Movable Occupant Restraint With Buffering for Impact Mitigation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing occupant protection devices fail to effectively mitigate the increased reaction force on occupants when inertial forces cause them to collide with vehicle structures at higher velocities, leading to inadequate protection during sudden deceleration or collisions.
Innovation Solution
An occupant protection device with a movable operation portion that shifts between initial and suppressive positions, utilizing a buffering mechanism to absorb kinetic energy and reduce reaction force, and an optional airbag system activated by a control unit to enhance protection, allowing for repetitive use.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the operation portion is fixed at the initial position, then the device structure is simple, but the occupant cannot be protected during sudden deceleration
Solution Approach 1:
The operation portion is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to dynamically adjust its position between a first position (initial state) and a second position (protection state). This dynamic configuration enables the device to provide occupant protection during sudden deceleration while maintaining structural simplicity during normal operation, directly resolving the technical contradiction between reliability and device complexity.
2Reliability
If the operation portion moves to suppress occupant movement, then occupant protection is improved, but collision impact on the occupant increases
Solution Approach 1:
A buffering means is integrated into the operation portion to provide beforehand cushioning against collision impact. When the operation portion moves to the second position to suppress occupant movement during sudden deceleration, the buffering means actively reduces the collision impact on the occupant, thereby resolving the contradiction between providing effective protection and minimizing harmful collision forces.
3Reliability
If the operation portion is used to suppress occupant movement, then protection effectiveness is improved, but the device cannot be repetitively used
Solution Approach 1:
The operation portion's movable design between first and second positions enables it to return to its initial state after deployment, allowing repetitive use. Unlike fixed protection structures that remain deployed or require replacement, the dynamic operation portion can be reset and reused multiple times, resolving the contradiction between protection effectiveness and device reusability.
Solution Approach 2:
The buffering means is designed to recover its energy-absorbing capability after deployment. Following a collision event, the buffering means can reset its internal state, allowing the entire device to be reused for subsequent protection events without replacement, thereby maintaining both high protection effectiveness and long-term reusability.
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 device effectively suppresses occupant movement and reduces reaction force during inertial events, providing enhanced protection by moving the operation portion to a position where it can catch and buffer the occupant, thereby minimizing collision impact and enabling repetitive use without the need for replacement.
Implementation Method 1
a buffering means configured to buffer a collision impact on the occupant against the operation portion when the operation portion moves to the second position
Data Source
AI summary
The occupant protection device that protects an occupant boarding on a vehicle and includes: a base portion fixed to the vehicle; an operation portion connected to the base portion and configured to move back and forth between a first position serving as an initial position and a second position used to suppress movement of the occupant when inertial force acts on the occupant; and a control unit configured to perform movement control to move the operation portion from the first position to the second position. The operation portion is movable repeatedly from the first position to the second position through the movement control by returning to the first position after having moved from the first position to the second position. The occupant protection device includes an buffering means configured to buffer a collision impact on the occupant against the operation portion when the operation portion moves to the second position.