US3791476A
Expired / Lapsed
US
⏱️ 0.0 years remaining
Protective shield for motor vehicle occupant
Assignee: Individual
•
Filing: 1969-10-27
•
Granted: 1974-02-12
•
Expires: 1989-10-27
Abstract
Abstract Shields for minimizing head injuries to front seat occupants of propelled vehicles as a result of being thrown against the windshield of the vehicle by a collision which are automatically moved from a stored position to a position between the occupants and the windshield in advance of significant deceleration of the vehicle. The shields are constructed and disposed so that they afford more complete protection to all of such occupants and interfere to the minimum extent with their vision when the shields are in operative position. The shields normally serve as the sun visors of the vehicle and are made of two panels which are normally held in overlying positions but are moved to side by side position when the shields are automatically interposed between the front seat occupants and the windshield so that they cover a greater area of the windshield and afford more protection. The shields can, however, be moved manually in the same manner as conventional sun visors from their stored position to a position in which they serve to shade the front seat occupants'' eyes from glare and back to stored position without disabling the mechanism which automatically operates them in the event of a collision or extending the shields.
Inventors
- 👤 J Wernig
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-25 08:27
CPC Classifications
B; B60; B60R; B60R21/00; B60R21/01; B60R21/013; B60R21/0136; B60J; B60J3/00; B60J3/02; B60J3/0204; B60J3/0208; B60R21/02; B60R21/06; B60R21/08
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 14
Claim 1
Independent Claim
181 words
In an automotive vehicle, a shield which includes a panel, means for mounting the panel so that it can move from a stored position to a position in which it is interposed between an occupant and a wall of the vehicle, and another panel which is connected to the first-mentioned panel so that it moves with it but can move with respect to it from a face to face relation when the panels are in stored position to a side by side relation when the panels are in interposed position, a latch for holding the panels in face to face relation, means for moving the secondmentioned panel from face to face to side by side relation to the first-mentioned panel when the latch is released, an actuator for moving the shield into interposed position, and means for releasing the latch upon movement of the shield toward interposed position so that the means for moving the second-mentioned panel may move it from face to face to side by side relation to the first-mentioned panel as the shield is moved toward interposed position.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
181 words
In an automotive vehicle, a shield which includes a panel, means for mounting the panel so that it can move from a stored position to a position in which it is interposed between an occupant and a wall of the vehicle, and another panel which is connected to the first-mentioned panel so that it moves with it but can move with respect to it from a face to face relation when the panels are in stored position to a side by side relation when the panels are in interposed position, a latch for holding the panels in face to face relation, means for moving the secondmentioned panel from face to face to side by side relation to the first-mentioned panel when the latch is released, an actuator for moving the shield into interposed position, and means for releasing the latch upon movement of the shield toward interposed position so that the means for moving the second-mentioned panel may move it from face to face to side by side relation to the first-mentioned panel as the shield is moved toward interposed position.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
193 words
In an automotive vehicle, a shield which includes a panel, a rotatable hollow shaft on which the panel is mounted so that it can swing from a stored position to a position in which it is interposed between an occupant and a wall of the vehicle and another panel which is hinged to the first-mentioned panel so that it swings with it but can swing with respect to it from a face to face relation when the panels are in stored position to a side by side relation when the panels are in interposed position, a latch for holding the panels in face to face relation, a spring for swinging the second-mentioned panel from face to face to side by side relation to the first-mentioned panel when the latch is released, an actuator for rotating the hollow shaft and swinging the shield into interposed position, and means within the hollow shaft for releasing the latch upon swinging of the shield toward interposed position so that the spring may swing the second-mentioned panel from face to face to side by side relation to the first-mentioned panel as the shield is swung toward interposed position.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
193 words
In an automotive vehicle, a shield which includes a panel, a rotatable hollow shaft on which the panel is mounted so that it can swing from a stored position to a position in which it is interposed between an occupant and a wall of the vehicle and another panel which is hinged to the first-mentioned panel so that it swings with it but can swing with respect to it from a face to face relation when the panels are in stored position to a side by side relation when the panels are in interposed position, a latch for holding the panels in face to face relation, a spring for swinging the second-mentioned panel from face to face to side by side relation to the first-mentioned panel when the latch is released, an actuator for rotating the hollow shaft and swinging the shield into interposed position, and means within the hollow shaft for releasing the latch upon swinging of the shield toward interposed position so that the spring may swing the second-mentioned panel from face to face to side by side relation to the first-mentioned panel as the shield is swung toward interposed position.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
20 words
The invention claimed in claim 2 in which the means for releasing the latch includes means moved by the actuator.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
117 words
In a self-propelled vehicle which includes relatively easily deformed or displaced portions between occupants of the vehicle and external bodies, a shield for interposition between an occupant and a wall of the vehicle in the event of a collision, an actuator for moving the shield into such interposition, and means for activating the actuator which includes a switch which is located at a distance laterally from a relatively easily deformed or displaced fixed portion of the vehicle and is electrically connected to the actuator, and switch operating means which extends laterally from the switch to the last-mentioned relatively easily deformed or displaced portion of the vehicle to operate the switch if such portion is deformed or displaced.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
117 words
In a self-propelled vehicle which includes relatively easily deformed or displaced portions between occupants of the vehicle and external bodies, a shield for interposition between an occupant and a wall of the vehicle in the event of a collision, an actuator for moving the shield into such interposition, and means for activating the actuator which includes a switch which is located at a distance laterally from a relatively easily deformed or displaced fixed portion of the vehicle and is electrically connected to the actuator, and switch operating means which extends laterally from the switch to the last-mentioned relatively easily deformed or displaced portion of the vehicle to operate the switch if such portion is deformed or displaced.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention claimed in claim 4 in which the switch is mounted on another relatively easily deformed or displaced portion of the vehicle so that the switch is operated if either of such last-mentioned portions is deformed or displaced.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
21 words
The invention claimed in claim 4 in which the relatively easily deformed or displaced portions are fixed portions of the vehicle.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
122 words
In a self-propelled vehicle which includes relatively easily deformed or displaced portions between occupants of the vehicle and external bodies, a shield for interposition between an occupant and a wall of the vehicle in the event of a collision, an actuator for moving the shield into such interposition, and means for activating the actuator which includes a switch which is located at a distance laterally from two laterally spaced relatively easily deformed or displaced portiOns of the vehicle and is electrically connected to the actuator, and switch-operating means which extends laterally from the switch to each of the last-mentioned relatively easily deformed or displaced portions of the vehicle to operate the switch if any of such last-mentioned portions is deformed or displaced.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
122 words
In a self-propelled vehicle which includes relatively easily deformed or displaced portions between occupants of the vehicle and external bodies, a shield for interposition between an occupant and a wall of the vehicle in the event of a collision, an actuator for moving the shield into such interposition, and means for activating the actuator which includes a switch which is located at a distance laterally from two laterally spaced relatively easily deformed or displaced portiOns of the vehicle and is electrically connected to the actuator, and switch-operating means which extends laterally from the switch to each of the last-mentioned relatively easily deformed or displaced portions of the vehicle to operate the switch if any of such last-mentioned portions is deformed or displaced.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
39 words
The invention claimed in claim 7 in which the switch is mounted on another relatively easily deformed or displaced portion of the vehicle so that the switch is operated if any of such last-mentioned portions is deformed or displaced.
Claim 13
Dependent Claim
183 words
In an automotive vehicle, a shield which includes a panel, means for mounting the panel so that it can swing from a stored position to a position in which it is interposed between an occupant and a wall of the vehicle, and another panel which is connected to the first-mentioned panel so that it swings with it but can swing with respect to it from a face to face relation when the panels are in stored position to a side by side relation when the panels are in interposed position, a latch for holding the panels in face to face relation, an actuator for swinging the shield into interposed position, means for swinging the second-mentioned panel from face to face to side by side relation to the first-mentioned panel upon movement of the shield toward interposed position, and means for releasing the latch upon movement of the shield toward interposed position so that the means for moving the second-mentioned panel may move it from face to face to side by side to the first-mentioned panel as the shield is moved toward interposed position.
Claim 14
Dependent Claim
183 words
In an automotive vehicle, a shield which includes a panel, means for mounting the panel so that it can swing from a stored position to a position in which it is interposed between an occupant and a wall of the vehicle, and another panel which is connected to the first-mentioned panel so that it swings with it but can swing with respect to it from a face to face relation when the panels are in stored position to a side by side relation when the panels are in interposed position, a latch for holding the panels in face to face relation, an actuator for swinging the shield into interposed position, means for swinging the second-mentioned panel from face to face to side by side relation to the first-mentioned panel upon movement of the shield toward interposed position, and means for releasing the latch upon movement of the shield toward interposed position so that the means for moving the second-mentioned panel may move it from face to face to side by side to the first-mentioned panel as the shield is moved toward interposed position.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1977-02-11 | 1977-08-13 | 1978-02-12 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1981-02-11 | 1981-08-13 | 1982-02-12 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1985-02-11 | 1985-08-13 | 1986-02-12 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |