Impact Protection by Isovolumetric Containment of the Torso

Prevalent support-restraint systems used by occupants in vehicles employ a restraint which permits lateral and forward movement of the mid section of the torso. Depending on the acceleration profile variables, the internal organs and tissues are distorted with varying degrees of injury resulting. The dynamic response of the organs during impact can be studied by a many degrees of freedom spring-mass system representation. In contrast to this approach, the confinement of the torso in a flexible but essentially isovolumetric support-restraint system minimizes distortion and in essence allows the organs and bones “to float”. Experimental verification has been obtained, using animals as test subjects, to indicate that survival limits, may be considerably enhanced by this method of containment.