Adjustable Vehicle Table Assembly for Passenger Impact Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current vehicle safety systems fail to effectively manage the motion of objects within a compartment during sudden changes in acceleration, speed, or direction, particularly in fully autonomous vehicles where passenger safety is a concern without a human driver.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle safety system that includes a table with an adjustable support assembly and sensors, where a controller detects vehicle events and moves the table top away from the seat assembly to absorb energy and reduce force on passengers, using actuators and a crushable material for energy absorption.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If the table top is kept stationary during vehicle events, then the structure is simple and reliable, but the force on passengers increases and safety is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The table top is transformed from a static structure to a dynamic one that can actively move in response to vehicle events. The adjustable support assembly with actuators enables the table top to translate and rotate, allowing it to adapt its position during collisions to reduce force on passengers while maintaining structural simplicity through controlled motion rather than complex mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The controller detects vehicle events using sensors and activates the adjustable support assembly before the full impact force is transmitted to passengers. By moving the table top away from the passenger in advance of the maximum force event, the system reduces the harmful force while avoiding the need for overly complex real-time response mechanisms
2Reliability
If the table top is moved away from the seat assembly during vehicle events, then passenger safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The table top system becomes self-regulating through the adjustable support assembly that automatically detects vehicle events via sensors and activates actuators to move the table top to protective positions. This self-service capability enhances passenger safety by autonomously responding to collisions without requiring external intervention or overly complex control systems
Solution Approach 2:
The harmful force transmission path is extracted by separating the table top from the fixed structure. The adjustable support assembly allows the table top to be extracted from its traditional fixed position and repositioned independently during vehicle events, reducing force on passengers while keeping the overall system relatively simple through modular design
3Loss of energy
If crushable material is used in the table top, then energy absorption is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The table top incorporates crushable material as a composite structure that combines energy-absorbing properties with structural integrity. This composite approach allows the table top to absorb collision energy through controlled deformation while maintaining ease of manufacture by integrating the crushable material into standard table top fabrication processes rather than requiring separate complex assembly steps
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 system effectively reduces the force experienced by passengers during vehicle events by moving the table top to absorb energy, enhancing passenger safety in autonomous vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
a portion of the table top that is adjacent to the seat assembly is formed from a crushable material to absorb energy
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a body structure that defines a enclosure, a support system that is located in the enclosure, and a support structure that includes a top portion and an adjustable support assembly. The top portion is located adjacent to the support system, the adjustable support assembly includes actuators, and the adjustable support assembly is configured to move the top portion with respect to the support system. The system also includes sensors that are configured to generate sensor outputs regarding an environment outside of the system, and a controller that detects an event based on the sensor outputs. In response to the detection of the event, the controller outputs a control signal that controls the adjustable support assembly so that the adjustable support assembly moves at least part of the top portion away from the support system.