Impact Protection With the “Airstop” Restraint System

Development is progressing of an improved airbag restraint system for passenger vehicles which we call “airstop.” It consists of an airbag in front of the chest, an airbag in front of the feet and under the seat, and an inflated airseat. This system has an impact load transmission to the subject of one-third or less of the vehicle longitudinal or vertical loads.

The experimental work leading to the airstop design is reviewed, with acceleration data presented for vertical and inclined drops of the initial full-length airbag system and an astronaut airbag restraint system, swing and drop impacts of airstop systems, and a DC-7 crash test of a chest and foot airbag system.

The airstop system is designed for automatic deflation of the bags and the seats after a crash, greatly facilitating fire escape from the aircraft. The weight of the airseat system is less than the weight of present seats.