Capacitive Rail Safety Device Actuation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing floor rail systems in vehicles face challenges in actuating seat safety devices such as airbags, pretensioners, and antisubmarining devices due to wire interference, which complicates the transmission of power and control signals.
Innovation Solution
A capacitive transmitter system is implemented along the rail, allowing for wireless communication between a vehicle computer and seat controllers, enabling encoded signals to actuate safety devices based on specific device identifier codes, thereby eliminating wire interference and enabling simultaneous actuation of safety devices.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If wires are used to connect safety devices to the vehicle computer and power source, then the safety devices can be actuated reliably, but the wires interfere with the floor rail system and complicate the transmission of power and control signals
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the signal transmission function from physical wires by implementing a wireless communication system between the vehicle computer and seat controllers. The wireless system transmits actuation signals and power through the floor rail system's existing capacitive structure, eliminating the need for separate wiring harnesses connecting safety devices to the vehicle computer, thus removing wire interference while maintaining reliable actuation
Solution Approach 2:
The floor rail system is enhanced to serve multiple functions: it continues to provide structural support for seats, transmits power to seat motors, and now also serves as a wireless communication medium for actuating safety devices. The capacitive structure of the floor rails is utilized to transmit both power and control signals simultaneously, eliminating the need for dedicated wiring for safety device actuation
2Adaptability or versatility
If traditional wiring is used for each safety device, then individual actuation is possible, but space usage increases and manufacturing constraints are exacerbated
Solution Approach 1:
The wireless communication system transmitted through the floor rails provides a universal communication channel that can address and actuate any safety device in any seat without requiring physical wiring to each device. The system maintains individual actuation capability through device identifier codes while eliminating the space-consuming wiring infrastructure
Solution Approach 2:
The patent uses capacitive coupling to create an electromagnetic field-based copy of the communication interface, allowing signals to be transmitted through the floor rail structure without physical wire connections. This enables multiple seats to share the same communication medium while maintaining individual device addressing and actuation
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 capacitive transmitter system ensures efficient and simultaneous actuation of safety devices in vehicle seats, reducing space usage and manufacturing constraints while ensuring reliable operation during vehicle impacts.
Implementation Method 1
a rail (105) including a capacitive transmitter (110)
Data Source
AI summary
A system includes a rail including a capacitive transmitter, a computer programmed to send an actuation identifier code along the capacitive transmitter, and a plurality of seats supported by the rail, each seat including a seat controller communicatively connected to the capacitive transmitter. Each seat controller is programmed to actuate a safety device when a device identifier code corresponding to the safety device matches the actuation identifier code.