Land vehicles: bodies and tops – Bodies – Seats with body modifications
Reexamination Certificate
1999-09-21
2001-05-01
Dayoan, D. Glenn (Department: 3612)
Land vehicles: bodies and tops
Bodies
Seats with body modifications
C297S216180
Reexamination Certificate
active
06224131
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to vehicle safety systems. More particularly, the invention concerns a method and apparatus to move a vehicle seat in response to a collision or imminent collision.
2. Discussion of the Related Art
Many thousands of vehicle occupants are injured and killed every year in vehicle collisions or accidents. A variety of devices and systems have been integrated into vehicles in an effort to increase vehicle safety. These include seat belts, airbags, collapsible steering wheel columns and other features.
However, even with these safety devices vehicle occupants are still injured by striking the vehicle interior, especially the vehicle dashboard. In addition, the explosive force used to deploy airbags injures many vehicle occupants.
Airbag systems are being modified in an attempt to minimize or eliminate the injuries and deaths caused by vehicle airbag deployments. Still, children and other occupants that position themselves in close proximity to the steering wheel or dashboard will always be at risk of injury from striking the dashboard and from airbag deployments.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The present invention can help minimize vehicle occupant injuries sustained by striking vehicle interiors, especially dashboards, and injuries associated with explosive airbag deployments when the occupant is too close to the airbag.
Broadly, the present invention provides a method for moving a vehicle occupant away from the dashboard and airbag. More specifically, one embodiment of the invention provides a vehicle with a vehicle seat, where the vehicle seat is coupled to a moving element, and a vehicle collision detector. The vehicle collision detector detects a vehicle collision condition—an actual collision or an imminent collision—and triggers the vehicle seat moving element to move the vehicle seat. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the vehicle seat is moved by a spring in response to a collision impacting the front of the automobile.
However, the claims alone—not the preceding summary—define the invention.
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Baker Freling E.
Baker & Maxham
Carpenter Scott
Dayoan D. Glenn
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