GB1378581A - Impact cushioning head-protecting device for motor vehicles - Google Patents

Abstract

1378581 Seats VOLVO AB 19 Sept 1972 43322/72 Heading A4J A vehicle seat has a backrest in the top of which is housed a cushioning device 6 which is ejected to an operative position, as shown, in response to high acceleration or deceleration, e.g. in a crash, to define a first surface 7 facing generally forwardly and a second surface 8 facing rearwardly or rearwardly and upwardly, at least the rear surface 8 being pivoted on a transverse shaft disposed in the upper rear of the backrest. The surfaces 7, 8 may be defined by a single component. (as shown) or by separate components. As shown, the device 6 is urged by a spring 22 to its operative position and is releasably retained in its housed position by a ball 24 and detent 25. In the event of high acceleration or deceleration an inertia device 28 pivoted at 27 moves, as at 26, to free a spring-urged plunger 30 to pull a cable 33 and a further plunger 31 and hence allow the ball 24 to retract whereby the device 6 is pushed out by the spring 22. A pair of pivoted links 18, 19 limit the extent to which the device 6 is ejected. In another embodiment Fig.2 (not shown) the spring 22 is replaced by a bellows (13) which may be inflated in emergency conditions by a gas cylinder (18) with an electrically controlled inertia operated actuator (16). A manually operable latch is provided Fig.4 (not shown) to hold the device 6 in its housed condition after emergency use until a new gas cylinder and bellows is fitted.