Side mounted energy attenuating vehicle seat

Designs and methods are provided for a side mounted energy attenuating vehicle seat. In one exemplary embodiment the seat comprises a rigid base with a first side, and a substantially vertically oriented mounting plate adjacent the first side of the base. The exemplary seat further comprises a vertical slide mechanism comprising a fixed portion attached to the mounting plate, and a sliding portion attached to the first side of the base, the mechanism configured to allow for a downward stroke of the base relative to the mounting plate. A roller is attached to the first side of the base substantially below the point of attachment to the sliding portion of the vertical slide mechanism, and configured to roll in a vertical direction while bearing against the mounting plate, and supporting the seat base in a horizontal orientation. An energy attenuating member is positioned so as to prevent the seat from stroking downward relative to the mounting plate during normal use.

TECHNICAL FIELD AND BACKGROUND

The present disclosure relates broadly to energy attenuating systems and devices, and more particularly for example, systems and devices for attenuating under-vehicle blast and aircraft slam-down impact forces. Such devices may include those integrated into seating systems for military aircraft, including but not limited to, fixed and rotary wing aircraft, and all ground vehicles, including tracked and wheeled vehicles of current or future designs, which function as crew and cargo transport and combat fighting vehicles. The technology field may further relate to energy attenuating systems in civilian transportation of all types, such as automobiles, trucks, buses, rail transport systems and commercial and civilian aircraft, ground vehicles for firefighters and other rescuer transport vehicles. Such energy attenuating systems or devices may help reduce impact loading resulting from crash, slam down, under-vehicle blast, and other events, on vehicle occupants, thereby improving survivability of, and mitigating injury to the vehicle occupants.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The present invention is described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings and/or photographs, in which one or more exemplary embodiments of the invention are shown. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided so that this disclosure will be operative, enabling, and complete. Accordingly, the particular arrangements disclosed are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention. Moreover, many embodiments, such as adaptations, variations, modifications, and equivalent arrangements, will be implicitly disclosed by the embodiments described herein and fall within the scope of the present invention.

Further, the term “vehicle” as used herein means any land, air, sea, or space vehicle, including for example cars, trucks, military land vehicles of all kinds, aircraft, helicopters, and any other mobile means for transporting personnel or cargo from one place to another.

Referring toFIG. 1, a vehicle seat3is side mounted to a supporting surface within a vehicle7by a mount system1. The supporting surface within a vehicle may be for example a side wall of the vehicle shell, an interior bulkhead or sponson, or as depicted inFIG. 1, the sides of a structural column5supporting a pair of seats. The mount system1is rigid under normal operating conditions, and compliant in a downward direction (relative to the vehicle) when exposed to extremely high rate vertical accelerations, such as would accompany an under-vehicle mine blast event. Compliance is achieved through use of a unique slide system coupled with an energy attenuating device that allows the seat to stroke vertically relative to the vehicle, and absorb an energy pulse in a single stroke.

One exemplary embodiment of an energy attenuating mount system in accordance with the present disclosure is shown inFIGS. 2 through 5. The mount system1comprises generally a seat base10, a vertical slide mechanism12that slidably connects a side of the seat base10to the vehicle, a roller28that supports the seat base in a horizontal orientation, and an energy attenuating link16attached to the slide mechanism12. The vertical slide mechanism12may be any type of slide or track that provides for uninhibited, uniaxial vertical motion of the seat base10relative to the supporting surface. In the exemplary embodiment ofFIGS. 2 through 5, the slide mechanism12comprises a fixed portion attached the vehicle, and a sliding portion attached to the seat base10. In particular, the sliding portion of slide mechanism12comprises a bushing structure, referred to herein as a slide block20, that is attached to, or integral with an upper portion of the side of the seat base10facing structural column5. The fixed portion comprises a vertical guide rod22supported substantially parallel to and spaced apart from the column5by means of a generally U-shaped bracket24. A bore26through slide block20lined with suitable bushings allows the slide block and the seat base10to slide freely along the guide rod22in a vertical direction. Bracket24may be integral with or attached to a mounting plate15that is in turn fastened to column5. In one embodiment the seat base10, mounting plate15, slide block20, and bracket24are all made of a lightweight metal such as aluminum, and the vertical guide rod22is a round steel tube.

FIGS. 6 and 7show an alternative embodiment of a sliding mechanism portion of the seat mount system1. A vertical slide mechanism32comprises a U-shaped bracket44, similar in appearance to bracket24previously described, however configured with through-bores46at each end for slidably receiving a vertical guide rod42. Through-bores46may be lined with suitable bushings to minimize sliding friction between the bracket44and guide rod42. A mounting block40attached to, or integral with, the upper portion of the seat base30is rigidly fastened to the guide rod42, thus providing for the seat base30and guide rod42to slide together as a unit within the vertical boundaries of bracket44. It should be appreciated that guide rod42is substantially longer than guide rod22of the previously described embodiment, extending far enough above the top of bracket44to always stay engaged with both ends of the bracket.

As shown in the side views ofFIGS. 4 and 5, an exemplary side mounted vehicle seat preferably comprises a pair of slide mechanisms12(or32) that are spaced apart and generally proximal the front and back edges of the seat base10. In the depicted embodiment, brackets24and44of the slide mechanisms extend forward and rearward from mounting plate15, placing the vertical guide rods22and42generally on opposite sides of mounting plate15. Alternatively, the brackets24and44may be rotated 90 degrees (not shown) so as to extend away from mounting plate15toward the seat base10.

The side mounted vehicle seat further incorporates a roller28on, or extending from the side of the seat base10facing the mount plate15, and positioned substantially below the sliding attachments20,40. The roller28supports the seat base10in a horizontal orientation, and is configured to roll in a vertical direction against a vertical surface such as mount plate15. The roller28may be comprised of one roller, or multiple spaced apart rolling elements. In the embodiment shown inFIGS. 4 and 5, the roller28comprises two spaced apart rollers that engage front and back portions of mounting plate15. It should be appreciated that the support provided by roller28allows the moment from a vertical seat load to be reacted primarily as side loads on the slide mechanisms12,32and roller28. It should be further appreciated that the greater the vertical spacing between the slide mechanism attachments20,40, and roller28, the less the applied side forces for a given seat loading event, and the less the sliding and rolling friction. Accordingly, from the standpoint of sliding efficiency it is generally desirable to maximize the spacing between the slide mechanism attachment points and roller28within the physical constraints of any particular installation.

The roller28along with blocks20,40may be permanently attached to, or integral with the side of seat base10as illustrated for example inFIGS. 2 and 6. However where adaptability is a greater concern, roller28and blocks20,40may be separate and detachable from the side of seat base10. Such a configuration could allow for mounting of the seat via either side of an appropriately designed reversible or universal seat base10. For example, blocks20,40may be permanent elements of slide mechanisms12,32, instead of seat base10, and attachable to either side of a seat base10with fasteners. Similarly, appropriately configured rollers28may be detachably mounted to either side of such a reversible seat base.

Alternatively, the blocks20,40, and roller28may be attached to, or form integral parts of a separate seat attachment bracket29such as shown inFIG. 3. A seat attachment bracket approach may further contemplate retrofitting of various alternative seats and seat bases to the mount system of the present invention using additional adapter plates or hardware as required.

Under normal conditions the seat base10is prevented from sliding downward relative to mounting plate15by an energy attenuating (EA) link16attached to the sliding mechanism12(or32). The EA link is attached at one end to the slide block20(or mount block40), and at the other end to the bottom of bracket24(or44). The EA link may be any crushable element designed to absorb the energy imparted by the vehicle structure to the seat in a sudden impact event such as an under-vehicle mine blast. For example, the exemplary EA link16may be an elongated solid metal bar comprising straight sections and bends as depicted, or alternatively any bent, curved, or sinusoidal design. EA link16may also include at least two fastener points at each end to prevent rotation. Each seat mount system1may comprise one or more EA links16connected to respective sliding mechanisms12,32. An exemplary EA link is described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,938,485, assigned to the assignee of the present invention, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.

In the event of a sudden impact (e.g., under-vehicle mine blast or slam-down), mount system1allows the seat carrying the occupant to independently stroke downward relative to the vehicle, and in an attenuated manner against the supporting force of the EA links16. The guide rods22,42control the bending direction of the EA links16, and prevent twisting during vertical displacement.FIG. 8depicts the seat base and mounting system as it would appear after a downward stroke, with the slide mechanism12bottomed out, and EA link16completely collapsed.

The exemplary EA links16are designed to substantially absorb the impact energy, and may be custom tunable by modifying their material thickness, and/or shape. In one exemplary implementation, the present seat mount system may attenuate an impact of a 6.5 meters-per-second pulse, such as may result from an under-vehicle mine or IED explosion. The exemplary mount system1may also be capable of withstanding the following road shock loads transmitted through the vehicle chassis structure: 10 G's vertical, 8 G's longitudinal, and 5 G's transverse. In other exemplary embodiments, the seating assembly10may incorporate other or additional known energy attenuation links or devices. Although the EA links16may protect the occupant for multiple impact events, it is generally considered disposable and is easily replaced to restore a maximum level of protection to the mounting system1.

Another exemplary side-mounted, energy attenuating seat system in accordance with the present invention is shown inFIGS. 9 through 13. Referring in particular to the exploded view ofFIG. 9, a side mounted energy attenuating seat3comprises cushions61,62, and seat frame members63,64,65, a seat base10, and an adjustable track system66. The seat frame members63-65and seat base10may be fabricated from a light weight material such as aluminum. A vertical slide mechanism12of the general type described previously in reference toFIGS. 2-5is attached to a front edge of a mounting plate15, and a vertical slide mechanism32of the general type described previously in reference toFIGS. 6,7is attached to the rear edge of mounting plate15. The attachment may be reinforced with addition of a stiffener68. Slide mechanisms12and32each include at least one EA link16.

An upper portion of the seat base10is attached to a block20of the front sliding mechanism12and a block40of the rear sliding mechanism32. A backing plate67may be incorporated to enhance stability of the assembly. Seat base10further incorporates a roller28on the side facing plate15, located substantially below the point of attachment of the seat base10to the blocks20,40. A lower portion of mounting plate15may serve as a bearing surface for roller28to react the moment load imparted by seat inertia forces.

FIG. 11depicts a structural column5of the type used in the U.S. military's ASV family of vehicles supporting a pair of side mounted energy attenuating seats (without some frame and cushion portions). The column5comprises essentially a pair of vertical tracks, each of which contains a slide70that is moveable along the track, and lockable at any desired vertical position. The side mounted seat of the present invention may be attached to the slide70such as by a mounting plate15. Attaching the seat to the slide70thus allows the seat to be moved and positioned vertically over a much greater range than possible with typical vehicle seat mounts.

FIG. 13is a bottom view of an exemplary seat and mounting system showing a lightweight ribbed structure of a seat base10. Also shown is the extension of the mounting plate15well past the bottom of the slide mechanisms so as to provide a bearing surface for roller28as the seat strokes downward. In the embodiment shown, roller28comprises an axel80supported by two flanges82extending from the side of seat base10toward column5. The flanges82may be coextensive with internal structural elements of seat base10as shown, or detachable as previously discussed. Rolling elements84at each end of axel80bear against mount plate15, thus maintaining the orientation of the seat and the axial alignment of the slide mechanism components during a downward seat stroke.

For the purposes of describing and defining the present invention it is noted that the use of relative terms, such as “substantially”, “generally”, “approximately”, and the like, are utilized herein to represent an inherent degree of uncertainty that may be attributed to any quantitative comparison, value, measurement, or other representation. These terms are also utilized herein to represent the degree by which a quantitative representation may vary from a stated reference without resulting in a change in the basic function of the subject matter at issue.

Exemplary embodiments of the present invention are described above. No element, act, or instruction used in this description should be construed as important, necessary, critical, or essential to the invention unless explicitly described as such. Although only a few of the exemplary embodiments have been described in detail herein, those skilled in the art will readily appreciate that many modifications are possible in these exemplary embodiments without materially departing from the novel teachings and advantages of this invention. For example, although the seat mount system of the present invention has been generally described and depicted in terms of a side-mounted arrangement, the same mount system is equally applicable and useful with any seat orientation. In particular, the seat mount system may be effectively positioned to support a vehicle seat from the back instead of from the side, or from any angular position in between. Accordingly, all such modifications are intended to be included within the scope of this invention as defined in the appended claims.