Shock-Mitigation Seat Structure With Progressive Compression Resistance

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current shock mitigation systems in vehicles, particularly in marine environments, are prone to 'bottoming out' during severe impacts, leading to metal-to-metal contact and shock impulse amplification, failing to meet legal safety standards for shock mitigation, especially in high-speed vessels like speedboats and Rigid Inflatable Boats.

Innovation Solution

A shock mitigation seat design featuring a plurality of individual shock absorbing members with annulus configurations of resilient material, integral platforms, and centrally positioned springs, which deform and interact to increase resistance to further compression, and include internal bump stops to prevent bottoming out, utilizing thermoplastic polyurethane polymers for durability and impact resistance.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If conventional shock absorbers are used in seat support systems, then shock mitigation is provided, but bottoming out occurs during severe impacts leading to metal-to-metal contact and shock amplification

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshock mitigation reliabilityVSAvoidshock impulse amplification

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The seat support system is divided into multiple independent shock absorbing members (first, second, third members) with different shock absorption characteristics. Each member handles different aspects of shock mitigation, preventing any single member from bottoming out and causing shock amplification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The invention uses members with varying shock absorption parameters - the first member has high shock absorption for severe impacts, the second member has moderate absorption, and the third member has low absorption. This gradient approach ensures that less severe impacts are absorbed by lower members while severe impacts are handled by the first member without bottoming out.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Strength

If long-travel seat systems are used, then shock absorption is improved, but bottoming out still occurs with sufficient magnitude shock impacts

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshock absorption capabilityVSAvoidprotection against bottoming out

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The seat support system is pre-configured with multiple shock absorbing members that progressively engage during impact. The first member with high shock absorption capability is positioned to engage first and provide cushioning before less severe impacts can cause bottoming out of the overall system.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

Solution Approach 2:

The invention combines multiple shock absorbing members with different material properties and absorption characteristics into a composite support system. This composite structure provides both high shock absorption capability and protection against bottoming out by distributing the shock load across members with complementary characteristics.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #40Composite materials

3Strength

If metal-to-metal contact occurs in shock mitigation systems, then structural support is maintained, but shock impulse is amplified rather than mitigated

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural supportVSAvoidshock impulse amplification

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-generated harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The first shock absorbing member acts as an intermediary between the seat and the support structure. It provides a compliant interface that absorbs shock energy through deformation rather than allowing direct metal-to-metal contact, thereby maintaining structural support while preventing shock impulse amplification.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

Solution Approach 2:

The shock absorbing members are designed as flexible components that can deform under load. This flexibility allows them to absorb shock energy through controlled deformation rather than rigid metal-to-metal contact, maintaining structural integrity while mitigating shock impulses.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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 seat effectively mitigates shock impacts by increasing resistance to compression through member interaction, preventing bottoming out and ensuring compliance with legal safety standards for various g-force categories, enhancing passenger safety in rough terrains and high-speed marine operations.

Implementation Method 1

a plurality of individual shock absorbing members resilient to compression from a shock impact, the shock absorbing members being positioned one adjacent another and such that at a certain stage of compression an individual shock absorbing member resiliently deforms

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectElasticity: Elasticity

Implementation Method 2

at least one of the shock absorbing members contain a centrally positioned spring

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSpring: Spring

Data Source

PatentUS11820266B2Shock mitigation seat and shock monitoring system

Publication Date: 2023.11.21 SHOCK WBV LTD

AI summary

A shock mitigation seat 10 including a plurality of individual shock absorbing members 16 resilient to compression from a shock impact, the shock absorbing members 16 being positioned one adjacent another and such that at a certain stage of compression an individual shock absorbing member 16 resiliently deforms and comes into contact with one or more adjacent individual shock absorbing members 16 which thereby increases resistance to further compression.