Belt Buckle Soft Layer Damping Impact Noise
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing belt buckles with latch mechanisms often produce unwanted noise due to abrupt closure, which is undesirable in modern vehicles with stricter acoustic requirements, and existing solutions like damping elements are not cost-effective.
Innovation Solution
A belt buckle design incorporating a soft layer on the inside of the casing to absorb impact and reduce noise, where the soft layer is either glued, produced through 2K injection molding, or formed as an insert component, effectively damping sound waves and reducing noise emission.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a metallic latch mechanism is used for load-bearing, then strength and reliability are improved, but noise generation increases due to abrupt closure
Solution Approach 1:
A soft layer is introduced as an intermediary element between the metallic latch mechanism and the casing. This soft layer acts as a mediator that absorbs impact energy and dampens noise during the closing movement, allowing the metallic latch to maintain its load-bearing function while significantly reducing the harmful noise that would otherwise be generated by direct metal-to-metal impact
Solution Approach 2:
The soft layer is pre-installed on the casing surface at the anticipated impact location before the latch mechanism closes. This beforehand cushioning ensures that when the metallic latch mechanism closes abruptly, the soft layer is already in position to absorb the impact energy and dampen noise, preventing the harmful noise generation from occurring in the first place
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a damping element is added to reduce noise, then noise generation is reduced, but manufacturing cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention changes the material parameter of the casing surface by adding a soft layer with different physical properties (softer, noise-absorbing material) at the impact location. This parameter change allows the existing latch mechanism to function normally while significantly reducing noise, providing a cost-effective solution that modifies only the necessary surface property rather than redesigning the entire mechanism
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of making the entire casing or latch mechanism uniformly soft or complex, the soft layer is applied only at the specific local area where impact occurs. This local quality approach ensures that the noise-reducing function is provided exactly where needed, minimizing additional manufacturing cost while effectively addressing the noise problem at the critical impact zone
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 soft layer significantly reduces noise generation by absorbing impact and sound waves, making the latching mechanism quieter and more cost-efficient, while maintaining the noise damping effect over multiple operations.
Implementation Method 1
a soft layer arranged on one of the structural elements of the latching mechanism... through the soft layer arranged on the inside of the casing on the anticipated impact surface, noise generation can be reduced, because the moving parts of the latching mechanism no longer directly strike the harder casing of the belt buckle
Implementation Method 2
due to the soft layer, the transmission of the sound waves that are still produced on the casing can be reduced, and thus also the further propagation of these noises from the belt buckle to the outside
Data Source
AI summary
A belt buckle for a safety belt system for latching a belt buckle (1) with a casing (4), and a locking mechanism (3) arranged in the casing (4), and a spring element (13) loading the latching mechanism (3) in the closing direction, and a damping element that acts against the closing direction of the lathing mechanism (3). The damping element is formed by a soft layer arranged on the inside of the casing (4) on an anticipated impact surface of one of the components of the latching mechanism (3) during the latching or unlatching movement (3).