In April 2019, Safe, Inc. was assigned United States Patent No.: US 10,272,863 B1 for: STRUCTURE AND METHOD FOR PROTECTING A PASSENGER DURING A CRASH

ABSTRACT:

A method and apparatus for protecting a passenger during a crash comprises a moveable seat with an energy absorber (EA) that allows the seat to stroke a finite distance to decelerate the passenger in a controlled manner. The seat is designed so that one of a plurality of fixed profile EA’s can be selectively engaged to provide a tailored EA composite profile adapted to the occupant’s weight and anticipated crash environment. The tailored EA composite profile applies a frequency matched, low onset force to the seat, which substantially eliminates problems associated with dynamic overshoot of the passenger’s spine.

The inventors are Dr. Stan Desjardins, founder and CEO of Safe, Inc., Dr. Lance Labun, and Ms. April Pinger.

Safe team with NASA Orion Program Manager Mark Kirasich (back row, second from left) and NASA astronaut Randy Breznik (back row, fifth from right), at a special NASA/YPG meet-and-greet gathering, the day before the Orion parachute drop testing | Photo credit: NASA

A thrilling and proud day for Safe, Inc.! NASA invited Safe as V.I.P. guests to participate in the Final Orion Crew Vehicle Airborne Drop Test of the Parachute Assembly System at Yuma Proving Ground in Yuma, Arizona. NASA’s Orion Multi-Purpose Crew Vehicle (MPCV) mission is to carry its crew to orbit, provide emergency abort capability, sustain the crew while in space, and provide safe re-entry from deep space return velocities.

This photo with Safe staff, NASA Orion Program manager Mark Kirasich, and NASA astronaut Randy Breznick, was posted on NASA’s Orion Spacecraft Facebook page on September 11, 2018, the day before the Yuma Proving Ground Orion parachute assembly system test drop. The caption accompanying the NASA Facebook photo reads, “Thanks to the team at Safe, Inc. in Tempe, AZ for their work on Orion’s crew seats and for making the trip up to Yuma for tomorrow’s final drop test!”

Safe, Inc. is a cutting-edge product development, engineering, and technology research firm with a core focus on safety. From delivering innovative designs of energy-absorbing, crashworthy hardware to solving challenging problems in air, sea, and ground transportation, Safe is  supporting  a growing list of clients including: the U. S. Navy, U. S. Army, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, NASA, Lockheed Martin, the Federal Transportation Administration, and others.

Safe’s center for advanced engineering, design, and development is in Tempe, Arizona. This 7,000‑square-foot multi-functional facility includes work areas for engineering, design, and administration and contains a 1,900‑square-foot laboratory. The laboratory is fully equipped to fabricate, assemble, and test prototypes. Equipped to perform static and dynamic testing, the lab includes an indoor drop tower and a multi-directional, multi-load static test system.

In-house capabilities include SolidWorks™ CAD workstations, COSMOS™ finite element analysis software, and PhotoWorks™ graphics rendering software. Safe personnel have expertise in successfully applying these tools in solving the design challenges inherent in aerospace, defense, automotive, transportation, sensing, and medical systems.

Founded in 2002 by Dr. Stan Desjardins, a pioneer in aviation crash survivability, Safe is one of the fastest growing Arizona small business technology firms. The firm is consistently ranked in the top ten for Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) awards in the state. With a staff of dedicated professionals, Safe is delivering excellence in innovative solutions for providing a safer tomorrow.

Safe, Inc. Facility in Tempe, Arizona | Photo credit: Gary Bang

Safe, Inc. Employees in Tempe, Arizona | Photo credit: Nic Williams