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US4232895A Expired / Lapsed US ⏱️ 0.0 years remaining

Impact absorbing device for protecting vehicle's occupant from impact caused by collision

Assignee: Japan Automobile Research Institute
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Filing: 1977-07-11
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Granted: 1980-11-11
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Expires: 1997-07-11
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Abstract

Abstract In an impact absorbing device for protecting an occupant of a vehicle in the event of a collision, a seat belt for the occupant has an anchor for fixedly mounting on the occupant's seat and adapted to hold the occupant at an optimum angle and in an optimum position. An energy absorbing mechanism is connected between the seat and the floor of the vehicle or a fixture on the floor of the vehicle. The energy absorbing mechanism is constructed to permit a resisted linear movement of the seat, longitudinally of the vehicle, in the event of a collision, so as to absorb the impact forces which would otherwise be applied to the occupant.

Inventors

  • 👤 Komaki Yoshio
  • 👤 Fukuda Shigehisa
  • 👤 Fukuda Tsuguhiro
  • 👤 Nakao Noriaki
  • 👤 Suzuki Katsuhide
  • 👤 Ishizuka Matsuo

Bibliographic Details

Application Number —
Jurisdiction US
Data Source google_patents
Last Synchronized 2026-11-06 03:27
CPC Classifications
F; F16; F16F; F16F7/00; F16F7/12; B; B60; B60N; B60N2/00; B60N2/24; B60N2/42; B60N2/4207; B60N2/4214; B60N2/4221; B60N2/427; B60N2/42709; B60N2/42727; B60N2/42736; B60R; B60R22/00; B60R22/18; B60R22/26

Claims Analysis

Total Claims: 9
Claim 1
Independent Claim 159 words
In a vehicle seat structure including a seat mounting having a first portion for securing to the vehicle, and a second portion to which a seat may be secured, said second portion being relatively movable with respect to said first portion along the direction of movement of the vehicle, the improvement which comprises: (i) said second portion is engaged with said first portion for said relative movement so as to be guided thereby along the direction of movement (ii) a plastically deformable deformation member is secured to one of said first and second seat (iii) die means are secured to the other of said first and second seat mounting portions, said deformation member and said die means being positioned for engagement one with the other such that, when said second portion moves with respect to said first portion, said die means progressively deforms said deformation member for the absorbtion of kinetic energy resulting from deceleration of the seat structure.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim 159 words
In a vehicle seat structure including a seat mounting having a first portion for securing to the vehicle, and a second portion to which a seat may be secured, said second portion being relatively movable with respect to said first portion along the direction of movement of the vehicle, the improvement which comprises: (i) said second portion is engaged with said first portion for said relative movement so as to be guided thereby along the direction of movement (ii) a plastically deformable deformation member is secured to one of said first and second seat (iii) die means are secured to the other of said first and second seat mounting portions, said deformation member and said die means being positioned for engagement one with the other such that, when said second portion moves with respect to said first portion, said die means progressively deforms said deformation member for the absorbtion of kinetic energy resulting from deceleration of the seat structure.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim 33 words
A vehicle seat structure, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said deformation member is secured to said first seat mounting portion, and said die means is secured to said second seat mounting portion.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim 52 words
A vehicle structure, as claimed in claim 1, wherein said first and second seat mounting portions each include a respective rail extending in said direction of movement, said rails being engaged one with the other for relative sliding movement of said seat mounting portions, one of said rails providing said deformation member.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim 242 words
In a vehicle seat structure including a seat mounting having a first portion for securing to the vehicle, and a second portion to which a seat may be secured, said second portion being relatively movable with respect to said first portion along the direction of movement of the vehicle, the improvement which comprises: (i) said first and second seat mounting portions each include a respective rail extending in the direction of movement, said rails being engaged one with the other for relative sliding movement of the seat mounting portions guided along the direction of movement, (ii) one of said rails provides a plastically deformable deformation member, (iii) die means are secured to the other of said rails, said deformation member and said die means being positioned for engagement one with the other such that, when said second portion moves with respect to said first portion, said die means progressively deforms said deformation member for the absorbtion of kinetic energy resulting from deceleration of the seat structure, and (iv) means are provided for releasably locating said second seat mounting portion with respect to said first seat mounting portion, said locating means including a rod having at spaced positions thereon a pair of dies positioned for engagement with said deformation member and constituting said die means, and means carried by the other of said seat mounting portions and movable into and out of locking engagement with said rod at selected positions along said rod.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim 242 words
In a vehicle seat structure including a seat mounting having a first portion for securing to the vehicle, and a second portion to which a seat may be secured, said second portion being relatively movable with respect to said first portion along the direction of movement of the vehicle, the improvement which comprises: (i) said first and second seat mounting portions each include a respective rail extending in the direction of movement, said rails being engaged one with the other for relative sliding movement of the seat mounting portions guided along the direction of movement, (ii) one of said rails provides a plastically deformable deformation member, (iii) die means are secured to the other of said rails, said deformation member and said die means being positioned for engagement one with the other such that, when said second portion moves with respect to said first portion, said die means progressively deforms said deformation member for the absorbtion of kinetic energy resulting from deceleration of the seat structure, and (iv) means are provided for releasably locating said second seat mounting portion with respect to said first seat mounting portion, said locating means including a rod having at spaced positions thereon a pair of dies positioned for engagement with said deformation member and constituting said die means, and means carried by the other of said seat mounting portions and movable into and out of locking engagement with said rod at selected positions along said rod.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim 180 words
In a vehicle seat structure including a seat mounting having a first portion for securing to the vehicle, and a second portion to which a seat may be secured, said second portion being relatively movable with respect to said first portion along the direction of movement of the vehicle, the improvement which comprises: p1 (i) said first and second seat mounting portions each include a respective rail extending in the direction of movement, said rails being engaged one with the other for relative sliding movement of the seat mounting portions guided along the direction of movement, (ii) a plastically deformable deformation member is secured to one of said first and second seat mounting portions, and (iii) die means are secured to the other of said first and second seat mounting portions, said deformation member and said die means being positioned for engagement on with the other such that, when said second portion moves with respect to said first portion, said die means progressively deforms said deformation member for the absorbtion of kinetic energy resulting from deceleration of said seat structure.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim 180 words
In a vehicle seat structure including a seat mounting having a first portion for securing to the vehicle, and a second portion to which a seat may be secured, said second portion being relatively movable with respect to said first portion along the direction of movement of the vehicle, the improvement which comprises: p1 (i) said first and second seat mounting portions each include a respective rail extending in the direction of movement, said rails being engaged one with the other for relative sliding movement of the seat mounting portions guided along the direction of movement, (ii) a plastically deformable deformation member is secured to one of said first and second seat mounting portions, and (iii) die means are secured to the other of said first and second seat mounting portions, said deformation member and said die means being positioned for engagement on with the other such that, when said second portion moves with respect to said first portion, said die means progressively deforms said deformation member for the absorbtion of kinetic energy resulting from deceleration of said seat structure.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim 106 words
A vehicle structure, as claimed in claim 5, wherein said deformation member is a channel secured to said one rail, said channel having end zones thereof which are of substantially U-shaped cross-section and a zone intermediate said end zones which has side walls which are laterally expanded in relation to said end zones, said die means being a pair of dies secured at spaced positions to said other rail and being shaped to each closely embrace a respective end zone, such that upon relative movement of said rails, a respective one of said dies moves along and inwardly deforms said side walls of said intermediate zone.

References Cited (Backward Citations)

US2900036A Cited
US3695629A Cited
US3922030A Cited
US3927730A Cited

USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows

Annuity Stage Window Opens Payment Deadline Surcharge Period Until Estimated Fee Status
3.5 Years (Year 4) 1983-11-11 1984-05-12 1984-11-11 $2000.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
7.5 Years (Year 8) 1987-11-11 1988-05-12 1988-11-11 $3760.00 Window Closed / Lapsed
11.5 Years (Year 12) 1991-11-11 1992-05-12 1992-11-11 $7700.00 Window Closed / Lapsed

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