| US 7,556,291 B2 | ||
| Vehicle restraint system | ||
| Steve Gale, Lebanon, Ind. (US); and Chris P. Jessup, Sheridan, Ind. (US) | ||
| Assigned to Indiana Mills & Manufacturing Inc., Westfield, Ind. (US) | ||
| Filed on Jan. 18, 2006, as Appl. No. 11/334,682. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/647308, filed on Jan. 26, 2005. | ||
| Claims priority of provisional application 60/720271, filed on Sep. 23, 2005. | ||
| Prior Publication US 2006/0163912 A1, Jul. 27, 2006 | ||
| Int. Cl. B60R 21/08 (2006.01) | ||
| U.S. Cl. 280—749 [296/190.03] | 29 Claims |
| 1. A vehicle safety system for impeding the egress of an occupant through an exit of a vehicle, the safety system comprising:
a gate movably coupled to the vehicle, and
a collapsible barrier coupled to the gate and to the vehicle, the gate movable between a stowed position with the gate collapsing
the collapsible barrier into a position adjacent to the vehicle such that the occupant may egress through the exit substantially
unimpeded by the collapsible barrier or gate, and a deployed position with the gate and the collapsible barrier extending
at least partially across the exit to impede egress of the occupant through the exit,
wherein the gate is an elongate rigid member having a proximal end and a distal end, the proximal end of the rigid member
configured to be movably coupled to the vehicle,
and wherein the gate includes a pair of projections extending from the distal end of the gate, the projections configured
to gather the collapsible barrier therebetween for movement to the stowed position.
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