Offset impact countermeasures

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9527466-B2
Application number	US-201314415617-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 18, 2013
Priority date	Jul 20, 2012
Publication date	Dec 27, 2016
Grant date	Dec 27, 2016

Abstract

A ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) for attachment to a vehicle frame ( 20 ) has a metal housing ( 52 ) having a first wall or plate ( 54 ), a second wall or plate ( 56 ), a hinge ( 58 ) and an articulated third wall or plate ( 60 ); an inflatable member ( 70 ) situated in the housing ( 52 ); an inflator ( 72 ) operatively connected between the first wall or plate ( 54 ) and the inflatable member ( 70 ); and wherein the inflation of the inflation member ( 70 ) causes the articulated wall ( 60 ) to rotate outwardly to absorb crash energy and slow down the accident.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) for attachment to a vehicle frame ( 20 ) comprises:
a metal housing ( 52 ) having a first wall or plate ( 54 ), a second wall or plate ( 56 ), a hinge ( 58 ) and an articulated third wall or plate ( 60 );
an inflatable member ( 70 ) situated in the housing ( 52 );
an inflator ( 72 ) operatively connected between the first wall or plate ( 54 ) and the inflatable member ( 70 );
a collision sensor ( 76 ), at the inception of a collision the collision sensor ( 76 ) generates a signal to activate the inflator ( 72 ), wherein the collision sensor ( 76 ) is situated in an offset zone of the vehicle ( 18 ) at the left or right of a bumper ( 24 ) offset from a center of the vehicle;
wherein the inflation of the inflation member ( 70 ) causes the articulated wall ( 60 ) to rotate outwardly to absorb crash energy and slow down the accident; and
wherein the deflector mechanism ( 50 ) a center of the vehicle to a rail ( 22 ) of the frame ( 20 ) of a vehicle ( 18 ), the mechanism ( 50 ) when activated aligned in front of a front wheel ( 31 ).

2. The ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) of claim 1 wherein the inflatable member ( 70 ) further comprises an airbag ( 70 ) or a hose ( 70 ) or a tube ( 70 ).

3. The ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) of claim 2 wherein the inflatable member ( 70 ) is oblong in shape.

4. The ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) of claim 3 wherein the inflatable member ( 70 ) is secured to the first plate ( 54 ).

5. The ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) of claim 4 wherein the inflatable member ( 70 ) is secured in a horizontal orientation.

6. The ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) of claim 4 wherein the inflatable member 70 is secured in a vertical orientation.

7. A ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) for attachment to a vehicle frame ( 20 ) comprises:
a metal housing ( 52 ) having a first wall or plate ( 54 ), a second wall or plate ( 56 ), a hinge ( 58 ) and an articulated third wall or plate ( 60 );
an inflatable member ( 70 ) situated in the housing ( 52 );
an inflator ( 72 ) operatively connected between the first wall or plate ( 54 ) and the inflatable member ( 70 );

a collision sensor ( 76 ), at the inception of a collision the collision sensor ( 76 ) generates a signal to activate the inflator ( 72 ), wherein the collision sensor ( 76 ) is situated in an offset zone of the vehicle ( 18 ) at the left or right of a bumper ( 24 ) offset from a center of the vehicle;
wherein the inflation of the inflation member ( 70 ) causes the articulated wall ( 60 ) to rotate outwardly to absorb crash energy and slow down the accident; and

wherein the deflector mechanism ( 50 ) is secured to a rail ( 22 ) of the frame ( 20 ) of the vehicle ( 18 ) the mechanism ( 50 ) when activated aligned behind a front wheel ( 31 ) to redirect the wheel away from a passenger compartment ( 42 ) of the vehicle ( 18 ).

8. The ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) of claim 7 wherein the inflatable member ( 70 ) further comprises an airbag ( 70 ) or a hose ( 70 ) or a tube ( 70 ).

9. The ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) of claim 8 wherein the inflatable member ( 70 ) is oblong in shape.

10. The ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) of claim 9 wherein the inflatable member ( 70 ) is secured to the first plate ( 54 ).

11. The ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) of claim 10 wherein the inflatable member ( 70 ) is secured in a horizontal orientation.

12. The ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) of claim 10 wherein the inflatable member ( 70 ) is secured in a vertical orientation.

13. The ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) of claim 7 wherein two deflector mechanisms ( 50 ) are mounted on the rail ( 22 ) of the vehicle frame ( 20 ) of the vehicle ( 18 ), one mechanism ( 50 ) when activated aligned in front of a front wheel ( 31 ) and another one mechanism when activated aligned behind the front wheel ( 31 ).

14. A ramp deflector mechanism ( 50 ) for attachment to a vehicle frame ( 20 ) comprises:
a metal housing ( 52 ) having a first wall or plate ( 54 ), a second wall or plate ( 56 ), a hinge ( 58 ) and an articulated third wall or plate ( 60 );
an inflatable member ( 70 ) situated in the housing ( 52 );
an inflator ( 72 ) operatively connected between the first wall or plate ( 54 ) and the inflatable member ( 70 );
a collision sensor ( 76 ), at the inception of a collision the collision sensor ( 76 ) generates a signal to activate the inflator ( 72 ), wherein the collision sensor ( 76 ) is situated in an offset zone of the vehicle ( 18 ) at the left or right of a bumper ( 24 ) offset from a center of the vehicle;
wherein the inflation of the inflation member ( 70 ) causes the articulated wall ( 60 ) to rotate outwardly to absorb crash energy and slow down the accident; and

wherein two deflector mechanisms ( 50 ) are mounted on the rail ( 22 ) of the vehicle frame ( 20 ) of the vehicle ( 18 ), one mechanism ( 50 ) aligned when activated in front of a front wheel ( 31 ) and one mechanism aligned when activated behind the front wheel ( 31 ).

Assignees

• Key Safety Systems Inc

Inventors

• Kalandek Bruce A
• Arnold David R
• Massa Joseph
• Shkoukani Mutaz
• Specht Martin

Classifications

• B60R2021/0023

  Offset collision · CPC title

• B60R21/16

  Inflatable occupant restraints or confinements designed to inflate upon impact or impending impact, e.g. air bags ({protective garments with automatically inflatable shock-absorbing means A41D13/018; } connection of valves to inflatable elastic bodies B60C29/00) · CPC title

• B60R19/00 Primary

  Wheel guards; Radiator guards, {e.g. grilles}; Obstruction removers; Fittings damping bouncing force in collisions ({reinforcement elements for side doors B60J5/0412; } mudguards B62D) · CPC title

• B60R21/00 Primary

  Arrangements or fittings on vehicles for protecting or preventing injuries to occupants or pedestrians in case of accidents or other traffic risks (safety belts or body harnesses in vehicles B60R22/00; seats constructed to protect the occupant from the effect of abnormal g-forces, e.g. crash or safety seats, B60N2/42; energy-absorbing arrangements for hand wheels for steering vehicles B62D1/11; energy-absorbing arrangements for vehicle steering columns B62D1/19) · CPC title

• B60R2019/007

  Means for adjusting or regulating the crash absorption capacity of the vehicle, e.g. when detecting an impending collision · CPC title