US 11,897,413 B1
Deployable protection plate
Revathi Krishnamoorthy, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA (US); Mark Lennard Taylor, Laguna Beach, CA (US); Henning Wigger, Detroit, MI (US); Kevin Wheldon, Irvine, CA (US); Andres Meana, Irvine, CA (US); and Shanmugha Kuppuraj, Farmington Hills, MI (US)
Assigned to Rivian IP Holdings, LLC, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed by Rivian IP Holdings, LLC, Irvine, CA (US)
Filed on Aug. 8, 2022, as Appl. No. 17/883,252.
Int. Cl. B60R 21/00 (2006.01); B60R 21/34 (2011.01); B60R 21/0134 (2006.01); B60R 21/013 (2006.01); B60R 21/01 (2006.01)
CPC B60R 21/34 (2013.01) [B60R 21/0134 (2013.01); B60R 2021/0053 (2013.01); B60R 2021/0083 (2013.01); B60R 2021/01013 (2013.01); B60R 2021/01252 (2013.01); B60R 2021/01306 (2013.01)] 20 Claims
OG exemplary drawing
 
1. A system for reducing lower leg injuries resulting from automotive vehicle-human collisions, the system comprising:
an object detection system configured to detect a human prior to impact with an automotive vehicle comprising the object detection system, and further configured to send a first activation signal upon detection of the human;
a first actuator attached to the automotive vehicle; and
a protection plate operatively connected to the first actuator and mounted on a structural component of the automotive vehicle;
wherein upon receipt of the first activation signal by the first actuator, the protection plate is deployed from a non-vertical orientation into a vertical orientation and is vertically-positioned between a level of a front bumper of the automotive vehicle and a surface on which the automotive vehicle is traveling, and
wherein the first actuator is configured to adjust the vertical orientation of the protection plate to compensate for a pitch of the automotive vehicle.