Vehicle Restraint System With Rotating Plate and Vent
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicle airbag systems do not provide adequate support for occupants' pelvises during side impacts, especially when the seatback is reclined, and they rely on inflators which may not be effective in all scenarios.
Innovation Solution
A restraint system comprising a first and second plate, a flexible panel, and a pyrotechnic activator that rotates the second plate from an undeployed to a deployed position, creating a chamber with a vent hole for passive air entry, providing support without an inflator, and a controller that determines when to deploy the system based on impact and seatback angle.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional airbag systems are used, then occupants are protected during side impacts, but they do not provide adequate support for pelvises when the seatback is reclined
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint system employs a movable second plate that can rotate between a stowed position and a deployed position, allowing the system to dynamically adapt to different seatback angles and impact scenarios. This dynamic configuration enables the restraint system to provide effective pelvis support regardless of whether the seatback is upright or reclined, resolving the contradiction between protection reliability and adaptability to seatback position.
2Ease of operation
If an inflator is used to provide inflation medium, then airbags can be deployed, but the system becomes more complex and may not be effective in all scenarios
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and removes the inflator component from the restraint system, replacing it with a passive mechanical deployment mechanism. The second plate rotates into the deployed position through mechanical means rather than inflation, eliminating the need for complex inflator systems while maintaining effective restraint capability. This extraction of the inflator resolves the contradiction between deployment capability and system complexity.
3Reliability
If the chamber volume is expanded to provide better cushioning, then occupant support is improved, but the system requires more space and may interfere with other vehicle components
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint system utilizes the lateral dimension by positioning the deployed second plate adjacent to the occupant's pelvis area. Rather than expanding chamber volume in all directions, the system achieves effective cushioning by extending the restraint structure laterally next to the seat bottom, providing pelvis support without requiring excessive overall system volume. This dimensional approach resolves the contradiction between cushioning effectiveness and space requirements.
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 system effectively supports the occupant's pelvis during side impacts by expanding the chamber volume, drawing air in to provide cushioning, and operates without an inflator, enhancing safety by adapting to different seatback positions.
Implementation Method 1
a pyrotechnic activator coupled to the second plate and arranged to, when discharged, rotate the second plate from the undeployed position toward the deployed position
Implementation Method 2
One of the first plate or the second plate including a vent hole in communication with the interior volume of the chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A restraint system includes a first plate, a second plate rotatably coupled to the first plate and rotatable away from the first plate from an undeployed position to a deployed position, a panel connected to the first plate and to the second plate, and a pyrotechnic activator coupled to the second plate. The panel is flexible relative to the first plate and the second plate. The first plate, the second plate, and the panel form a chamber having an interior volume. The pyrotechnic activator is arranged to, when discharged, rotate the second plate from the undeployed position toward the deployed position. One of the first plate or the second plate includes a vent hole in communication with the interior volume of the chamber.