Collapsible Armrest Insert With Tunable Tension for Side Impact Safety
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle armrests can pose hazards during side impact collisions as they project into the cabin and may be forced further into the cabin area, potentially causing injury or interference with airbag deployment.
Innovation Solution
A collapsible vehicular armrest substrate with load-bearing strips and tunable elements that secure the strips to a support frame, allowing them to disengage and collapse when tension exceeds a predetermined limit, thereby reducing the risk of injury and facilitating airbag deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the armrest is made rigid to maintain structural integrity, then the armrest provides stable support under normal conditions, but the armrest poses a hazard during side impact collisions by forcing further into the cabin area
Solution Approach 1:
The armrest structure transitions from a static rigid state to a dynamic collapsible state. Load-bearing strips are connected to the support frame via tunable elements that maintain structural integrity during normal use but allow controlled collapse when tension exceeds the predetermined limit during side impact collisions, resolving the contradiction between rigidity and safety.
Solution Approach 2:
The mechanical properties of the connection between load-bearing strips and support frame are changed by using tunable elements with a predetermined tension limit. These elements maintain high strength under normal conditions but undergo permanent deformation or failure when the tension exceeds the limit, allowing the armrest to collapse and reduce injury risk during collisions.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If the armrest is made collapsible to reduce injury risk during collisions, then the armrest allows safe airbag deployment, but the armrest cannot maintain structural integrity under normal conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The tunable elements are designed with specific mechanical properties that allow them to maintain high tension strength under normal conditions, providing structural integrity. When the tension exceeds the predetermined limit during side impact collisions, the elements undergo controlled failure, enabling the armrest to collapse and reduce injury risk.
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest structure is designed to be dynamically responsive to applied forces. The tunable elements allow the structure to maintain its rigid form during normal use but transition to a collapsed state when subjected to collision forces exceeding the predetermined tension limit, thus providing both structural integrity and collision safety.
3Strength
If the armrest uses high-tension elements to maintain structural integrity, then the armrest provides stable support, but the armrest cannot disengage during collisions when tension exceeds the limit
Solution Approach 1:
The tunable elements are designed with a predetermined tension limit that defines two operational regimes: a linear elastic regime under normal conditions where the elements maintain structural integrity, and a permanent deformation or failure regime when tension exceeds the limit during collisions, enabling disengagement and collapse.
Solution Approach 2:
The armrest structure incorporates tunable elements that dynamically respond to applied forces by maintaining high tension under normal conditions for structural integrity but allowing controlled failure when forces exceed the predetermined limit, thus providing both stability and collision adaptability.
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 collapsible armrest substrate effectively reduces the risk of injury by disengaging from the support frame during collisions, allowing for safe airbag deployment and minimizing the armrest's intrusion into the cabin, while maintaining structural integrity under normal conditions.
Implementation Method 1
A first tunable element secures the load-bearing strips in a support position on the support frame
Implementation Method 2
A first tension-adjusting portion sets a predetermined first tension limit of the first tunable element
Implementation Method 3
The load-bearing strips disengage from the support position when the first tunable element experiences an actual tension greater than the predetermined first tension limit
Data Source
AI summary
A collapsible vehicular armrest substrate includes load-bearing strips extending across a gap defined within a support frame. A first tunable element secures the load-bearing strips in a support position on the support frame. A first tension-adjusting portion sets a predetermined first tension limit of the first tunable element. The load-bearing strips disengage from the support position when the first tunable element experiences an actual tension greater than the predetermined first tension limit.