Motorsports safety harness

Abstract

A motorsports safety harness assembly includes a restraint device for securing the head and neck against frontal impact injuries, and allows for facilitated removal in exigent circumstances or with limited mobility such from a damaged automobile. A pair of detachable wings engages a front upper torso or chest region of a wearer, and couples to a rigid headpiece extending behind the skull region for attachment to a helmet for restraining the head and neck from sudden forceful movement commonly associated with basal skull fractures and other impact injuries. The wings and headpiece secure snugly around the neck of the wearer for providing support against frontal impact, while the wings separate from the headpiece via a detachable coupling and release control to allow the wearer to exit the vehicle. The coupling provides rigid support against impact, and employs a wearer activated release to permit rapid uncoupling in exigent crash situations.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . In a safety harness assembly for restraining head movement of a wearer against impact based injury, a restraint comprising:
 at least one wing adapted for frontal engagement with the wearer;   a headpiece adapted to restrain the wearer; and   a coupling for detachably engaging the wings to the headpiece, the coupling adapted for withstanding a force generated by the impact.   
     
     
         2 . The restraint of  claim 1  wherein the wing further comprises detachable wings, the coupling maintaining attachment to the headpiece in response to a forward impact. 
     
     
         3 . The restraint of  claim 2  wherein the coupling further comprises:
 a load bearing member, the load bearing member configured to engage a corresponding receptacle; 
 a release mechanism for disengaging the wings from the headpiece; and 
 a release control operable to commence disengagement of the wings. 
 
     
     
         4 . The restraint of  claim 2  wherein the coupling further comprises a plurality of opposed mating surfaces, the opposed mating surfaces having complementary structures for securing the wings to the headpiece by a flush engagement of the opposed mating surfaces. 
     
     
         5 . The restraint of  claim 3  wherein the load bearing member further comprises at least one protrusion, the protrusion adapted to engage a corresponding receptacle on an opposed surface. 
     
     
         6 . The restraint of  claim 5  wherein the load bearing member further comprises a plurality of dowels adapted to engage a corresponding receptacle on an opposed wing or headpiece. 
     
     
         7 . The restraint of  claim 3  wherein the release mechanism is a detent secured member transgressing the headpiece and each wing in a direction unopposed from the impact force. 
     
     
         8 . The restraint of  claim 3  wherein the release mechanism comprises a release pin passing through a bore in each of the wings and through a corresponding bore in the headpiece, the corresponding bores being aligned when the wings engage the headpiece. 
     
     
         9 . The restraint of  claim 7  wherein release control comprises a detent secured member responsive to an extraction force exerted in a predetermined direction, the extraction force sufficient to overcome a resistance of the detent. 
     
     
         10 . The restraint of  claim 9  wherein the predetermined direction is forward from the wearer, and the detent secured member is responsive to a tether disposed in the predetermined direction. 
     
     
         11 . The restraint of  claim 3  wherein the release mechanism includes at least one of electromagnetic, magnetic, hydraulic, pneumatic or fluidic based separation forces. 
     
     
         12 . The restraint of  claim 2  wherein the wings are adapted for communication with a frontal web, the frontal web configured for encircling a torso of the wearer for exerting a counterforce in response to a forward impact, the frontal web securing the wings for maintaining the headpiece upright against the frontal impact via force transferred through the coupling. 
     
     
         13 . The restraint of  claim 2  wherein the wings and the coupling are adapted to maintain rigidity in response to the impact force, the headpiece having an attachment to a helmet for restraining the helmet against the impact force. 
     
     
         14 . The restraint of  claim 3  wherein the frontal web further comprises a flexible belt having attachment to a vehicular safety cage at a plurality of restraint points. 
     
     
         15 . The restraint of  claim 1  wherein the wing and the headpiece further comprise a homogenous molding integrated with the coupling. 
     
     
         16 . A method of restraining a vehicle occupant against frontal impact injury, comprising:
 attaching a helmet to a headpiece adapted to restrain the wearer;   engaging, with the headpiece, at least one wing adapted for frontal engagement with the wearer; and   securing the wings with a coupling for detachably engaging the wings to the headpiece, the coupling adapted for withstanding a force generated by the frontal impact and maintaining attachment to the headpiece in response to a forward impact,   the wings responsive to a release mechanism for disengaging the wings from the headpiece subsequent to the frontal impact.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the coupling further comprises:
 a load bearing member, the load bearing member configured to engage a corresponding receptacle; 
 a release mechanism for disengaging the wings from the headpiece; and 
 a release control operable to commence disengagement of the wings. 
 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17  wherein the coupling further comprises a plurality of opposed mating surfaces, the opposed mating surfaces having complementary structures for securing the wings to the headpiece by a flush engagement of the opposed mating surfaces. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 16  wherein the release mechanism is a detent secured release pin transgressing the headpiece and each wing in a direction unopposed from the impact force, the release pin passing through a bore in each of the wings and through a corresponding bore in the headpiece, the corresponding bores being aligned when the wings engage the headpiece. 
     
     
         20 . A method of molding a safety restraint, comprising
 forming at least one wing adapted for frontal engagement with the wearer;   forming a headpiece adapted to restrain the wearer; and   integrating the formed headpiece and wing with a coupling for detachably engaging the wings to the headpiece, the coupling adapted for withstanding a force generated by a frontal impact of a vehicle,   the coupling maintaining attachment to the headpiece in response to the forward impact, and responsive to a release mechanism for disengaging the wings from the headpiece subsequent to the frontal impact.