BFGoodrich Introduces Inflatable Seatbelt to Enhance Protection
27 April 2000
BFGoodrich Introduces Inflatable Seatbelt to Enhance Passenger Protection THE BFGOODRICH LOGO The BFGoodrich Logo. (PRNewsFoto)[HD] CHARLOTTE, NC USA 03/14/2000CHARLOTTE, N.C., April 27 The BFGoodrich Company (NYSE: GR) announces the launch of SmartBelt(TM) systems -- seat belts that think like airbags. (Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000314/CHTH007-a http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000314/CHTH007-b http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000314/CHTH007-c http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000314/CHTH007-d http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000314/CHTH007-e http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20000314/CHTU013-a) While automotive safety advances like anti-lock brakes and airbags have been helping to save lives for years, it has been quite some time since a breakthrough safety innovation has been introduced. It's an aerospace company, BFGoodrich, that's bringing a new technology to the automotive market with the potential to protect hundreds upon thousands of drivers and passengers. This patented technology was originally designed for use in aircraft. The SmartBelt(TM) systems work with existing vehicle airbags. During a significant crash, the system rapidly inflates a bladder that runs the length of the belt from the buckle to the point where it enters the upper part of the seat or pillar. The systems are expected to be available to the public within two years. In initial applications, SmartBelt(TM) systems will provide added protection in cars for backseat passengers. BFGoodrich expects the product to become a standard feature in cars and even planes, trains and school buses within a few years. SmartBelt(TM) systems were designed by the safety systems division of BFGoodrich Aerospace. "The inflatable seatbelt is a giant step forward for passenger safety because it provides airbag-like qualities while deploying away from the wearer and then cradling him or her into the impact," said Mike Vecchio, Safety Consultant for BFGoodrich. Advanced safety benefits of the new technology: * SmartBelt(TM) systems actually work in concert with airbags creating additional protection for smaller occupants and especially children. Because SmartBelt(TM) systems inflate within the first 10 milliseconds of a crash, and airbags deploy after 25-30 milliseconds the wearer becomes "prepositioned" by the SmartBelt(TM) system to more safely accept the force of the airbag. Therefore the airbag's ability to protect is optimized. * In side-impact crashes, SmartBelt(TM) systems out-perform airbags and seatbelts. Tests have conclusively shown that with SmartBelt(TM) systems a driver or passenger would sustain considerably less head injury than if they were using traditional airbag/seatbelt combinations. * SmartBelt(TM) systems offer superior rollover protection, even in convertibles. * The SmartBelt(TM) system feels just like a traditional seat belt. And, because it is a seat belt as well as an inflatable restraint, SmartBelt(TM) systems can be adjusted for comfort and for maximum protection. * Seatbelts protect but can also cause pain and in some cases even severe injury. That's because the force between a body and a seatbelt can be tremendous, up to 55 times the force of gravity. SmartBelt(TM) systems provide two benefits to reduce this effect. Additional cushion for the occupant is provided and force is distributed over a wider area on the body since the belt's bladder expands to a full six inches wide. "Lap belts and shoulder belts are good in the back seat, but inflatable belts are better," explained Don Lewis, Innovation Consultant for BFGoodrich and inventor of SmartBelt(TM) systems. Lewis also noted that seatbelts save lives, and that SmartBelt(TM) systems are the next generation of this important safety technology applicable to a wide variety of vehicles from aircraft to school buses. Vecchio, formerly a Ford safety engineer and an 18-year veteran in the crash safety field, says that when deployed, the SmartBelt(TM) system gently pushes an occupant back in his/her seat. Children sometimes lean against the door and slouch in their seat, but SmartBelt(TM) systems, when used properly, remain in position regardless. According to Bill Walthall, President BFGoodrich Safety Systems Division, "The opportunity to bring advanced aerospace technology to the automotive market is another way of putting the BFGoodrich commitment to innovation into action while leveraging our technology." The SmartBelt(TM) system is basically a seatbelt that thinks like an airbag. Its proprietary Direct-Thermal(TM) inflator forms the foundation of this sophisticated technology along with the integration of space age materials. These materials are both strong and light allowing this new innovation to produce its improved safety benefits. The BFGoodrich Company hopes that the introduction of SmartBelt(TM) systems will give motorists one more good reason to buckle up. BFGoodrich Aerospace is one of the world's leading suppliers of components, systems and services to the aerospace industry. It is the largest business at The BFGoodrich Company, which had total 1999 sales of $5.5 billion including its other major businesses, Performance Materials and Engineered Industrial Products. The company was recently included as number six in Fortune magazine's top 10 ranking of the most admired companies in the aerospace industry. The BFGoodrich Company has its headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, and employs 27,000 people worldwide. For more information, please visit our website at http://www.bfgoodrich.com . For additional information on SmartBelt(TM) systems please visit http://www.bfgsmartbelt.com . BFGoodrich exited the automotive tire industry in 1986 after selling its tire business to Michelin. Michelin still manufactures and markets tires under the BFGoodrich label. The Technology Inside the Innovation -- Side Bar The technology behind SmartBelt(TM) systems is the Direct-Thermal(TM) inflator, a proprietary BFGoodrich Aerospace innovation. The Direct- Thermal(TM) inflator's ultra-high thermal efficient design allows for the use of less propellant than traditional inflators, which in turn yields a smaller package size. In addition, it has a unique gas discharging method, permitting a wide range of gas diffusing options -- radially, axially, transfer tubes. This allows maximum flexibility for integration into upstream module applications in all safety system locations.
