Abstract:
An inflatable restraint system intended for use primarily, but not exclusively, within motor vehicles to protect occupants from injury resulting from a collision, crash or other impact type of accident in which the vehicle is involved. A plurality of inflatable members are mounted at a plurality of strategic locations relative to the various positions assumed by occupants within the vehicle, such that upon the vehicle being impacted, a central processing unit or like processor structured to sense the impact will automatically inflate the inflatable members so that they assume a protective position which will interact with the occupant in a manner which, unlike conventional airbags, both actively absorbs and resists the force of the impact resulting from the occupant coming into contact, at an accelerated rate, with the inflatable member(s). The processor is operatively connected to a valve assembly disposed in regulating relation to air flow both into and out of the inflatable member, and is further responsive to a pressure sensor assembly, so as to actively regulate pressure within the inflatable member and thereby minimize repetitive acceleration-deceleration motion of the occupant by both absorbing and resisting the force of impact of the occupant on the inflatable member.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     This invention relates to an inflatable restraint system primarily designed for use within a motor vehicle to protect occupants when the vehicle is involved in an accident, and specifically, a collision or other type of crash or impact. The inflatable restraint system comprises a central processing unit or other processor operatively connected to both a sensor assembly and a valve assembly in order to initially inflate and actively regulate pressure within a first and second plurality of chambers, respectively defining impact absorption and impact resistance zones, disposed on the interior of each of one or more inflatable members mounted at strategic locations adjacent intended occupant positions within the vehicle. 
     2. Description of the Related Art 
     Every year, thousands of people in the United States alone are involved in motor vehicle accidents, many of which result in the death of one or more occupants and/or severe bodily injury to others. Aside from the devastation and havoc these accidents cause in people&#39;s lives, they also result in costs of over five billion dollars annually to the insurance industry, health care industry, health care providers, the federal government, public health agencies and many others. It should, therefore, be clear that the cost of morbidity (long term injury consequences) to the automobile and insurance industries is staggering. 
     Attempts to protect the occupants in a motor vehicle include seat belts, also known as restraint harnesses and more recently, inflatable air bags. Such devices are most certainly a step in the right direction, and when used properly, have saved a tremendous number of human lives. Even so, both seat belts and air bags suffer from distinct disadvantages. By way of example, harness restraints including lap belts, chest belts, etc., limit the forward or lateral motion of the body&#39;s acceleration caused by an impact, but in doing so, such restraints cause the base of the neck to act as a fulcrum or axis of rotation-flexion-extension to further accentuate the force of acceleration of the head on the neck. More specifically, when there is a collision, the motor vehicle is usually stopped by the impact, but the forces applied to the body and restrained by the seat and/or lap belts are nevertheless also acting to set the head in motion upon the neck, leading to impact injuries caused by a collision of the head against the front or side window, ceiling of the car or steering wheel. Thus, the common mechanism of injury to the brain, spine and/or spinal cord in head-on collisions is an acceleration of the head, and the neck, causing a hyperflexion-hyperextension injury, whereas in broad-side collisions, the head is accelerated to the side or laterally causing a lateral-flexion injury. 
     Most modern day motor vehicles use a combination of restraint harnesses and inflatable air bags, which typically, inflate during a collision in an extremely rapid manner from the steering wheel and/or front console area of the vehicle and towards the occupants. Thus, inflatable air bags are intended to cushion the occupant as he or she is thrust forward, under the forces being applied during a head on collision, and impacts the air bag. While the provision of air bags on modern day motor vehicles has certainly brought down the mortality rate, meaning that more people can survive the violent forces of a head on collision, the injury rate is thought to have increased, meaning that survivors of these and other types of crashes often suffer from serious head, neck and/or spinal cord injuries. That is because by the time the air bags are deployed, the forces caused by the vehicular impact are already acting on the body and, as set forth above, cause acceleration of the head on the neck as well as of the torso on the hip. In some instances, air bags have even been reported to cause nasal and facial fractures and, in extreme circumstances, result in the forcing of bone fragments into the brain. Further, the direction of air bag discharge is almost invariably towards the occupant and can promote hyperextension injury to the spine or posterior head injury. This is prevalent and can be particularly dangerous in elderly persons with osteoporosis, a thinning of the bones with age due to calcium depletion. 
     There have been some attempts to improve the protection for motor vehicle passengers, which have primarily been directed to the deployment of air bags from multiple locations within the vehicle, in order to surround an occupant with restraints. Such attempts have found favor and are promoted primarily by some European car manufactures, most notably those which proclaim the benefits of “side air bags.” While adding to the expense of the automobile, these and other multi-location deployment systems have been offered in response to an increased demand to solve the problem of multiple trauma injuries, prevalent in impact accidents. Further, such attempts reflect the desire of the motor vehicle industry to control and find a solution to problems that continue to cause death, disability and injury at an ever increasing rate. Such attempts are also a positive step forward in the effort to reduce death and serious bodily injury during accidents due to direct impact to the vehicle. However, even air bags that deploy from the side or other location in a motor vehicle do not effectively address the forces at work during an impact that cause acceleration of the head relative to the neck, and/or of the neck relative to the torso, and therefore, the problem of brain, spine, neck and torso injuries resulting from such accidents have also not been adequately addressed. 
     Accordingly, there remains a need in this art for an inflatable restraint assembly which is designed and structured to more actively intercept at least the head and neck motion of an occupant riding in a motor vehicle undergoing a collision or other impact. More specifically, there is a need for an inflatable restraint assembly which attempts to reverse the forces of impact between a passenger and an air bag, sufficiently to diffuse such forces by applying an equal and opposite force, while buffering the passenger&#39;s impact, and thereby, reducing dynamically and actively, the range of motion of the head, neck and torso, caused by the impact. Any such improved restraint assembly developed would preferably also utilize at least two, oppositely disposed and pressure sensing inflatable members, each having a plurality of chambers, and further, through the application of microcomputer-microprocessor technology, initiate a positive gradient increase in pressures to some, but not all chambers of each pressure sensing inflatable member, for the specific purpose of slowing the acceleration forces at work on an occupant&#39;s body, while applying an equal and opposite force to the force of impact of the occupant&#39;s body with the other(s) of the inflatable members. Any such improved restraint system should further include a plurality of inflatable restraint devices or bags strategically located at various points throughout the passenger compartment, including but not necessarily limited to the ceiling, door post and seat belts, so as to provide as much surrounding or “global” protection as possible, with the goal being to significantly reduce injury by a reduction of the forces exerted on the occupant&#39;s body during impact type accidents. In addition, any such improved restraint assembly developed should also overcome the long existing problems of known restraint systems through the ability to actively oppose impact forces “intelligently” through a series of dynamic pressure measurements conducted in response to the acceleration-deceleration of the various portions of the passenger&#39;s body as the body impacts substantially oppositely disposed, but cooperatively positioned, inflatable members. 
     In addition to the above, any such improved restraint assembly developed should have the capability of storing data for determining and recalling related information, such as predicted speed of impact and a record of pressure sensing data. Such data could be correlated with post injury medical findings to determine, over a period of time, what impact and pressure ranges cause disabling injury as versus those impact and pressure forces which are only suspect at the present time. Such memory capabilities would serve as a meaningful tool of analysis and benefit to the medical and insurance industries, among others. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     The present invention is intended to address these and other needs which remain in the art and is directed towards an inflatable restraint assembly that is primarily, but not exclusively, designed for use within a motor vehicle. The restraint assembly comprises a plurality of inflatable members, which are strategically mounted throughout the interior passenger compartment of the vehicle at locations adjacent to an intended occupant position, such that deployment of one or more of the inflatable members will provide maximum protection to an occupant, when located in one of the intended positions normally occupied. Further, it is emphasized that while a detailed explanation of the structural and operative features of the present invention will be described relative to at least one inflatable member, one feature of the present invention is the cooperative positioning of two or more of such inflatable members, so as to be “globally” oriented or collectively disposed in at least partially surrounding, alternatively intercepting relation to each of the occupants. Such cooperative and collective positioning of a plurality of the inflatable members of the present invention are, in certain instances, specifically intended to significantly reduce injury to the occupant caused by an excessive acceleration or forward motion followed immediately by a rebounding deceleration, which often occurs through the use of conventionally known air bags or inflatable restraint devices. In such known systems, the conventional air bag structure is forcibly inflated resulting in a deployment of the bag in a direction substantially towards the occupant. As a result, the occupant frequently suffers damage upon impact with the conventional air bag and quite frequently suffers hyperextension and/or hyperflexion type injuries, due to a forceful forward and backward acceleration of the head on the neck and/or the body torso upon the lower back and hip. 
     In order to avoid these types of well recognized problems associated with the use of conventional inflatable restraint systems and structures, the present invention utilizes a central processing unit or other type of processor, which is electrically connected or otherwise operatively associated with a valve assembly and a pressure sensor assembly, so as to initially deploy, through inflation, the one or more inflatable members into their operative position. The processor, valve assembly and sensor assembly are operatively interactive to diffuse the force of impact caused by the occupant contacting cooperatively positioned ones of the plurality of inflatable members. More specifically, each of the inflatable members of the present invention actively opposes the force of impact between the occupant and the inflatable member and does so “intelligently” through a series of dynamic pressure measurements, made each time the head, neck or torso of the occupant rocks in a “to-and-fro” motion, impacting at least one, but under certain conditions, at least two substantially opposing and alternately intercepting inflatable members. 
     The sensor assembly is structured to detect the pressure inside a plurality of internally disposed chambers within each of the inflatable members, and to relay the data relating to the internal pressure within the various chambers of each of the inflatable members to the processor. The processor activates a source inflatable material or fluid, such as air, and initiates operation of the aforementioned valve assembly to provide an initial inflation pressure in predetermined ones of the plurality of chambers of the one or more inflatable members. The pressure within each of the inflatable members is then actively regulated or adjusted to accommodate the force of impact of the occupant with the inflatable member in a manner which causes both a resistance to and at least a partial absorption of the force of impact. The active and “intelligent” regulation of the pressure within the inflatable members serves to reduce any type of repetitive to-and-fro motion, as set forth above. When two substantially opposing inflatable members are working in concert, each has the internal pressure thereof actively regulated or adjusted on an alternating, repetitive basis in order to reduce the to-and-fro motion or acceleration-deceleration of the occupant, to a series of lesser motions or oscillations of the head and torso. 
     Upon the vehicle being impacted, at least one of a plurality of impact sensors, located on the vehicle and connected to the aforementioned processor, communicates in micro-seconds the occurrence of an impact of sufficient predetermined force to possibly cause injury to the occupant within the passenger compartment. Upon such indication, the processor activates also within micro-seconds a source of fluid or other inflatable material and/or the valve assembly to cause an initial inflation and resulting deployment of at least some of a plurality of inflatable members. 
     At least one, but preferably all, of the inflatable members comprise a number of internally disposed chambers, wherein adjacent ones of such chambers are separated from one another by a partition. While the actual number of chambers within each inflatable member may vary, the chambers are collectively disposed and cooperatively structured to define an impact absorbing zone and an impact resistance zone within each of the inflatable members. For purposes of clarification, the impact absorption zone may be defined by at least one, but most probably, a first plurality of internally disposed chambers defining a “leading” portion of the inflatable member. The term “leading” portion is meant to describe that portion of the inflatable member which first contacts the head or other portion of the occupant&#39;s body. The impact resistance zone is located “rearwardly” of the impact absorption zone and is defined by at least one but preferably a second plurality of chambers. 
     While the inflatable restraint assembly of the present invention contemplates the use of at least one inflatable member having the aforementioned impact absorption zone and impact resistance zone, maximum protection to the one or more occupants may best be provided through the use of at least two of the aforementioned inflatable members, disposed in substantially opposing relation to one another. When such two inflatable members are cooperatively positioned they each act as “interceptors” for the purpose of reducing the normal, relatively excessive to-and-fro motion to lesser oscillations by allowing the force of impact of the occupant onto a first of the inflatable members to be at least partially absorbed, but at the same time, resistant by actively regulating the pressure within the first inflatable member. At the same time, the pressure within the inflatable member needed to respond to the degree of the force of impact of the occupant thereon is determined. This information is then relayed, through cooperative workings of the sensing assembly with the processor, to communicate the expected and/or summated force of impact of the occupant onto the second or intercepting one of the cooperatively positioned two inflatable members. The relayed information then allows the pressure within the second of the inflatable members to be further regulated or varied to again absorb the force of impact onto the second inflatable member. As will be explained in greater detail hereinafter, the processor and sensor assembly are cooperatively structured and operationally functional so as to arrive at a summation of the pressure within each of the inflatable members and vary the total pressure so as to accomplish absorption of the force of impact of the occupant by means of at least partial deflation of the impact absorption zone while maintaining a sufficient resistance force in the impact resistance zone of each inflatable member. The summation of the pressure within any of the inflatable members, should not exceed the force of impact of the occupant onto the inflatable member, so as to not result in a forcible rebounding of the occupant, which would add to the acceleration/deceleration or to-and-fro motion of the occupant. 
     The inflatable restraint assembly of the present invention also comprises one or cooperative pairs, or more, of the inflatable members being located strategically throughout the various portions of the passenger compartment, wherein such strategic locations include but are not limited to the ceiling, side or door post of the vehicle, shoulder or body hardness, etc. In addition, the one or more inflatable members could be mounted directly on an auxiliary seat, such as a child seat, so as to be structured to operate in substantially the same manner. In each of the aforementioned embodiments, one feature of the present invention is that in most cases, the initial inflation and deployment of each of the inflatable members does not occur in a direction that is directly towards the occupant. Such directional deployment of known conventional air bags has, as set forth above, in some cases resulted in severe injury to the occupant. 
     These and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more clear when the drawings as well as the detailed description are taken into consideration. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings in which: 
     FIG. 1 is a top view of a vehicle showing interior portions and the general locations of a plurality of cooperatively disposed inflatable members relative to an intended position of an occupant within the vehicle. 
     FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of an occupant relative to two cooperatively disposed inflatable members. 
     FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of a representative one of the inflatable members along with the operative components of the assembly causing its inflation and pressure regulation. 
     FIG. 4 is a schematic representation of the inflatable member of FIG. 3 and a forwardly directed impact caused by accelerated forces acting on the head and neck of an occupant. 
     FIG. 5 is a schematic representation of the inflatable member of FIGS. 3 and 4 in another sequence corresponding to a rebounding movement of the occupant&#39;s head and neck in an opposite, rearward direction. 
     FIG. 6 is a schematic representation of one preferred location of an inflatable member in accordance with the present invention. 
     FIG. 7 is a schematic representation of the embodiment of FIG. 6 with the inflatable member in a deployed position. 
     FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of another preferred location of at least one inflatable member of the present invention. 
     FIG. 9 is a schematic representation of the embodiment of FIG. 8 with the inflatable member being deployed. 
     FIG. 10 is a front view of an inflatable member in accordance with the restraint assembly of the present invention mounted on a restraining hardness. 
     FIG. 11 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG. 10 shown partially in phantom lines indicating a deployment of the inflatable member. 
     FIG. 12 is a front view of another embodiment of the present invention wherein at least one inflatable member is mounted on an auxiliary seat, such as a child&#39;s seat. 
     FIG. 13 is a side view of the embodiment of FIG.  12 . 
     FIG. 14 is a side view of the embodiments of FIGS. 12 and  13  shown in partial phantom lines representing a deployment of the inflatable member. 
     FIG. 15 is a rear view of the embodiment of FIGS. 12 through 14 showing a deployment of another inflatable member being mounted on the side of the auxiliary seat and represented in phantom lines in a deployed position. 
    
    
     Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views of the drawings. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
     As shown in the accompanying drawings, the present invention relates to an inflatable restraint assembly designed primarily, but not exclusively, to protect occupants, generally indicated as  10 , within a motor vehicle, generally indicated at  12 . 
     More specifically, and as shown in FIG. 1, the vehicle  12  is equipped with a plurality of impact sensors, as at  14 , located at various positions on the vehicle, so as to sense the occurrence of an impact of sufficient degree to possibly cause harm to occupants within the passenger compartment  16  of the vehicle  12 . The location of the impact sensors  14  in FIG. 1 is meant to be representative only of a plurality of locations where such impact sensors  14  could be positioned, the knowledge of which is possessed by persons of skill in the art relating to air bag deployment. In addition, and as shown in FIG. 3, the impact sensors  14  are operably connected and/or coupled to a computer processor, such as a micro-processing chip or other central processing unit (CPU)  20 , incorporated within the vehicle  12  and responsive to the impact sensors  14  to the extent of activating one or more of the inflatable members, such as  22 ,  24 , etc., incorporated within the restraint assembly of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 1, an inventive feature of the present invention is the strategic location of the plurality of inflatable members in an operative position, relative to the plurality of intended positions  40  of the occupants. The intended occupant positions  40  are representative only since such positions may vary depending upon the size and configuration of the vehicle. 
     With regard to FIGS. 1 and 2, one embodiment of the present invention includes inflatable members  22  and  24  located in substantially opposing relation to one another and in a position relative to an occupant  10  to receive the repetitive and alternating “to-and-fro” motion resulting from the occupant&#39;s head (or other portions of the occupant&#39;s body) contacting a first inflatable member  22  and then, in a rebounding motion, contacting an intercepting, second inflatable member  24 . For example, when a vehicle is involved in a head-on collision, the occupant&#39;s head  10  would initially be thrust forward and into a first, forwardly disposed inflatable member, such as  22  in FIGS. 2,  4  and  5 , and would then rebound into a second, rearwardly disposed inflatable member, such as  24  in FIG.  2 . Of course, if the impact were coming from the opposite direction, the occupant&#39;s head  10  could initially be thrust into contact with the rearwardly disposed inflatable member  24  and then into the forwardly disposed inflatable member  22 , and thus, the terms “first” and “second” or “forward” and “rearward” should not be construed in a limiting sense. 
     To assume the cooperative, substantially opposing relation of the first and second inflatable members  22  and  24  respectively, such inflatable members would preferably be mounted in the ceiling in a collapsed, stored position maintainable by pivotally attached cover members, which are forced open upon a pressurized inflation of the inflatable members  22  and  24 . As will be explained in greater detail, particularly with reference to FIGS. 6 through 15, the inflatable members may be used independently of one another or in cooperative relation with one another and may be mounted at a variety of other strategic locations within the passenger compartment  16  in order to protect the occupant  10  from an impact occurring on or to the vehicle  12  from the front, rear, side, top, etc. 
     With primary reference to FIGS. 2 through 5, the structural and operational features of a single inflatable member  22  will now be described. It is pointed out, however, that each of the inflatable members, whether working independently of one another or in cooperative relation to one another, as explained with referenced to FIG. 2, have a substantially equivalent structure and operation. Accordingly, the inflatable restraint assembly of the present invention comprises a fluid source  42  which may include one or a plurality of sources of air, gas, gel, or other inflatable fluid material, wherein each of the plurality of inflatable members, such as  22  and  24 , or such as  26  and  28  shown in FIGS. 7 and 9, may be connected in fluid communication with a separate fluid source or different, independent fluid sources. In addition, a valve assembly  44  is operatively connected with each of the inflatable members  22  so as to regulate flow to and from the interior thereof, in a manner to be described in greater detail hereinafter. Also, a pressure sensing means, preferably comprising a pressure sensor assembly  46 , is associated with each of the inflatable members  22 ,  24 ,  26 ,  28 , etc. in a manner which serves to sense the pressure in various portions or zones on the interior thereof and relay such sensed pressure to the processor or CPU  20 . The CPU  20  controls and activates the valve assembly  44  to actively regulate and/or vary the pressure between the various portions or zones of each of the inflatable members, as will be explained. 
     Each of the inflatable members is defined by a multi-chamber construction wherein, in the specific embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 through 5, a first plurality of internally disposed chambers A, B, and C define an “impact absorption zone” which is located generally on what may be termed a leading portion of the inflatable member  22 . A second plurality of chambers D, E, and F may define what is referred to as an “impact resistance zone” and are located on a trailing portion of the inflatable member  22 , relative to the direction of travel or motion of the occupant  10  when engaging the inflatable member  22 , during an accident. It is emphasized that the number of chambers in the impact absorption zone as well as the impact resistance zone may vary, and further, that the number of chambers in each zone may differ from one another. The sensor assembly  46  is specifically structured to sense the pressure within each of the aforementioned chambers A, B, C, D, E, and F and may comprise a plurality of individual sensors  49  connected by appropriate wiring  50  to a printed circuit board or like controller mechanism (not shown) incorporated within the sensor assembly  46 , which in turn, is connected to the processor or CPU  20 . It is to be emphasized that a variety of other individual sensor structures, other than sensors  49  may be incorporated and operative to perform the primary function of sensing the pressure within each of the individual chambers A, B, C, D, E, and F in relaying such sensed or determined pressure back to the controller incorporated within the main body of the sensor assembly  46 . 
     Each of the adjacent chambers are at least partially segregated from one another by an appropriately positioned partition  52  or  53 . More specifically, each of the partitions  52  serves to at least partially segregate the internal chambers A, B, and C of the impact absorption zone and include an apertured construction in order to allow at least some fluid flow therethrough. This embodiment serves to facilitate a partial collapse or deflation of the impact absorption zone by allowing the fluid to be forced from chamber A to chamber B and eventually to chamber C, where it then may flow out, from the chambers of the impact absorption zone through the valve assembly  44 . Conversely, the partitions  53  serving to separate the various internal chambers of the impact resistant zone from one another, as well as the chamber C from the chamber D, do not have any type of apertured construction and are, therefore, structured to define total segregation and to not permit air flow to pass between the chambers D, E and F, of the impact resistance zone, for reasons which will be made clear upon further description set forth hereinafter. The valve assembly  44  serves to regulate fluid flow into and out of each of the internal chambers A, B, C, D, E, and F and may take a variety of configurations, which are structurally and operationally capable of independent flow into and out of the individual chambers A, B, C, D, E, and F, as well as the selective maintenance of the pressure within certain ones of the chambers and deflation of certain others of the plurality of chambers. 
     The workings of the one or more inflatable members  22 ,  24 , etc., independently or in combination with one another, and the gradient pressure differential between the various internal chambers A, B, C, D, E, and F in particular, will now be explained. The term “gradient pressure differential” is meant to include the difference in pressures between each of the chambers of the inflatable members specifically wherein some of the internal pressures of various ones of the chambers are greater than in others. Accordingly, for purposes of explanation, the initial inflation pressure will be represented as Pi and will also be equal to the pressure within the second plurality of chambers D, E, and F, defining the impact resistance zone of each inflatable member  22 . The pressure in chamber A, being the first or leading internal chamber of the impact absorption zone, is maintained lower than the initial inflation pressure Pi, by an increment of pressure represented as (x). Therefore, the total pressure in chamber A before the force of impact of the occupant with that inflatable member may be expressed as (Pi−x). 
     The pressure in chamber B will be lower than the pressure in chamber A and accordingly lower than the pressure Pi maintained in chambers D, E, and F. In relationship to chamber A, the pressure in chamber B may be assigned value (y) and may be expressed as (Pi−x)−(y). 
     The pressure in chamber C will be lower than that in chamber B by a value (z). Therefore, the pressure in chamber C may be expressed as (Pi−x)−(y)−(z). 
     Accordingly, it should be seen that the collective pressure in chambers A, B, C, is lower than the pressure Pi maintained in chambers D, E, and F. 
     In operation, the force of impact of an occupant  10  on an inflatable member  22  causes a transfer of pressure from chambers A to B to C, and if pressure within these chambers is excessive, beyond a certain threshold point which may threaten the integrity of the structure of the inflatable member  22 , an outflow of air through the valve assembly  44  occurs. The sensor assembly  46  summates the transmission of pressure forces, expressed as a change of pressure, while chambers D, E, and F provide initial resistance to the force of impact of the occupant  10 . The processor  20  then “reads” the force of impact of the occupant that needs to be opposed and rapidly deploys a discharge of air from the fluid source  42  to the chambers D, E, and F. As set forth above, chambers D, E, and F do not communicate with one another so that disruption of the integrity of one chamber, due to shear forces or tearing, will not compromise the function of the entire inflatable member  22 . This rapid deployment of air into chambers D, E, and F, occurs in increments and creates an equal and opposite force to the force of impact, but not a greater force than the force of impact, so as to provide an active opposition to and correction of the force of impact of the occupant. This correction serves to slow the acceleration of the occupant, as well as the occupants range of motion. This, in turn, reduces the momentum upon the body part of the occupant  10  contacting the inflatable member  22 , and further reduces successive to-and-fro motions to lesser oscillations of motion of the occupant. 
     By way of further explanation, the summated pressure within the inflatable member  22 , upon the occurrence of a first force of impact of the occupant is expressed as P1. In terms of the pressures within the various chambers, the summated pressure Pi is more specifically postulated to be P1=(Pi)+(Pi−x)+((Pi−x)−(y))+((Pi−x)−(y)−(z))+E, where E represents the external force of acceleration of the occupant. The processor  20  arrives at P1, reads the difference between P1 and the pressure Pi, and incrementally adds the amount of the air needed to in-fill chambers D, E, and F, to meet and oppose this summated pressure, P1. This rapid inflation, followed by rapid deflation of the chambers D, E and F back to the pressure Pi, restores the unit to base line to receive the next impact. That summated pressure information is then transmitted by the processor  20  to the opposing, cooperatively positioned inflatable member  24  (see FIG.  2 ), to provide an opposing force at least equal but not less than the previous opposing force and reduced by an increment to be determined, so that the summated pressure is not greater than the force impact of the occupant. As a result, a lower total summation pressure, P2 of the inflatable member  24  is provided as compared to P1 of the inflatable member  22 . Repeated impacts will register successive summation pressures of alternating, interceptor inflatable members  22  and  24  as P3, P4, P5, etc. wherein each successive total summation pressure and opposition-corrective pressure will be successively lower than the preceding pressure, because of reduced inertia, active opposing pressure forces by the inflatable members  22 ,  24 , and the coefficient of air friction, all coming into play. 
     With reference to FIGS. 3,  4  and  5 , the occupant  10  engages the inflatable member  22  at a first chamber A, which is the leading portion of the impact absorbing zone. The pressure in chambers A, B, and C begins to reduce through a transfer of air from chamber A to chamber B and from chamber B to chamber C and eventually, through the valves  60 , which are now open. At this point the valves  62  associated with the chambers D, E, and F of the resistance zone are maintained in a closed position, due to activation and control by the processor  20 . It should be apparent, therefore, that in reaction to the force of impact of the occupant  10  with inflatable member  22 , the impact absorption zone will serve to absorb a portion of the force of impact while the pressure within chambers D, E, and F will be initially maintained the same pressure, Pi. Therefore, chambers D, E, and F will present a resistance force, and thereby, serve to define the impact resistance zone of the inflatable member  22 . However, as shown in FIG. 5 the processor  20  “reads”, through operation of the sensor assembly  46 , the force of impact of the occupant  10  on the inflatable member  22 , and thereby, determines the amount of pressure required to oppose this force of impact and incrementally increases the pressures within the chambers D, E, and F of the impact resistance zone in order to make the summation of forces Pi, within the inflatable member equal to, but not greater than, the force of impact of the occupant  10  engaging the inflatable member  22 . In order to accomplish this, the valves  60  into chambers A, B, and C are closed, whereas the valves  62  are opened to allow for the immediate and rapid inflow of air for purposes of the aforementioned incremental increase in pressure. This rapid deployment of air discharged into chambers D, E, and F occurs in an increment to create an equal and opposite force, but not a greater force than that of the force of impact of the occupant  10  engaging the inflatable member  22 . A creation of a greater force is prohibited in that such an excessive force created in chambers D, E, and F would “re-accelerate” the head or other body part, possibly causing further damage or injury to the occupant  10  by rebounding in the opposite direction as indicated at  64 . 
     When the two or more inflatable members  22  and  24  are working in cooperative relation to one another, in that they are substantially opposed as shown in FIG. 2, the motion indicated as  64  will be a rebounding motion. The occupant will be intercepted by the second inflatable member  24 , which will react in the same manner in terms of actively regulating or varying the pressure in the various chambers A, B, and C of the impact absorption zone, as well as the internal chambers D, E, and F, of the impact resistance zone as to provide a lesser summated pressure P2, set forth above. The rebounding force with which the occupant  10  engages the second inflatable member  24  will be calculated almost instantaneously by cooperative workings of the sensor assembly  46  and the processor  20  so as to regulate and determine the initial inflation pressure Pi of the chambers D, E, and F of the impact resistance zone of inflatable member  24  and based on the initial inflation pressure Pi, the pressure of the remaining internal chambers A, B, and C of the impact absorption zone will also be incrementally determined and adjusted such that absorption and resistance is accomplished in an optimum manner so as to reduce the motion of the occupant&#39;s head, or other body part to lesser oscillations. 
     As shown in FIG. 6 and 7, one strategic location of at least one inflatable member  26  may be in an upper side corner above or adjacent to a door or window opening. When inflated in the manner shown in FIG. 7, the inflatable member  26  will be disposed adjacent to the window, so as to protect the occupant  10  from impacting the window or door. 
     Similarly, in FIGS. 8 and 9 an inflatable member  28 , including the plurality of internal chambers as indicated above, may be mounted in its stored position within a door post  27  and, when inflated, may extend outwardly therefrom so as to protect the occupant  10  from engagement with the door post, window or other portions of the door and thereby reduce or eliminate lateral-flexion which causes the aforementioned injuries. In this manner, a resulting rotation of the occupant  10  as indicated by directional arrow  29  may also be eliminated by engagement with the deployed inflatable member  28 . 
     With reference to FIGS. 10 and 11, at least one of the inflatable members  30  may be mounted on a harness  70 , which extends across the occupant&#39;s body in the conventional manner. The compartment  72  for the inflatable member  30  is mounted such that when deployed, the inflatable member  30  is projected outwardly, away from the occupant  10 , when the occupant is in an intended position, such as a seat  73 . The inflatable member  30  once deployed may engage the steering wheel or column generally indicated as  75  or other portions of the vehicle, dependent upon the location of the seat and the intended position of the occupant  10 . 
     With regard to FIGS. 12 through 15, the one or more inflatable members  32  and  34  can be mounted on and deployed directly from an auxiliary seat  80 , which may be in the form of a child seat or other auxiliary seat. The inflatable member  32  can be stored within a harness or other component or portion of the auxiliary seat  80 , as at  84 , so that when it is deployed it extends outwardly away from the occupant  10 ′, as shown in FIG.  14 , into engagement with a seat back surface  75  or other portion of the vehicle, dependent upon the orientation and location of the auxiliary seat  80 . Similarly, a second or additional inflatable member  34  can be deployed outwardly from a side area, as at  86 , of the auxiliary seat  80 , into engagement with a side portion of the vehicle in order to prevent injury from a side impact of the vehicle. 
     FIGS. 13 and 15 also indicate that the inflatable members  32  and  34  may be electrically and/or pneumatically interconnected to the processor  20  and/or to one or more fluid sources of inflatable material, such as air, by a cord or cable assembly  88 , running through appropriate mountings and/or apertures  89  and  90 , formed on the auxiliary seat  80 . 
     Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be made to the described preferred embodiment of the invention, it is intended that all matters in the foregoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scope of the invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. 
     Now that the invention has been described,