Rotatable Far-Side Seat Restraint for Side Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
In a side impact crash, the far-side occupant is directed towards the struck side, leading to undesired interactions with the near-side occupant and interior objects, necessitating a deployable restraint to prevent lateral movement within the vehicle.
Innovation Solution
A side impact occupant restraint system mounted on the far-side vehicle seat, featuring a rotatable support frame with a rear and forward arm connected to the seat back, which deploys forward to restrain the far-side occupant, utilizing an actuator and potentially an airbag module for enhanced protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a deployable restraint is mounted on the far-side vehicle seat to protect the far-side occupant in a near-side impact crash event, then the far-side occupant is restrained against lateral movement within the vehicle, but the support frame requires rotation from a stowed condition aligned with the seat back to a deployed condition forward of the seat back
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame is designed to be rotatable rather than fixed, allowing it to transition between a stowed condition aligned with the seat back and a deployed condition forward of the seat back. This dynamic configuration enables the restraint to provide effective protection during near-side impact crashes while maintaining a compact profile during normal operation, thus resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
2Reliability
If the support frame is positioned forward of the seat back in the vehicle longitudinal direction during deployment, then the restraint effectively restrains the far-side occupant against lateral movement, but the mounting points require specific vertical spacing with the rear arm mounting point above the forward arm mounting point
Solution Approach 1:
The support frame employs asymmetric mounting point configuration where the rear arm mounting point is positioned above the forward arm mounting point on the seat back. This asymmetric arrangement enables the support frame to rotate effectively into the deployed position forward of the seat back, providing reliable restraint while accommodating the mechanical requirements of the rotation mechanism.
3Extent of automation
If an actuator is added to rotatably move the support frame from stowed to deployed condition, then the restraint deployment is automated and responsive to crash events, but the device complexity and number of components increase
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint system incorporates an actuator that automatically detects near-side impact crash events and triggers the rotation of the support frame from the stowed to the deployed condition. This self-service mechanism enables automated deployment without requiring manual intervention, ensuring timely protection while integrating the actuation function within the existing restraint structure.
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
Effectively restricts the far-side occupant's lateral movement, minimizing contact with the near-side occupant and vehicle interior, while providing energy absorption to reduce the severity of potential impacts.
Implementation Method 1
The support frame includes a rear arm and a forward arm each rotatably connected to the seat back at separate mounting points with the mounting point of the rear arm located above the mounting point of the forward arm in a vehicle height direction. The rear arm and the forward arm rotate in a same vertically oriented plane about separate rotational axes defined at the separate mounting points.
Implementation Method 2
The rear arm is adapted to extend in length as the restraint rotates toward the deployed condition.
Implementation Method 3
An actuator is mounted to the inboard side of the seat back and coupled to the support frame. The actuator is adapted to rotatably move the support frame from the stowed condition to the deployed condition.
Implementation Method 4
providing energy absorption to reduce the severity of potential impacts
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle safety system is mounted on a far-side vehicle seat for protecting a far-side occupant in a near-side impact crash event. The vehicle safety system includes an occupant restraint mounted on an inboard side of a seat back of the far-side vehicle seat. The restraint includes a support frame rotatable from a stowed condition where the support frame is aligned with the seat back and a deployed condition where the support frame is forward of the seat back. The support frame includes a rear arm and a forward arm each rotatably connected to the seat back at separate mounting points with the mounting point of the rear arm located above the mounting point of the forward arm. In a near-side impact crash event the restraint is rotated into the deployed condition inboard of the far-side vehicle seat to restrain the far-side occupant against lateral movement within the vehicle.