DEVELOPMENT OF AIR BAG-CRUSHABLE DASH-KNEE BAR PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR SMALL CARS, SUMMARY

The objective of the program was to design, fabricate, test and evaluate a front passenger passive restraint system which would provide occupant protection under small car high speed frontal impact crash conditions. The restraint developed employs an air bag, a crushable dash panel and a knee bar. Results indicate that the restraint system developed appears capable of providing protection from fatality or serious injury to adult size occupants in a small car environment up through the 40 to 50 MPH crash speed range. The system without the air bag, i.e., the crushable dash panel and knee bar, can provide adult protection up to the 25 to 30 MPH crash speed range. Results also indicate that the system provides protection through the 35 to 40 MPH speed range for the normally seated child. Furthermore, it appears that the system will not injure a forward position child during deployment, the deployment problem being resolved through bag folding technique.

• Corporate Authors:

  Calspan Corporation

  4455 Genesee Street
  Buffalo, NY  United States  14225

  National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

  1200 New Jersey Avenue, SE
  Washington, DC  United States  20590
• Authors:
  • ROMEO, D J
• Publication Date: 1976-1

Media Info

• Pagination: 35 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Adults; Air bags; Anatomical models; Automobiles; Compact automobiles; Crash injury research; Crash tests; Crashes; Fatalities; Frontal crashes; High speed ground transportation; High speed vehicles; Highway safety; Inflatable structures; Injuries; Instrument panels; Manual safety belts; Passive restraint systems; Protection; Research; Restraint systems; Safety engineering; Speed; Testing; Vehicle components
• Old TRIS Terms: Minors; Passenger restraints; Small car
• Subject Areas: Highways; Railroads; Research; Safety and Human Factors; Security and Emergencies; Vehicles and Equipment;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00094603
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: CALSPAN-ZM-5566-V-2Final Rpt.7, DOT-HS-801-819
• Contract Numbers: DOT-HS-4-00972
• Files: NTIS, TRIS, USDOT
• Created Date: May 14 1976 12:00AM