Low Collar HANS Device Tether Routing and Weight Reduction
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Solution Overview
Problem
High collar HANS devices are cumbersome, require multiple variations for different driver sizes and vehicle configurations, leading to confusion and increased weight, and can obstruct vehicle exit and damage headrests due to exposed tethers.
Innovation Solution
A low collar HANS device design with a yoke structure, integrated leg portions, and a tether system that minimizes material usage and weight, allowing universal application and concealed tether routing to prevent headrest damage.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If a high collar design is used, then the HANS device provides adequate neck support, but the device weight increases and requires more material
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the collar height parameter from traditional high collar (70mm or higher) to low collar (less than 70mm), which reduces material usage and device weight while maintaining adequate neck support through optimized tether geometry and attachment points
2Adaptability or versatility
If multiple HANS device variations are manufactured for different driver sizes and vehicle configurations, then adaptability is improved, but device complexity and confusion increase
Solution Approach 1:
The low collar design with reduced height and optimized geometry creates a universal HANS device that can accommodate different driver sizes and vehicle configurations without requiring multiple variations, simplifying the product line while maintaining adaptability
Solution Approach 2:
The device incorporates adjustable components and flexible positioning capabilities that allow a single design to adapt dynamically to different user needs and vehicle configurations, eliminating the need for multiple fixed-configuration models
3Device complexity
If exposed tether routing is used, then the HANS device structure is simplified, but headrest damage occurs and vehicle exit is obstructed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tether routing from the exposed external path and redirects it through concealed pathways within the HANS device structure, specifically through the low collar design, which prevents contact with vehicle headrests and eliminates damage while maintaining structural simplicity
Solution Approach 2:
The low collar structure serves as an intermediary element that provides concealed pathways for tether routing, mediating between the internal device structure and external environment to prevent direct contact between tethers and vehicle components
Data Source
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AI summary
A head and neck support (HANS) device comprises a yoke structure having a low collar, a left leg and a right leg extending respectively from a left side and a right side of the low collar, and a tether having a strap coupled to the low collar and a pair of catches connected to two ends of the strap. The low collar is characterized with a distance between a central line of the tether and a top end of each leg, where the distance is less than 70 mm. The catches of the tether are operable to attach to a helmet of the driver so as to engage the low collar with the helmet of the driver.