Vehicle Safety Seat

Abstract

A vehicle safety seat may comprise, among other things, a vehicle seat having a seat base configured to be mounted to a support surface of a motor vehicle, and a roll sensor mounted to the seat base. The vehicle seat may be a suspension seat. The vehicle seat may have other sensors, event detection systems or the like mounted thereto. The vehicle seat may include a number of vehicle/occupant safety mechanisms integral therewith.

1 - 129 . (canceled)  
   
   
       130 . A vehicle safety seat comprising: 
 a vehicle seat mounted within a motor vehicle,    a restraint harness configured to restrain movement of an occupant of the vehicle seat relative to the vehicle seat,    a restraint harness actuator connected to the restraint harness,    a collision alert system configured to produce a collision alert signal indicative of an impending collision with an object, and    a first decision-making circuit responsive to the collision alert signal to control the restraint harness actuator to move the restraint harness in a manner that provides the occupant with a tactile indicator of the impending collision with the object.    
   
   
       131 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 130  wherein the vehicle seat is a suspension seat coupled to a seat base that is mounted to a support surface of the vehicle.  
   
   
       132 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 131  wherein the restraint harness actuator is mounted to the seat base.  
   
   
       133 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 132  wherein the first decision-making circuit is responsive to the collision alert signal to control the restraint harness actuator to tighten the restraint harness about the occupant.  
   
   
       134 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 132  further comprising: 
 a roll sensor module mounted to the seat base, the roll sensor module including a roll sensor configured to produce a roll signal upon detection of a vehicle roll over event, and    a second decision-making circuit responsive to the roll signal to control the restraint harness actuator to pull the suspension seat toward the seat base.    
   
   
       135 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 134  further comprising: 
 an impact sensor module mounted to the seat base, the impact sensor module including an impact sensor configured to produce an impact signal upon detection of an impact of the vehicle of sufficient severity, and    a third decision-making circuit responsive to the impact signal to control the restraint harness actuator to pull the suspension seat toward the seat base.    
   
   
       136 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 134  further including an inflatable restraint carried within the vehicle seat, 
 and wherein the second decision-making circuit is responsive to the roll signal to control the restraint harness actuator to deploy the inflatable restraint.    
   
   
       137 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 134  further comprising: 
 at least one electrical connector configured to be electrically connected to the roll sensor module, and    at least one attachment member for mounting the roll sensor module to the seat base,    wherein the at least one electrical connector blocks access to the at least one attachment member when the at least one electrical connector is electrically connected to the roll sensor module, the at least one attachment member being accessible to allow detaching of the roll sensor module from the seat base only if the at least one electrical connector is electrically disconnected from the roll sensor module.    
   
   
       138 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 134  further comprising: 
 a number of attachment members securing the seat base to a support surface of the motor vehicle,    an electrical connector configured to be electrically connected to the roll sensor, and    a safety member normally inhibiting access to at least one of the number of attachment members, the electrical connector inhibiting one of access to the safety member and movement of the safety member relative to the electrical connector and relative to the seat base when electrically connected to the roll sensor.    
   
   
       139 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 134  further comprising a vehicle seat mounting plate having a bottom plate member configured to be mounted to a support surface of any of a number of different vehicles and a top plate configured to be attached to the seat base and to the bottom plate member to thereby mount the seat base to the support surface of the vehicle.  
   
   
       140 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 139  further comprising: 
 at least one electrical wire that is electrically connected to the roll sensor and that is required for operation of the roll sensor, and    a contact switch mounted to one of the top and the bottom plate members, the contact switch being closed by the other of the top and bottom plate members when contacted thereby, and the contact switch being opened when the top and bottom plate members are moved sufficiently away from each other,    wherein the contact switch is interposed in-line with the at least one electrical wire such that the roll sensor is operable when the contact switch is closed and the roll sensor is inoperable when the contact switch is open.    
   
   
       141 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 130  further comprising: 
 an inflatable restraint carried within the vehicle seat, and    a roll sensor module mounted to the seat, the roll sensor module including a roll sensor configured to produce a roll signal upon detection of a vehicle roll over event and a second decision-making circuit responsive to the roll signal to deploy the inflatable restraint.    
   
   
       142 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 140  further comprising: 
 an inflatable restraint carried within the vehicle seat, and    an impact sensor module mounted to the seat, the impact sensor module including an impact sensor configured to produce an impact signal upon detection of an impact of the vehicle of sufficient severity and a second decision-making circuit responsive to the impact signal to deploy the inflatable restraint.    
   
   
       143 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 132  wherein the restraint harness actuator is configured to move the restraint harness via linear movement relative to the seat base.  
   
   
       144 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 132  wherein the restraint harness actuator is rotatably mounted to the seat base, 
 and wherein the restraint harness actuator is configured to move the restraint harness by rotating relative to the seat base.    
   
   
       145 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 132  wherein the restraint harness actuator is configured to move one or more portions of the restraint harness under control of the first decision-making circuit.  
   
   
       146 . A vehicle safety seat comprising: 
 a seat base mounted within a motor vehicle,    a vehicle seat mounted to a seat base,    a restraint harness actuator mounted to the seat base, the restraint harness actuator including a first actuator arm coupled to a first restraint harness mount,    a restraint harness secured to the first restraint harness mount and configured to restrain movement of an occupant of the vehicle seat relative to the vehicle seat,    a collision alert system configured to produce a collision alert signal indicative of an impending collision, and    a first decision-making circuit responsive to the collision alert signal to control the restraint harness actuator in a manner that causes the first actuator arm to tighten the restraint harness about the occupant.    
   
   
       147 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 146  wherein the restraint harness actuator includes a second arm coupled to a second restraint harness mount, 
 and wherein the restraint harness is secured to the second restraint harness mount,    and wherein the first decision-making circuit is responsive to the collision alert signal to control the restraint harness actuator in a manner that causes the second actuator arm to tighten the restraint harness about the occupant.    
   
   
       148 . The vehicle safety seat of  claim 146  further comprising a suspension mechanism positioned between the vehicle seat and the seat base.  
   
   
       149 . A method of alerting an occupant of a vehicle seat mounted within a motor vehicle to an impending collision, the method comprising: 
 determining whether a collision of the motor vehicle with an object is likely to occur, and    moving a restraint harness coupled to the vehicle seat in a manner that provides the occupant with a tactile indicator of an impending collision with the object if collision of the motor vehicle with the object is likely to occur.