Automatic vehicle occupant restraint

Claim 2

A vehicle occupant restraining device for minimizing injury resulting from sudden vehicle deceleration comprising: a vehicle seat having an upright back portion and a substantially horizontal seat portion, said seat portion having a section separable therefrom, said separable section adapted to form a restraining member for the vehicle occupant, said section being mounted for controlled movement from an occupant-unrestraining position to an occupant-restraining position, a curtain, the upper edge of which is secured to said separable section and the lower edge of which is secured to said seat portion structure so that when the separable section is raised to its restraining position, said curtain will be drawn tightly to prevent the occupant from sliding forwardly, an energy device linked to said section and serving when activated to move said section into an occupant restraining position, and means for controlling the application of energy from said energy device to said section.

Claim 3

A vehicle occupant restraining device for minimizing injury resulting from vehicle deceleration exceeding a predetermined level comprising: a vehicle seat structure having an upright back and a substantially horizontal seat, said seat having a portion movable with respect to the remainder of said seat, said portion being mounted for movement from an occupant-nonrestraining position to an occupant-restraining position in which the occupant is restrained from forward movement, an energy device linked to said portion and serving when activated to move said portion into an occupant-restraining position, latch means for latching said energy device against activation, deceleration-sensing means for releasing said latch means when the vehicle deceleration exceeds a predetermined level, said predetermined level being set above the deceleration levels encountered during normal vehicle operation, said seat having a portion separable therefrom, said separable portion adapted to restrain forward motion of the vehicle occupant and also having resilient-material-covered side arms to restrain said occupant from lateral motion.

Claim 4

A vehicle occupant restraining device for minimizing injury resulting from vehicle deceleration exceeding a predetermined level comprising: a vehicle seat structure having an upright back and a substantially horizontal seat, said seat having a portion movable with respect to the remainder of said seat, said portion being mounted for movement from an occupant-nonrestraining position to an occupant-restraining position in which the occupant is restrained from forward movement, an energy device linked to said portion and serving when activated to move said portion into an occupant-restraining position, latch means for latching said energy device against activation, deceleration-sensing means for releasing said latch means when the vehicle deceleration exceeds a predetermined level, said predetermined level being set above the deceleration levels encountered during normal vehicle operation, said seat having a portion separable therefrom, said separable portion adapted to restrain forward motion of the vehicle occupant and also having resilient-material-covered side arms to restrain said occupant from lateral motion.

Claim 5

The device of claim 2 further comprising construction of said arms to be readily disengaged from said seat structure when in the occupant-restraining posItion by said occupant.

Claim 6

The device of claim 2 which includes a curtainlike construction with the upper edge thereof secured to said separable portion an the lower edge thereof secured to the seat structure so that when the said separable portion is raised to is occupant-restraining position, said curtainlike structure will be deployed therebelow, blocking the passage of said occupant''s body below said raised separable portion.

Claim 7

The device of claim 4 further comprising said separable portion also having resilient-material-covered side arms.

Claim 8

The device of claim 5 further comprising the construction of said arms to be readily disengaged from said seat structure when in the occupant-restraining position by said occupant.

Claim 9

A vehicle occupant restraining device for minimizing injury resulting from vehicle deceleration exceeding a predetermined level comprising: a vehicle seat structure having an upright back and a substantially horizontal seat, said seat having a portion movable with respect to the remainder of said seat, said portion being mounted for movement from an occupant-nonrestraining position to an occupant-restraining position in which the occupant is restrained from forward movement, an energy device linked to said portion and serving when activated to move said portion into an occupant-restraining position, latch means for latching said energy device against activation, deceleration-sensing means for releasing said latch means when the vehicle deceleration exceeds a predetermined level, said predetermined level being set above the deceleration levels encountered during normal vehicle operation, said portion comprising a framework positioned normally in the upper region of said horizontal seat and movable from a lower nonrestraining position to an upper restraining position.

Claim 10

A vehicle occupant restraining device for minimizing injury resulting from vehicle deceleration exceeding a predetermined level comprising: a vehicle seat structure having an upright back and a substantially horizontal seat, said seat having a portion movable with respect to the remainder of said seat, said portion being mounted for movement from an occupant-nonrestraining position to an occupant-restraining position in which the occupant is restrained from forward movement, an energy device linked to said portion and serving when activated to move said portion into an occupant-restraining position, latch means for latching said energy device against activation, deceleration-sensing means for releasing said latch means when the vehicle deceleration exceeds a predetermined level, said predetermined level being set above the deceleration levels encountered during normal vehicle operation, said portion comprising a framework positioned normally in the upper region of said horizontal seat and movable from a lower nonrestraining position to an upper restraining position.

Claim 11

The device of claim 7 wherein said portion is pivoted to the said seat remainder adjacent to the rear of said portion.

Claim 12

The device of claim 7 wherein said portion has the upper edge of a curtainlike structure secured thereto, the lower edge of said curtainlike structure being secured to the said seat structure.