Deployable Restraint Barricade for Motor Vehicle Occupant Protection

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Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional deployable restraint systems in motor vehicles lack an automated mechanism to deploy barriers effectively in response to vehicle orientation, acceleration, or impact conditions, which can lead to inadequate protection during rollovers or other hazardous events.

Innovation Solution

A deployable restraint barricade system comprising sensors, actuators, and a processor that automatically deploys a restraint barricade, such as a curtain or panel, based on sensor signals indicating vehicle orientation, acceleration, or impact conditions, ensuring timely and effective deployment across occupant access openings.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional deployable restraint systems are used without automated deployment mechanisms, then the system structure remains simple, but the protection effectiveness is insufficient during rollovers or hazardous events

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection effectivenessVSAvoidsystem complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The restraint barricade is pre-positioned in a stowed configuration within the vehicle structure, ready for rapid deployment. Sensors are pre-installed to detect critical vehicle conditions, and the automated system is pre-configured to deploy the barricade before occupants can react, ensuring protection is established in advance during hazardous events

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The system incorporates automated sensors and actuators that detect vehicle rollover or impact conditions and trigger barricade deployment without requiring manual intervention. The system serves itself by automatically sensing critical conditions and executing the protective action, eliminating the need for human operation while enhancing reliability

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

2Loss of time

If manual deployment of restraint barricades is used, then the device complexity is reduced, but the response time to hazardous events is insufficient

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvedeployment response timeVSAvoidautomation system complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of timeVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

Sensors continuously monitor vehicle orientation, acceleration, and impact conditions, providing real-time feedback to the control system. When critical thresholds are exceeded indicating a rollover or hazardous event, the system immediately triggers actuator deployment of the barricade, ensuring rapid response based on actual vehicle conditions without manual delay

Inventive Principle:

Principle #23Feedback

Solution Approach 2:

The patent replaces manual mechanical deployment with an automated electromechanical system. Sensors detect vehicle conditions and trigger electronic actuators to deploy the barricade automatically, substituting human mechanical action with an automated control system that responds instantaneously to hazardous events

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Reliability

If the restraint barricade is permanently deployed, then occupant protection is maximized, but the ease of operation for normal vehicle access is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoccupant protectionVSAvoidaccess opening usability

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of operation

Solution Approach 1:

The restraint barricade transitions from a static permanently deployed state to a dynamic system that can automatically adjust its position between stowed and deployed configurations. The barricade is normally retracted to allow normal vehicle access and operation, then automatically deploys when sensors detect rollover or impact conditions, providing protection only when needed

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

4Reliability

If the restraint barricade is always visible and extended, then the protection coverage is maximized, but the vehicle interior space is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveprotection coverageVSAvoidinterior space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The restraint barricade is designed to nest within the vehicle structure when not in use. The barricade retracts into a compact stowed configuration integrated within the vehicle body or access closure, minimizing its volume during normal operation while maintaining the capability to rapidly extend to full protection coverage when hazardous conditions are detected

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Data Source

PatentUS11485309B2Deployable restraint barricade for a motor vehicle

Publication Date: 2022.11.01 INDIANA MILLS & MANUFACTURING INC

AI summary

A restraint barricade control system may include a restraint barricade configured to be mounted to a motor vehicle at or adjacent to an occupant access opening thereof, the restraint barricade having an non-deployed state and a deployed state, at least one sensor configured to produce at least one sensor signal corresponding to movement of the motor vehicle relative to at least one axis of an axis system of the motor vehicle, at least one actuator operatively coupled to the restraint barricade, a processor operatively coupled to the at least one sensor and to the at least one actuator, and a memory having instructions therein which, when executed by the processor, causes the processor to activate the at least one actuator to deploy the restraint barricade from the non-deployed state to the deployed state based on the at least one sensor signal.