US PATENT SUBCLASS 180 / 271
WITH MEANS FOR PROMOTING SAFETY OF VEHICLE, ITS OCCUPANT OR LOAD, OR AN EXTERNAL OBJECT

Current as of: June, 1999
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180 /   HD   MOTOR VEHICLES

271WITH MEANS FOR PROMOTING SAFETY OF VEHICLE, ITS OCCUPANT OR LOAD, OR AN EXTERNAL OBJECT {7}
272  DF  .~> Responsive to absence or inattention of operator, or negatively reactive to attempt to operate vehicle by person not qualified mentally or physically to do so {1}
274  DF  .~> Responsive to engagement of portion of perimeter of vehicle with external object {3}
281  DF  .~> Comprising either movable closure member or fastening device therefor responsive to forward or rearward movement, or variations therein, of vehicle
282  DF  .~> Responsive to sensing of acceleration, deceleration, or tilt of vehicle {2}
286  DF  .~> Comprising vehicle system or component responsive either to position of movable closure member or to status of fastening device therefor
287  DF  .~> By preventing unauthorized or unintended access or use {2}
290  DF  .~> Responsive to weight of cargo load transported by vehicle

DEFINITION

Classification: 180/271

WITH MEANS FOR PROMOTING SAFETY OF VEHICLE, ITS OCCUPANT OR LOAD, OR AN EXTERNAL OBJECT:

(under the class definition) Vehicle having means, not provided for elsewhere, in the nature of an element or device or system, or an operational interconnection between elements or devices or systems of the vehicle, which means has the purpose of (1) protecting the vehicle by (a) decreasing its likelihood of being involved in a collision or other accident, (b) rendering it less vulnerable to damage from such a collision or accident, (c) making it less susceptible to damage resulting from being incorrectly started, operated, or stopped by an unskilled operator or one unfamiliar with the vehicle, or (d) decreasing the possibility of its being entered or operated by a person not intended to have access to the vehicle; (2) protecting an occupant or a load either as a result of protecting the vehicle in one or more of the ways noted in (1) above or as a result of providing a restraint or shield for the occupant or load; or (3) protecting an external object, including another vehicle or an obstacle, either as a result of protecting the vehicle in one or more of the ways noted in (1) above or as a result of utilizing, for the vehicle, external structure which is less likely to damage the object or obstacle.

(1) Note. The means of this and the indented subclasses usually has a capability for ascertaining a condition which involves, or may involve, the safety (as set of the above) of the vehicle and for acting in response thereto to protect the vehicle, its occupant or load, or an object (including another vehicle) external of the vehicle.

(2) Note. This and the indented subclasses represent a reclassification of former subclasses 82+ (i.e., former subclasses 82 and 91 to 114), less former subclasses 98 and 105+, for which subclasses 167+ and 170+, respectively, have been established above. Concurrent with the reclassification, the safety concept was assigned a more superior position in the schedule. As a result of that relocation, this area (subclasses 271+) is incomplete to the extent that any intervening, unreclassified subclass may contain safety-related subject matter; it is believed, however, that,

should such art exist, it will be confined principally to subclasses 315+.

(3) Note. While subclass 90 was not included in this project, it is believed that art pertaining to a resilient (e.g., padded) dashboard has been placed there without regard to whether it constituted a safety device within the concept of former subclasses 82+.

SEE OR SEARCH THIS CLASS, SUBCLASS:

41, for a motor vehicle provided with means for raising the frame or body relative to one or more of the vehicle wheels; inasmuch as that subclass (41) was not included in the classification project which established this area (subclasses 271+), principally from former subclasses 82+, no assurance can be given that it (subclass 41) does not contain art which, while having a safety aspect, was not previously considered as comprising a "safety device" within the meaning of former subclass 82.

78, for a motor vehicle provided with a controlling device which is mounted on the vehicle's steering post, and see the mention of subclasses 315+ in (2) Note above. 90, for a motor vehicle provided with a body and wherein the body has structure in the nature of a dashboard, which dashboard may be of a resilient (e.g., padded) type, and see (3) Note above.

232, for a motor vehicle provided with means for (a) protecting its motor from the impact of a collision, (b) utilizing the mass of the motor to absorb the force of a collision, or (c) protecting its occupant region from an impact-induced shifting of its motor.

268+, for a motor vehicle provided with a belt or harness for restraining an occupant and means whereby the belt or harness controls, or it is controlled by, the functioning of a vehicle system or component.

405+, for a motor vehicle provided with steering gear of the fluid power assist type and wherein secondary means is provided for insuring the availability of power to aid in manipulating the steering gear in the event of failure of the primary means.

SEE OR SEARCH CLASS

15, Brushing, Scrubbing, and General Cleaning,

250.001+, for an optical member cleaner (e.g., a windshield wiper).

74, Machine Element or Mechanism,

492+, for a steering post, per se, which may include a post

which is collapsible or deformable.

188, Brakes, appropriate subclasses for a device or system for slowing or stopping a vehicle (e.g., an arrangement for controlling the "fishtailing" of a towed vehicle with respect to its towing vehicle by utilizing the brakes of one or both vehicles may be found in

112, ). 192, Clutches and Power-Stop Controls, appropriate subclasses for the interrelated control of a motor and a clutch or a brake.

239, Fluid Sprinkling, Spraying, and Diffusing,

284.1, for a windshield-type liquid sprayer.

280, Land Vehicles,

5.5+, especially subclasses 5.501+ for a general utility land vehicle including an active suspension responsive to a force encountered while the vehicle is in surface traversing motion; subclasses 124.103, 124.104+, and 124.106+ for a general utility wheeled land vehicle suspension arrangement specifically provided to prevent adverse disposition of the vehicle body, chassis, or frame; subclass 432 for a general utility wheeled land vehicle train of semitrailer construction including a safety feature in the nature of either (a) means to prevent excessive horizontal swing of the trailer or (b) means to prevent separation of the tractor and the trailer in the event of failure of the coupling means; subclasses 728.1+, 801.1+, and 805 through 808, as explained in the search note appearing within subclass 268 of this class (Class 180); subclasses 802+, also as explained in the (1) and (2) Notes appearing within subclass 268 of this class (Class 180); subclasses 748+ for a general utility wheeled land vehicle provided with a passenger safety guard; subclass 756 for a general utility wheeled land vehicle provided with an attachment in the nature of a roll bar and/or an overhead guard; subclasses 757+ for a general utility wheeled land vehicle provided with an attachment for providing traction with a road surface; subclass 770 for a general utility wheeled land vehicle provided with an attachment for protecting the vehicle from externally caused damage; or subclass 777 for a general utility wheeled land vehicle including occupant controlled steering having a steering column or steering wheel deformable or otherwise movable in response to the force of a collision.

291, Track Sanders, appropriate subclasses for means for applying sand or like material to the tread of a vehicle wheel or to the surface which underlyingly supports the wheel, or to both, for the purpose of increasing the coefficient of friction between the wheel and the surface. Certain subclasses (e.g., 2, 3, 4, 14, 15, 19, 22, 39, and 40) thereof provide for the combination of specific vehicle

structure, or particular vehicle operation, with the means.

293, Vehicle Fenders, appropriate subclasses for a vehicle attached device for removing persons or animals from the path of a moving vehicle, or for catching and retaining such persons or animals, or for receiving or fending off blows from other vehicles or objects.

297, Chairs and Seats,

464+, as explained in the reference thereto appearing in subclass 268.1 above, and see particularly indented subclasses 487+.

303, Fluid-Pressure and Analogous Brake Systems,

7, for the distribution of braking fluid to a plurality of braking motors, and wherein the motors are those on a sectional train and the fluid is distributed differently to the different sections; and subclasses 121+ for fluid braking apparatus wherein the distribution of braking fluid, and therefore the braking action, is regulated at least in part by a speed condition. 340, Communications: Electrical,

438+, for vehicle alarms or indicators responsive to a condition of the vehicle which condition may relate to the safety or protection of the vehicle or its occupants.

477, Interrelated Power Delivery Controls, Including Engine Control, for transmission and engine start interlock.