Pivotable Vehicle Seat with Web Attenuator and Ratcheting Restraint
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional motor vehicle restraint systems for occupant seats lack effective mechanisms to prevent forward pivoting and sliding while allowing rear access, compromising safety and convenience.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle and occupant seat combination featuring pivotable seats with integrated restraint systems, including shoulder web attenuators and ratcheting web retractors, that selectively restrain occupants and adjust to permit access, utilizing elongated sleeves and position adjusters for customizable fit and safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the occupant seat is made pivotable to permit rear access, then ease of operation is improved, but reliability deteriorates due to potential forward sliding and pivoting
Solution Approach 1:
The seat is designed with dynamic characteristics, being pivotable between a forward position for rear access and a rearward position for normal occupancy. The restraint system dynamically engages to prevent forward movement when needed, allowing the seat to adapt between mobility and stability requirements
Solution Approach 2:
A restraint system acts as an intermediary mechanism between the pivotable seat and the vehicle frame. This intermediary component (restraint system with web attenuator and ratcheting web retractor) prevents forward sliding and pivoting while allowing the seat to maintain its pivotable capability for rear access
2Reliability
If the restraint system uses fixed anchorage to the vehicle frame, then reliability is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint system is segmented into distinct functional components: an anchorage point to the vehicle frame, a web attenuator for force management, and a ratcheting web retractor for web tensioning. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall system reliability
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint system utilizes parameter changes in the web material properties through the web attenuator, which changes the force transmission characteristics during deployment. The ratcheting mechanism also changes the web length parameter dynamically, providing reliable restraint while managing system complexity through controlled parameter variations
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle and occupant seat combination may include any one or combination of means for selectively preventing forward pivoting of at least one vehicle seat, one or more web attenuators for dampen forces applied thereby by one or more respective shoulder webs of at least one occupant restraint system, at least one sleeve received on at least one shoulder web and a corresponding sleeve adjuster for adjusting a position of the sleeve along the respective shoulder web, and one or more ratcheting web retractors for selectively tightening a lap web or a thigh web about an occupant of at least one vehicle seat.