DEVELOPMENT OF AN INFLATABLE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR REAR SEAT OCCUPANTS

THE OBJECTIVE OF THESE TESTS WAS TO EVALUATE THE INFLATABLE OCCUPANT RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR UNBELTED REAR SEAT OCCUPANTS OF FULL SIZE MOTOR VEHICLES. THE SYSTEM DEVELOPED CONSISTS OF A CRUSHABLE HONEYCOMB KNEE BAR TO LIMIT FEMUR LOADS AND TO HELP CONTROL THE HEAD AND UPPER TORSO TRAJECTORY OF THE UNBELTED OCCUPANTS. FOR BARRIER IMPACT SPEEDS ABOVE 20 MPH AN AIR BAG DEPLOYS; THE BAG LOADS ARE CARRIED OUT THROUGH THE KNEE BAR SUPPORT PLATE AND THROUGH THE HEAD BAR. THE SYSTEM DEVELOPED DURING THE FIRST PHASE OF THE PROGRAM WAS OPTIMIZED FOR PROTECTION TO ADULT SIZE PASSENGERS UNDER HIGH SPEED CRASH CONDITIONS. IN TERMS OF PRESENT INJURY CRITERIA, THE RESTRAINT WAS VERY EFFECTIVE IN CONTROLLING DUMMY LOADS FOR A BARRIER CRASH SPEED OF 51 MPH. BECAUSE OF THE PROBLEMS INHERENT IN A RAPIDLY DEPLOYING RESTRAINT SYSTEM WITH REGARD TO A SMALL CHILD POSITIONED UP AGAINST THE RESTRAINT PRIOR TO DEPLOYMENT IT WAS DECIDED TO ALSO PERFORM CRASH TESTS OF THE SYSTEM USING CONSIDERABLY REDUCED INFLATION GAS. /NTIS/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • CAL-ZM-5028-K-2
• Corporate Authors:

  Calspan Corporation

  4455 Genesee Street
  Buffalo, NY  United States  14225
• Authors:
  • ROMEO, D J
  • Rosa, R A
• Publication Date: 1973-4

Media Info

• Pagination: 71 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Adolescents; Air bags; Barriers (Roads); Crash injury research; Crash tests; Crashes; Dummies; High speed ground transportation; High speed vehicles; Highway safety; Safety; Safety equipment; Speed; Testing; Traffic crashes; Vehicle occupants
• Uncontrolled Terms: Barriers; Motor vehicle accidents; Safety features
• Old TRIS Terms: Inflatable devices; Minors
• Subject Areas: Highways; Passenger Transportation; Railroads; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00224413
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Technical Information Service
• Report/Paper Numbers: Final Rept
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Jul 31 1974 12:00AM