Patent ID: 7757804

Claim:
An apparatus for mitigating a collision between an object and a vehicle comprising a deployable net including: a system of rail tracks disposed under the front of a vehicle to provide for the forward extension of at least two rails; said rail tracks being attached on the left and right underside of said car and attached to a lower frame bar extending across the width of said vehicle; at least two rails attached to a lower net frame and an upper net frame operatively connected in slidable engagement with said rail tracks to extend forward and outward from said rail tracks when deployed; an array of springs connected between said lower net frame and said upper net frame disposed to allow the seated and stored compression of said array of springs by containment of said upper frame; a deployment spring normally in a compressed mode connected between an anchor underneath said vehicle and an extension rod connected to both said rails such as to expel said rails in an outward direction upon release by a control mechanism, said control mechanism being operatively connected to a collision sensing system; whereby further said array of springs decompresses and provides an upward motion of the top frame thereby presenting a generally rectangular plane disposed to intercept any person or animal which may be in close proximity to the automobile to which the device is configured; whereby further a net is attached between said upper net frame and the lower net frame thereby extending said net into said rectangular configuration upon deployment.