Chairs and seats – Crash seat – Bottom and back movable as unit in response to force
Reexamination Certificate
1999-07-26
2001-11-27
Barfield, Anthony D. (Department: 3636)
Chairs and seats
Crash seat
Bottom and back movable as unit in response to force
C297S480000, C297S468000, C296S068100
Reexamination Certificate
active
06322140
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
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
A variety of different types of restraint systems have been devised for securing passengers, cargo and seat within a vehicle. For example, the commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,010 discloses a tether securing a seat frame to a vehicle floor, a three point belt system entirely mounted to the seat frame restraining the seat occupant, and a retractor belt combination extending between the vehicle floor and the top of the seat isolating the seat back from passenger force exerted against the seat belt.
In order to limit suspension seat movement during a crash, it has been the practice to tether the seat to the floor; however, a fixed tether limits the horizontal adjustability of the seat. In the commonly owned U.S. Pat. No. 5,219,207, an automatic locking tether for the vehicle seat is disclosed wherein the seat may be horizontally adjusted to the specific requirement of the occupant. Passenger loading during a crash results in the automatic locking, of the tether.
Seats provided within large trucks typically are suspendedly mounted atop the vehicle floor. For example, a cushioned air bag may be positioned between the bottom of the seat and floor thereby providing a cushioned ride. Such seats are typically positioned a substantial distance from the vehicle floor. It is therefore desirable to provide a restraint system which will move the seat and occupant toward the floor during a crash thereby providing a more compact seat occupant envelope. Disclosed herein is such a system.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
One embodiment of the present invention is a device for retracting a vehicle seat having a seat back during a crash of the vehicle comprising a seat retractor connected between the seat and the vehicle and operable upon crash of the vehicle to move the seat toward the floor.
Another embodiment of the present invention includes a seat retractor upon crash of a vehicle for moving the vehicle seat toward the vehicle floor. The seat has a belt device mounted to the seat to restrain an occupant thereon. A belt retractor is connected between the seat retractor and the belt device and is operable upon crash of the vehicle to tighten the belt device prior to or during the seat retractor moving the seat toward the floor.
In a further embodiment of the present invention, a belt device is mounted via a linkage to the seat and seat frame. A displacement member has a first end connected to the linkage and a second end connected to a piston in a fluid cylinder. The fluid cylinder has a longitudinal cylinder axis and the displacement member defines a tension axis in a line including the linkage and at least a portion of the displacement member. A bearing or pulley imparts an angle to a flexible portion of the displacement member between the cylinder axis and the tension axis. Upon crash, fluid pressure is applied to the piston to move it within the fluid cylinder, displacing the displacement member and moving the seat towards the vehicle floor.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a restraint system for a vehicle seat and occupant.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a restraint system for moving a vehicle suspension seat towards the vehicle floor during a crash.
An additional object of one embodiment of the present invention is to provide a restraint system operable upon crash of the vehicle to both tighten the seat belt and move the seat with occupant towards the vehicle floor.
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patent: 3832000 (1974-08-01), McDonnell
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patent: 3992046 (1976-11-01), Beness
patent: 4025110 (1977-05-01), Poorman
patent: 4154472 (1979-05-01), Bryll
patent: 4257626 (1981-03-01), Adomeit
patent: 5015010 (1991-05-01), Homeier et al.
patent: 5219207 (1993-06-01), Anthony et al.
patent: 5492368 (1996-02-01), Pywell et al.
patent: 36 31 881 A1 (1988-04-01), None
patent: 43 00 801 A1 (1994-07-01), None
patent: 2 419 079 (1981-03-01), None
Hurley William J.
Jessup Chris P.
Templin Harry W.
Williams Jeffry L.
Barfield Anthony D.
Indiana Mills & Manufacturing Inc.
Woodard Emhardt Naughton Moriarty & McNett
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