Vehicle Display Assembly Energy Absorption Rod
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle display assemblies do not effectively manage impact energy during a frontal collision, potentially leading to increased head injury risk for rear-seat occupants due to the proximity of the display to the occupant's head.
Innovation Solution
Incorporation of energy absorption elements, such as deformable necks, inserts, shear pins, bend straps, and tear strips, along the rod's path within the display assembly, which absorb energy by deforming when the rod moves from its base to a retracted position, thereby reducing the impact force on the occupant.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the display assembly is positioned close to the rear-seat occupant for better viewing, then the viewing experience is improved, but the risk of head injury during impact increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates energy absorption elements (such as foam materials, deformable structures, or sacrificial components) within the display assembly housing that are pre-positioned to cushion impact forces. These elements are designed to deform or absorb energy during a collision, reducing the force transmitted to the occupant's head while maintaining the display's close positioning for optimal viewing.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces energy absorption elements as intermediary components between the display assembly and the occupant's head. These elements act as a mediator that absorbs and dissipates impact energy, preventing direct contact between the hard display housing and the occupant's head, thus reducing injury risk while allowing the display to remain in a viewing-optimized position.
2Reliability
If the display assembly is designed with energy absorption elements to reduce impact force, then safety is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates energy absorption elements directly into the display assembly housing structure, merging the safety function with the existing structural components. Rather than adding separate, complex safety systems, the energy-absorbing materials are incorporated into the housing walls, mounting brackets, or internal support structures, achieving safety enhancement with minimal increase in overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent modifies the physical parameters of existing display assembly components by changing material properties (e.g., using foam-filled housings, deformable plastics, or viscoelastic materials) rather than adding entirely new components. This approach maintains structural simplicity while achieving the desired energy absorption and safety performance through material parameter optimization.
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 energy absorption elements effectively reduce the impact energy transferred to the occupant, providing increased travel space and enhancing safety by mitigating the force of a frontal collision, thus aligning with Head Injury Criterion (HIC) standards.
Implementation Method 1
the energy absorption element is deformable by the rod when the rod moves from the first position to the second position
Implementation Method 2
energy absorption elements, such as deformable necks, inserts, shear pins, bend straps, and tear strips, along the rod's path within the display assembly, which absorb energy by deforming
Data Source
AI summary
A display assembly for a vehicle includes an electronic display and a rod coupled to the electronic display. A guide defines a slot which receives the rod. The rod is movable along the slot from a first position to a second position. An energy absorption element is disposed along the slot and is deformable by the rod when the rod moves from the first position to the second position. During a frontal impact of the vehicle, a head of an occupant may contact the display assembly and may move the rod from the first position to the second position, during which movement the energy absorption element absorbs energy.