Bottom And Back Movable As Unit In Response To Force Patents (Class 297/216.16)
  • Patent number: 7341645
    Abstract: A shock and energy dissipating device includes a number of cylinders attached to an outer peripheral portion of the vehicle for being actuated when a force is applied onto the outer peripheral portion of the vehicle or when a collision happened to the vehicle. A seat device includes a base seat member, a base support for attaching to a bottom of the vehicle, an upper support for attaching to the base seat member and a moving device disposed between the base support and the upper support and coupled to the cylinders for moving the base seat member in response to the cylinders and for absorbing and dissipating an energy that may be transmitted to vehicle drivers or passengers of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 31, 2006
    Date of Patent: March 11, 2008
    Inventor: Jian Jhong Fong
  • Patent number: 7328938
    Abstract: A side impact load transmitting structure includes: a vehicular seat disposed in a cabin; a tunnel portion that is disposed such that it protrudes upward into the cabin and extends in a front-rear direction of a vehicle body; a load transmitting member including a load receiving portion that is disposed at the underside of the vehicular seat and receives a side impact load acting on a vehicle body side portion at the time of a side impact collision, with the load transmitting member being configured to transmit the side impact load received by the load receiving portion to the tunnel portion; and a downward movement suppressing member that suppresses the downward movement of the load transmitting member resulting from a downward load component of the side impact load.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 3, 2006
    Date of Patent: February 12, 2008
    Assignee: Toyota Jidosha Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Hidenori Matsuda
  • Patent number: 7229133
    Abstract: A vehicle seat adjustment system for adjusting the position of a portion of a vehicle seat. The system comprises a hydraulic actuator, a primary activation system for operating the hydraulic actuator and adjusting the seat position, and a secondary activation system for the hydraulic actuator. The secondary activation system is arranged to be activated in the event of a detected crash, to provide for movement of the hydraulic actuator to automatically adjust the position of a portion of the seat towards a predetermined position. The secondary activation system comprises a chamber to allow fluid to be displaced from the hydraulic actuator into the chamber. The secondary activation system may additionally comprise a fluid injection unit which supplies a quantity of fluid, preferably gas, to the actuator.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 19, 2004
    Date of Patent: June 12, 2007
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Michael G. Maddelein, Hugh H. Christopher
  • Patent number: 7207541
    Abstract: A locking device of a longitudinal adjustment device of a vehicle seat is provided with a catch bar with periodically arranged snap openings and snap studs that is assigned to a bottom rail of the longitudinal adjustment device and is further provided with a locking unit assigned to a seat rail of the longitudinal adjustment device. The locking device has at least two licking pins that can be inserted into the snap openings independent of one another, they can be disengaged only jointly. The locking pins are arranged in a guide member which has a pin bore for each locking pin. The guide member is provided with an area facing the catch bar. Projections projecting toward the catch bar are arranged on this area and extend as a continuation of the pin bore.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 27, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 24, 2007
    Assignee: C. Rob. Hammerstein GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ernst-Reiner Frohnhaus, Klaus Kautzner
  • Patent number: 7195311
    Abstract: Safety device for a vehicle seat which is fixed inside a vehicle including lateral guides. The safety device consists of at least one safety rail fixed in the vehicle, in the region between the guides, and comprises associated securing mechanisms which are connected to the vehicle seat, and co-operate with the safety rail in a non-contact manner for regular loads applied to the seat, and in the event of irregular, especially accident-related deformations and/or movements in the region of the vehicle seat, engage with the safety rail in such a way that they block further deformation/displacements. The securing mechanisms and the safety rail are embodied in such a way that, during the engagement, reaction forces which act in the direction of axes (X, Y, Z) of a standard vehicle co-ordinates system are applied in a distributed manner to at least two different engagement regions of the safety rail.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: March 27, 2007
    Assignee: Johnson Controls GmbH
    Inventors: Norbert Kuliha, Uwe Schmale, Bernd Engels
  • Patent number: 7044543
    Abstract: A vehicle seat (1), in particular a motor vehicle seat, has a multi-bar linkage (4) which is defined by at least four link mechanisms (5, 6, 7, 8, 9) and is intended for setting the seat height, and a crash locking unit (21). The link mechanisms include a frame (5), which is fixed on the vehicle structure, and a rocker (8). In the event of a crash, the crash locking unit (21) locks the frame (5) and the rocker (8) to each other. An additional link mechanism (7) is provided between the frame (5) and the rocker (8).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2005
    Date of Patent: May 16, 2006
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Kai Schumann, Ingo Teufel, Dieter Braun, Heinrich Hammann
  • Patent number: 6948756
    Abstract: This invention provides an anti-crash safety seat in a motor vehicle, in which a backrest and so on are provided on a moveable bracket that can move backwards. A front shaft with bearings, a back shaft with bearings, and a seat control system for controlling the seat by making use of the inertia force and electromagnetic force are provided on the moveable bracket. The moveable bracket is mounted on a fixed frame by the bearings, shafts and nuts. The fixed frame is fixed on a floor of a cab of the motor vehicle and has an energy-absorbing plate, energy-absorbing bearings and two rails parallel each other thereon. When the motor vehicle collides, the energy-absorbing components in the seat absorb and transform the kinetic energy of the seat. The seat control system is actuated by a switch, so as to release the seat from being locked.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 3, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 27, 2005
    Inventor: Xi Liu
  • Patent number: 6921133
    Abstract: A catch member (14) extending in the width direction of a seat cushion (1) is arranged inside a front portion of the seat cushion (1) and is supported so as to be vertically movable. There are also provided a torsion spring (16) for urging the catch member (14) to move upward and a pendulum member (18) for operating with an inertial force upon an abrupt deceleration to inhibit vertical movement of the catch part. When a passenger sits on the seat cushion (1), the catch member (14) moves downward to preclude deterioration in seating comfort. When the passenger's rear end (22) starts to move forward upon an abrupt deceleration, the catch member (14) is locked and the rear end (22) is caught by the catch member (14). This makes it possible to suppressed the forward movement of the passenger with reliability, and allow lightweight and low-cost configuration with simple configuration.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 20, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 26, 2005
    Assignee: Daihatsu Motor Co., Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Taoka, Tetsurou Ushijima
  • Patent number: 6851753
    Abstract: Seat lifting devices disposed between a seat support for supporting a seat cushion and a seat mount for mounting the seat support are taught that comprise a front and rear linking mechanisms movably interconnecting the seat support and the seat mount. These linking mechanisms are arranged and constructed to vertically adjust the seat cushion when operated. The rear linking mechanism comprises a first linking arm that is pivotally connected to the seat mount and the seat support, and a second linking arm that is pivotally connected to the seat support. The second linking arm is provided with a rear slide pin that slidably engages a rear guide slot formed in the seat mount. The rear slide pin is arranged and constructed to engage a plurality of teeth formed in the rear guide slot when a large force is applied to the seat support in a direction to separate the seat support from the seat mount.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: May 14, 2003
    Date of Patent: February 8, 2005
    Assignee: Araco Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Akaike, Kazuhisa Tatematsu, Seiichiro Inadome, Seiya Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6843532
    Abstract: In a longitudinal adjuster (3) for a vehicle seat, in particular a motor vehicle seat, having a first seat rail (5), a second seat rail (8) that can be slid lengthwise relative to the first seat rail (5), and at least one locking element (12) movably borne in the second seat rail (8), reaching outward at least in certain areas through openings (26, 28) of the second seat rail (8) and cooperating with notches (29) of the first seat rail (5) to lock the longitudinal adjuster (3), at least one marginal layer (22?) of the locking element (12) is softer than a marginal area (28?) of the second seat rail (8) bordering the openings (26, 28) and/or a marginal area of the first seat rail (5) bordering the notches (29).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 4, 2003
    Date of Patent: January 18, 2005
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Michael Borbe, Heinz Voss
  • Patent number: 6824187
    Abstract: A lock plate and a movable plate are provided to fix a seat at an optional position, and an actuator is provided between the seat and the movable plate. The seat is moved to the rear of a vehicle body in an initial stage of impact by the actuator. Acceleration is generated in the seat through impact abutment of a collapsible tube in the actuator against a piston head in an intermediate stage of impact. In a final stage of the impact, the seat is made integral with the vehicle body. The deceleration of the vehicle body and the seat and the deceleration of an occupant can be made equal to each other at an earlier timing. The apparatus can be installed by making use of a space under the seat, whereby the necessity of securing a special vacant space for installation of the apparatus can be obviated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 20, 2003
    Date of Patent: November 30, 2004
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuki Motozawa, Takahiro Kamei, Yasushi Kawamura
  • Patent number: 6802783
    Abstract: A swing includes a seat unit having a seat frame disposed between two armrest frames, and a backrest frame pivoted to a rear end of the seat frame through a first pivot pin and to one of the armrest frames about a second pivot pin above the first pivot pin, a footrest frame pivoted to a front end of the seat frame through a third pivot pin, and an inclination adjusting rod pivotally connecting the footrest frame and a lower end of the backrest frame. A sliding member is fixed to the seat frame, and is slidably mounted on a guiding member that is secured to said one of the armrest frames. A fastener releasably fastens the sliding member to the guiding member to prevent sliding movement of the sliding member and the seat frame relative to the guiding member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 24, 2003
    Date of Patent: October 12, 2004
    Assignee: Taiwan Shin Yeh Enterprise Co., Ltd.
    Inventor: Chuen-Jong Tseng
  • Patent number: 6796610
    Abstract: A child seat device is formed of a base to be placed on a seat of a car, a child seat body placed on the base, and a connecting member for connecting a rear bottom of the child seat body to a fixed portion. The connecting member increases a length thereof while absorbing a kinetic energy of the child seat body when a tension higher than a predetermined value is applied thereto from the child seat body.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 9, 2003
    Date of Patent: September 28, 2004
    Assignee: Takata Corporation
    Inventors: Osamu Nakagawa, Junichi Yoshida
  • Publication number: 20040160095
    Abstract: A collapsible vehicle safety seat is essentially designed to restrain movement of the occupant especially at the time of frontal, rear-end and lateral collisions in high and low speed or when an impact becomes inevitable. The seat includes an actuator controlled and operated electronically or manually. The onset of the collision sequences the car crash sensor or collision avoidance devices including occupant voice activated actuator. The trigger release forces of a biasing means or equivalently devices electromagnetic or pyrotechnic to deploys instantly pivot frame incorporated with movable seat cushion, seat back and headrest. The alteration movable seat assembly from a normal stationary position created a safetyp zone that allows occupants to lower their center of gravity before ejection, whiplash or ramping occurs. The dynamic seat restrains motion of the occupant and improves safety performance of the seat belt integrated with movable seat cushion and seat back.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 6, 2004
    Publication date: August 19, 2004
    Inventor: Richard Swierczewski
  • Publication number: 20040135406
    Abstract: The present invention has as its object to provide a vehicle passenger detection device that is able to prevent erroneous determinations arising from mechanical hysteresis. The present invention provides a vehicle passenger detection device comprising: weight measurement means, provided with a weight sensor disposed between a seat and floor of a vehicle, that measures the load applied to the seat; fluctuation amplitude detection means that detects the amplitude of fluctuation in values measured by the weight measurement means; correction means that applies a negative correction to the value measured by the weight measurement means when the fluctuation amplitude is smaller than a stipulated value; and passenger presence determination means that determines the presence of a passenger upon the seat by comparing the value measured by the weight measurement means against a stipulated threshold value.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 10, 2003
    Publication date: July 15, 2004
    Applicant: Mazda Motor Corporation
    Inventors: Takayuki Seto, Yousuke Nishimoto
  • Patent number: 6755469
    Abstract: Seat lifting devices disposed between a seat support for supporting a seat cushion and a seat mount for mounting the seat support are taught that comprise a linking mechanism movably interconnecting the seat support and the seat mount, so that the seat cushion is vertically adjusted when the linking mechanism is operated, and a seat support pulling means connected to the seat support and the seat mount. The seat support pulling means is adapted to be shortened when the seat support is subjected to an impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2003
    Date of Patent: June 29, 2004
    Assignee: Araco Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Fumitoshi Akaike, Kazuhisa Tatematsu, Seiichiro Inadome, Seiya Nishimura
  • Patent number: 6752455
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat, especially a motor vehicle seat, having a backrest (29; 129) and having a seat part (3; 103) which has an articulated structure (7; 107) which, in the event of a rear crash, experiences a change in geometry, the change in geometry of the articulated structure (7; 107) at least partly compensates for the rearward displacement of the backrest (29; 129).
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 28, 2002
    Date of Patent: June 22, 2004
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Ingo Teufel, Joachim Mühlberger
  • Publication number: 20040090101
    Abstract: A vehicle seat having a seat bottom and a seat back pivotally connected to the seat bottom. The vehicle seat also has a recliner mechanism for adjusting the angle between the seat back and the seat bottom. The recliner is capable of substantially supporting the seat back relative to the seat bottom below a threshold force acting on said seat back during normal operating loads. The operating loads are below a threshold level. The seat also has an impact control mechanism operatively connected to the seat back and the seat bottom. The impact control mechanism is operable between a disengaged position and an engaged position. In the disengaged position, the seat back is permitted to move relative to said seat bottom. In an engaged position, the impact control mechanism restrains the seat back from moving relative to the seat bottom.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 23, 2002
    Publication date: May 13, 2004
    Inventors: Christer Andersson, Odd Jaegtnes
  • Publication number: 20040075313
    Abstract: A catch member (14) extending in the width direction of a seat cushion (1) is arranged inside a front portion of the seat cushion (1) and is supported so as to be vertically movable. There are also provided a torsion spring (16) for urging the catch member (14) to move upward and a pendulum member (18) for operating with an inertial force upon an abrupt deceleration to inhibit vertical movement of the catch part. When a passenger sits on the seat cushion (1), the catch member (14) moves downward to preclude deterioration in seating comfort. When the passenger's rear end (22) starts to move forward upon an abrupt deceleration, the catch member (14) is locked and the rear end (22) is caught by the catch member (14). This makes it possible to suppressed the forward movement of the passenger with reliability, and allow lightweight and low-cost configuration with simple configuration.
    Type: Application
    Filed: August 21, 2003
    Publication date: April 22, 2004
    Inventors: Yoshifumi Taoka, Tetsurou Ushijima
  • Patent number: 6719369
    Abstract: In an arrangement of a child seat on a motor vehicle seat according to the ISOFIX standard, in the case of a crash-associated deceleration, the child seat is displaced in a limited manner in the direction of travel (FR), so that the resultant movement of the child in said direction of travel (FR) is compensated within the seatbelt system of the child seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 22, 2002
    Date of Patent: April 13, 2004
    Assignee: Bayerische Motoren Werke Aktiengesellschaft
    Inventor: Bernhard Wagner
  • Patent number: 6672667
    Abstract: The present invention discloses an anti-submarine seat for an automobile. The anti-submarine seat prevents the occupant pelvis from slipping forward during a collision. The present invention discloses installing spring-type actuator means at a lower portion of a seat cushion so as to raise a front end of the seat cushion and to descend the rear end of the seat cushion at the time of an impact.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 16, 2002
    Date of Patent: January 6, 2004
    Assignee: Hyundai Motor Company
    Inventor: Min Kyu Park
  • Patent number: 6644723
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is mounted on a floor in a laterally inwardly moveable manner, and is accelerated by a crash load input member, which is more rigid than the remaining part of the vehicle body, inwardly upon occurrence of a vehicle side crash. The vehicle occupant is firmly held to the seat. By thus appropriately controlling the time history of the lateral acceleration of the vehicle occupant at the time of a side crash, the maximum acceleration acting on the vehicle occupant can be controlled. The inward movement of the seat relative to the vehicle body provides a wider space between the vehicle occupant and door panel, and this contributes to the prevention of the injury to the vehicle occupant owing to the intrusion of the door panel into the passenger compartment at the time of a side crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: November 11, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuki Motozawa
  • Patent number: 6637816
    Abstract: The seating system of the preferred embodiment of the invention has been specifically designed for a vehicle having a deceleration sensor adapted to sense a deceleration event of the vehicle. The seating system of this preferred embodiment includes a seat assembly, a tilting mechanism adapted to tilt the seat assembly, and a control unit coupled to the deceleration sensor and adapted to activate the tilting mechanism upon the sensing of a deceleration event.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 28, 2003
    Assignee: Visteon Global Technologies, Inc.
    Inventors: Kevin J. Pavlov, Pahngroc Oh, Stephen M. Stachowski
  • Patent number: 6634708
    Abstract: A kinetic child restraint device which is fastened to or integrated into the seat of a vehicle to provide for 360 degree spherical impact protection to significantly reduce the risk of injury to a child in the event of a collision. The restraint device includes a capsule, a pivotally attached bracket and a pivotally attached base. The restraint device is designed so that it will automatically pivot a child forward, rearward and sideways to position the head, neck and back of the child perpendicular to the impact force. The restraint device is also designed to rotate during a collision to dissipate impact forces to reduce the risk of injury to the child.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 8, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 21, 2003
    Inventor: John Guenther
  • Patent number: 6629575
    Abstract: A vehicle occupant emergency system comprising: a front seat; a front seat horizontal adjuster; a front seat seat-belt system; releasing devices for releasing the front seat from its pre-emergency horizontal adjustment; moving devices for moving the front seat rearward; stopping members for controlling a maximum extent to which the front seat can be moved rearward; restraining members for restraining the front seat from moving forward after its rearward movement; sensors for sensing a multiplicity of characteristics relative to an emergency; and a control unit for operating the releasing devices and the moving devices in an emergency depending on the received signals from the sensors and its programming.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 24, 2002
    Date of Patent: October 7, 2003
    Inventor: Dimitar Nikolov
  • Patent number: 6626259
    Abstract: When passengers are transported in automotive vehicles, in particular, when automotive vehicles are used in motor sports events, there is an increased risk of injury for the occupants of the vehicle. In particular, if the vehicle is hit from the side, rolls over or catches fire, it is therefore necessary to provide the occupants with optimum protection against the consequences of such an accident. To this end the invention provides a safety seat system comprising a shell element which is secured to a vehicle body and has integrally formed therein a foot area, a seat area and a backrest area, the safety seat being displaceable as a whole relative to the vehicle body upon impacts acting thereon. As a result, the passive safety of an occupant is considerably increased and, in particular, the a consequences of an injury are kept to a minimum or are prevented altogether.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Date of Patent: September 30, 2003
    Assignee: Team Rosberg GmbH
    Inventor: Eckhardt Doehrer
  • Publication number: 20030160483
    Abstract: The motor vehicle seat of a motor vehicle comprises an underframe and a seat carrier that is height-adjustably connected to the underframe through rear oscillating cranks. A catch device is directly assigned to one of the two rear oscillating cranks. A non-rotatable tie bar joins the two rear oscillating cranks so that they are parallel when the vehicle seat is subjected to normal load. A retaining device has a sector gear firmly connected to the other one of the two rear oscillating cranks. An engaging piece which is movably disposed on the seat carrier or on the underframe, is provided with teeth devised for engagement with the sector gear and is disengaged from the sector gear as long as the vehicle seat is subjected to normal load. When the associated motor vehicle is subjected to a crash load an actuator is activated and causes the engaging piece to move into positive mesh with the sector gear.
    Type: Application
    Filed: January 30, 2003
    Publication date: August 28, 2003
    Applicant: C. Rob. Hammerstein GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Burckhard Becker, Wilfried Beneker
  • Patent number: 6592166
    Abstract: A vehicle seat is mounted on a floor in a laterally inwardly moveable manner, and is accelerated by a power actuator inwardly upon detection of a vehicle side crash. The vehicle occupant is firmly held to the seat. By thus appropriately controlling the time history of the lateral acceleration of the vehicle occupant at the time of a side crash, the maximum acceleration acting on the vehicle occupant can be controlled. The inward movement of the seat provides a wider space between the vehicle occupant and door panel, and this contributes to the prevention of the injury to the vehicle occupant owing to the intrusion of the door panel into the passenger compartment at the time of a side crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2002
    Date of Patent: July 15, 2003
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventor: Yasuki Motozawa
  • Patent number: 6565151
    Abstract: A leg assembly for a vehicle passenger seat comprises a front leg frame and a rear leg comprising a first link pivotally connected at a first end to the rear foot, a second link pivotally connected at a first end to an intermediate point on the leg frame and a load-limiting strut pivotally connected at a first end to the front foot and pivotally connected at a second end to both the second end of the first link and the second end of the second link. The load-limiting strut is arranged to resist movement of the first and second links into alignment with each other, but to yield when subject to a load exceeding a predetermined value, thereby allowing the seat to pivot forwardly about its front foot.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 4, 2001
    Date of Patent: May 20, 2003
    Assignee: Britax Aircraft Interiors Limited
    Inventors: Mandeep Jarnail, Jasbir Singh Rana
  • Patent number: 6505890
    Abstract: A passive restraint system in an aircraft utilizing a seat structure of the aircraft to store a source of pressurized gas or solid fuel necessary to expand the passive restraint is disclosed. The seat structure of the aircraft comprises multiple hollow tubes, and these hollow tubes can be utilized to either store pressurized gas or solid fuel directly, or to house a vessel that stores pressurized gas or solid fuel. Thus, no additional aircraft seat space is required to house a pressurized gas vessel. By using the existing seat structure to house the source of pressurized gas or solid fuel, significant space and weight savings can be realized, both of which are important factors in aircraft seat design.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 7, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 14, 2003
    Assignee: Am-Safe, Inc.
    Inventors: Michael C. Riley, Willard F. Hagan
  • Patent number: 6478378
    Abstract: In a vehicle seat, in particular an automobile seat, with a height adjuster (9) for adjusting the height of a seat frame of the vehicle seat relative to the vehicle structure, a locking device (13,23,36,38) is provided with a stop (31,33,36,38), which makes available an alternative force transmission between the seat frame and the vehicle structure in the event of a crash.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 6, 2001
    Date of Patent: November 12, 2002
    Assignee: Keiper GmbH & Co.
    Inventors: Joachim Mühlberger, Ingo Teufel
  • Publication number: 20020145315
    Abstract: An apparatus for a vehicle, such as a vehicle seat, includes a vehicle component having a first portion fixed relative to the vehicle, and a second portion movable relative to the first portion. An energy management device is connected to the first and second portions. The device controls the motion of the second portion relative to the first portion through a duration of time during rapid acceleration of the vehicle component to reduce peak acceleration forces acting on the vehicle component.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 24, 2001
    Publication date: October 10, 2002
    Inventors: Gregory S. Fraley, Thomas J. Fowler, Mladen Humer, Stephen Lambrecht, H. Winston Maue, Ernesto E. Blanco, Jennifer Navarro, Colin Ager, Alastair MacGregor, Peter Cauwood
  • Patent number: 6454351
    Abstract: An apparatus includes one or more seats 1 respectively supported on a vehicle body so as to be movable along the direction of a force acting on the vehicle body in the case of a collision. Each seat 1 includes an inertia mass member, supported on the vehicle body in such a manner that, when the vehicle body stops suddenly in the collision, it continues to move in the direction in which the vehicle body has been advancing until the time just before the collision occurs. Seat 1 also includes a mutually reversing mechanism for connecting together the seat and inertia mass member in such a manner that they can move the seat in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the inertia mass member in the collision.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Date of Patent: September 24, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasuki Motozawa, Hideaki Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 6439660
    Abstract: The invention is directed to a kinetic child restraint device which is fastened to or integrated into the seat of a vehicle to provide for 360 degree spherical impact protection to significantly reducing the risk of injury to a child in the event of a collision. The restraint device includes a capsule, a pivotally attached bracket and a pivotally attached base. The restraint device is designed so that it will automatically pivot a child forward, rearward and sideways to position the head, neck and back of the child perpendicular to the impact force. The restraint device is also designed to rotate during a collision to dissipate impact forces to reduce the risk of injury to the child.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 15, 2000
    Date of Patent: August 27, 2002
    Inventor: John Guenther
  • Patent number: 6435591
    Abstract: A device for counteracting whiplash injury to a person sitting in a seat (1) which can occur due to a rapid change in velocity, such as a collision, primarily from the rear, or similar. The device is characterized by containing means of allowing controlled displacement of the entire seat (1) against the direction of travel during rapid change of velocity, that the seat (1) is provided with control devices which are arranged to give the seat and its occupant an essentially simultaneous and essentially linear movement against the direction of movement and/or an essentially arcuate movement, and that the seat (1) is arranged to stay in a rear position after the change of velocity.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 3, 1999
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Kent Nilsson
  • Patent number: 6435592
    Abstract: In one embodiment, a device is configured to counteract the occurrence of whiplash injury to a person sitting in a seat, which can occur due to a rapid change in velocity, such as in a rear-end collision. The device comprises guide means that, during a change in motion of a vehicle, provide for a change in position of the seat in the form of translation and rotational movement of the seat in a generally backward direction opposite the direction of travel of the vehicle. As the seat and the occupant of the seat move backward relative to the vehicle, the head of the occupant accelerates over a longer distance than the hips of the occupant.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 15, 2001
    Date of Patent: August 20, 2002
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventor: Kent Nilsson
  • Patent number: 6422632
    Abstract: As a moveable part of the vehicle body carrying a vehicle seat moves rearward under the action of an active or passive power source as a result of a vehicle crash, the seat belt which is anchored at the moveable part at one end and a fixed part of the vehicle body at another end is pulled rearward, and performs the function to apply a deceleration to the vehicle occupant in an early phase of the vehicle crash. This is followed by a slight slackening of the seat belt as the moveable part is subjected to a forward force. The active power source typically consists of a high pressure gas generating device, and a passive power source typically consists of a G control member which transmits the deceleration of a vehicle crash to the vehicle occupant from an early phase of the crash, and/or a stopper which applies a forward force to the moveable part as the moveable part moves rearward by a prescribed distance under the action of the power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 23, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 23, 2002
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushi Kaisha
    Inventors: Takahiro Kamei, Tatsuo Iwabe, Yasushi Kawamura, Makoto Tsuruta, Yasuki Motozawa, Kazuya Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6416127
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a seat bottom, a seat back pivotally connected with respect to the seat bottom, a seat track and an oscillating damped energy management device secured between the seat back and the seat bottom. The device includes a damper mechanism having a gear assembly coupled to a damper crank on a secondary gear shaft. Rotation of the damper crank causes an oscillating movement of a damper rod coupled to a damper cylinder. The viscosity of the fluid within the damper cylinder can be selected to vary the energy dampening characteristics of the damper mechanism. The damper mechanism may also include a pair of damper cylinders that can oscillate approximately ninety degrees out of phase with respect to each other to more smoothly control the damped energy during low and high impacts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 9, 2002
    Assignee: Lear Corporation
    Inventors: Ashford A. Galbreath, Jr., Dianna Sabo, John R. Sims, Stephen Lambrecht, Joel P. Mendel, Steve Schulte, Greg Fraley
  • Patent number: 6406092
    Abstract: A car seat having a seat portion linked by means of connecting rods to a rail for longitudinal adjustment has a dampening element to transform kinetic energy into frictional or deformation energy. The dampening element is embodied as a separate component and has, on the one hand, an articulated link to a component on the seat portion as well as, on the other hand, to another component on the rail for longitudinal adjustment. The components include a threaded rod and a nut that can rotate around it, as well as a sleeve-shaped component that surrounds at least a part of the nut. The nut can be moved longitudinally relative to the sleeve-shaped component while overcoming a force of friction or deformation.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 20, 1999
    Date of Patent: June 18, 2002
    Assignee: Bertrand Faure Sitztechnik GmbH & Co. KG
    Inventors: Heiko Cordes, Reinhard Hanauske, Stefan Krämer, Ralf Oberbeck
  • Patent number: 6390549
    Abstract: A backrest for a vehicle seat, having a head restraint and backrest padding, and having a supporting element which is intended for the seat occupant's back and, is compliant, at least in the upper backrest region, in such a manner that the seat occupant's back is able to shift rearwards relative to the head restraint in the event of a rear-end collision of the vehicle. The supporting element is formed by a shaped cushion that is integrated in the backrest padding in the upper backrest region, and filled with a gaseous medium, in particular air. In the event of a collision this supporting element can suddenly be deflated.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 16, 2000
    Date of Patent: May 21, 2002
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Christian Mayer, Vasilios Orizaris, Albert Reitinger, Oana Schüszler
  • Patent number: 6382718
    Abstract: A vehicle seat having a seat part which is vibrationally movably supported on a seat subframe by way of a multi-spring arrangement. The seat part can be fixed, as required, at the seat subframe while the vibrational mobility is largely canceled.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: December 27, 1999
    Date of Patent: May 7, 2002
    Assignee: DaimlerChrysler AG
    Inventors: Astrid Janke, Miroslav Jiskra
  • Patent number: 6378939
    Abstract: An energy attenuating apparatus for use with a seat includes an elongated attenuator having a resistance to bending which varies along its length. A bending mechanism defining a nonlinear path receives the attenuator. Translation of the bending mechanism relative to the attenuator in a lengthwise direction of the attenuator produces bending of the attenuator to absorb energy applied to the energy attenuating apparatus.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: September 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: April 30, 2002
    Assignee: East/West Industries, Inc.
    Inventors: Frank Knoll, Joseph Gaito
  • Publication number: 20020038966
    Abstract: When passengers are transported in automotive vehicles, in particular, when automotive vehicles are used in motor sports events, there is an increased risk of injury for the occupants of the vehicle. In particular, if the vehicle is hit from the side, rolls over or catches fire, it is therefore necessary to provide the occupants with optimum protection against the consequences of such an accident. To this end the invention provides a safety seat system comprising a shell element which is secured to a vehicle body and has integrally formed therein a foot area, a seat area and a backrest area, the safety seat being displaceable as a whole relative to the vehicle body upon impacts acting thereon. As a result, the passive safety of an occupant is considerably increased and, in particular, the a consequences of an injury are kept to a minimum or are prevented altogether.
    Type: Application
    Filed: November 13, 2001
    Publication date: April 4, 2002
    Inventor: Eckhardt Doehrer
  • Patent number: 6352312
    Abstract: A vehicle seat interlock mechanism includes a U-shaped channel member extending along a lower track of a seat and an interlock bracket mounted to a deformable mounting member at an upper track of the seat. The interlock bracket includes a seat belt anchor and a U-shaped channel at a lower end of the bracket. The interlock bracket is movable upwardly and forwardly in response to a seat belt force sufficient to deform the mounting member of the interlock bracket, whereby the two interlock channels engage to limit movement of the seat relative to the floor of the vehicle. The interlock bracket may include a portion extending forwardly over a gear box of a power drive system for the seat, such that the bracket is movable to compress the gear box to further retain the gear mechanism to a rack along the track assembly of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 24, 2000
    Date of Patent: March 5, 2002
    Assignee: Excellence Manufacturing, Inc.
    Inventor: Richard W. A. Rees
  • Patent number: 6334643
    Abstract: A vehicle seat includes a support structure located beneath the seat and a squab located above the support structure. A back-seat extends substantially upwardly from the rear part of the squab. A mechanism pivotally connects the rear part of the squab to the support structure to permit the rearward tilting of the back-rest while tilting upwards the squab. A kinetic energy absorbing mechanism absorbs energy when the seat executes a tilting movement. The energy absorbing mechanism is located beneath the squab and is connected to a pivotal linkage between the support structure and a forward part of the squab of the seat.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 30, 2001
    Date of Patent: January 1, 2002
    Assignee: Autoliv Development AB
    Inventors: Karl-Gunnar Lindblad, Anders Svantesson
  • Patent number: 6312038
    Abstract: In an automotive vehicle body structure comprising a seat carrying member that is moveable with respect to the main part of the vehicle body at the time of a vehicle crash so as to reduce the peak deceleration of the vehicle occupant in the seat, the seat carrying member comprises an elongated member extending in a fore-and-aft direction of the vehicle body and having a portion adapted to be deformable at the time of a vehicle crash. The seat is preferably connected to the elongated member of the seat carrying member at a widthwise center of the seat so that at the time of a vehicle crash, the inertial force of the seat and the vehicle occupant will act in the direction that the elongated member extends and substantially no horizontal moment will be applied on the seat carrying member. A seat position adjustment mechanism is preferably provided between the seat and the elongated member of the seat carrying member.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 21, 2000
    Date of Patent: November 6, 2001
    Assignee: Honda Giken Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
    Inventors: Yasushi Kawamura, Tatsuo Iwabe, Takahiro Kamei, Makoto Tsuruta, Yasuki Motozawa, Kazuya Yoshida
  • Patent number: 6305744
    Abstract: An ejectable safety seat structure is comprised of an outer rigid shell for securement to a vehicle. An inner protective shell is connected to the outer shell by impact force detachable elements which are removably securable to the inner shell. A harness is secured to the inner shell for detachably securing an occupant therein having a weight within the range of from about 25 pounds to 100 pounds. The impact force detachable elements automatically disconnect from the inner shell when the detachable elements are subjected to a predetermined force upon impact of the vehicle.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 13, 1999
    Date of Patent: October 23, 2001
    Inventor: Michel Martin
  • Patent number: 6299103
    Abstract: An emergency ejection seat adjustable along two independent axes: vertical adjustment (up and down) and horizontal adjustment (fore and aft). The ejection seat adjusts to accommodate all aircrew sizes, sitting shoulder heights, buttock-knee lengths, and functional limb reaches and is constructed of modular components which are easily removed and replaced. The ejection seat comprises a seat bucket structure, a seat insert, a linkage assembly and equipment bays. The linkage assembly interfaces between the ejection seat bucket structure and seat insert to allow both vertical and horizontal adjustment.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: January 26, 2000
    Date of Patent: October 9, 2001
    Assignee: Simula, Inc.
    Inventors: William Barry Shope, James W. Duncan
  • Publication number: 20010015568
    Abstract: The occupant protective apparatus comprises one or more seats 1 respectively supported on a vehicle body so as to be movable along the direction of a force acting on the vehicle body in the case of a collision and each including a seat belt 3 for constraining an occupant 2 seated on the seat 1, a battery 5, as an inertia mass member, supported on the vehicle body in such a manner that, when the vehicle body stops suddenly in the collision, it continues to move in the advancing direction of a vehicle in which the vehicle has been advancing until the time just before the collision occurs, and, a mutually reversing mechanism (in the illustrated embodiment, a pair of parallel links 6) for connecting together the seat and inertia mass member in such a manner that they can move the seat in the opposite direction to the moving direction of the inertia mass member in the collision.
    Type: Application
    Filed: December 6, 2000
    Publication date: August 23, 2001
    Inventors: Yasuki Motozawa, Hideaki Nakamichi
  • Patent number: 6257663
    Abstract: A vehicle seat apparatus for absorbing different types of forces, shocks, and vibrations commonly encountered in different types of vehicle accidents and sudden hard braking of a vehicle. The vehicle seat apparatus includes a seat cushion, a seat back cushion, a bottom support structure, a top plate, a ball bearing housing containing a plurality of ball bearings, a plurality of shock absorbers, a plurality of linkage rods, and a pulley system. The top plate is adapted for sliding over the ball bearings in a lateral, forward, and/or rearward direction in response to a vehicle accident or to a sudden hard braking of the vehicle. The vehicle seat apparatus may further include at least one seat restraint and at least two lateral side air bags.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 25, 2000
    Date of Patent: July 10, 2001
    Inventor: Richard Swierczewski