Inflatable harness assembly

An assembly includes an inflatable harness having a first loop of webbing, a second loop of webbing, and a panel connecting the first loop of webbing to the second loop of webbing. The assembly includes an inflatable tether extending from the first loop of webbing, the inflatable tether in fluid communication with the inflatable harness. The assembly includes a latch plate fixed to the inflatable tether, the latch plate defining a fluid passage in fluid communication with the inflatable tether to provide inflation medium to the inflatable harness.

BACKGROUND

A vehicle may include one or more systems to control kinematics of an occupant of the vehicle during certain vehicle impacts. The occupant may be, for example, a dog or other animal. Systems to control kinematics of the animal may include, for example, an animal harness and seatbelt assembly.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

An assembly includes an inflatable harness. The inflatable harness has a first loop of webbing, a second loop of webbing, and a panel connecting the first loop of webbing to the second loop of webbing. The assembly includes an inflatable tether extending from the first loop of webbing. The inflatable tether is in fluid communication with the inflatable harness. The assembly includes a latch plate fixed to the inflatable tether. The latch plate defines a fluid passage in fluid communication with the inflatable tether to provide inflation medium to the inflatable harness.

The first loop of webbing may be inflatable.

The panel may be inflatable.

The first loop may be adjustable in size.

The second loop may be adjustable in size.

The assembly may include a second tether extending from the second loop.

The assembly may include a clip connected to the second tether.

The clip may be configured to engage an ISO-fix anchor.

An assembly includes a vehicle body. The assembly includes a buckle supported by the vehicle body. The assembly includes an inflator supported by the vehicle body. The assembly includes a latch plate engaged with the buckle, the latch plate defining a fluid passage, the fluid passage in fluid communication with the inflator to receive inflation medium. The assembly includes an inflatable harness having a first loop of webbing, a second loop of webbing, and a panel connecting the first loop of webbing to the second loop of webbing. The assembly includes an inflatable tether extending from the first loop of webbing, the latch plate fixed to the inflatable tether, the inflatable tether in fluid communication with the inflatable harness and the fluid passage of the latch plate to provide inflation medium to the inflatable harness from the fluid passage of the latch plate.

The vehicle body may include a pillar, and the buckle may be supported by the pillar.

The inflator may be supported by the pillar.

The inflator may be a cold gas inflator.

The first loop of webbing may be inflatable.

The panel may be inflatable.

The first loop may be adjustable in size.

The second loop may be adjustable in size.

The assembly may include a second tether extending from the second loop to a second distal end.

The assembly may include a clip connected to the second tether.

The assembly may include an ISO-fix anchor fixed to the vehicle body and the clip may be configured to engage the ISO-fix anchor.

With reference to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like parts throughout the several views, an assembly20for controlling kinematics of an animal22in a vehicle24is shown. The assembly20includes an inflatable harness26having a first loop of webbing28, a second loop of webbing30, and a panel32connecting the first loop of webbing28to the second loop of webbing30. The assembly20includes an inflatable tether34extending from the first loop of webbing28. The inflatable tether34is in fluid communication with the inflatable harness26. The assembly20includes a latch plate36fixed to the inflatable tether34. The latch plate36defines a fluid passage38in fluid communication with the inflatable tether34to provide inflation medium to the inflatable harness26. The inflation medium may be provided to the fluid passage38after a certain impact to the vehicle24is detected. The inflation medium may inflate the inflatable harness26to an inflated position and control kinematics of the animal22wearing the inflatable harness26.

The vehicle24may be any suitable type of ground vehicle, e.g., a passenger or commercial automobile such as a sedan, a coupe, a truck, a sport utility, a crossover, a van, a minivan, a taxi, a bus, etc.

The vehicle24includes a frame and a vehicle body40. The frame and vehicle body40may be of a unibody construction in which the frame is unitary with the vehicle body40including frame rails, pillars42, roof rails, etc. As another example, the vehicle body40and frame may have a body-on-frame construction also referred to as a cab-on-frame construction in which the vehicle body40and frame are separate components, i.e., are modular, and the vehicle body40is supported on and affixed to the frame. Alternatively, the frame and vehicle body40may have any suitable construction. The frame and vehicle body40may be of any suitable material, for example, steel, aluminum, and/or fiber-reinforced plastic, etc.

The vehicle body40may include one or more pillars42. For example, the vehicle body40may include a front pillar and a middle pillar on each side of the vehicle24. The front pillars may extend between a windshield and front doors for the vehicle. In other words, the front pillars may be disposed at a front end of a passenger compartment of the vehicle body40. The middle pillars may extend behind the front doors, e.g., between adjacent doors. In other words, the middle pillars may be spaced from the front pillars by a front door opening. The vehicle24may include additional pillars42, e.g., an additional middle pillar, a rear pillar. The pillars42may extend from the roof to a floor of the vehicle body40.

A latch plate buckle44is supported by the vehicle body40. The latch plate buckle44may be supported by one of the pillars42. The latch plate buckle44may be fixed to the vehicle body40, e.g., to one of the pillars42, via fasteners or any suitable structure. The latch plate buckle44may be movable, e.g., vertically, along the pillar42supporting the latch plate buckle44. The latch plate buckle44is engageable with the latch plate36to secure the inflatable harness26relative to the vehicle body40. The latch plate buckle44may include a latch, or any other suitable structure, to engage the latch plate36. A user may insert the latch plate36into the latch plate buckle44to engage the latch plate36with latch plate buckle44. The latch plate buckle44may include a button, actuator, etc., to disengage the latch plate36from the latch plate buckle44, e.g., in response to input from the user.

An inflator46, e.g., for inflating the inflatable harness26, is supported by the vehicle body40. The inflator46may be supported by one of the pillars42. For example, the inflator46may be fixed to one of the pillars42via fasteners or other suitable structure. The inflator46may be supported by any other suitable structure of the vehicle24. The inflator46may be, for example, a pyrotechnic inflator that uses a chemical reaction to drive inflation medium to the inflatable harness26. The inflator46may be a cold gas inflator that stores compressed inflation medium such as compressed helium, argon, nitrogen, and/or any other suitable gas. The inflator46is in fluid communication with latch plate buckle44to provide inflation medium, e.g., to the fluid passage38of the latch plate36when the latch plate36is engaged with the latch plate buckle44. The inflator46may be in fluid communication with the latch plate buckle44, e.g., through various piping, etc. The inflator46may be directly connected to the latch plate buckle44to provide inflation medium.

An ISO-fix anchor48may be fixed to the vehicle body40, e.g., via weld, fastener, or any other suitable structure. The ISO-fix anchor48enables secure attachment of, e.g., the inflatable harness26, a child seat, etc., to the vehicle24. The ISO-fix anchor48complies with ISOFIX (ISO 13216), the international standard for attachment points for child safety seats in passenger cars. ISOFIX may be referred to as LATCH (“Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children”) in the United States, LUAS (“Lower Universal Anchorage System”) or Canfix in Canada, and/or UCSSS (“Universal Child Safety Seat System”). For example, a pair of the ISO-fix anchors48may have a center-to-center distance of 280 millimeters. As another example, the ISO-fix anchor48may have a width of at least 25 millimeters. As one more example, the ISO-fix anchor48may have a diameter of 6 millimeters, with a tolerance of +/−0.1 millimeters. In addition to dimensional requirements, the ISO-fix anchor48may be designed to have a certain strength, e.g., to meet the ISOFIX standard.

The inflatable harness26is wearable by an animal22, such as a dog, and may control kinematics of the animal22wearing the inflatable harness26. For example, the first loop of webbing28may surround a neck of the animal22wearing the inflatable harness26and the second loop of webbing30may surround a torso of the animal22. The panel32may be fixed to the first loop of webbing28and the second loop of webbing30, e.g., via stitching or any suitable structure. The panel32of the inflatable harness26connects the first loop of webbing28to the second loop of webbing30. The panel32may extend, e.g., along a chest of the animal22from the first loop of webbing28to the second loop of webbing30. The inflatable harness26, e.g., webbing of the first loop of webbing28and/or the second loop of webbing30, may be formed of woven polyester, nylon, or any suitable material.

The inflatable harness26is inflatable from an uninflated position, shown inFIGS.1-4, to an inflated position, shown inFIGS.5-7. The inflatable harness26is inflated from the uninflated position to the inflated position, e.g., with inflation medium from the inflator46. One or more components of the inflatable harness26, e.g., first loop of webbing28and/or the panel32, may receive the inflation medium.

The first loop of webbing28may be inflatable. In other words, the first loop of webbing28may define a webbing inflation chamber50that receives inflation medium and expands the first loop of webbing28from the uninflated position to the inflated position. The webbing of the first loop of webbing28may be generally flat in cross section in the uninflated position, as shown inFIG.3, and generally circular in cross section in the inflated position, as shown inFIG.6. The first loop of webbing28may include, for example, tubular webbing52that surrounds the webbing inflation chamber50therein. The webbing inflation chamber50may be continuous along the first loop of webbing28, e.g., from an end54at one side of the panel32around the neck of the animal22wearing the harness to another end56an opposite side of the panel32.

The panel32of the inflatable harness26may be inflatable. In other words, the panel32may define a panel inflation chamber58that receives inflation medium and expands the panel32from the uninflated position to the inflated position. For example, the panel32may include one or more sheets60of material that enclose the panel inflation chamber58. As shown inFIG.4, the sheets60of the panel32may be folded, e.g., with multiple layers overlaying and abutting each other, in the uninflated position. As shown inFIG.7, the sheets60may be unfolded, and the panel32expanded in volume, in the inflated position. The panel32may include tear away stitching, straps, or the like that maintain shape of the panel32in the uninflated position. The tear away stitching, straps, or the like tears (or otherwise disconnects) upon inflation of the panel32. The sheets60of the panel32that enclose the panel inflation chamber58, may be woven fabric, e.g., a woven polymer yarn, strings, etc. As an example, the panel32may be woven nylon yarn, for example, nylon 6, 6. Other examples of woven polymers include polyether ether ketone PEEK, polyetherketoneketone PEKK, polyester, etc. The woven polymer may include a coating, such as silicone, neoprene, urethane, etc. For example, the coating may be polyorgano siloxane. The panel32may be in fluid communication with the first loop of webbing28. For example, the webbing inflation chamber50may be open to the panel inflation chamber58at the end54of the first loop of webbing28.

The first loop of webbing28and/or the second loop of webbing30may be adjustable in size. In other words, circumferences of the first loop of webbing28and/or the second loop of webbing30may be adjustable to increase or decrease in length. For example, a webbing buckle62may be attached to the each of the first loop of webbing28and/or the second loop of webbing30and may enable the respective webbing to be secured into loop form. A user of the inflatable harness26may push and/or pull webbing through the webbing buckle62to adjust the size of the first loop of webbing28and/or the second loop of webbing30. The webbing buckles62may be ladder lock buckles or any suitable type. Adjusting the size of the first loop of webbing28and/or the second loop of webbing30enables the inflatable harness26to be fit to various sized animals22.

The inflatable tether34connects the inflatable harness26to the vehicle24and directs inflation medium from the inflator46to the inflatable harness26. The inflatable tether34may define a tether passage64. For example, the inflatable tether34may include tubular webbing66that surrounds the tether passage64. The inflatable tether34extends from a proximate end68at the first loop of webbing28to a distal end70spaced from the inflatable harness26. The tether passage64extends within the inflatable tether34from the proximate end68to the distal end70. The inflatable tether34is in fluid communication with the inflatable harness26to provide inflation medium from the inflatable tether34to the inflatable harness26. For example, the tether passage64may be open to the webbing inflation chamber50at the proximate end68.

The latch plate36connects the inflatable harness26to the vehicle24and directs inflation medium from the inflator46to the inflatable tether34, e.g., when engaged with the buckle. The latch plate36is fixed to the inflatable tether34at the distal end. The latch plate36may be fixed to the inflatable tether34, e.g., via a fastener or other suitable structure. The latch plate36defines fluid passage38. The fluid passage38extends within the latch plate36between opposite open ends. The fluid passage38of the latch plate36is in fluid communication with the inflatable tether34to provide inflation medium to the inflatable harness26from the fluid passage38of the latch plate36. For example, the fluid passage38may be open to the tether passage64. The fluid passage38is in fluid communication with the inflator46to receive inflation medium when the latch plate36is engaged with the latch plate buckle44. For example, the fluid passage38may be open to tubing connecting the inflator46to the latch plate buckle44when the latch plate36is engaged with the latch plate buckle44or the fluid passage38may receive inflation medium directly from the inflator46when the latch plate36is engaged with the latch plate buckle44.

A second tether72may extend from the second loop of webbing30, e.g., from a proximate end74at the second loop of webbing30to a distal end76spaced from the inflatable harness26. The second tether72may be fixed to the second loop of webbing30, via stitching or other suitable structure. The second tether72may connect the inflatable harness26to the vehicle24, e.g., to the ISO-fix anchor48. For example, a clip78may be connected to the second tether72. The clip78may include an open loop and flexible gate, the clip78may be “alligator” style defining a slot with a button actuated latch (not shown), etc. The clip78may be fixed to the distal end76of the second tether72. As another example, the clip78may be slidably secured to the second tether72between the proximate end74and the distal end76. The clip78may include a bar or other structure designed to inhibit movement of the clip78along the second tether72under specific loading conditions. The clip78may be configured to engage the ISO-fix anchor48. In other words, the clip78may be configured for attachment to an anchor that meets ISOFIX standards. For example, the clip78may be configured to received and selectively engage an anchor having a certain diameter, e.g., 6 millimeters, with a tolerance of +/−0.1 millimeters. As another example, the clip78may have a width, e.g., of latches or other structure of the clip78that selectively engages the ISO-fix anchor48, that are less than a certain amount, e.g., 25 millimeters.

With reference toFIG.8, the vehicle24can include an impact sensor80that is configured to detect certain impacts to the vehicle24. The impact sensor80may be of any suitable type, for example, post-contact sensors such as accelerometers, pressure sensors, and contact switches; and pre-impact sensors such as radar, LIDAR, and vision-sensing systems. The vision-sensing systems may include one or more cameras, CCD image sensors, CMOS image sensors, etc. The impact sensor80may be located at numerous points in or on the vehicle24.

The vehicle24may include a computer82to control inflation of the inflatable harness26. The computer82is generally arranged for communications on a communication network84that can include a bus in the vehicle24such as a controller area network (CAN) or the like, and/or other wired and/or wireless mechanisms. Via the communication network84, the computer82may transmit messages to various devices in the vehicle24, and/or receive messages (e.g., CAN messages) from the various devices, e.g., the inflator46, the impact sensor80, etc. Alternatively or additionally, in cases where the computer82comprises a plurality of devices, the communication network84may be used for communications between devices represented as the computer82in this disclosure.

The computer82includes a processor and a memory. The memory includes one or more forms of computer82readable media, and stores instructions executable by the processor for performing various operations, processes, and methods, as disclosed herein. For example, the computer82can be a generic computer with a processor and memory as described above and/or may include an electronic control unit (ECU) or controller for a specific function or set of functions, and/or a dedicated electronic circuit including an ASIC that is manufactured for a particular operation, e.g., an ASIC for processing sensor data and/or communicating the sensor data. As another example, the computer82may be a restraints control module. In another example, computer82may include an FPGA (Field-Programmable Gate Array) which is an integrated circuit manufactured to be configurable by a user. Typically, a hardware description language such as VHDL (Very High-Speed Integrated Circuit Hardware Description Language) is used in electronic design automation to describe digital and mixed-signal systems such as FPGA and ASIC. For example, an ASIC is manufactured on VHDL programming provided pre-manufacturing, whereas logical components inside an FPGA may be configured based on VHDL programming, e.g., stored in a memory electrically connected to the FPGA circuit. In some examples, a combination of processor(s), ASIC(s), and/or FPGA circuits may be included in the computer82. The memory can be of any type, e.g., hard disk drives, solid state drives, servers, or any volatile or non-volatile media. The memory can store the collected data sent from the sensors.

The computer82may be programmed to, i.e., the instructions stored in memory may be executable by the processor to, inflate the inflatable harness26in response to detecting certain impacts to the vehicle24. The computer82may detect certain impacts based on data from the impact sensor80, e.g., received via the communication network84. Upon detecting the certain impacts, the computer82may command the inflator46to inflate the inflatable harness26, e.g., controlling kinematics of the animal22wearing the inflatable harness26. The computer82may command the inflator46by sending a command via the communication network84.

In the drawings, the same reference numbers indicate the same elements. With regard to the media, processes, systems, methods, etc., described herein, it should be understood that, although the steps of such processes, etc. have been described as occurring according to a certain ordered sequence, unless indicated otherwise or clear from context, such processes could be practiced with the described steps performed in an order other than the order described herein. Likewise, it further should be understood that certain steps could be performed simultaneously, that other steps could be added, or that certain steps described herein could be omitted.

The adjectives “first” and “second” are used throughout this document as identifiers and do not signify importance, order, or quantity.

Computer executable instructions may be compiled or interpreted from computer programs created using a variety of programming languages and/or technologies, including, without limitation, and either alone or in combination, Java, C, C+, Visual Basic, Java Script, Perl, HTML, etc. In general, a processor e.g., a microprocessor receives instructions, e.g., from a memory, a computer readable medium, etc., and executes these instructions, thereby performing one or more processes, including one or more of the processes described herein. Such instructions and other data may be stored and transmitted using a variety of computer readable media. A file in a networked device is generally a collection of data stored on a computer readable medium, such as a storage medium, a random-access memory, etc. A computer readable medium includes any medium that participates in providing data e.g., instructions, which may be read by a computer. Such a medium may take many forms, including, but not limited to, non-volatile media and volatile media. Instructions may be transmitted by one or more transmission media, including fiber optics, wires, wireless communication, including the internals that comprise a system bus coupled to a processor of a computer. Common forms of computer-readable media include, for example, RAM, a PROM, an EPROM, a FLASH-EEPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, or any other medium from which a computer can read.

Use of in “response to,” “based on,” and “upon determining” herein indicates a causal relationship, not merely a temporal relationship.