AU667273B2 - An improved motor vehicle safety screen assembly - Google Patents

Description

667273 Regulation 3.2

AUSTRALIA

PATENTS ACT 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION FOR A STANDARD PATENT

ORIGINAL

a o 00 0 S04 9 0 4 0 00 f a e 00 0 4400 Name of Applicant: Actual Inventor: Address for Service: Invention title: REES OPERATIONS PTY LTD ANDREW BALDOCK R K MADDERN ASSOCIATES, 345 King William Street, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia AN IMPROVED MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY SCREEN ASSEMBLY 000$ S* 0 0o o o0 a oO 0000 4 4 a• 6 6 a Details of Associated Provisional Application Nos: PL 9621 dated 25/06/1993 PL 9912 dated 12/07/1993 The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to us.

1 This invention relates to an improved motor vehicle safety screen assembly which is designed to fit inside a vehicle to inhibit the forward movement of a load carried behind a passenger in the vehicle, and in particular to an improved safety screen which can be installed between the rear seat and the luggage compartment of a hatchback type motor vehicle in order to prevent loads carried in the luggage compartment from impacting against a passenger in the rear seat of the vehicle and/or from becoming airborne and moving forwardly through the space between the top of the rear seat(s) and the vehicle roof ceiling.

In recent times, there have been some very tragic accidents as a result of loads which are carried in the luggage compartment of a hatchback type vehicle, becoming projectiles when the vehicle is involved in a front-on or rear end collision with another vehicle. In some cases, the moving loads directly impact against the passenger, whilst in 44 other cases the load impacts against the rear wall of the rear seat of the vehicle with the impact forces being transmitted through the rear seat and being borne by the S person's back. In one known instance, this has resulted in a child's back being broken.

2 In our earlier Australian Patent Specification 583738, there is described a safety screen which is installed interiorly of the vehicle by means of brackets, securing straps and fasteners. The securing straps comprise a pair of upper short length metal straps pivotally attached to their forward ends to respective brackets carried at or near upper S corners of the safety screen, with the trailing end of each S of the upper straps being adapted for securement to a respective anchorage point in a body panel in the vicinity of the vehicle roof, and a pair of lower metal securing straps pivotally attached at their forward ends to respective lower brackets carried at or near lower corners of the safety screen, with the trailing ends of the lower straps being secured by fasteners to a pair of opposed anchorage points -,fixed in a body panel in the vicinity of the vehicle floor.

2 Such safety screens were designed for installation in station wagons or utility vans where it is common for loads to be carried in the rear of the vehicle. These screens have proved very successful in use, particularly from the view point of driver/passenger safety.

It has now been recognised that there is a need for a similar safety screen assembly for use in hatchback type vehicles wherein the luggage compartment thereof is separated from the rear passenger seat solely by the rear wall of the rear seat, with the area above the rear seat being left open.

In terms of passenger safety, this can be potentially dangerous. For example in the event of a collision, any unrestrained load in the luggage compartment or any items which may be lying on the parcel shelf of the compartment can become projectiles and impact against passengers within the vehicle causing serious injury. In addition the projectile loads, on impacting against the rear wall of the rear seat, S may cause the rear seat to unlatch itself from its latching anchorage mechanism. In this instance, serious injury can result, not from direct impacting of a load against a passenger in the rear seat, but from a load impacting against the seat itself with the momentum of the load being transmitted through the rear wall of the seat (which may or may not be penetrated).

It has also been recognised that in some instances when li a vehicle comes to a sudden halt, there is a danger of S unrestrained loads carried in the luggage compartment of a hatchback type vehicle becoming airborne and impacting against passengers within the front or rear seats of the vehicle. In hatchback type vehicles, where the area above the rear seat is open, it is desirable therefore to ensure that loads carried in the luggage compartment are suitably restrained to prevent them from becoming "projectiles".

It is the main object of the present invention to provide an improved motor vehicle safety screen assembly which is adapted for installation in motor vehicles of the 3 hatchback type, which is of extremely simple construction, which can be readily and easily installed in the vehicle and which will provide vastly improved safety for the passengers seated in the vehicle.

1 According to this invention therefore, an improved safety screen assembly for a hatchback type motor vehicle comprises a safety screen having a peripheral frame and infill means extending between top, bottom and side frame members of the peripheral frame, the frame being adapted to be mounted in the interior of the vehicle directly behind the rear seat(s) thereof so as to separate its load carrying area from its rear seat(s), securing means for fixedly anchoring the screen when mounted in the vehiu e, said securing means comprising a pair of rearwardly extending elongate securing straps on opposite sides of the peripheral frame, each said securing strap having its leading or forward end pivotally attached to bracket means secured to the safety screen frame, the trailing or rear end of each said strap K6 being adapted for securement to a vehicle body panel, eg the floor, within the luggage compartment of the vehicle, and S:A one or more fixing members secured to the bottom frame member of the safety screen frame and being adapted for securement to the floor of the luggage compartment to thereby fixedly secure the lower portion of the safety screen with respect to the vehicle floor, and a flexible load restraining safety net attached along its front or leading edge to the upper end of the screen and at its rear corners to respective S anchorage mountings fixed with respect to the vehicle body adjacent the rear of the luggage compartment, said flexible safety net extending rearwardly of the safety screen and being arranged to overlie the floor of the luggage compartment and thereby hold down items carried in the luggage compartment and prevent same from becoming airborne if and when the vehicle is involved in a collision.

Preferably the flexible netting barrier is releasably attached at spaced intervals along the upper end of the safety screen frame by means of detachable clips which hook 4 "C l .il~~ over the top edge of the mesh infill panel. Alternatively, the net may be secured to the frame by threading strands of the netting through mesh openings formed by the infill mesh of the safety screen.

Preferably each of the rear corners of the flexible netting barrier is releasably connected by means of a metal hook which hooks onto an anchorage ring or loop fixed to a rear side panel of the car adjacent a rear corner of the luggage compartment.

Preferably the flexible netting is elasticised and able to stretch when a load is impacted thereagainst. It will of course be appreciated that the flexible netting needs to be made from material having high tensile strength. Preferably the flexible barrier is made of woven netting comprising nylon covered elasticised cords or strands having a diameter of approximately Preferably each side securing strap is provided, intermediate its ends, with a plurality of transverse corrugations which serve to alleviate the shock loading forces borne by the attachment points at the opposite ends of the strap when a load impacts against the screen.

Preferably the forward or leading end of each side securing strap is pivotally attached to a substantially horizontal, transverse pivot pin or bolt which is carried by Sa rearwardly extending bracket arm fixedly attached to a respective vertical side frame member of the safety screen frame. This allows the strap to pivot in a vertical plane and assist in the installation thereof.

Preferably each of the trailing ends of the side securing straps is removably secured to an anchorage plate fixed to the floor pan of the luggage compartment in the vicinity of the wheel arch of the vehicle.

5 In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the bottom frame member of the peripheral frame of the safety screen can be secured by attachment means with respect to the floor of the vehicle which permits the screen, when its side securing straps are detached from their rear anchorage points, to hinge forwardly. In some instances, it is desirable for the rear seats to be folded downwardly so as to create additional space within the rear of the vehicle. By allowing the screen to hinge forwardly, this would allow both the rear seat and the screen to hinge forward to a folded down position.

In order to further explain the present invention and by way of illustration only, several embodiments are described hereunder in some further detail with reference to and as illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein: o. Fig 1 is a perspective view of a combination safety S screen and safety net assembly shown installed in one known 6: ~type of hatchback type of motor vehicle; Fig 2 is a partly exploded, perspective view of the safety screen and net shown in Fig 1; whilst Fig 3 is a perspective view of safety screen assembly (with the net omitted) according to a second embodiment, suitable for installation in another hatchback type of vehicle.

Referring to Figs 1 and 2 of the drawings, a motor vehicle safety screen assembly 10 for a hatchback type vehicle 11 comprises a screen 12 having a peripheral frame 13 of tubular metal, at least one intermediate transversely extending frame member 14, and an infill panel made of heavy wire mesh 15 which fills the space bordered by the peripheral frame 13. The screen is sized so that it locates behind the vehicle rear seats 16 with its top frame member 17 lying below the upper edges of the seats 16.

6 n I II I i The screen 12 is fixedly secured within the interior of the vehicle at four anchorage points, there being two such fixing points FI,F2 in the floor of the vehicle spaced a short distance rearwardly of the bottom frame member 18 of the peripheral frame 13 and also two further fixing points F3,F4 in the floor of the vehicle spaced a relative long distance rearwardly of the screen 12.

At each of the anchorage points FI,F2, there is provided an anchorage metal plate 19 fixedly secured eg by bolts or pop rivets, to the floor of the vehicle, whilst at each of the fixing points F3,F4, there is provided similar anchorage plate 20,20' again fixed to the floor of the vehicle in the vicinity of the vehicle's wheel arch.

The screen 12 is fixedly attached to the anchorage plates 19 by means of rearwardly extending metal straps 22 .000 OaoO movably secured with respect to the bottom horizontal frame member 18 of the screen 11, the straps 22 being located near opposite lower corners of the screen 12. Fastening bolts (not S shown) are used to fixedly secure the rear ends of the straps 22 to the anchorage plates 19, whilst the forward ends of the straps 22 are connected to fixed lugs 24 welded to the bottom frame member 18 by means of movable saddles 25 which engage through apertures 26 in the lugs 24 and bolts 23 which allow the straps 22 to pivot horizontally. The saddles 25 are designed to allow portions of the lugs 24 to rotate therewithin, whereby the screen 12 can be folded down to a Irl 4 collapsed condition (with the rear seats similarly folded) once the rear connections of the side straps 28 are detached from their mountings.

4 4 The sides and upper end of the screen 12 are held firmly in place by means of a pair of rearwardly extending metal securing straps 28 which extend rearwardly from opposite sides of the screen 12, the forward end of each strap 28 being pivotally attached by means of a pivot pin or bolt 29 to bracket member 30 secured eg by welding, to a vertical side frame member of the screen 12, whilst the trailing end 7 of each strap 28 comprises an angled end portion 31 which is secured to the anchorage plate 20 by a fastening bolt 32. In this embodiment the rear attachment points for the straps 28 are located in the vicinity of the rear wheel arches of the vehicle.

In order to alleviate shock loading forces applied to the pivot bolts 29 and the rear attachment bolt 32 of each elongate strap 28, the strap is formed with a plurality of transverse corrugations 33 intermediate the ends thereof.

The straps 22 are also provided with similar corrugations 33.

A flexible load restraining net 35 is attached to the upper end of the screen 12 and extends rearwardly therefrom so as to overlie a major portion of the floor of the luggage compartment of the vehicle 11. The safety net 35 is releasably anchored at its two rear corners by means of hooks 0 36 which attach to the net and hook onto retention rings or 0. loops 37 fixed to and projecting inwardly from opposite side panels of the vehicle 11 adjacent rear corners of the luggage compartment. The net 35 is, in this embodiment, releasably attached to the frame 13 by means of a plurality of shackletype plastic clips 39 which engage over the upper horizontal wire 40 of the wire mesh 15 and loop around the peripheral oo~' twisted strands 41 of the net 35. The strands 41 may, however, be threaded along the wire 40 by passing same through the mesh openings.

In this embodiment, the net 35 is elasticised and woven from well-known shock cord.

o040 0 a 0 0 It has been found that by combining the safety screen positioned immediately behind the rear seat of the vehicle with the flexible netting barrier located above and covering essentially the entire area of the floor of the luggage compartment of the vehicle, the likelihood of any injury being suffered by a passenger within the vehicle, in the event of an accident, due to a load impacting directly or indirectly against the passenger, is greatly minimised. The -8-

I

safety screen located behind the rear seat prevents any forwardly moving loads impacting against the rear seat, whilst the safety net prevents unrestrained loads from becoming airborne.

Referring to Fig 3 of the drawings, the construction of the safety screen assembly is essentially the same as that described in Fig 1 apart however from the shape and size of the screen and the attachment means for attaching the bottom frame member of the peripheral frame of the screen to the vehicle floor. In this embodiment the screen 42 has a vertical height greater than that shown in Fig 1 and has an upper portion 43 thereof angled forwardly with respect to its remaining lower portion 44. In addition the upper screen portion 43 is provided with a plurality of transversely spaced apart apertured plates 46 integrally fitted to the infill panel 47, which allow safety harness belts to pass therethrough, The bottom frame member 48 has lugs 49 welded thereto which are secured to anchor plates 50 in the vehicle floor by fixing bolts 51. In this embodiment, there are no bottom straps 22 as described in the first embodiment. The side securing straps 55 and their method of attachment to the screen 42 and the vehicle floor is identical to that described in the first embodiment. In Fig 3, the safety net has not been shown.

i A brief consideration of the abovedescribed embodiments will indicate that the invention provides a motor vehicle safety screen assembly which is of extremely simple construction and which can be readily and easily installed within a vehicle to effectively prevent, in the event of a collision, any possibility of injury being suffered by a passenger within the vehicle due to a forwardly moving load contained in the luggage compartment of the vehicle.

9

Claims (14)

1. An improved safety screen assembly for a hatchback type motor vehicle having rear seats and an open load carrying area behind the rear seats, comprising: a safety screen having a peripheral frame and infill means extending between top, bottom and side frame members of the peripheral frame, the frame being adapted td be mounted in the interior of the vehicle directly behind the rear seats thereof so as to separate its load carrying area from its rear seats, securing means for fixedly anchoring the screen when mounted in the vehicle, said securing means comprising a pair of rearwardly extending elongate securing straps on opposite sides of the peripheral frame, each said securing strap having its leading or forward end pivotally attached to bracket means secured to the safety screen frame, the o0o trailing or rear end of each said strap being adapted for So~ securement to a vehicle body panel, eg the floor, 4 aithin the o load carrying area of the vehicle, and o (ii) one or more fixing members secured to the bottom frame o: member of the peripheral frame and being adapted 'i r securement to the floor of the load carrying are,, to thereby fixedly secure the lower portion of the safety screen with respect to the vehicle floor; and 0*0r a flexible load restraining safety net having first attachment means for attaching the net along its front or 0°oo0 leading edge to the upper end of said screen and having 0000 second attachment means for releasably attaching its rear corners to respective anchorage mountings fixedly secured at or adjacent the rear of said load carrying area, said '310: flexible safety net extending rearwardly from said screen and being arranged to overlie the floor of said load carrying area whereby any items carried in said area are restrained against upward displacement and are prevented from becoming airborne if and when the vehicle is involved in a collision. 10 i. I

2. An improved safety screen assembly for a hatchback type motor vehicle according to claim 1 wherein said first attachment means for attaching the leading or front edge of the net to the upper end of said screen comprises detachable clips positioned at spaced intervals along the length of the screen frame.

3. An improved safety screen assembly according to either claim 1 or claim 2 wherein said second attachment means comprise a.pair of hooks each of which hookingly engages a 6m~a Maowt I OSa, e~z Ec cvvV 7Dr 0. respective anchorage/ring or loop fixed to a rear side panel of the vehicle adjacent a rear corner of said load carrying area.

4. An improved safety screen assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said safety net is made of elasticised plastics material.

An improved safety screen assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said safety net is made of woven netting comprising nylon covered elasticised cords or strands.

6. An improved safety screen assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein each said side securing strap is provided, intermediate its ends, with a plurality of transverse corrugations.

7. An improved safety screen assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the forward or leading end of each said side securing strap is pivotally attached to a S substantially horizontal transverse pivot pin or bolt carried by a rearwardly extending bracket arm fixedly attached to a respective side frame member of said safety screen frame. 11

8. An improved safety screen assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the trailing end of each said side securing strap is removably secured to an anchorage plate fixed to the floor of said load carrying area in the vicinity of the wheel arch of the vehicle.

9. An improved safety screen assembly according to any one of the preceding claims wherein there are two said fixing members for securing the bottom frame memntber of the safety screen frame with respect to the vehicle floor, each said fixing member comprising a rearwardly extending metal strap, moveable connection means for connecting the leading end of said metal strap to a fixed apertured lug on the bottom horizontal frame member of the screen, and fastener means for fixedly securing the rear end of each said strap to an anchorage plate fitted in the vehicle floor. o°

10. An improved safety screen assembly according to claim 9 0oa0 wherein said movable connection means comprises a saddle *001 a?06 member which has a bulbous bridge portion which passes around an outer transverse portion of the lug, whereby the lug can oa 0 a t rotate relative to the saddle member.

11. An improved safety screen assembly according to claim 1 wherein there are two said fixing members, each said fixing member comprising a lug welded to said bottom frame member, said lug being secured to an anchor plate in the vehicle S floor by a fixing bolt. a S

12. An improved safety screen assembly for a hatchback type vehicle having rear seats and an open load carrying area behind the seats, comprising: an upwardly extending safety screen adapted to be fixedly mounted ijn an operative position directly behind the vehicle rear seats so as to separate its load carrying area from the seats, securing means for fixedly securing the screen in said operative position, and 12 6 a flexible load restraining safety net having first attachment means for securing the net along its front edge to the upper end of the screen and second attachment means for releasably securing a rear portion of the net to respective anchorage mountings fixedly secured to the vehicle at or adjacent the rear of said load carrying area,said flexible net extending rearwardly from said screen and being arranged to overlie the floor of said load carrying area whereby any items carried in said area are restrained against upward displacement and are prevented from becoming airborne if and when the vehicle is involved in a collision.

13. An improved safety screen assembly accordingly to claim 12 wherein said first attachment means comprise clips which releasably attach the front edge of the net to the upper end of the screen.

14. An improved safety screen assembly according to either claim 12 or claim 13 wherein said second attachment means comprise a pair of hooks, one at each of the rear corners of the net, which releasably attach to respective said anchorage 1, mountings, each said mounting comprising a ring or loop. An improved safety screen assembly for a hatchback type motor vehicle substantially as hereinbefore described and with reference to and illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2 or Fig. 3 of the accompanying drawings. Dated this 16th day of January, 1996. REES OPERATIONS PTY LTD By its Patent Attorneys MADDERNS 3 5 g 3 13 i i- ABS TRACT The invention discloses an improved motor vehicle safety screen assembly comprising a safety screen (12) having a peripheral frame (13) adapted to be mounted behind the rear seat (16) of a vehicle (11) by rearwardly extending side securing straps (28) and bottom straps and a flexible load restraining safety net (35) attached to the upper end of the screen (12) and extending rearwardly therefrom so as to overlie a major portion of the luggage compartment of the ~vehicle the arrangement being effective to prevent any forwardly moving loads impacting directly against the rear S0 seats of the vehicle and as well preventing unrestrained *loads in the luggage compartment from becoming airborne in 0the event of a collision. nir L. I 1 I1'