Leg restraint device for side-seated vehicle occupants

1. A leg restraint for side-seated vehicle occupants, and comprising a leg-restraining member mounted in proximity to a side-facing vehicle seat and selectively moveable in a direction perpendicular to a direction of forward travel of the vehicle between a deployed, laterally-extending leg-protecting position and a retracted, non-leg interfering position, and an impact-activated biasing member cooperating with the leg-restraining member to move the leg-restraining member into the retracted position upon impact of an occupant's leg against the leg-restraining member, wherein the leg-restraining member comprises a panel that is mounted beneath a seat bottom on a side of the seat most proximate to the direction of forward travel of the vehicle.

2. A leg restraint according to claim 1 , wherein the panel has a height that is at least two times a width of the panel.

3. A leg restraint according to claim 1 , and including a locking member cooperating with the leg-restraining member to retain the leg restraining member in its the deployed position.

4. A leg restraint according to claim 1 , wherein the vehicle comprises an aircraft and the vehicle seat comprises an aircraft occupant seat.

5. A leg restraint for side-seated aircraft occupants, and comprising:

(a) a leg-restraining member comprising a panel that is perpendicular to the floor of the vehicle mounted in proximity to a side-facing aircraft seat on a side of the seat most proximate to a direction of forward travel of the vehicle and selectively moveable in a direction perpendicular to the direction of forward travel between a deployed, laterally-extending leg-protecting position during taxi, take-off, and landing (TTOL) and a retracted, non-leg interfering position;

(b) an impact-activated biasing member cooperating with the leg-restraining member to move the leg-restraining member into the retracted position upon impact of an occupant's leg against the leg-restraining member; and

(c) a locking member cooperating with the leg-restraining member to retain the leg restraining member in the deployed position against a biasing force towards the retracted position until an impact of an occupant's leg against the leg-restraining member.

6. A leg restraint for side-seated aircraft occupants, and comprising:

(a) a leg-restraining member mounted in proximity to a side-facing aircraft seat and selectively moveable between a deployed, laterally-extending leg-protecting position during taxi, take-off, and landing (TTOL) and a retracted, non-leg interfering position, wherein the leg-restraining member comprises a panel mounted beneath a seat bottom of the aircraft seat;

(b) an impact-activated biasing member cooperating with the leg-restraining member to move the leg-restraining member into the retracted position upon impact of an occupant's leg against the leg-restraining member, wherein the impact-activated biasing member comprises a spring cooperating with the panel; and

(c) a locking member cooperating with the leg-restraining member to retain the leg restraining member in the deployed position against a biasing force towards the retracted position until an impact of an occupant's leg against the leg-restraining member, wherein the locking member comprises a locking pin carried by the panel and mounted for movement in a guide slot formed in a cap mounted on the panel, the guide slot including a notch offset to one side of the guide slot and positioned to capture the locking pin upon deployment of the panel to retain the panel in the deployed position against a biasing force applied to the panel towards the retracted position.

7. A leg restraint according to claim 6 , wherein:

(a) the panel is mounted in an elongate panel housing positioned beneath the seat bottom of the vehicle on a side of the seat most proximate to a direction of forward travel of the aircraft, and moveable between a deployed, laterally-extending leg-protecting position during TTOL and a retracted, non-leg interfering position;

(b) the spring comprises a coil spring mounted in a spring housing mounted on the panel housing such that as the panel is deployed, the coil spring is uncoiled and when the panel is retracted, the coil spring coils;

(c) a top locking pin is carried by a top side of the panel and mounted for movement in a guide slot formed in a top cap mounted on the top side of the panel, the top guide slot including a notch positioned to capture the top locking pin upon deployment of the panel to retain the panel in the deployed position against a biasing force applied to the panel towards the retracted position;

(d) a bottom locking pin is carried by a bottom side of the panel and mounted for movement in a guide slot formed in a bottom cap mounted on the bottom side of the panel, the bottom guide slot including a notch positioned to capture the bottom locking pin upon deployment of the panel to retain the panel in the deployed position against a biasing force applied to the panel towards the retracted position.

8. A leg restraint according to claim 7 , and including at least one laterally-positioned biasing member carried by the panel housing and imposing a lateral bias against the panel in a direction to maintain the locking pin in the notch in an offset position to one side of the guide slot when the panel is in the deployed position.

9. A leg restraint according to claim 8 , wherein laterally-positioned biasing member comprises a spring-loaded pin adapted to be positioned in an extended position against the panel when the panel is in the deployed position, and to be moved into a retracted position against the panel by the action of the panel upon lateral deflection of the panel incident to impact by a leg of the seat occupant.

10. A leg restraint according to claim 6 , wherein: the panel has a height that is at least two times a width of the panel.