Adjustable Seatbelt Buckle Locking for Child Seat Clearance
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seatbelt buckle designs do not allow for adequate height adjustment, which can affect the ease of ingress and egress, particularly in vehicles equipped with child car seats, and may not comply with regulatory height limits.
Innovation Solution
A height-adjustable seatbelt buckle design that includes a movable buckle with a stopper mechanism, allowing the buckle to be raised or lowered along a support post. The buckle locks in the lowered position through a stopper seated within a support post aperture, and can be unlocked by a button to return to the raised position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the buckle is made fixed in position, then the structure is simple and reliable, but the height cannot be adjusted to accommodate different seating arrangements
Solution Approach 1:
The buckle is designed to be movable along the support post rather than fixed, allowing it to transition between different height positions. The support post includes multiple apertures at different heights, and the stopper can engage with different apertures to lock the buckle at desired positions, providing dynamic height adjustment capability.
Solution Approach 2:
The height adjustment mechanism is segmented into discrete positions defined by multiple apertures in the support post. The stopper engages with individual apertures to provide distinct height levels, allowing the buckle to be positioned at various heights while maintaining structural simplicity through standardized aperture locations.
2Ease of operation
If the buckle protrudes far from the seat, then it is easily accessible, but it interferes with child car seat installation and may violate regulations
Solution Approach 1:
The buckle's position relative to the seat is made dynamic through height adjustment. Users can lower the buckle close to the seat surface when child car seats are installed, and raise it farther from the seat when accessibility is prioritized, allowing adaptation to different usage scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
Different height positions provide different local characteristics: higher positions optimize for ease of operation and visibility, while lower positions optimize for compatibility with child car seats and regulatory compliance. The system allows selection of the appropriate local quality based on the specific situation.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the buckle is lowered close to the seat, then it complies with height regulations, but it becomes difficult to access and operate
Solution Approach 1:
The system allows dynamic repositioning of the buckle between low positions (for regulatory compliance) and high positions (for ease of operation). The height-adjustable mechanism enables users to switch between these states based on whether the vehicle contains child car seats or requires frequent buckle access.
Solution Approach 2:
The buckle system serves multiple functions through height adjustment: it can comply with regulations when lowered, provide easy access when raised, and accommodate both adult and child seating arrangements, making it a universal solution for diverse vehicle configurations.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The design allows for easy installation and removal of child car seats while ensuring compliance with regulatory height limits, enhancing user convenience and safety by facilitating easy access to the buckle, especially in low-light conditions.
Implementation Method 1
a spring is configured to bias the buckle in the raised position
Implementation Method 2
the chamfered tip is configured to slide along the support post as the buckle moves from the lowered position to the raised position
Data Source
AI summary
A seatbelt assembly including: a buckle defining a receptacle configured to receive a striker therein; a back plate of the buckle defining a first aperture; a support post to which the back plate is slidably mounted defining a second aperture; and a stopper within the buckle movable between a retracted position and an extended position, in the retracted position the stopper is outside of both the receptacle and the first aperture, and in the extended position the stopper extends through the receptacle and through the first aperture. The buckle is movable along the support post between a raised position and a lowered position, in the lowered position with the stopper in the extended position the tip of the stopper is seated within the second aperture of the support post to lock the buckle in the lowered position.