1. A method for deploying an occupant restraint device in a vehicle, comprising:
arranging a sensor to detect or forecast a rear impact; and
deploying the occupant restraint device when the sensor detects or forecasts a rear impact of sufficient magnitude to require deployment of the occupant restraint device to prevent injury to an occupant,
wherein the occupant restraint device comprises a headrest which moves up and forward into contact with the head of an occupant and automatically resets after the rear impact.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is a crush sensor which preferably extends across a major portion of the rear of the vehicle.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an inertial sensor.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the sensor is an anticipatory sensor.
5. A system for deploying an occupant restraint device in a vehicle, comprising:
at least one sensor arranged to detect or forecast a rear impact;
a controller coupled to said at least one sensor and the occupant restraint device and arranged to control deployment of the occupant restraint device when said at least one sensor detects or forecasts a rear impact of sufficient magnitude to require deployment of the occupant restraint device to prevent injury to the occupant,
wherein the occupant restraint device comprises a headrest which moves up and forward into contact with the head of the occupant and automatically resets after the rear impact.
6. The system of claim 5, wherein the sensor includes a crush sensor which preferably extends across a major portion of the rear of the vehicle.
7. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one sensor includes an inertial sensor.
8. The system of claim 5, wherein the at least one sensor includes an anticipatory sensor.
9. The method of claim 1, further comprising arranging at least one sensor in the headrest to provide information about the relative distance between the headrest and the occupant’s head and thereby enable the headrest to move into contact with the occupant’s head.
10. The method of claim 9, wherein the at least one sensor in the headrest is a contact switch.
11. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the headrest up and forward into contact with the occupant’s head after the detection or forecast of the rear impact.
12. The method of claim 1, further comprising moving the headrest from a first position in which it is in prior to the detection or forecast of the rear impact to a second position in contact with the occupant’s head so that it will be in the second position during the rear impact.
13. The method of claim 12, further comprising moving the headrest from the second position back to the first position after the rear impact to thereby automatically reset the headrest after the rear impact.
14. The system of claim 5, further comprising at least one sensor arranged in the headrest to provide information about the relative distance between the headrest and the occupant’s head and thereby enable the headrest to move into contact with the occupant’s head.
15. The system of claim 14, wherein said at least one sensor in the headrest is a contact switch.
16. The system of claim 5, further comprising means for moving the headrest up and forward into contact with the occupant’s head after the detection or forecast of the rear impact.
17. The system of claim 5, further comprising means for moving the headrest from a first position in which it is in prior to the detection or forecast of the rear impact to a second position in contact with the occupant’s head so that it will be in the second position during the rear impact.
18. The system of claim 12, wherein the headrest moving means are arranged to move the headrest from the second position back to the first position after the rear impact to thereby automatically reset the headrest after the rear impact.
19. A motor operated headrest, comprising:
movement means for moving the headrest from a first position not in contact with the head of an occupant to a second position in contact with the head of the occupant during or prior to a rear impact and automatically resetting the headrest after the rear impact by moving from the second position back to the first position; and
a head contact or proximity sensor for providing information about contact between the headrest and the occupant’s head to enable said movement means to move the headrest to the second position.
20. The headrest of claim 19, wherein said sensor comprises a switch, capacitive sensor or ultrasonic sensor.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. An apparatus for constructing a thin film mirror comprising:
a vacuum chamber having a top edge and a bottom edge;
a first extender having an edge generally adjacent the vacuum chamber, the first extender edge and the vacuum chamber top edge being spaced apart along their respective lengths with the first extender edge extending beyond the top edge of the vacuum chamber;
a second extender having an edge opposing the first extender and generally adjacent the bottom edge of the vacuum chamber, the second extender edge and the bottom edge of the vacuum chamber being spaced apart along their respective lengths with the second extender edge extending beyond the bottom edge of the vacuum chamber;
wherein the first extender edge and the second extender edge are positioned such that a thin film extending from the first extender edge to the second extender edge would not intersect the top edge and bottom edge of the vacuum chamber.
2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein at least one of the first extender or the second extender has a generally L-shaped cross section such that when placed adjacent the vacuum chamber, the combination of the first extender or the second extender and the vacuum chamber has a generally U-shaped cross-section.
3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the end of at least one of the first extender or the second extender is not sealed.
4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein a sealed chamber is formed by the first extender and the vacuum chamber.
5. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the first extender edge and the second extender edge includes a generally flat mounting surface for mounting the thin film.
6. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first extender edge is adjustable with respect to the remainder of the first extender or the second extender edge is adjustable with respect to the remainder of the second extender.
7. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein each of the first extender and the second extender is structurally rigid.
8. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one tensioning rod adjacent the vacuum chamber.
9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one tensioning rod between the top edge and the first extender edge or the bottom edge and the second extender edge.
10. The apparatus of claim 8 further comprising a plurality of tensioning devices adapted to apply force to the tensioning rod.
11. The apparatus of claim 9 wherein at least one of the plurality of tensioning devices is adapted for fixation to at least one of the first extender or the second extender.
12. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a skinning attachment positioned on the side of the vacuum chamber with respect to the orientation of the thin film mirror and adapted to mate with the vacuum chamber, the first extender and the second extender.
13. The apparatus of claim 12 wherein the skinning attachment comprises a first set of film mount surface extensions corresponding to the first extender edge and the second extender edge, and a second set of film mount surface extensions corresponding to a first vacuum chamber edge and a second vacuum chamber edge.
14. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first extender edge and the second extender edge are positioned along a generally circular arc.
15. The apparatus of claim 14 wherein the first extender edge, the top edge, the bottom edge, and the second extender edge are positioned along a generally circular arc.
16. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the first extender edge and the second extender edge are positioned above and below the vacuum chamber with respect to the orientation of the thin film mirror.
17. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a clamp on the edge of the vacuum chamber adjacent the first extender or on the edge of the vacuum chamber adjacent the second extender.
18. A thin film mirror constructed using the apparatus of claim 1.
19. A method for constructing a thin film mirror comprising:
providing a vacuum chamber having a top edge and a bottom edge on opposing sides of the vacuum chamber;
providing an extender having an edge generally adjacent an adjacent edge of the vacuum chamber, the adjacent edge being at least one of the top edge or the bottom edge, the extender edge and the adjacent edge spaced apart along their respective lengths with the extender edge extending beyond the adjacent edge of the vacuum chamber such that a thin film extending from the extender edge to the top edge or bottom edge opposite the adjacent edge passes over and does not intersect the adjacent edge;
securing the thin film to the extender edge; and
applying force to the thin film between the extender edge and the adjacent edge sufficient to bring the thin film into contact with the adjacent edge.
20. The method of claim 19 further comprising providing a second extender having an edge generally adjacent an opposite adjacent edge, the opposite adjacent edge being the top edge or the bottom edge opposite the adjacent edge, the second extender edge and the opposite adjacent edge being spaced apart along their respective lengths and the second extender edge extending beyond the opposite adjacent edge of the vacuum chamber such that a thin film extending from the extender edge to the second extender edge would not intersect the top edge or the bottom edge of the vacuum chamber.
21. The method of claim 20 further comprising securing the thin film to the second extender edge.
22. The method of claim 19, wherein a sealed chamber is formed by the vacuum chamber and the extender, and wherein applying force to the thin film comprises applying a partial vacuum to the chamber formed by the vacuum chamber and the extender.
23. The method of claim 19 wherein applying force to the thin film comprises using a tensioning rod.
24. The method of claim 19 further comprising using a plurality of tensioning devices to adjust the force of the tensioning rod on the thin film.
25. The method of claim 19 further comprising attaching a skinning attachment the side of the vacuum chamber with respect to the orientation of the thin film mirror such that the skinning attachment mates with the vacuum chamber and the extender.
26. The method of claim 19 further comprising applying a partial vacuum to the vacuum chamber.
27. The method of claim 26 further comprising using a plurality of tensioning devices to adjust the thin film after applying the partial vacuum.
28. The method of claim 19 further comprising clamping the thin film to the edge of vacuum chamber adjacent the extender edge.
29. A thin film mirror constructed using the method of claim 19.