portions of the occupant's rib cage to laterally-spaced attachment with said lap belts; and
adjustable guides on the seat back for guiding the shoulder belts over the clavicle to limit downward force on the clavicle prior to an occurrence of rapid vehicle deceleration. preferably, the shoulder belts are connected to a fixed support in the vehicle body spaced and directly centered behind the back portion of the seat; however, they could instead be connected to another suitable location on the body or on the seat.
Additional features included in the apparatus are:
the load-limiting retractor, or laterally-spaced dual load-limiting retractors, connecting the shoulder belts to the support to allow controlled extension of the shoulder belts upon reaching a predetermined deceleration load;
preferably, dual pretension retractors, mounted on laterally opposite sides of the seat and connected with the lap belts to provide dynamic pretensioning of the lap belts upon reaching a predetermined deceleration value;
a ramp sloping upward near the forward edge of the seat cushion and being effective to prevent sliding of the body of an occupant forward under the transversely-connected lap belts during rapid slowing of the vehicle;
an upwardly adjustable load carrying headrest on the seat back providing the adjustable guides for guiding the shoulder belts over the clavicle of an occupant; and
maintaining the spacing of the shoulder belts at a constant approximately 62.5 mm lateral offset in opposite directions from a centerline through the position of the occupant over a distance from the clavicle of the occupant to laterally-spaced attachment to the lap belts adjacent pelvic regions of the occupant.
These and other features and advantages of the invention will be more fully understood from the following description of certain specific embodiments of the invention taken together with the accompanying drawings.
REFERENCES:
patent: 3822915 (1974-07-01), Colucci
patent: 3924613 (1975-12-01), Beck
patent: 4175787 (1979-11-01), Muskat
patent: 4854608 (1989-08-01), Barral
patent: 5676398 (1997-10-01), Nurtsch
patent: 5788177 (1998-08-01), Keller et al.
patent: 5897169 (1999-04-01), Larsen et al.
patent: 5913486 (1999-06-01), Pywell et al.
patent: 5971488 (1999-10-01), Pedronno et al.
patent: 6050635 (2000-04-01), Pajon et al.
patent: 6076894 (2000-06-01), Busch
patent: 6135561 (2000-10-01), Kruger et al.
patent: 6139111 (2000-10-01), Pywell et al.
patent: 1-94053 (1989-04-01), None
De Saele Kenneth H.
Hiben John Robert
Mc Cleary Joseph D.
Melvin John William
Pywell James Frederick
DePumpo Daniel G.
Dunn David R.
General Motors Corporation
Grove George A.
Sedlar Jeffrey A.
LandOfFree
Four point restraint apparatus does not yet have a rating. At this time, there are no reviews or comments for this patent.
If you have personal experience with Four point restraint apparatus, we encourage you to share that experience with our LandOfFree.com community. Your opinion is very important and Four point restraint apparatus will most certainly appreciate the feedback.
Profile ID: LFUS-PAI-O-2565779