Device for shortening brake activation reaction time

Abstract

The invention provides an under-thigh support and restrainer for use in combination with a driver's car seat. The device is made in the form of a triangular pillow that is attached to the car seat cushion and supports the driver's leg in a position required for the minimal time needed to move the driver's foot from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal at the moment of danger. The pillow is provided with straps that can be wrapped around the driver's right thigh to restrain the driver's leg in the aforementioned position to allow minimal time for reaching the brake pedal.

1 . A combination of a vehicle driver's seat with an under-thigh support device for supporting the right thigh of a driver in a position that provides the shortest reaction time for movement of the driver's leg from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal and for activation of the brake, wherein said vehicle driver's seat has a vehicle driver's seat cushion, said under-thigh support device comprising:
 an under-thigh support body having means for preventing sliding of said under-thigh support body on the surface of the vehicle driver's seat cushion and a support surface that is raised above the surface of the vehicle driver's seat cushion and is tapered in the direction from the right thigh of the driver towards the center of said vehicle driver's seat cushion for supporting the driver's thigh in said position that provides the shortest reaction time for movement of the driver's leg from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal and for activation of the brake.   
   
   
       2 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein said means for preventing sliding is a surface with a high coefficient of friction relative to said surface of the vehicle driver's seat cushion. 
   
   
       3 . The combination of  claim 2 , wherein said surface with a high coefficient of friction relative to said surface of the vehicle driver's seat cushion is formed by Velcro fasteners. 
   
   
       4 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein said under-thigh support body is further provided with automatically releasable restraining means for restraining the right thigh of the driver in said position that provides the shortest reaction time for movement of the driver's leg from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal and for activation of the brake. 
   
   
       5 . The combination of  claim 4 , wherein said releasable restraining means comprise at least a pair of strips attached to said under-thigh support body, said releasable restraining means having connecting elements on their ends and having a length sufficient to engage said connecting means in a position wrapped around the driver's right thigh. 
   
   
       6 . The combination of  claim 5 , wherein said connecting elements are Velcro fasteners. 
   
   
       7 . The combination of  claim 2 , wherein said means for preventing sliding is a vehicle driver's seat cushion case that can fit onto said vehicle driver's seat cushion, said vehicle driver's seat cushion case having strips for attaching said vehicle driver's seat cushion case to the vehicle driver's seat cushion and having at least a part of the surface of said vehicle driver's seat cushion case that can be engaged with said means for preventing sliding. 
   
   
       8 . The combination of  claim 7 , wherein said means for preventing sliding and at least a part of the surface of said vehicle driver's seat cushion case comprise Velcro fasteners. 
   
   
       9 . The combination of  claim 7 , wherein said under-thigh support body is further provided with automatically releasable restraining means for restraining the right thigh of the driver in said position that provides the shortest reaction time for movement of the driver's leg from the accelerator pedal to the brake pedal and for pushing on the brake pedal. 
   
   
       10 . The combination of  claim 9 , wherein said releasable restraining means comprise at least a pair of strips attached to said under-thigh support body, said releasable restraining means having connecting elements on their ends and having a length sufficient to engage said connecting means in a position wrapped around the driver's right thigh. 
   
   
       11 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein said under-thigh support body is built into said vehicle driver's seat cushion, said combination further comprising a support moving mechanism for moving said under-thigh support body between a first position where said means for preventing sliding comprise a contact surface that coincides with the surface of said vehicle seat cushion and a second position where said contact surface is raised above said vehicle seat cushion and is tapered from the right thigh of the driver toward the center of said vehicle driver's seat cushion. 
   
   
       12 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein said support moving mechanism comprises: a pivot axis that rotatingly supports said under-thigh support body to said vehicle driver's seat; a rotatable handle attached to said vehicle driver's seat; and a mechanism between said rotatable handle and said under-thigh support body that is capable of moving said under-thigh support between said first position and said second position when said rotatable handle is rotated. 
   
   
       13 . The combination of  claim 12 , wherein said mechanism comprises a screw rigidly connected to said rotatable handle, a nut engaged with said screw, and a link, one end of which is pivotally connected to said nut and another end is pivotally connected to said under-thigh support body. 
   
   
       14 . The combination of  claim 1 , wherein said under-thigh support body comprises a pillow having a triangular shape. 
   
   
       15 . The combination of  claim 2 , wherein said under-thigh support body comprises a pillow having a triangular shape. 
   
   
       16 . The combination of  claim 3 , wherein said under-thigh support body comprises a pillow having a triangular shape. 
   
   
       17 . The combination of  claim 4 , wherein said under-thigh support body comprises a pillow having a triangular shape. 
   
   
       18 . The combination of  claim 11 , wherein said under-thigh support body comprises a pillow having a triangular shape. 
   
   
       19 . The combination of  claim 12 , wherein said under-thigh support body comprises a pillow having a triangular shape. 
   
   
       20 . The combination of  claim 13 , wherein said under-thigh support body comprises a pillow having a triangular shape.