Deformable Seat Pan Beam for Anti-Submarining Load Absorption

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current tiltable vehicle seats do not adequately absorb forward movement forces during rapid vehicle deceleration, leading to higher spinal compression and shear forces on occupants, which can result in increased injury risks.

Innovation Solution

A metallic seat pan with a deformable anti-submarining beam is integrated into the tiltable seat, featuring a rear buttocks supporting portion and a front femoral supporting portion. The deformable anti-submarining beam is designed to resist deformation only when a prescribed force is exceeded, reducing spinal compression by allowing controlled deformation and absorbing forward movement forces.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If a rigid seat pan is used in a tiltable seat, then the seat provides structural support and stability, but it imparts excessive forward movement forces to the occupant during rapid vehicle deceleration, increasing spinal compression

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidspinal compression

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The seat pan transitions from a uniformly rigid structure to a differentiated structure where specific regions (front and side portions) possess deformable characteristics while maintaining overall structural integrity. This local quality change allows the seat pan to provide support where needed while absorbing harmful forces in critical areas through controlled deformation.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The rigidity parameter of the seat pan is modified in specific regions to create a deformable structure. By changing the physical state and mechanical properties of the front and side portions of the seat pan, the system transforms from a completely rigid structure to one with controlled deformability, enabling energy absorption during impact while maintaining structural support functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If the seat pan is made deformable to absorb forward movement forces, then spinal compression is reduced, but the structural support and stability of the seat pan may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvespinal compressionVSAvoidstructural support

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSStrength

Solution Approach 1:

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

Solution Approach 2:

The seat pan incorporates a composite construction combining rigid and deformable materials or structures. The integrated seat pan design integrates both rigid structural elements for support and deformable elements for energy absorption, creating a composite system that simultaneously achieves structural integrity and harm reduction.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Reliability

If a deformable anti-submarining beam is added to the seat pan, then forward movement forces are absorbed and occupant safety is improved, but the device complexity and manufacturing difficulty increase

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoccupant safetyVSAvoidseat pan structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The deformable anti-submarining beam is integrated directly into the seat pan structure, merging the anti-submarining function with the seat pan itself. This integration eliminates the need for separate anti-submarining devices, reducing overall device complexity while maintaining the safety benefits of force absorption and occupant position control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The deformable anti-submarining beam serves multiple functions simultaneously: it acts as a structural component of the seat pan, provides anti-submarining protection, and absorbs forward movement forces through controlled deformation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, simplifying the overall system despite the enhanced safety capabilities.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

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 deformable anti-submarining beam effectively reduces spinal compression and shear forces during rapid deceleration, enhancing occupant safety and comfort by absorbing and distributing the forces more evenly, thereby minimizing the risk of injury from impact with dashboard or knee bolster.

Implementation Method 1

The deformable anti-submarining beam has a prescribed rigidity that resists deformation. The prescribed rigidity is set to a prescribed deformation limit that reduces spinal compression of an occupant by deforming when the occupant's buttocks applies a deformation force

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectDeformation: Deformation

Data Source

PatentUS20070222270A1Deformable seat pan for a tiltable vehicle seat

Publication Date: 2007.09.27 NISSAN MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

A tiltable vehicle seat has a tiltable metallic seat pan that tilts upon rapid vehicle deceleration. The metallic seat pan is supported for movement between a normal seating position and a tilted or deployed position. The seat pan includes a deformable anti-submarining beam that extends laterally across the seat pan. The deformable anti-submarining beam is deformable in response to a prescribed deformation force exerted from the general direction of a buttocks supporting end thereof with the seat pan in the deployed position.