Blast attenuation seat

Abstract

A seat supports an occupant of a vehicle and absorbs a force between the occupant and the vehicle created by relative movement between the occupant and the vehicle. The seat includes a seat back and a seat bottom frame supporting the seat back and extending from the seat back along an axis. A seat pan is moveably coupled to the seat bottom frame and an energy absorbing device is coupled to the seat bottom frame and the seat pan. The energy absorbing device is configured to absorb at least a portion of the force between the occupant and the vehicle when the seat pan moves relative to the seat bottom frame. A link is pivotably coupled to the seat pan and to the seat bottom frame and guides movement of the seat pan relative to the seat bottom frame away from the seat back along the axis when the seat pan moves relative to the seat bottom frame.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]The subject patent application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 077,423 filed on Mar. 31, 2011, which claims priority to and all the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 341,470 filed on Mar. 31, 2010, the entire specifications of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference. The subject application also claims priority to and all the benefits of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 797,105 filed on Nov. 29, 2012 and U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61 / 787,835 filed on Mar. 15, 2013, the entire specifications of which are expressly incorporated herein by reference.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]1. Field of the Invention[0003]The present invention relates to a seat for supporting an occupant of a vehicle and absorbing a force between the occupant and the vehicle created by relative movement between the occupant and the vehicle[0004]2. Description of the Related Art[00...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]Since the link is pivotably coupled to the seat pan and the seat bottom frame and guides movement of the seat pan relative to the seat bottom frame, the relative movement of the seat pan and the seat bottom frame is repeatable. The repeatability of the relative movement of the seat pan and the seat bottom frame simplifies the tuning of the energy absorbing device to properly absorb at least a portion of the force between the occupant and the vehicle when the seat pan moves relative to the seat bottom frame.

Problems solved by technology

Such vehicles can be exposed to blasts resulting from an explosive such as an improvised explosive device, a mine, a grenade, etc.

The vibration and / or reverberation of the blast through the vehicle can injure the occupants.

This vibration and / or reverberation through the vehicle can injure the occupant.

In such a scenario, the occupant can be harmed if this vibration and / or reverberation is transferred directly to the occupant through the floor and / or the seat.

Further, whether the vehicle is armored or not, much of the technology for absorbing energy in a civilian automobile during an automobile accident is not suitable for absorbing energy from an explosive blast.

As such, the airbags used in civilian automobiles cannot react quickly enough due to the 5 millisecond delay associated with the civilian automobile airbags.

In addition to generating initial forces acting on the vehicle, the blast can also cause the vehicle to become airborne.

The occupant can suffer injuries relating to the landing of the vehicle on the ground, i.e., the “slam down.”

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