D-ring height adjustment guidance via visual feedback
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Solution Overview
Problem
Occupants often fail to adjust the D-ring mechanism of safety belts to an optimal height due to its inaccessibility, lack of awareness, or busy schedules, leading to reduced comfort and effectiveness of the restraint system.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle system utilizing interior cameras and sensing technology to detect the target and current D-ring heights, notifying occupants through a human-machine interface to manually adjust the D-ring mechanism to an optimal position.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the D-ring mechanism is made manually adjustable to accommodate varying shoulder heights, then adaptability is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates because occupants often fail to adjust it properly
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses cameras and sensors to detect the occupant's shoulder height and provides visual feedback through a display showing the current D-ring position versus the optimal position. This feedback loop guides the occupant to make the correct adjustment, solving the problem of occupants failing to adjust the D-ring properly while maintaining manual adjustability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an intermediary system (camera, sensor, and display combination) that mediates between the occupant and the D-ring adjustment mechanism. This intermediary provides guidance and information to the occupant, making the manual adjustment process easier and more reliable without automating the adjustment itself.
2Ease of operation
If a motor or actuator is used to provide automatic D-ring adjustment, then ease of operation is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system enables the occupant to self-adjust the D-ring mechanism by providing visual guidance and information about the current position and optimal position. The occupant performs the adjustment themselves using the guidance provided, avoiding the need for motors or actuators while still improving ease of operation through informed decision-making.
3Ease of manufacture
If the D-ring is positioned out of sight or not prominently displayed, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but loss of information occurs as occupants are unaware of the adjustment need
Solution Approach 1:
The display system provides visual feedback to the occupant about the D-ring's current position and the optimal position, compensating for the D-ring being out of sight or not prominently displayed. This feedback mechanism ensures occupants have the necessary information to make proper adjustments without requiring the D-ring itself to be highly visible.
Data Source
AI summary
Guidance to a vehicle occupant is directed to manual adjustment of a height of a D-ring mechanism of a safety belt. First data of the occupant is collected which is indicative of a target height for the D-ring mechanism. Second data is collected indicative of a current height of the D-ring mechanism. The target height and the current height are compared to generate an adjustment amount whenever their difference is greater than a predetermined threshold. Visual guidance is presented to the occupant on an HMI display panel wherein the visual guidance describes taking an particular action to achieve the manual height adjustment of the D-ring mechanism. A further visual instruction is presented to the occupant on the HMI display panel wherein the visual instruction identifies the adjustment amount.