Movable Shoulder Belt Support for Crew Seats
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Solution Overview
Problem
Crew members in military and emergency vehicles wearing bulky and restrictive gear face difficulties in accessing and attaching multi-point belt restraint systems, particularly the shoulder straps, due to their bulky equipment and confined seating quarters, which hinders effective restraint during high acceleration events.
Innovation Solution
A belt restraint system with a shoulder belt support that can be moved between raised and lowered orientations by varying tension, featuring a flexible elongated portion with a guide slot, allowing easy access and attachment by seated crew members, and ensuring effective vertical restraint without gaps between the belt and occupant's shoulders.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a multi-point belt restraint system is used to ensure positive restraint during high acceleration events, then vertical restraint capacity is improved, but accessibility and ease of operation deteriorate due to bulky gear and confined seating quarters
Solution Approach 1:
The shoulder belt support is designed to be movable rather than fixed, allowing it to transition between a stored position (where it does not interfere with gear or seating) and an extended position (where it provides belt guidance). This dynamic adjustment enables crew members to access and attach shoulder belts easily while maintaining restraint effectiveness during high acceleration events.
2Reliability
If the shoulder belt guide is positioned at or near the top of the seat back to ensure proper restraint geometry, then vertical restraint capacity is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates as the belt becomes unreachable for seated crew members
Solution Approach 1:
The movable shoulder belt support acts as an intermediary element between the fixed anchor point at the top of the seat back and the crew member's shoulder. It extends the belt downward to a reachable position for attachment while maintaining the proper geometric relationship with the anchor point, thus preserving restraint effectiveness while improving accessibility.
3Reliability
If restrictive gear such as ballistic armor vests and breathing equipment is worn to ensure crew member protection, then safety is improved, but ease of operation deteriorates as the gear interferes with belt attachment tasks
Solution Approach 1:
The shoulder belt support provides localized assistance at the shoulder belt attachment point, creating a clear path and guide for the belt through the guide slot. This localized intervention helps crew members thread the belt through the support structure without needing to maneuver their arms or hands through bulky gear, thus maintaining protection while improving attachment ease.
Data Source
AI summary
Methods and apparatus are provided for a crew seat for use in vehicles and aircraft potentially exposed to high acceleration or sudden impact conditions. The crew seat comprises a seat back with a rigid frame, a belt restraint system including a shoulder belt attached to an anchor point behind the seat back, and a shoulder belt support extending from the seat back. The shoulder belt support comprises an elongated portion disposed between a fixed end attached to the seat back and a free end with a guide slot. The shoulder belt support is moveable between a raised orientation and a lowered orientation by varying tension in the shoulder belt.