Ergonomic Safety Belt Latch Plate Offset Grip
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional safety belt latch plates are difficult for individuals with limited or impaired dexterity to secure and release due to their thin structure, which does not provide adequate ergonomic support for easy handling.
Innovation Solution
An ergonomic safety belt latch plate with a grip element that includes a gripping portion offset from the latch plate tongue, featuring a first and second safety belt webbing guide slot, allowing for improved accessibility and comfort during latching and releasing, and manufactured from resilient materials like rubber or plastics.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a thin latch plate structure is used, then the safety belt assembly maintains simplicity and manufacturing ease, but the latch plate becomes difficult to secure and release for individuals with limited dexterity
Solution Approach 1:
The latch plate is segmented into two distinct functional zones: a thin latch plate tongue element for insertion into the buckle, and a separate grip element with a gripping portion for easy handling. This segmentation allows each part to be optimized for its specific function while maintaining overall simplicity in manufacturing.
Solution Approach 2:
The grip element is positioned in a different spatial dimension (offset plane) relative to the latch plate tongue element. This dimensional separation allows the gripping portion to extend beyond the plane of the tongue element, providing enhanced ergonomics and ease of operation without interfering with the latching function.
2Ease of operation
If an ergonomic grip portion is added to the latch plate, then user convenience and ease of operation are improved, but the structural complexity of the latch plate increases
Solution Approach 1:
The grip element is merged with the latch plate tongue element to form a single integrated latch plate assembly. This combining approach reduces the number of separate components, simplifies assembly, and maintains manufacturing efficiency while still providing the ergonomic benefits of the extended gripping portion.
Data Source
AI summary
A latch plate for a vehicle safety belt includes a latch plate tongue element and a grip element. The grip element includes a gripping portion that is held on a plane that is offset from a plane defined by the latch plate tongue element. The gripping portion plane may be parallel to the plane defined by the latch plate tongue element. The gripping portion may be held at a plane defining an included angle to a plane defined by an associated safety belt webbing element when the latch plate tongue element is secured to a safety belt buckle element.