CA2230721C - Side airbag substitute of seat for any vehicle - Google Patents

Abstract

As yet great intrusion of vehicle side into a passenger compartment of motor-vehicle in side collisions causes injury- and whiplash-related deaths linked to collapse of the totally deformed vehicle side and incapability of side airbags to absorb great lateral energy and prevent the intrusion thereof.
In any side collision a side airbag-substitute removes a passenger, sitting on the seat rotating about an inboard and/or outboard floor rail, from an injury-prone area to a vehicle-centre during which lateral energy is lowered by work of fracture of sites of predetermined fracture of the outboard floor rail and the removal of the passenger and seat and the remaining energy is absorbed by at least one energy absorber, which in conjunction with a side impact member, longitudinally arranged between the vehicle side and seat, withstands the intrusion thereof, and transmitted into the vehicle floor.

In the second feature of invention, whiplash-related oscillations are dampened and lateral energy is substantially absorbed by the energy absorber.

In the third feature, the energy absorber is designed with a progressive spring rate to achieve a larger working area and minimize the depth of intrusion.

In the fourth feature, in order to save costs and avoid false deployments a front airbag is converted into a safety airbag which is inflated in the event of front and/or side collision. Owing to the features to withstand the intrusion thereof and to remove the passenger to the vehicle-centre in side collisions the deployment time can be prolonged.

In the fifth feature, in order to save costs all the transversely-assembled energy absorbers of the front and successive seats are connected to a single longitudinally-assembled energy absorber.

Description

SIDE A>RBAG-SUBSTITUTE OF SEAT FOR ANY VEHICLE
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
S This is related to an international application number PCT/DE 96/01376 (WO
97/06974, DE
19530129 A1, European Patent Doc. EP 0844939 B1) filed July 25, 1996.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention:
The present invention relates generally to seats of motor vehicle and, particularly, to a side airbag-substitute, comprising a rotatable device, with or without safety airbag, a side imq~act member and at least one e~~ergy absorber, - to dissipate lateral energy arid dampen vibration by way ofthe energy absorber which in conjunction with the side impact member withstands an intrusion of the totally deformed IS vehicle side and/or the broken window pane, thanks thereto the deployment time of side as well as safety airbags can be prolonged;
- to increase the reliability of safety devices; and - to arcuately remove a passenger from an injury-prone area, in which the passenger is injured by the intrusion thereof, to a vehicle-centre in real-world side collisions.

2. Description of the Related Art:
It is known in the prior art to provide a motor vehicle with side airbags to absorb lateral energy, structural door-members to withstand it, transverse seat-members to transmit it from one vehicle side to the other and/or rotatable devices to raise the outboard sides of the seats, loaded by lateral energy. Unfortunately, all these conventional configurations have not taken _z_ into account the limitation of the safety devices, the failure in real-world side collisions as well as in the crash tests and recall actions, as hereinafter noted.
In order to formulate in single terminology a generalized definition for the proper term is presented:
S
Definition: Proper Term:
"Side airbag- substitute for side airbag substitute"
"Deployment time" deployment time of a side airbag = detection time +
inflation time "Energy absorber" spring element, compression spring black, shock absorber or suspension system "Work of deformation work of deflection and of friction of an energy absorber"
"Spring element" leaf, coil, torsion or torsion-bar spring "Leaf spring" leaf spring with one or several leaves as well as with arbitrary rate "Coil spring" cylindrical or non-cylindrical coil spring with arbitrary rate, for example, barrel-shaped spring "Compression spring hollow compression spring block, hollow-pointed block" compression spring block, rubber spring "Injury-prone area" In a side collision great lateral energy totally deforms the vehicle side, which intrudes into an unjury-prone area, in which the passengers, sitting adjacent thereto, are injured.
In contrast to the front section of vehicle body the vehicle side has no space to accommodate large deformable runners which significantly absorb impact energy. To resolve this shortcoming Volvo Corp. has equipped each car with five transverse seat-members, to indirectly transmit lateral energy from one seat to the other and into the vehicle floor, shown in Fig. 3, and with a pair of 12-litre side airbags, each of which must be inflated within an extremely short period, theoretically, less than 10 ms (milliseconds), disclosed in EP 0565501 A1. Due to the indirect lateral energy transmission uito the vehicle floor via both seats tl~e passengers sitting thereon are subjected to lateral acceleration and oscillations. High accelerations are measured in the following crash tests. In the crash test the side airbag, inflated in 15 ms, decreases the acceleration of chest about 14% while the acceleration of pelvis increases about 4%.
The following Table 1 reveals test data of a Volvo 850, equipped with tlae above-mentioned embodiment, in the side crash test, according to FMVSS 214, in which the crasli speed is increased by 17%, as reported in German Car Magazine AUTO MOTOR and SPORT
issue IS 5/1995, and of another Volvo 850 in a 40% oi~set front crash against a deformable barner, as reported in German Car Magazine ADAC issue 5/1995.
Dummy as driver Test dataTest dataFMVSS Test data with without 214 with side airbagside airbag front airbag acceleration of chest60,9 71,1 85 34,7 (g) acceleration ofpelvis77,2 74,4 130 33,4 (g) _.r~-Concerning the accelerations of chest and pelvis the test data of the side airbag two times higher than those of the front airbag must be considered as very alarming. Of the same magnitude, the lateral acceleration of vehicle, laterally crashed by another vehicle, inflicts S higher AIS (Abbreviated yjury Severity ranging from 0 for unscathed to 6 for death) on passengers than longitudinal acceleration of vehicle, longitudinally crashed by another vehicle because head, neck- and vertebrae-muscles are, hypothetically, the weakest members of the human being.
Regardless of Research and Development work over five decades conventional protective devices fail to ensure survival chance in the following real-world front crashes or incur expenditure of millions of dollars for each recall action:
- Despite proper deployment of a 15-litre side airbag and flawless restraint system of MB
Coupe the couture legend Nicola Trussardi is fatally injured in a side collision.
- When crashing into a MB E200 DT on a highway, a 42-year old diver of 5-month old BMW 5, which is strongly yaw-accelerated, su$'ers quadriplegia.
- In a mufti-crash of a 5-year okl Ford Mondeo into a barrier and, finally, into a bus near the city of Idstein a 34-year old female driver mbmarines during which an inflated front airbag, fracturing her front face, forces it into her skull. Falsely deployed side airbags can injure passengers too!
- In a crash of a 3.5-month old BMW 3281 into another BMW the head of a 34-year old driver, thrown forwards, totally deforms the steering wheel.
- The operation of airbags and sensors remains, to a surprising extent, unreliable, thus necessitating recall actions of 6,370 SAAB 9000s, 235,000 Volvo S70s, C70s and C70s, 150,000 MBs, 616,000 Opels, 16,500 VWs, 21,000 VWs, 280,000 BMW 3s, 900,000 AUDI 80s, A4s, A6s and ABs, 5,400 Porsche 911 Cameras and 91 I Turbos and, recently, 116,000 Volvo S80s.
- Re~ to pp. 178 in German Magazine "AUTO MOTOR and SPORT" issue 12/2002 researchers of Technical University in the city of Aachen found out that over 10 % of airbag S systems are defective. Within four years two millions of cars were already recalled due to defective airbag systems. Under these circumstances airbag systems pose to passengers a risk of injuries!
- Recently, NHSTA ordered BMW Corp. to recall 204,0U0 BMW 3s due to 265 cases, in which the side airbags, installed in the doors, are falsely deployed upon driving over bumpy l0 roads, as reported in "AUTO MOTOR and SPORT" issue 20/2002.
Re~ to DE-GM 2950093 U 1 a safety device has a long coil spring, transversely built between both B-post sections of a motor vehicle, one end portion of which is arranged on a first transverse tube, fastened to the B-post section, the other end portion is arranged on a second transverse tube, fastened to the other B-post section and the mid-portion is arranged on a third 15 transverse tube. In a side collision lateral energy deforms, hypothetically, the B-post section, which could deflect the seat to the direction of the other B-post section during which the coil spring should absorb the energy. In response to the deflection of the B-post section, the seat, loosely guided by the first and third transverse tube, can never be moved sidewards perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of motor vehicle. When the door and/or A- post section 20 are deformed the safety device fails.
To accommodate in both seats that long coil spring should have a length of car width and small outer diameter. It is impossible to manufacture it, As exemplified in US Pat. N~. 5,328,234, a safety device comprises an intrusion door-member, built in the door, s~ rotatable seat, whale rotatable seat pan has a seat-groove, 25 responsible for the rotation of the seat, and a backrest-groove, in which a pin of the rotatable -d-seat backrest moves, an intrusion seat-member and a lever, pivotally arranged to the vehicle floor, whose one end is in contact with the intrusion seat-member and the other end has a pin moving in the seat-groove. In a side collision lateral energy deforms, hypothetically, the intrusion door-member which deflects the intrusion seat-member moving the lever whose S rotation results in rotating the rotatable seat and the rotatable seat backrest and augmenting the yaw-acceleration related force. As a result, the belted passenger is maimed!
See quadriplegia, above-mentioned. When the A- or B-post section is deformed the safety device is out of function.
Furthermore, the feature is controversial. Due to the pivotal attachment of seat pan to the vehicle floor seats, equipped therewith, can't be adjusted forward and backward and for height and tilt.
Ref. to US Pat. No. 5,290,084 a safety device comprises a pair of rotatable side cheeks, one of which is arranged between the seat and the door and the other is arranged between the seat and the tunnel. In a side collision the door, intruding into the passenger compartment, rotates the door-side cheek upwardly and the contact of the deformed seat with the tunnel resuhs in upward-rotation of the tunnel-side cheek. In real-world side collisions the pair of side cheeks reduces a space therebetween dramatically thereby squeezm,,g the passenger to sudden death.
Severe/fatal injuries are attributed to the reduction of the space in the following real-world side collisions:
- In a crash of a 910-kg heavy Nissan into a 1600-kg heavy, 6-year old MB C200 CDI on a highway the MB driver is squeezed by the totally deformed vehicle side, whose intrusion into the passenger compartment is measured about 480 mm, to severe injury. He is almost dead upon the delivery in a hospital.
- In a crash of a 10-month old BMW M3 into an electrical pole iu the city of Wiesbaden the 41-year old driver is squeezed by the totally deformed door to sudden death.

-?
As exemplified in US Pat. No. 5,149,165, a safety system comprises a sensor, to detect the side collision and activate a trigger mechanism, and a rotatable device which is activated by springs or an airbag to raise and rotate the outboard side of the seat about an axis adjacent to the tunnel in a side collision.
S The inventor has forgotten to calculate large force needed to raise the passenger, sitting on the seat, within the deployment time of side airbag and strong acceleration, resulting therefrom, in addition to impact acceleration, all of which will jolt and oscillate the passenger to sudden death.
In the side crash test the 12-litre side airbag of Volvo is iu~.$ated by gas pellets with a flame velocity of ?,200 km/h in a deployment time of 15 ms. Given, the displacement is 0.45 m for the entire deployment of side airbag, we obtain a mean impact velocity vm =
w/t = 30 m/s and a mean vertical impact acceleration bm = 2,000 m/s2 which is 1.55 times the threshold value of pelvis acceleration according to the FMVSS 2 l4, listed in Table 1. The acceleration is far higher when the ratio of approx. 80 times between the total mass of a passenger and a seat and IS the mass of side airbag is considered.
A front spring of AUDI car, having a rod diameter d = 11.20 mm, mean coil diameter Dm =
131 mm, free length H = 481 nun and compressed length Hf, = 166 mm performs a work A =
F*s/2 = 4,500 Nm at F = 3.000 N and displacement s = 300 mm. Assuming the total weight of a passenger and a seat is 120 kg equivalent to 1,200 N and v", is 30 m/s, the formula of lateral energy E = m*vm2/2 yields 4 104 Nm, equivalent to 89 AUDI springs, all of which can never be accommodated in a narrow space, defined by the seat frame and vehicle floor.
As exemplified in German Pate~it Doc. DE 195493?9 C2, a rotatable device, similar to the device, shown in Fig. 1?, comprises a side impact shaft and two pairs of levers, one ends of which are rotatably connected to each other, the other ends of lower levers are rotatably connected to a pair of outboard seat legs, facing the vehicle side, and the other ends of upper levers are rotatably connected to the side impact shaft. A pair of blocking mechanisms, having a threshold value, is fastened to transverse members, connecting both seat rails to each other.
Each blocking mechanism has a blocking member, which, connected to each lower lever, in operation transforms each outboard seat-rail leg with open profile into one with closed profile to engage with the outboard floor rail. In excess of the threshold value, resulting from a rotation of the respective pair r>f lower levers in real-world side collisions, the pair of blocking members retract thus releasing an engagement ofthe respective pair of outboard seat-rail legs with open profile therewith. Upon large intrusion of the vehicle side, totally deformed by great lateral energy, the sites of predetermined fracture are broken and large deflection of the impact l0 shaft causes the rotation of the seat frame associated with the pair of first and second levers about an inboard round floor rail, adjacent to the tunnel. As a result, the passenger, sitting on the seat, is removed from the vijury area to the vehicle-centre and the lateral acceleration b and rotatory acceleration O, shown in Figs. l, la and 2, are lowered because lateral energy is partly converted into work of removal "A~' of passe~iger and seat according to Eq. 1.
This feature l5 solves the above-mentioned shortcomings of US Pat. No. 5,149,165.
Unfortunately, lack of energy absorbers and shock absorbers passengers are exposed to high accelerations, strong oscillations and large intrusion of vehicle side totally deformed by the remaining of great lateral energy.
Blocking mechanisms ref. to German Patent Doc. DE 19549379 C2 are incorporated in 20 respective side airbag-substitutes. shown in Figs. 13 to 17, 20, 21 and 23.
A rail assembly, consisting of a floor rail with round, closed profile and a seat rail, which slides along the floor rail, has the highest stiffness and the lowest manufacturing cost. The stiffness of the floor rail can be increased by longitudinal inner members located therein.
Floor rail with longitudinal inner members can be made of extrusion, depth extrusion, die casting, casting etc.
25 Members of rail assemblies, made of extrusion components, are the cheapest.
Owing to these features inboard floor rail assists or both floor rails assist the process of passenger-removal from the injury-prone area to flue vehicle-centre in excess of the respective threshold values ofblockug mechanisms in side collisions.
As exemplified in DE 4342038 A1, a leaf spring, arranged between the inner panel and outer S panel, spans between the A- and B-post section or the B- and C-post section to absorb lateral energy.
In view of foregoing shoacomings and deficiencies, there is a need to remove the passengers from the injury-prone area to the vehicle-centre, substantially reduce injury-related accelerations and dampen vibration in the event of any side collision.
SUMMARY OF T'HE INVENTION
Accordingly, the principle object of the present invention is provide for a motor vehicle a rotatable device, which, comprising at least one pair of levers and a side impact shaft, rotatably connected to the levers, longiW dually arranged between the vehicle side and the seat, is movable with the seat, when adjusted forward or backward.
In surmounting the foregoing shortcomings of conventional sensors, US Pat. No.
5,149,165, US Pat. No. 5,328,234 and high accelerations and strong oscillations linked to the indirect lateral energy transmission uito the vehicle floor via both Volvo seats, in the event of any side collision the rotatable device rotates about the outboard and/or inboard floor rail during which the side impact shaft, acting as a far reliable sensor, - detects (senses) lateral impact energy, deforming the vehicle side, releases the blocking mechanisms in excess of threshold values and - in conjunction with the rotatable device raises and removes the passenger, sitting on the seat, from the injury-prone area to the vehicle-centre.

Alternatively, a seat-side leatgthwise back portion 11.2 of torsion sprvig, for example, l 1b, shown in Fig. 5, serves as the side impact shaft. This cost cutting feature needs no rotatable device.
A second object of the present invention resides in side airbag-substitutes, consisting of the S rotat~able devices and energy absorbers, which are highly reliable spring elements of motor vehicle, - to cut costs and increase the reliability of safety devices;
- to directly or indirectly tran,mit impact energy into the vehicle floor 6 and - to lower lateral and rotatory accelerations, avoid whiplash associated with dampening vibration and withstand intrusion of a deformed vehicle side, thanks thereto the deployment time of side as well as safety airbags can be prolonged, in the event of any side collision As reported in IIHS Status Etehoo, Vol. 35, No 4, April 15, 2000, a false deployment of both front airbags of Volvo S80 in a 5 mph flat-bonier test results in a total cost of $ 4,500. A repair bill related to false deployments of all lateral airbags is issued when a car, equipped with them, l5 crashes, for example, at low speed into a pole. In contrary, the energy absorbers, being deflected, store energy, which, deforming the door into mere dents, will be released to bulge out them, if it is lucky, properly when the car is driven out from the accident site.
Recently, each door is equipped with at least two lateral airbags such as a 12-to 15-litre side (head) airbag, pelvis airbag, tube airbag and/or curtain airbag. The total retail price ranges 2o between $ 350 to 1,000. At the average price of about $ 600 the average total manufacturing cost is about $ 75. When airbags are falsely deployed, the broken inner covers of door andlor roof must be replaced at a repair bill of $ 300 to 500 in addition to $ 350 to 1,000.
The manufacturing cost for coil spring, leaf spring and torsion spring consisting of flat strips is just $ 5, $ 1.5 and $ 0.5. For safety reasons in the automotive industry suspension systems are 25 designed to meet strict requrements for service life of 1 to 2 10~ cycles on fatigue test, high _1l_ graded alloy-steel, material tests as well as manufacturing tolerances. All of them are not needed for the energy absorbers which can be made of low-graded steel.
Therefore, the manufacturing costs are much lower. Costs to manufacture the fracture and the rotatable device have to be added thereto. The manufacturing cost can be estimated at up to $
12, which is just S a fraction of the total costs for av~bag-protective device ph~s expenditure for recall action.
For several decades motor vehicles have been driven over bumpy roads, thereby triggering high accelerations and strong vibrations, which are lowered and dampened by members of suspension systems. No recall actions are registered.
A third object of the present invention resides in safety airbags u~ co-operation with the side airbag-substitutes to enhance survival chance.
A crash of a Fiat Puma into the vehicle side of co-driver of an 8-year old Opel Astra (Pontiac) results in a sudden death of a 20-year old female driver, whose head strikes into the B-pillar due to strong lateral oscillation, illustrated in Figs. 1 and la, and great impact energy. She was instantly dead at the accident site. When struck by the Fiat Puma, her upper body under the IS load ofmass inertia force oscillates first to the direction ofvehicle side of co-driver, then to the opposite direction which is augmented by a reaction moment, which, exerted by a reaction force FA, acting on her lower part, about the rotating axis of "D", is bigger than the rotating moment, exerted by her weight about that axis. That reaction force depends on the mass inertia force itself which is a function of the mass of the passenger and magnitude of the impact acceleration in dependence on impact energy which will be lowered when absorbed by energy absorbers, in this case, installed vi the co-driver compartment section, shown in Figs. 17 and 23. The smaller the impact acceleration, the greater the survival chance.
Front airbags of vehicle, which is totally deformed in real-world side collisions and destined for scrap, remain, usually, intact. To exploit them each, converted into a safety airbag 80 or 80, 2S stored in a hub portion 19.1 of steering wheel or in a box 85 imserted into a dashboard, shown in Fig, la, is subdivided into two hulls 80A, 808. The window hull 80A, adjacent to a window pane, is inflated to cushion the head in any side collision. At best, the safety airbag 80 is enlarged with a side hull 80C (not shown), which, preferably, with the window-hull 80A, both are inflated to cushion the head iii any side collision. The prime function of the safety airbags to cushion the heads of front-seated passengers iii any front collision is preserved.
Spring elements, serving as energy absorbers, when deformed, withstand the intrusion of the deformed vehicle side and consuane tiuae. Hence, the deployment time of safety airbags can be prolonged. As a result, false deployments and recall actions are avoided to a great extent.
A fourth object of the present vivention resides in the side airbag-substitutes in co-operation with the energy absorbers to protect all passengers in the event of a two-side collision, in which, for example, a car, crasliing at high speed into one vehicle side of another car, pushes it at the other vehicle side into a a~tiff bridge column.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAi~INC:S
IS A number of embodiments, other advantages and features of the present invention will be described in the accompanying drawings with reference to the xyz global coordinate system:
Fig. 1 is a schematic rear view of a 9th embodiment of the (side airbag-) substitute and of an embodiment ofthe safety airbag 80, stored in a hub portion 19.1 of steering wheel, where a driver, sitting on a seat with conventional rail assemblies la, 2a, 81a, 82a, is subjected to mass inertia force FB and rotating incyrtia force FD, resulting from impact force F, which deforms a vehicle door 8, defined by an outer panel 8.8 and an inner panel 8.7, at impact velocity v.
Eig, la is a schematic view of a deformed leaf spring 11c3 of the 9tli embodiment of the substitute at displacement "w~", the safety airbag 80, deployed to cushion the upper part of the body, and an airbag 80 of co-driver, stored in a box 85 of a dashboard.

Fig. 2 depicts a function of time-dependent impact velocity v and acceleration b.
Fig. 3 is a schematic rear view of a driver-seat of Volvo's SIPS (Side Impact Protection Safety), which with conve~~tional rail assemblies is provided with two transverse seat-members 101 to transmit impact force to a transverse tunnel-member, which further transmits to a tunnel S (floor) and to two transverse seat-members of co-driver seat, as exemplified in EP 0565501 A1.
Figs. 4 to 7 are schematic views of a 1st to 4th embodiment ofthe respective substitutes Bl to B4, where only the seat of the substitute BI is equipped with conventional rail assemblies.
Fig. 8 is a schematic view of a Sth embodiment of the substitute B5, generally representing substitutes BSa to BSd.
Fig. 9 is a schematic view of a Gth embodiment of the substitute B6, generally representing substitutes B6a to Bbb.
Fig. 10 is a schematic view of a 7th embodiment of the substitute B7, havnng a leaf spring 11, generally representing a spring 11a to I lc, in co-operation with a rear seat.
Fig. 11 is a perspective view of the modified Sth embodiment of the substitute B56 of a seat IS having two pairs of conventional rail assemblies.
Fig. 12 is a perspective view of the 3rd embodiment of the substitute B3 of a seat having two pairs of round rail assemblies l, 2, 81, 82.
Fig. 13 is a schematic front view of a seat rail equipped with at least one ball bearing.
Fig. 14 is a perspective view of the modified 5th embodiment of the substitute BSa or B5c of a seat having two pairs of round rail assemblies.
Fig. 15 is a perspective view of a lever of a torsion spring of the substitute BSc.
Fig. 16 is a perspective view of the 4th embodiment of the substitute B4 of a seat having two pairs of round rail assemblies.
Fig. 17 is a perspective view of the 9th embodiment of the substitute B6a of a seat having two pairs of round rail assemblies.

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of the leaf spring of the substitute Bba, clamped by a spring holder having holes through which screws are protruded and bolted to the floor.
Fig. 19 is a perspective view of the leaf spring of the substitute Bba, clamped by two spring holders having holes through which screws are protruded and bolted to the floor.
Fig. 20 is a perspective view of a modified 5th embodiment of the substitute BSd, having a leaf spring with an open receptacle in free contact with a lever, of a seat having two pairs of round rail assemblies.
Fig. 21 illustrates a kinematics of the lever, loaded by impact force, and the seat Fig. 22 is a cross-sectional view of a torsion spring bolted to the leaf spring.
Fig. 23 is a schematic view of the 7th embodiment of the substitute B7 in co-operation with the rear seat consisting of two seat members C1, C2.
Fig. 24 illustrates a progressive work of deflection "AF' of a spring element or compression spring block.
Fig. 25 is a cross-sectional view of a non-cylindrical coil spring (barrel-shaped spring) with IS progressive spring rate.
Fig. 26 is a schematic view of a leaf spring consisting of a main leaf "Zo"
and several supplementary leaves "Z1, %,...Z"" in dependence on the corresponduig radii of curvature "K,, Kz, ...Kn".
Fig. 27 is a cross-sectional view of a compression spring block made oftwo materials.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF
THE INVENTION
'The method of the present invention capitalizes an the premise that, in dependence on the magnitude of energy, the mass inertia force Fa and the rotating inertia force Fn, shown in Fig.
1, are lessened, at the best diminished, by large energy-absorption, resulting from work of -IS-deflection, friction, fracture of sites of predetermined fracture and removal of the passenger sitting on the seat. This will be apparent when formulating an equation of all forces in equilibrium wherefor the following assumptions and idealization must be specified:
- let the impact force F replace the uniform load of the lateral energy.
- let the upper part of the body be one mass with the pendulum length of "L"
about the rotating axis "D" by ignoring the head as a 2nd mass about the joint of neck serving as rotating axis.
- let the passenger solely be subjected to the accelerations O- and b-dependent forces Fn and F$.
- let the lateral section of vehicle body, similar to front section thereof, be subdivided into crumpling zones.
With regard to the work-dependent forces, principle of D'A,lembert, external impact force F and tune-dependent equation of motion let the equilibrium of all forces be expressed in the following Eq. (equation) 1:
F = (ks+kf,)*X + k~*~ + kp*,9 + o*v + (m+m,)*b + Ji*b 11- + F, + F2 + F3 + ~4 where lcs = sti$ness of vehicle :dde, kF, = rate of 1st crumpling zone, k~2 =
rate of 2nd crumpling zone, ko = specific rate of torsion spring, c = damping factor or factor of shock/friction absorber, m = mass of vehicle, m, = mass of passenger, J, =
jr2*8m = moment of inertia ofpassenger about the rotating axis "D", shown in Fig. 1, x =
displacement by intrusion, shown in all Figs., in the opposite direction of x, xF = deflection of spring, v = impact velocity, 9 = angular displacement by torsional moment, shown in Figs. 11 and 14, b =
impact acceleration, L = pendulum length as distance between the centre of gravity of the upper part of the body "S" and the rotating axis "D", shown in Fig. 1, O = rotating angle, shown in Fig. 1, O

= rotating acceleration as 2nd-order differential angle ~, rotating inertia force Fo = JI*O /I,, mass inertia force FB = m1*b, F1 ~ force responsible for the deformation of seat, F2 = force responsible for the deformation of the structural door-member of seat, F3 =
force responsible for the work of fracture "A,~" to release the blocking mechanisms and/or to fracture the site of predetermined fracture, F4 == force responsible for the work of passenger's removal "Av'".
According to the equilibrium vi Eq. 1 the reduction of the accelerations depends on the extension ofthe deployment tune, work ofpassenger's removal "Av", work offracture "AB"
and work of deformation consi sting of work of deflection "AF = lkf.2*xF*bxF", work of deflection "AT = jMo*89", work of friction "AR = f c*v*8xF".
Work of friction is performed by the shock/friction absorber in order to damp oscillation (vibration) and to reduce the oscillation period. Oscillation is progressively damped by a shock absorber characterized by progressively damping factor in dependence on velocity. The work of friction "AR', for example, of the torsion spring, assembled from flat strips, is empirically determined by the difference between work of deflection "AT", when loaded and unloaded.
Like any vehicle suspension system, spring elements, shown in Figs. 5 to 10, 11, 12, 14, 16, 17, 22, 23, 25, 26, and/or compression spring blocks, shown in Figs. 4, 6, 12, 27, are characterized by deformation under load of impact energy (force) in order to lessen the impact acceleration and to convert the energy into work of deflection "AF" of a spring element and/or work of deflection "AT' of a torsion spri~~g at the time of indirect or direct energy transmission into the vehicle floor. In comparison to spring elements with linear rate, a spring element with progressive spring rate "k~~2" yields larger worknug area "AF" or "AT", shown in Fig. 24, related to progressive work of deflection and needs a smaller assembling space.
Progressive spring rate is achieved by - geometrically non-linear deflection due to large deformation; or - increasingly rolling one- or two-sided coils ofbarrel-shaped spring, shown in Fig. 25, or non-cylindrical coil spring 1 l, shown in Figs. 6, 12, on one spring seat 11.15 or two spring seats. With regard to the characteristics of rolling and the large deformation the variable rod-diameters "dl, d3,...d"" in dependence on the corresponding coil radii "R1, R3,...R"" can be calculated and stress-optimized by means of a FEM tool of the inventor, or - increasingly rolling the coils of cylindrical coil spring on each other; or - increasingly compressing the compression spring block such as * hollow compression spring block l lal having several chambers, two shown in Fig. 6, or several chambers 11a, shown in Fig. 4; or * hollow-pointed compres:~ion sprung block 11.a2 made oftwo materials "M1" and "M2", shown in Fig. 27, or several materials characterized by di~'erent Young's modulus and shear modulus. The member of the block with material "M l" has two chambers "R1" and Material such as rubber, rubber-similar plastics such as Cell Polyurethane is recommended IS for use; or - increasingly rolling one or several supplementary leaves "Z,, ZZ,...Z"", having the corresponding radii of ciuvature "K,, K2,...K"", on the main leaf "Zo" of leaf spring l Ic3 or l lc, shown in Fig. 26. With regard to the characteristics of rolling and the large deformation the variable thickness of the leaf "ti, t~,...tn" in dependence on the corresponding lever-lengths "hl, h3,...h~" can be calculated and stress-optimized by means of the FEM tool. Due to the simple tools manufactw-ing costs far leaf springs are much lower than for coil springs.
Furthermore, other materials with the property of high-energy absorption and light mass, for example, carbon or glass $bre-reinforced plastics for skis, are recommended for use.
The lateral section ofvehicle body is idealized by its own structure in conjunction with at least one spring element with progressive spring rate, having members provided with sites of predetermined fracture, where impact force is reduced in following three steps. At the beginning, the spring element with low spring rate absorbs little energy in order to greatly lessen the impact acceleration, then, the spring rate progressively increases in order to absorb much energy and, finally, sites of predetermined fracture are fractured in excess of the S respective threshold values to l;radually release the stored energy.
As noted hereinabove, the operation of the seat, equipped with the side impact shaft 11.2 in co-operation with the pair of respective rotatable levers 1.70,1.71; 1.70a, 1.71a, remains unaffected. When the seat is positioned furthest forward the length of side impact shaft extends longitudinally beyond the seat aide, possibly, to the adjacent post section (B-post section for the front seat, C-post section far the rear seat) in order to sense the deformation thereof. However, at the normal seat position the length may not obstruct passengers stepping in or out of the rear section of passenger compartment of a two-door car. To prevent injury when unintentionally striking the ends of the shaft 11.2, the rear end portion is surrounded with impact pad 11.1, shown in Fig. 12, or both end portions are surrounded with impact pads 11.1, ll.la, shown in IS Fig. 20. Alternatively, the rear end portion, accommodated in a receptacle of the rear rotatable lever 1.70a, shown in Figs. l 1. 14, 16 and 17, is surrounded with an impact pad. Cushioning material such as rubber of plastic (synthetic or artificial product) is recommended for impact pads.
The end portions, accommodated in the rotatable levers, are secured thereto by securing parts such as split pins, screws, outs or retaining rings 11.24, shown in Fig. 12, or by bolting, welding, riveting or glueing.
The side impact shaft 11.2 of the rotatable device is rotatably attached about the y13-axis to one ends ofthe pair of the following rotatable levers 1.70, 1.71x, _19_ - whose other ends are rotatable about the yl-axis, guided by the floor rail 81 along the yl-axis and moved therealong when the seat is adjusted longitudinally, shown in Figs. 12, 20;
or - whose other ends are rotatably connected to the seat frame 3 by bolts 1.72, shown in Fig. 6.
S Alternatively, the rotatable device is provided with several pairs of rotatable levers, for example, two shown in Figs. 1. 7 to 1 I, 14, 16, 17 and 23. The side impact shaft 11.2 is rotatably attached about the yl3-axis to one ends ofthe pair ofthe rotatable levers 1.70a, whose other ends are rotatably connected to one ends of the pair of rotatable lever 1.71a, whose other ends are rotatably connected to the seat frame 3 or the veliicle floor 6.
In order to directly or indirectly transmit impact energy into the floor 6 the side impact shaft 11.2 extends through a receptacle of shock absorber 11.10, down in Figs. 6, 12, or of leaf spring, shown in Figs. 7 to I 1, 14 to 17, 23, or of lever 20, rigidly mounted to a torsion spring, shown in Fig. 15, or of tube 5.3 of impact lever 5, where the tube 5.3 is in free contact with an open receptacle of leaf spring 1 1e to allow unconstrained deformation, shown in Figs. 20, 21.
The other end of energy absorber is fastened to the seat frame, shown in Figs.

4 to 7, 12, 16, to indirectly transnnit impact enerlry into the floor via the seat frame. To directly transmit impact energy into the floor, the other e'id of energy absorber is fastened to the vehicle floor, shown in Figs. 8 to 11, 14, 17, 20, 23.
Figs. 1, 4 to 10 illustrate conceptual embodiments ofthe present invention Bl to B7 for seats either with the conventional floor, seat rails la, 2a, 81a, 82a or with round floor, seat rails 1, 2, 81, 82.
Fig. 9 shows an exemplary s<ibstitute BG, consisting of a member B61 with conventional floor, seat rails and another member B62 with round floor, seat rails to demonstrate the interchangeability of different pairs of assembly rails. Usually, the same type of pairs of ZS assembly rails is put into use.

-ZU-Due to non-round, open profile conventional floor rails of seat, provided for such as BSb, are incapable of rotating the seat atoout one or both axes, thereby restricting the energy absorption.
Moreover, the intrusion of the deformed door, loaded by the remaining impact force, endanger the life of passenger. In contra;;t, there is no restriction of energy absorption as well as of removal of passenger upon the use of round rail assemblies, for example, of BSa. The feature regarding rail assemblies gives Car Gorps. the possibility to make tlieir own decision.
The substitute Bl comprises a pair of compression spring blocks 11a, which, each having several chambers, three drawn in Fig. 4, improve Volvo's SIPS, shown in Fig.
3, and a pair of structural door-member 10a to reinforce the seat frame and improve the energy transmission into the vehicle floor via the floor rail i1i a side collision, during which progressive work of deflection is performed due to several chambers when compressing the pair of compression spring blocks. The structural door-member 10a can be provided with sites of predetermined fracture to release the stored energy in excess of threshold values. Each compression spring block lla is circumferentially clamped by a steel ring 11.23, wherefrom a protruding screw 11.21, passing through the seat leg, has a threaded end projection onto which a nut 11.22 is screwed to secure the sprv~g block. As the most economical, technically reliable solution, compression spring block is designed to limit the movement of a suspension system, when loaded, and as supplementary spring 11 a l, used in association with another spring element such as coil spring 11, shown in Figs. 6 and 12. This embodiment is equipped with the pair of round rail assemblies 1, 81, 2, 82 or conventional rail assemblies la, 81a, 2a, 82a.
The compression spring blocks can be incorporated in other costlier substitute such as B2 to B6a to substantially enhance mrvival chance.
The substitute B2, embodying the indirect energy transmission into the vehicle floor via both floor rails, shown in Fig. S, is provided with torsion spring 11 b, whose back portion 11.2, serving as a rigid side impact shafir, extends along the seat side and whose tvvo leg portions 11.7 are surrounded with rubber tubular sleeves 11.30, 11.35, on which U-shaped screws 11.31, 11.36 are clamped and protrude through the respective holes of stiff structural door-member 10b, fastened to the pair of seat rails 1 or 2, and have threaded end projections onto which nuts 11.32,11.37 are screwed to secure the torsion spring. It is apparent that the distance of both S attachment points of the tubular sleeves 11.31,11.36 to each other takes influence on the magnitude of the work of deflection when the back portion, loaded by lateral energy, and both leg portions deflect.
The substitute B3, embodying the i~idirect energy transmission into the vehicle floor via the rail assembly 82, 2, shown in Figs. 6 and 12, or 82a, 2a, is provided with a Mc-Pherson spring strut, which, known as suspension system, for example, of BMW cars, consists of a coil spring 11, shock absorber 11.10 and hollow compression spring block 11a1 having two chambers.
The assembly process, above-mentioned, is completed when the end portion of spring strut, passing through the reinforced mount l Oc of seat rail 2, has a threaded end projection onto which a nut 11.8 is screwed to secure the spring strut. In reference to this end portion the position of the receptacle of M c-Pherson spring strut is adjusted by way of distance washers 1.31 and two spacer rings 1.30. Ia similarity to the pivotal attachment of Mc-Pherson spring strut to the vehicle subframe, the resilience of rubber bush 11.12 has to compensate the large angle, resulting from the rotati~m ofthe sliaft 11.2, when loaded by lateral energy, in pivotal attachment with the spring strut.
Ref. to Fig. 12 the outboard seat rail 1 consists of a pair of outboard blocking mechanisms S2 and a pair of seat-rail members with open profile to facilitate the detachment from the outboard floor rail 81 in real-world side collisions. To engage each seat-rail member to that floor rail 81 a plate 1.10, projected beneath tl~e floor rail 81 through apertures of a pair of legs of the seat-rail member, has an end projection with a retaining hole, into which a retaining pin 1.2 with site of predetermined fracture is inserted. To ensure the plate in the seat-rail member the other end portion has a securing hole, into which, adjacent to the rear leg, a bolt (not shown) is inserted, and a connecting hole, connected with a clearance to spring seat 11.13 by release cable 12. A
threshold value "F3" is determined by the farce of spring elements 11, llal when side impact shaft 11.2 is deflected in order to overcorae the clearance and fracture the retaining pins 1.2. As a result, the plates fall downwards owing to the shape allowing to move downwards through the openings of both legs.
Large lateral energy, imposed on the side impact shaft 11.2, is transmitted to the spring 11, block 11a1 and shock absorber i 1.10 and absorbed, thereby lowering impact acceleration and dampening vibration. Larger work of deflection and friction is achieved by a coil spring, for example, barrel-shaped spring with progressive spring rate, shown in Fig. 25, and by a stop bush 11.9, moving into the hallow compression spring block l lal and expanding it.
The substitute 84, equipped with two leaf springs 11c4, l 1c1, embodies the indirect and direct energy transmission into the vehicle floor via the rail assembly 82, 2, and the longitudinal (longitudinally-built) leaf springs llcl, shown in Figs. 7 and 16. The receptacle oftransversal leaf spring 11c4, guided by the floor rail 82, is provided with a soundproofing slide bearing (not shown) or with a ball bearing 1.411, shown in Fig. 13. The other receptacle is pivotally connected about the y13-antis to the side impact shaft 11.2 associated with the rotatable levers 1.?tla, 1.?la: By removing or adding distance washers 1.31 and spacer rings 1.30 in each axis both receptacles are appropriately positioned to each other. The receptacle of the longitudinal leaf spring llcl is pivotally attached to a coupling assembly, comprising screw 11.74 and nut 11.75, and guided sideways by retaining plates 11.73, fastened to the floor 6.
To prevent passengers, when stepping in or out of the rear section of passenger compartment of two-door car, from stumbling aver the receptacle of longitudinal leaf spring l lcla, the section of the floor, housing that receptacle, is countersunk. In order to freely displace along the y-direction the other ettd ofthe longitudinal leaf spring llci or llcla, when deformed, slides on a sliding shoe 11.71, Hastened to a U-shaped clamp 11.70 by rivet 11.76.
Lateral energy, imposed on the side impact shaft 11.2 and receptacle of transversal leaf spring 11c4, is transmitted to both leaf springs 11e~, l lc and absorbed thereby, thus lowering impact acceleration. The bending monoent along the transversal leaf spring 11 c4 is sustained by a pair of forces, one of which acts on the floor rail S2 and the other exerts bending moment along the longitudinal leaf spring 11 c l .
The substitute BSa, equipped with leaf spring 11e2 and torsion spring 11d, embodies the direct energy transmission into the vehicle floor, shown in Figs. 8 and 14. In order to fasten the leaf spring 11c2 and torsion spring 11d together, a stiffholder 11.50, arranged on the leaf spring 11c2 and on the upper side oftorsion spring 11d, and a stiffretaining plate 11.53, arranged on the lower side of torsion spring 11d, are provided with attachment holes, where two U-shaped screws 11.52, ps~ssing through the corresponding attachment holes, have threaded end projections onto which nuts 11.62 are screwed to secure the stiff spring holder IS and retaining plate.
The torsion spring consists of several flat strips, for example, four, shown in Fig. 14. Flat strips, for example, four, shown in Fil;. 14, provided with elongated apertures (oblong holes) at both end portions are integrated into a torsion spring by screws 11.54 with big washers 11.55, passing therethrough and tlmough big washers 11.55, having threaded end projections onto which nuts 11.56 are screwed to secure the flat strips, This assembling operation can be done outside ofthe assembly line. Two Irshaped fixing plates 11.58, fastened to the floor 6, help car assemblers locate the longitudinal position for the torsion spring in the y-direction. Both end portions of torsion spring between the clamped elongated apertures are freely clamped by means of two stifffree-clanging fixtures 11.51, bolted to the floor 6 by screws 11.57. This free clamping with a tolerably small clearance permits free displacement (movement) of the torsion spring along the y3-axis.
Ref. to Figs. 14 to 17 the outboard seat rail 1 consisfis of a pair of outboard blocking mechanisms Sl and a pair of seat-rail members with open profile to facilitate the detachment from the outboard floor rail 81 in real-world side collisions. To engage each seat-rail member to that floor rail 81 a shaft 1, t 1, biased by spring 1.25, of each prefabricated blocking mechanism, fastened to transverse member lQb, is projected beneath the floor rail 81 through holes of a pair of legs of the seat-rail member, acrd has an end projection with a retaining hole, into which a retaining pin 1.2 of release cable 12x, whose other end is connected with a clearance to lever 1.72x, is inserted. A threshold value "F;" is determined by the force of spring element 11c2, 11c3 or spring elements llcl, llc4 when side impact shaft 11.2 is deflected in order to overcome the clearance and detach the retaining pins 1.2 from the respective retaining holes in association with withdrawing the preloaded shafts from the holes of the pair of legs and releasing the blocking of the pair of outboard blocking mechanisms S1.
Lateral energy, imposed on the receptacle ofleaf spring 11c2 freely guided by side impact shaft 11.2, is transmitted to both springs l 1c2, l 1d and absorbed thereby, thus lower7ng impact acceleration.
The substitute B56, equipped with leaf spring 11e2 and torsion spring lldl to 11d4, embodies the direct energy transmission into the vehicle floor, shown in Figs.
8 and l 1. The torsion spring lldl to 11d4 differs from that torsion spring of substitute B5a in the tube-shaped portion and both errd portions, which are freely clamped by means oftwo stifffree-clamping fixtures 11.51x, bolted to the floor 6 by screws 11.57. This free clamping with a tolerably small clearance permits free displacement of the torsion spring along the y3-axis.

_25.
Lateral energy, imposed on the receptacle of leaf spring l 1c2 freely guided by side impact shaft 11.2, is transmitted to leaf spri~ig 11c2 and torsion spring 11d1 to tld4 and absorbed thereby, thus lowering impact acceleration.
Both end portions of torsion spri~ig l Idl to l Id4 differ from each other in rectangular shape, square head, hexagon head or arbitrarily-edged head, serration, for exannple, ref. to SAE J4986, and square heads, which facilitate the integration of the same torsion sub-springs with similar head into a torsion spring 11 d4.
The substitute BSc, equipped with torsion spring l id, embodies the direct energy transmission into the vehicle floor. The leaf spring l 1c2 of the substitute BSa, shown in Figs. 8, 1~, is replaced by a low-cost stiff lever 20, shown in Fig. 15, which is easily fastened to the leaf spring by screw 20.1.
Lateral energy, imposed on the lever 20 freely guided by side impact shaft 11.2, is transmitted to torsion spring lld and absorbed thereby, thus lowering impact acceleration.
The substitute BSd, equipped with leaf spring llc and torsion spring l 1d, embodies the IS direct energy transmission into the vehicle floor, shown in Figs. 8 and 20 to 22. Fig. 22 shows the assembling operation, similar to that of substitute BSa, in which six flat strips of another torsion spring of substitute BSd are clamped by a holder 11.50c and the stiffretaining plate 11.53 in place of the holder 11.50 of substitute BSa.
A impact lever 5, guided by guide rail 5.10, is bolted to floor rail 81 by fastener 5.1. The shaft 11.2 moves through the lever 5 when the seat is adjusted forward about "m" or backward about «n~~.
Impact force F on the lever 5. exerts a torsional moment along the rail. In excess of threshold values sites ofpredetermined fi~acture "b" ofthe rail at the distances of "1"," and "1"', are broken, shown in Fig. 20. In order to prevent the passenger from oscillating iui the direction of the totally deformed vehicle side arid smashing therein before the seat is rotated, the broken both -zb-end portions of the floor rail and a pair of the edges of lever 5 must rest on the respective floor-rail casings 81.5a and the guide rail 5.x0. Upon the increase of impact force the edges of lever with increasing height are guided and sustained by guide rail 5.10, until the leaf spring llc in association with lever 5 comes into contact with contact rail 14, raises it and rotates the seat S about the inboard floor rail, shown in Fig. 21.
The substitute B6a, equipped with transversal (transversally-built) leaf spring 11c3 mounted underneath the seats of driver and co-driver, embodies the direct energy transmission into the vehicle floor, shown in Figs. 9 and 17. For purpose to avoid peak edge stress, when edges come into contact with the deformed spring 11 c3, tightly clamped by the corresponding spring holder 11.50b, shown in Fig. 18, or spring holders 11.50a, shown in Fig. 19, each edge of the holder is of curved shape. All the spring holders are bolted to the floor 6 by screws 11.59.
Two soundproofing slide sleeves are pressed into bath receptacles of leaf spring l 1c3. The seats of driver and co-driver can move independently no y direction during which the side impact shafts 11.2,11.2 slide iii the corresponding sleeves. Costs are saved upon the use of a single transversal leaf spring for protection the passenger in a side collision or both passengers in a two-side collision.
The substitute B6b, embodyi~ig the direct energy transmission into the vehicle floor, equipped with two independent leaf springs 11c3 mounted underneath the seat of driver and co-driver, is designed for a rear-driven car, shown in Figs. 1, 9 and 17. Each leaf spring 11c3 is tightly clamped by stiff spring holder 11.50a,11.50b, which is bolted to the floor 6 by screws 11.59.
The substitute B?, equipped with transversal leaf spring ilea to protect the back-seated passengers on the rear seat, consisting of two seat members Cl, C2, in side collisions, embodies the direct energy tra~ismission into the vehicle floor, shown in Fig.
23. Costs are saved upon the use of a single transversal leaf spring. In compliance with the safety requirement for fuel tank, which must be accommodated beneath the rear seat, to prevent fire in the event of a rear collision, each seat member C1, C2 of rear seat is equipped with the rotatable outboard-device, above-mentioned, and with a rotatable inboard-device, adjacent to the tunnel, rotating about y2-axis and provided with a pair of inboard blocking mechanisms S4.
S Each seat member Cl, C2 consists of a seat frame 3, 3 with cushion, pivotally connected to a stiff subframe 3.10, 3.10 by two hinges 40, 4~0, and the subframe 3.10, 3.10, which is pivotally attached to floor 6 by a pair of round head rivets 3.5e about the yl-axis and to the rotatable inboard-device by a pair of bolts 3.5 about the y21-axis. When released these seat frames 3, 3 can independently be folded about the axes of the corresponding hinges to enlarge the freight space. The transversal leaf spring 11e3 is tightly clamped by at least one stiff spring holder 11.50b,11.50a, shown in Figs. 18 and 19, bolted to the floor 6 by screws 11.59.
The assembly and operation of the rotatable inboard-device, equipped with a pair of inboard blocking mechanisms S4, are e~cplained hereinafter. Serving as lever 2.1 a stiffhinge strip has two end portions rolled into receptacles, one of which about the y21-axis is pivotally attached to the pivot bolt 3.5, projecting tluough a pair of retaining plates, fastened to the subframe 3.10, 3.10, and the other is pivotally attached to pivot bolt 2.8 of lever 2.2. After inserting a spring-loaded shaft 1.11a of each prefabricated blocking mechanism S4 through holes of spacer plate 2.12 and of both levers 2.1, 2.2 a casing 1.20a of the mechanism S4 is bolted to the back face of lever 2.1 by screws 1.21 (similar to 1.21 drawn). The other end of spacer plate 2.12 is fastened to the subframe. A cv~cular segment of retaining piece 2.4, rotatably attached to the lever 2.2, is inserted into a circuniferential groove on the end projection of the shaft 1.11a and one hook-shaped end of torsion spring 2.5, whose eye rests on the end projection, is hooked in the first hole of L-shaped retavung piece 2.4 and the other U-shaped end is hooked on the edge ofthe lever 2.2 to bias the piece 2.4, secure the shaft l.lla and interlock both levers 2.1, 2..2 and spacer plate 2.12. After anchoring one end of a release cable 12c in the second retaining _2$_ hole of piece 2.4 the cable is passed through a hole the subframe, threaded spacer sleeve 1.16 is located therein and the other end is anchored to the rotatable lever 1.70x. A
permissible clearance for the blocking is determined when the threaded spacer sleeve 1.16 to the hole ofthe subframe 3.10, 3.10 is properly positioned and two nuts 1.17 on the thread thereof are S tightened. The half of the rotatable inboard-device, equipped with the inboard blocking mechanism S4, is wholly assembled. The process of assembling the other half is similar thereto.
After projecting through holes of stiffmounting plates 14.3 of subframe 3.10 both ends of release rod 14a are secured by two retaining rings (not shown). The aforementioned clearance and the size of the circular segment of retaining piece 2.4 govern the engagement of the circular segment with the groove of shaft l.lla. A threshold value "F3" is determined by the force of spring element 11e3 when side impact shaft 11.2,11.2 is deflected in order to overcome the clearance and release the blocking of the pair of inboard blocking mechanisms S4.
Under load of great impact force F~ and in excess of the threshold value the leaf spring 11 c3, the side impact shaft 11.2, t 1.2 and the pair of rotatable levers 1.70a, 1.71a are being deflected IS during which - the pair of release cables 12e releases both retaining pieces 2.4, being pulled by the respective torsion springs 2.5, thereby allowing the spring-loaded shafts 1.11a of the respective inboard blocking mechanisms S4 to retract and cancel the engagement of two pairs of levers 2.1, 2.2;
- which assume the function of rotatable movement about their own axes thus resulting in downward movement of the inboard side of seat member C1, C2 and rotation thereof about the yl-,~1 and y2-,~r2 axis;
- the impact shaft 11.2,1 t.2 in contact with the release rod 14a, 14a results in upward movement of the outboard side of seat member Cl, C2 and rotation thereof about the y1-, x1 and y2-,~r2 axis; and - energy, directly transmitted into the vehicle floor, is absorbed by work of deformation of the leaf spring l lc3 and of removal of the passenger and seat member, thus reducing the accelerations.
In a two-side side collision both seat members C1, CZ experience the above-mentioned movement and rotation.
However, the result of the passenger's removal regarding the head's deflection is impaired by too small gap "C1-C2" (not shown) between both independent seat members C1 and - during the independent rotation about the yl-axis and/or Xl_-axis or - during the independent folding about the axes of the corresponding hinges.
to To prevent those members from hooking together the gap in sufficient magnitude must be designed.
The substitute B7 of seat framca 3, 3 with or without hinges 40, 40 is suited for vehicle seat or single vehicle seat without rail assemblies.
Regarding tandem substitutes (substitutes in series) for front seat and successive seats the embodiment meets the goal of cutting costs by mounting those substitutes on a single pair of rail assemblies. By definition "front seat and successive seats" this term denotes the configuration of "n"-rows of seats comprising one, two,..."n"- seat-rows, far example, two seat-rows in cars and a number of seat-rows in space vans, big limousines and buses.
2o Although the present inve~ition has been described and illustrated in detail, it is clearly understood that the terminology used is intended to describe rather than limit. Many more objects, embodiments, features arid variations of the present invention are possible in light of the above-mentioned teachings. Therefore, within the spirit and scope of the appended claims, the present invention may be practised otherwise than as specifically described and illustrated.

Claims (29)

THE EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION IN WHICH AN EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY
OR PRIVILEGE IS CLAIMED ARE DEFINED AS FOLLOWS:

1. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat, equipped with at least two pairs of conventional rail assemblies, each of which consists of a seat rail and a floor rail, fastened to a vehicle floor, comprising an energy absorber, which, movable with the seat, when adjusted forward and backward and for height and tilt, consists of a back portion, acting as a side impact member, longitudinally arranged between a vehicle side and the seat; and a pair of legs, the rear portion of each of which is fastened at a pair of attachment sites to a transverse member, connecting both seat rails to each other;
whereby in real-world side collisions the side impact member detects intrusion of the vehicle side, deformed by lateral energy, which is absorbed by the energy absorber, which in conjunction with the side impact member withstands the intrusion thereof, and transmitted via the transverse member and the pairs of rail assemblies into the vehicle floor.

2. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat, equipped with at least two pairs of conventional rail assemblies, each of which consists of a seat rail and a floor rail, fastened to a vehicle floor, comprising a side impact member, longitudinally arranged between a vehicle side and the seat;
a rotatable device, which, movable with the seat, when adjusted forward and backward and for height and tilt, consists of the side impact member and at least one pair of levers, one ends of which and the others are rotatably connected to the side impact member and outboard seat legs of the seat rail, facing the vehicle side; and at least one energy absorber, one end of which is rotatably connected to the side impact member and the other is arranged to the inward seat rail, facing a vehicle tunnel;

whereby in real-world side collisions the side impact member detects intrusion of the vehicle side, deformed by lateral energy, which is absorbed by the energy absorber, which in conjunction with the side impact member withstands the intrusion thereof and transmitted via the inward rail assembly into the vehicle floor.

3. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 2, further comprising a pair of compression sprig blocks, each of which is located between the side impact member and the outboard seat leg and has a base portion, circumferentially clamped by a steel ring from which a screw protrudes, where the screw, passing through that seat leg, has a threaded end projection onto which a nut is screwed to secure it.
whereby in real-world side collisions the side impact member detects intrusion of the vehicle side, deformed by lateral energy, which is absorbed by the energy absorber and the pair of compression spring blocks, all of which in conjunction with the side impact member withstand the intrusion thereof and transmitted via the inward rail assembly into the vehicle floor.

4. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat, equipped with at least two pairs of conventional rail assemblies, each of which consists of a seat rail and a floor rail, fastened to a vehicle floor, comprising a side impact member, longitudinally arranged between a vehicle side and the seat;
a rotatable device, which, movable with the seat, when adjusted forward and backward and for height and tilt, consists of the side impact member and at least one pair of levers, one ends and the others are rotatably connected to the side impact member and outboard seat legs of the seat rail, facing the vehicle side; and a Mc-Pherson spring strut, one end of which is rotatably attached to the side impact member and the other, provided with a rubber bush, is fastened at an attachment site to the inward seat rail, facing a vehicle trowel, where the Mc-Pherson spring strut is provided with an energy absorber, a shock absorber and an expanding frictional assembly, consisting of a stop bush and a compression spring block.
whereby in real-world side collisions the side impact member detects intrusion of the vehicle side, deformed by lateral energy, which is absorbed by the energy absorber, shock absorber and compression spring block, which is expanded by the stop bush moving with friction therein, all of which in conjunction with the side impact member withstand the intrusion thereof, and transmitted via the inward rail assembly into the vehicle floor;
vibration is dampened by the shock absorber and the expanding friction-assembly and the rubber bush compensates large angle, resulting from a rotation of the Mc-Pherson spring strut about the attachment site.

5. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat, equipped with at least two pairs of rail assemblies with round, closed profile, each of which consists of a seat rail and a floor rail, fastened to a vehicle floor, where the outboard seat rail, facing a vehicle side, consists of a pair of seat-rail members, comprising a rotatable device, consisting of a side impact member, longitudinally arranged between a vehicle side and the seat, a~~d of at least one pair of levers, one ends of which are rotatably connected to the side impact member and the others, located between the pair of seat-rail members, are rotatably connected to the outboard floor rail, where the side impact member, inserted through in an upper tube of an impact lever, is movable therethrough and the rotatable device is movable along the outboard floor rail when the seat is adjusted forward and backward;
a guide rail, which, fastened to the vehicle floor, guides a pair of edges of the impact lever, having a lower tube, through which the outboard floor rail is inserted and fastened thereto, at least one energy absorber, one end portion of which is formed to receive the upper tube and the other end portion is fastened to the vehicle floor;
a pair of floor-rail casings having semicircular portions, thereon a pair of end portions of the outboard floor rail with sites of predetermined fracture is accommodated and bolted therewith to the vehicle floor; and a contact rail, longitudinally arranged between the pair of seat-rail members and fastened thereto;
whereby in real world side collisions the side impact member in co-operation with the impact lever detects intrusion of the vehicle side, deformed by lateral force;
which, acting on the impact lever, exerts torsion moment, fracturing the sites of predetermined fracture of the pair of end portions of the outboard floor rail, where the broken outboard floor rail and the pair of edges of the impact lever are sustained by the pair of floor-rail casings and the guide rail until the energy absorber comes to a contact with the contact rail upon increase of the lateral force, thus resulting in a removal of a passenger, sitting on the seat rotating about the inboard floor rail, facing a vehicle tunnel, from an injury-prone area, . in which the passenger is exposed to the intrusion of the totally deformed vehicle side, to a vehicle-centre;
during which lateral energy is lowered by work of the fracture of the sites of predetermined fracture and the removal of the passenger and seat and the remaining energy is absorbed by the energy absorber, which in conjunction with the side impact member withstands the intrusion thereof, and transmitted alto the vehicle floor.

6. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 5, further comprising a second energy absorber, consisting of a least two flat strips, which, having end portions provided with elongated apertures, are integrated into a torsion spring when screws with big washers, passing through the elongated apertures and through other big washers, have threaded end projections onto which nuts are screwed to secure the flat strips;
a pair of L-shaped fixing plates, fastened in longitudinal direction to the vehicle floor, to position the torsion spring, end portions of which between the clamped elongated apertures are freely clamped by mean s of two stiff free-clamping fixtures, fastened to the vehicle floor;
and a clamping assembly, by means of which a mid-portion of the torsion spring and of the first energy absorber are clamped together;
whereby in real-world side collisions vibration is dampened by the torsion spring, the remaining energy is lowered by work of friction thereof and the remainder is absorbed by both energy absorbers, which in conjunction with the side impact member withstand the intrusion thereof, and transmitted into the vehicle floor.

7. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 5, wherein the clamping assembly consists of a stiff retaining holder, arranged on the first energy absorber and on the upper side of torsion spring, and a stiff retaining plate, arranged on the lower side of torsion spring, where the stiff retaining holder and stiff retaining plate are provided with attachment holes, through which two U-shaped screws pass and have threaded end projections onto which nuts are screwed to secure them.

8. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein the front and successive seats have the ~ side airbag-substitutes, the transversely-assembled energy absorbers of which are clamped to the second energy absorber by means of the clamping assemblies.

9. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat, equipped with at least two pairs of rail assemblies, each of which consists of a seat rail and a floor rail with round, closed profile, fastened to a vehicle floor, whore the inboard seat rail, facing a vehicle tunnel, has a pair of inboard seat-rail members with round, closed profile and the outboard seat rail, facing a vehicle side, has a pair of outboard seat-rail members with open profile, comprising at least one energy absorber, end portions of which are formed into an outboard receptacle and into an inboard receptacle, which and inboard spacer rings are arranged between the pair of inboard seat-rail members, through all of which the inboard floor rail is inserted;
a rotatable device, which, movable with the energy absorber and seat, when adjusted forward and backward, consists of a side impact member, longitudinally arranged between the vehicle side and seat, and of two pairs of levers, one ends of which are rotatably connected to each other, the other ends of lower levers are rotatably connected to a pair of outboard seat legs and between the other ends of upper levers the outboard receptacle and outboard spacer rings, which are removed or added to align the outboard receptacle with the inboard receptacle, are arranged, through all of which the side impact member is inserted; and a pair of blocking mechanisms having a threshold value, each of which, fastened to a stiff member of the seat, has a blocking member, which, connected to each lower lever, in operation transforms each outboard seat-rail member with open profile into one with closed profile to engage with the outboard floor rail, where in excess of the threshold value, resulting from a rotation of the pair of lower levers in real-world side collisions, the blocking members are released from the engagement therewith;
whereby in real-world side collisions the side impact member in co-operation with the outboard receptacle detects intrusion of the vehicle side, deformed by lateral force;
which, acting on the side impact member, deflects the rotatable device in conjunction with the energy absorber and in excess of the threshold value a rotation of the outboard receptacle and side impact member about the inboard floor rail results in detaching the pair of outboard seat-rail members with open profile therefrom and a removal of a passenger, sitting on the seat rotating about the inboard floor rail, from an injury-prone area to a vehicle-centre;
during which lateral energy is lowered by work to release the blocking members and work of the removal of the passenger and seat and the remaining energy is absorbed by the energy absorber, which in conjunction with the side impact member withstands the intrusion thereof, and transmitted via the inboard floor rail into the vehicle floor.

10. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 9, further comprising a second energy absorber, one end portion of which, longitudinally assembled in the vehicle floor and lying on the transversely assembled first energy absorber, is formed into a receptacle, rotatably attached to retaining plates, all of which are countersunk in the vehicle floor, and the other end portion, which, secured by a U-shaped clamp, fastened to the vehicle floor, slides on a sliding shoe of the U-shaped clamp when the second energy absorber deflects;
whereby in real-world side collisions vibration is dampened by friction when the end portion of the second energy absorber slides on the sliding shoe, the remaining energy is lowered by work of friction therebetween and the remainder is absorbed by both energy absorbers, which in conjunction with the side impact member withstand the intrusion thereof and transmitted into the vehicle floor.

11. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 10, wherein the front and successive seats have the ~ side airbag-substitutes, on the transversely-assembled energy absorbers of which the second energy absorber lies.

12. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 9, wherein the blocking mechanism, fastened to the transverse stiff member connecting the inboard seat-rail member to the outboard seat-rail member, has a shaft, serving as the blocking member, which, biased by a spring, is projected beneath the outboard floor rail through holes of a pair of legs of the outboard seat-rail member, and has an end projection with a retaining hole, through which a retaining pin of a release cables with a clearance connected to the lower lever, serving as a release lever, is inserted, where the threshold value is determined by a force of the energy absorber when the side impact member is deflected to overcome the clearance and detach both retaining pins from the respective retaining holes, where in excess of the threshold value the preloaded shafts withdraw from the holes of the pair of legs thereof in association with the release of the blocking of the pair of blocking mechanisms.

13. A side airbag-substitute of two motor-vehicle seats in a row, each of which is equipped with at least two pairs of rail assemblies, each of which consists of a seat rail and a floor rail with round, closed profile, fastened to a vehicle floor, where the inboard seat rail, facing a vehicle tunnel, has a pair of inboard seat-rail members with round, closed profile and the outboard seat rail, facing a vehicle side, has a pair of outboard seat-rail members with open profile, comprising at least one leaf spring, end portions of which, transversally built underneath both seats, are formed into receptacles and the mid-portion is clamped by at least one spring holder fastened to the vehicle floor;
a pair of rotatable devices, each of which consists of a side impact member, longitudinally arranged between the vehicle side and seat, and of two pairs of levers, one ends of which are rotatably connected to each other, the other ends of lower levers are rotatably connected to a pair of outboard seat legs and the other ends of upper levers are rotatably connected to the side impact member, where each rotatable device with the corresponding side impact member, movable in the corresponding receptacle, is movable with the corresponding seat, when adjusted forward and backward; and two pairs of blocking mechanisms, each pair having a threshold value, each of which, fastened to a stiff member of the seat, lies a blocking member, which, connected to each lower lever, in operation transforms each outboard seat-rail member with open profile into one with closed profile to engage with the outboard floor rail, where in excess of the threshold value, resulting from a rotation of the respective pair of lower levers in real-world side collisions, the pair of blocking members are released from the engagement therewith;
whereby when another motor vehicle crashes into one vehicle side the respective side impact member in co-operation with the corresponding receptacle, detecting intrusion thereof, deflects;
when the other vehicle side laterally crashes into a barrier the other side impact member in co-operation with the corresponding receptacle, detecting intrusion thereof, deflects;
in excess of the threshold value a rotation of each receptacle and the respective side impact member about the respective inboard floor rail results in detaching the respective pair of outboard seat-rail members with open profile therefrom, and a removal of a passenger, sitting on the respective seat rotating about that inboard floor rail, from an injury-prone area to a vehicle-centre;
during which lateral energy, imposed on both vehicle sides, is lowered by work to release the pairs of blocking members and work of the removal of two passengers and both seats and the remaining energy is absorbed by the leaf spring, which in co-operation with both side impact members withstands the intrusion of both totally deformed vehicle sides, and transmitted into the vehicle floor.

14. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 13, wherein each edge of the spring holder, coming in contact with the leaf spring, when deformed, is of curved shape.

15. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat, having at least two seat members, each of which consists of a seat frame with cushion, pivotally connected to a stiff subframe via two hinges, about a common axis of which the seat frame, when released, can be folded to enlarge a freight space, and of the stiff subframe, an outboard side of which is pivotally attached to a vehicle floor via a pair of outboard-fasteners and an inboard side is pivotally attached to a rotatable inboard-device, facing a vehicle tunnel, via a pair of inboard-fasteners, where a small gap between both independent seat members allows a rotation thereof about their respective longitudinal axes, comprising at least one leaf spring, end portions of which, transversally built underneath both seat members, are formed into receptacles, each accommodating a side impact member, longitudinally arranged between a vehicle side and the seat member, and the mid-portion is clamped by at least one spring holder, fastened to the vehicle floor;

a pair of rotatable outboard-devices, each of which, facing the respective vehicle side, has two pairs of outboard-levers, one ends of which are rotatably connected to each other, the other ends of lower outboard-levers are rotatably connected to the vehicle floor and the other ends of upper outboard-levers are rotatably connected to the side impact member;

the pair of rotatable inboard-devices, each of which has two pairs of inboard-levers, lower ends of upper inboard-levers are rotatably connected to mid-portions of lower inboard-levers, upper ends of lower inboard-levers and mid-portions of upper inboard-levers are rotatably connected to blocking members of a pair of blocking mechanisms, lower ends of lower inboard-levers are rotatably connected to the vehicle floor via a pair of inboard floor tubes and upper ends of upper inboard-levers are rotatably connected to the inboard side of the stiff subframe via the pair of inboard-fasteners; and two pairs of blocking mechanisms, each pair, fastened to both upper inboard-levers, having a threshold value, in operation ensures an engagement thereof with the respective lower inboard-levers, where in excess of the threshold value, resulting from a rotation of the respective side impact member in real-world side collisions, a blocking thereof is cancelled thus facilitating a rotation of those upper and lower inboard-levers about their respective axes;

a pair of release rods, which, fastened to both subframes, face respective contact portions of the leaf spring;

whereby in any real world side collision the side impact member in co-operation with the corresponding receptacle, detecting intrusion of the deformed vehicle side, deflects, the corresponding contact portion of the leaf spring raises the release rod thus resulting in an upward rotation of the outboard side of the corresponding subframe about the pair of outboard-fasteners and in excess of the threshold value the rotation of both upper and lower inboard-levers about their respective axes results in a downward rotation of the inboard side thereof about the pair of inboard floor tubes and a removal of at least one passenger, sitting on the seat member, from an injury-prone area to a vehicle-centre;

during which lateral energy is lowered by work to exceed the threshold value and work of the removal of the passenger and seat member and the remaining energy is absorbed by the leaf spring, which in conjunction with the side impact member withstands the intrusion thereof, and transmitted into the vehicle floor.

16. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 15, wherein the blocking mechanism, fastened to a brick face of the upper inboard-lever, has a shaft, serving as the blocking member, which, biased by a spring, projected through holes of the mid-portion of upper inboard-lever, the end of lower inboard-lever and one end of a spacer plate, the other end of which is fastened to the stiff subframe, has an end projection with a circumferential groove;

into which a circular segment of an L-shaped retaining piece, rotatably attached to the lower inboard-lever, is inserted;

where one hook-shaped end of a torsion spying, whose eye rests on the end projection of the shaft, is hooked in the first hole of the L-shaped retaining piece and the other U-shaped end is hooked on an edge of the lower inboard-lever to bias the L-shaped retaining piece, secure the shaft and interlock both inboard-levers and the spacer plate;

one end of a release cable is anchored to the second hole of the L-shaped retaining piece, the release cable is passed through a hole of the subframe, a threaded spacer sleeve thereof is located therein and the other end is anchored to the upper outboard-lever; and a permissible clearance for the blocking is determined, when the threaded spacer sleeve to the hole of the subframe is properly positioned, and two nuts on the threaded spacer sleeve are tightened to secure it therein.

17. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein the energy absorber is characterized by a progressive spring rate.

18. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 17, wherein a non-cylindrical coil spring under load rolls on at least one spring seat.

19. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 18, wherein the non-cylindrical coil spring has spring coils with variable rod diameter.

20. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein a progressive spring rate is achieved when the compression spring block is designed with at least two chambers.

21. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 3, wherein a progressive spring rate is achieved when the compression spring block is characterized by at least two materials having different Young's modulus and shear modulus.

22. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 13, wherein a progressive spring rate is achieved when at least one supplementary leaf is incorporated into the leaf spring.

23. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 22, wherein at least one supplementary leaf is provided with sites of predetermined fracture.

24. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 7, wherein the flat strips of the torsion spring are provided with sites of predetermined fracture having different threshold values.

25. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 4, wherein acting as a sensor the side impact member in co-operation with the shook absorber, being accelerated, determines the magnitude of impact velocity (v) and impact acceleration (b).

26. A side airbag-substitute of motor-vehicle seat according to claim 5, wherein acting as a sensor the side impact member in co-operation with the energy absorber, being deformed, determines the magnitude of lateral energy.

27. A side airbag-substitute with safety airbag according to claim 8, wherein a front airbag serves as a safety airbag which is inflated in the event of front collision as well as of side collision.

28. A side airbag-substitute with safety airbag according to claim 27, wherein the safety airbag is subdivided into at leant two hulls, each of which has at least one gas generator, where one of the hulls is a window-hull, adjacent to a window pane.

29. A side airbag-substitute with safety airbag according to at claim 28, wherein the window-hull is enlarged by at least one additional side hull.