DEVELOPMENT OF AN AIR BAG-CRUSHABLED ASH-KNEE BAR PASSIVE RESTRAINT SYSTEM FOR SMALL CARS, SUMMARY

The objective of this 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. (A)

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Sponsored by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Corporate Authors:

  Calspan Corporation

  4455 Genesee Street
  Buffalo, NY  United States  14225
• Authors:
  • ROMEO, D J
• Publication Date: 1976-1

Media Info

• Features: Figures; Tables;
• Pagination: 34 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air bags; Compact automobiles; Crash injury research; Crashes; Fatalities; Frontal crashes; Injuries; Instrument panels; Passive restraint systems; Research
• Old TRIS Terms: Small car
• Subject Areas: Highways; Research; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00144383
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Safety Council Safety Research Info Serv
• Report/Paper Numbers: Rpt. No ZM-5566-V-2
• Contract Numbers: DOT-HS-4-00972
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: May 31 1977 12:00AM