Patent Publication Number: US-2021170969-A1

Title: Occupant restraint system and related methods

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The disclosure herein relates to an occupant restraint system and related methods. 
     TECHNICAL BACKGROUND 
     As automotive technology progresses towards fully autonomous vehicles it has become apparent that there is a need for an alternative solution to the tradition seat design in the industry. In a traditional seating configuration and design, the seats for the occupants are restricted to placement in a very specific orientation with a predetermined range of travel. This is in part due to safety device architecture and the placement of the safety devices within the vehicle. For instance, in a traditional vehicle, the driver of a vehicle buckles a seat belt anchored to the floor and B-pillar structure of the vehicle, where the seat belts cross the chest and lap of the occupant. The occupants face forward towards a steering wheel or dash panel that houses the main deployable device, which is the airbag contained within the steering wheel or dash. As the realization of fully automated driving is approached, there is an increased demand for a more flexible occupant configuration within the vehicle. Since a fully autonomous vehicle drives itself, there is no longer a need for a driver. The occupants of the vehicle may direct their attention to other endeavors instead of operating the vehicle. A flexible seating configuration will be desired to allow vehicle occupants to interact face-to-face rather than always facing forward. Allowing the seats to swivel or rotate adds complication to the matter of protecting occupants in the event of a crash. The traditional use of airbags deploying from fixed locations in the vehicle will not be effective unless the occupants are facing towards the airbag. 
     Conventional seating, an occupant is limited to a designed range of translational motion, such as forward and reward, and seat back angle adjust is placed at strategic locations within the vehicle. There is no ability for rotational movement of the seats. In the event of a crash, a seat belt placed across the lap and over the chest holds the occupant in place and an airbag is deployed to manage the energy of the crash to reduce risk of injury. What is needed is a better way to provide protection for occupants in seating with non-conventional configurations. 
     BRIEF SUMMARY 
     An occupant restraint system including a seat having a head rest where the seat has a seat belt anchor, a seat belt retractor and a seat coupling member each coupled with the seat. The system further includes a seat belt assembly including a first seat belt portion and a second seat belt portion, where the first seat belt portion extends from a belt anchor portion to a first coupling end portion, the belt anchor portion is coupled with the seat belt anchor, and the first coupling end portion configured to be coupled with the seat coupling member. The second seat belt portion extends from a second extending portion to a second coupling end portion, the second extending portion is extendably coupled with the seat belt retractor, and the second coupling end portion is configured to be coupled with the seat coupling member. At least one deployable restraint is stored on or within at least one of the seat belt assembly or the seat, where the at least one deployable restraint has a deployed position and a retracted position that is deployed by a deployment member. 
     In one or more embodiments, the seat is rotatable seat defined in part by a first vertical axis, the rotatable seat is rotatable around the first vertical axis. 
     In one or more embodiments, the rotatable seat has a rotatable mount coupled therewith. 
     In one or more embodiments, the occupant restraint system further includes a deployment guide, the deployment guide having a track and guide member associated therewith, the guide member coupled with the deployable restraint, the guide member configured to guide the deployable restraint along the track. 
     In one or more embodiments, the deployable restraint is disposed within the head rest of the seat. 
     In one or more embodiments, the occupant restraint system further includes at least one hinge configured to fold open the deployable restraint with the deployment member. 
     In one or more embodiments, the deployable restraint is disposed within the seat belt assembly when the deployable restraint is disposed in the retracted position. 
     In one or more embodiments, the occupant restraint system further includes a belt guide disposed between the second coupling end portion and the second extending portion, the belt guide coupled with the seat. 
     In one or more embodiments, an occupant restraint system includes a rotatable seat having a head rest, the rotatable seat coupled with a seat mount, where the rotatable seat includes a seat belt anchor, a seat belt retractor and a seat coupling member each coupled with the rotatable seat, and the seat belt anchor is directly coupled with the rotatable seat. The system further includes a seat belt assembly including a first seat belt portion and a second seat belt portion. The first seat belt portion extends from a belt anchor portion to a first coupling end portion, the belt anchor portion coupled with the seat belt anchor, and the first coupling end portion is configured to be coupled with the seat coupling member. 
     The second seat belt portion extends from a second extending portion to a second coupling end portion. The second extending portion is extendably coupled with the seat belt retractor, where the second coupling end portion is configured to be coupled with the seat coupling member. At least one deployable restraint is stored on or within at least one of the seat belt assembly or the rotatable seat, and the at least one deployable restraint has a deployed position and a retracted position that is deployed by a deployment member. 
     In one or more embodiments, the rotatable seat is defined in part by a first vertical axis, the rotatable seat is rotatable around the first vertical axis. 
     In one or more embodiments, the occupant restraint system further includes a deployment guide, the deployment guide having a track and guide member associated therewith, the guide member coupled with the deployable restraint, the guide member configured to guide the deployable restraint along the track. 
     In one or more embodiments, the deployable restraint is disposed within the head rest of the rotatable seat. 
     In one or more embodiments, the occupant restraint system further includes at least one hinge configured to fold open the deployable restraint with the deployment member. 
     In one or more embodiments, the deployable restraint is disposed within the seat belt assembly when the deployable restraint is disposed in the retracted position. 
     In one or more embodiments, the occupant restraint system further includes a belt guide disposed between the second coupling end portion and the second extending portion, the belt guide coupled with the seat. 
     A method of using the occupant restraint system includes deploying the deployable restraint of the embodiments discussed herein, where deploying the deployable restraint from the retracted position to the deployed position, in the deployed position, the deployable restraint configured to contain a neck of an occupant. The method further optionally includes guiding the deployable restraint along a track with a guide member coupled with the deployable restraint. In one or more embodiments, the method further includes folding open the deployable restraint at an at least one hinge. The method further optionally includes removing at least a portion of the deployable restraint from within the seat belt assembly while the deployable restraint is deployed. In one or more embodiments, deploying the deployable restraint includes removing at least a portion of the deployable restraint from within the headrest of the seat. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  illustrates a side view of an occupant restraint system in a vehicle, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 2A  illustrates a front view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 2B  illustrates a side view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 2C  illustrates a top view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 3A  illustrates a front view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 3B  illustrates a side view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 3C  illustrates a top view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 4A  illustrates a front view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 4B  illustrates a side view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 5A  illustrates a front view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 5B  illustrates a side view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 6A  illustrates a side view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 6B  illustrates a side view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 6C  illustrates a side view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 7A  illustrates a side view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
         FIG. 7B  illustrates a side view of an occupant restraint system, as constructed in accordance with one or more embodiments. 
     
    
    
     These and other embodiments, aspects, advantages, and features of the present invention will be set forth in part in the description which follows and will become apparent to those skilled in the art by reference to the following description of the invention and referenced drawings or by practice of the invention. The aspects, advantages, and features of the invention are realized and attained by means of the instrumentalities, procedures, and combinations particularly pointed out in the appended claims and their equivalents. 
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     The following detailed description includes references to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of the detailed description. The drawings show, by way of illustration, specific embodiments in which the apparatus may be practiced. These embodiments, which are also referred to herein as “examples” or “options,” are described in enough detail to enable those skilled in the art to practice the present embodiments. The embodiments may be combined, other embodiments may be utilized, or structural or logical changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The following detailed description is, therefore, not to be taken in a limiting sense and the scope of the invention is defined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. 
     An occupant restraint system includes components that are coupled with the seat within a vehicle, such as a driverless vehicle. For example, a seat belt retractor is located on the seat instead of the B-Pillar of the vehicle. The seat belt is anchored at the top of the seat and buckles at the opposite side of the retractor, and in one or more embodiments, the seat belt contains a deployable restraint which can be made of a mesh or netting material that is strong enough to retain the head and neck of an occupant in the event of a crash of the vehicle. In the normal non-crash position, the deployable restraint is disposed within the seat belt or within the seat, such as the head rest of the seat. If a crash is detected by a sensor system, a control unit for the deployable restraint can deploy the deployable restraint, for example, by activating a motorized retractor spool, located for example near the top of the seat, which rotates and pulls on a cable along a track. 
       FIGS. 1-7B  illustrate the occupant restraint system in greater detail.  FIG. 1  illustrates a vehicle  102  having an occupant restraint system  100 . The occupant restraint system  100  includes a seat  104 , a seat belt assembly  120 , and at least one deployable restraint assembly  150  ( FIGS. 3A-3C, 5A-5B ). The at least one deployable restraint is stored on or within at least one of the seat belt assembly  120  or the seat  104 . The deployable restraint has a deployed position and a retracted, undeployed position. 
       FIGS. 2A-2D, 4A-4B, 6A-6B, 7A  illustrate the occupant restraint system  100  in an undeployed position. The occupant restraint system includes a seat  104  having a head rest  116 . In one or more embodiments, the seat  104  is rotatable and includes the seat mount  112  which connects the seat  104  with the vehicle  102 . In one or more embodiments, the seat  104  is rotatable. In one or more embodiments, the rotatable seat  104  is defined in part by a first vertical axis  114 , and the rotatable seat is rotatable around the first vertical axis  114 , as shown in  FIGS. 1-5B . In one or more embodiments, the seat  104  is movable to place the occupant in a reclined or prone configuration, as shown in  FIGS. 6A-7B , and as further described in co-pending application XX/XXX,XXX, having attorney docket number 2018P07902US, filed on DATE, which incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. In one or more embodiments, the seat  104  is both rotatable around a vertical axis and movable to place the occupant in a reclined or prone configuration. In one or more embodiments, the seat  104  is movable from an upright position ( FIGS. 1-6A ) to a reclined position ( FIGS. 6B-7B ). In one or more embodiment, the seat  104  is movable from the upright position to the reclined position via a drive rail  190  and a drive motor  192 . The seat  104  is coupled with the drive rail  190 , and the drive motor  192  is used to move the drive rail  190 , which in turn moves the seat  104  from the upright position to the reclined position, or somewhere in between. 
     The seat  104  further optionally includes a mount  112 , such as a rotatable mount that is coupled with the vehicle  102 , such as the frame of the vehicle to provide stability to the seat  104 , and to the seat belt assembly  120  which is coupled directly to the seat  104 . The seat  104  has a seat belt anchor  132 , a seat belt retractor  130 , and a seat coupling member  134  each coupled with the seat  104 . 
     The seat belt assembly  120  includes a first seat belt portion  121  and a second seat belt portion  122 . The first seat belt portion  121  and the second seat belt portion  122  collectively form one seat belt that extends through a seat belt coupler  134 . The first seat belt portion  121  extends from a belt anchor portion  128  to a first coupling end portion  126 . The belt anchor portion  128  is coupled with the seat belt anchor  132 , which is coupled with the seat  104 . The first coupling end portion  126  is configured to be coupled with the seat coupling member  134 , for example via the second seat belt portion  122 , which is also coupled with the seat  104 . In one or more embodiments, the seat coupling member  134  is a seat buckle. In one or more embodiments, the first seat belt portion  121  is configured to be disposed across the chest of an occupant, as shown in  FIGS. 2A-3C . In one or more embodiments, the first seat belt portion  121  is configured to be disposed across a lap of an occupant, as shown in  FIGS. 4A-5B . 
     The second seat belt portion  122  extends from a second extending portion  124  to a second coupling end portion  126 , where the second extending portion  124  is extendably coupled with the seat belt retractor  130 , which is coupled directly with the seat  104 . The seat belt retractor  130  allows for the seat belt to be extended and retracted from and to the seat belt retractor  130 , as the occupant installs and/or removes the seat belt. The second coupling end portion  126  is configured to be coupled with the seat coupling member  134  and/or extends through the coupling member  134 , which is also coupled with the seat  104 . In one or more embodiments, the second seat belt portion  122  is configured to be disposed across a lap of an occupant, as shown in  FIGS. 2A-3C . In one or more embodiments, the second seat belt portion  122  is configured to be disposed across a chest of an occupant, as shown in  FIGS. 4A-5B . In one or more embodiments, the second seat belt portion  122  is configured to be disposed across a chest of an occupant, and further behind the back of an occupant, as shown in  FIGS. 4A-5B . In an optional configuration, the second seat belt portion  122  extends through a guide  138  which is coupled with the seat  104 . In one or more embodiments, the second seat belt portion  122  is coupled with a retractor  130  that is located at a lower portion of the seat  140 , as shown in  FIGS. 4A-4B . 
     As mentioned above, the system  100  includes a deployable restraint assembly  150 , which includes a restraint  152  and restraint deployment member  170 . In one or more embodiments, the restraint  152  includes a netting or mesh, which when in the deployed position, is configured to capture the head, neck, and/or chest of an occupant. The restraint  152  is compliant and/or has some elasticity so that it does not provide a rigid enclosure which may otherwise injure the occupant during an accident. In one or more embodiments, the netting including openings to provide, among other things, additional resiliency. In one or more embodiments, the openings are small enough to not allow typically sized adult human noses to extend through the openings and/or get hooked by the openings. 
     In one or more embodiments, the deployable restraint assembly  150  is configured to deploy the restraint  152  with the restraint deployment member  170  when a crash sensor determines a crash is about to occur. 
     In one or more embodiments, the deployable restraint assembly  150  includes a restraint track  156  coupled with the seat  104  and a restraint  152  that is disposed within the seat belt assembly  120 , as shown in  FIGS. 2A-2C, 3A-3C, and 7A-7B . The restraint track  156  is disposed, in one or more embodiments, at a vertical location above an occupant&#39;s head. In one or more embodiments, the restraint track  156  extends outwardly in a horizontal direction, as shown in  FIGS. 2C and 3C  and extends from a first end to a second end. The restraint track  156  extends out horizontally, in one or more embodiments, a greater distance than a size or position of an occupant head, neck, and/or chest. In one or more embodiments, the restraint track  156  has a generally curved, for example, but not limited to, a semi-circular shaped track. 
     The deployable restraint assembly  150  further includes the restraint deployment member  170 , which is used to deploy the restraint  152  from an undeployed position to a deployed position. In one or more embodiments, the restraint deployment member  170  includes a motor, a motorized retractor spool, or a pyrotechnic device that allows for the restraint  152  to be quickly deployed so that the occupant can be restrained in time for the collision. The restraint deployment member  170  includes a restraint cable  158  that is coupled with the restraint  152 . The restraint cable  158  travels along the restraint track  156  when the restraint  152  is deployed. In one or more embodiments, when it has been determined that the restraint  152  is to be deployed, for example when the crash sensor assembly senses a collision is imminent, the motorized retractor spool  172  reels the restraint cable  158  which pulls the restraint  152  out from within the seat belt assembly  120 , and along the restraint track  156 . After the restraint  152  is pulled into the deployed position, the restraint  152  surrounds at least a portion of the occupant&#39;s head, neck, and/or chest. 
     In one or more embodiments, the deployable restraint assembly  150  is integrated into the seat  104 , as shown in  FIGS. 4A-4B, 5A-5B, and 6A-6B . The restraint  152  is stored within the upper portion of the seat  104 , such as within the head rest  116 , or within trim of the seat  104 . The deployable restraint assembly  150  includes the restraint  152  which hinges at an at least one hinge  178 . In one or more embodiments, the at least one hinge  178  is located a height near a neck of a full size or adult occupant. 
     The deployable restraint assembly  150  further includes the restraint deployment member  170 , which is used to deploy the restraint  152  from an undeployed position to a deployed position. In one or more embodiments, the restraint deployment member  170  includes a motor, or a pyrotechnic device that allows for the restraint  152  to be quickly deployed so that the occupant can be restrained in time for the collision. As the restraint  152  is deployed, the restraint  152  rotates about the at least one hinge  178  as shown in  FIGS. 5A-5B  along the curved arrow line. Once the restraint  152  is draped over the occupant, the restraint  152  ultimately lies closer to the occupant to better restrain the occupant&#39;s head and neck during the collision. The restraint  152  can be formed of mesh or netting material. In one or more embodiments, the restraint  152  material has some amount of elasticity to manage the crash energy of the occupant. 
     A method of using the occupant restraint system includes deploying the deployable restraint of the embodiments discussed herein, where deploying the deployable restraint from the retracted position to the deployed position, in the deployed position, the deployable restraint configured to contain a neck of an occupant. The method includes sensing whether a collision is about to occur, or is imminent, and sending a signal to the occupant restraint system in order to deploy the deployable restraint. 
     The method further optionally includes guiding the deployable restraint along a track with a guide member coupled with the deployable restraint. For example, a restraint deployment member is used to deploy the deployable restraint, using a motor or pyrotechnic. In one or more embodiments, the method further includes folding open the deployable restraint at the at least one hinge. The method further optionally includes removing at least a portion of the deployable restraint from within the seat belt assembly while the deployable restraint is deployed. In one or more embodiments, deploying the deployable restraint includes removing at least a portion of the deployable restraint from within the headrest of the seat. 
     The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Many other embodiments will be apparent to those of skill in the art upon reading and understanding the above description. Embodiments discussed in different portions of the description or referred to in different drawings can be combined to form additional embodiments of the present application. The scope should, therefore, be determined with reference to the appended claims, along with the full scope of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.