Rotating Vehicle Arm Rest for Cabin Deformation Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle protection systems do not effectively utilize arm rests to directly protect occupants from deformation of the vehicle cabin during collisions, leaving a gap in occupant safety.
Innovation Solution
An arm rest design comprising side members, a front member, and a rear member that are rotatable and optionally integrated with a seat, capable of moving or changing shape to prevent direct contact between the occupant and deforming vehicle components, and can include an integrated airbag for enhanced protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If traditional airbag systems are used to protect occupants from deformed vehicle cabin areas, then occupant protection is provided through deployed airbags, but the protection is indirect and does not prevent direct contact between deformed cabin areas and occupants
Solution Approach 1:
The arm rest assembly serves as an intermediary protective structure positioned between the vehicle occupant and the deformed cabin area. The side members and front member form a physical barrier that directly intercepts deformed cabin components, preventing them from contacting the occupant's body directly.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm rest assembly is pre-positioned in the vehicle cabin before collision occurs. The side members extend forward to create a protective zone in advance, so that when deformation occurs, the structure is already in place to intercept incoming deformed areas before they reach the occupant.
2Reliability
If the arm rest structure is made rigid to provide direct protection, then protection effectiveness increases, but the arm rest cannot rotate or move to accommodate normal use and boarding/exiting processes
Solution Approach 1:
The arm rest assembly incorporates rotational joints that allow the side members and front member to rotate about a longitudinal axis. This dynamic capability enables the structure to adapt between providing rigid protection during collision and allowing movement during normal operations such as boarding, exiting, and arm placement.
Solution Approach 2:
The protective structure changes its operational parameters by rotating to different angular positions. During normal use, it rotates to accommodate arm placement and boarding/exiting movements. During collision, it maintains protective positioning to intercept deformed cabin areas, thus changing its functional state based on operational conditions.
3Area of stationary object
If the arm rest structure is designed to extend far forward to maximize protection coverage, then the protective zone increases, but the structure interferes with the occupant's ability to board and exit the vehicle
Solution Approach 1:
The side members are designed to rotate about a longitudinal axis, allowing them to dynamically adjust their position. During boarding and exiting, the structure can rotate to reduce interference. During collision, the structure maintains its extended protective positioning to maximize coverage of the occupant's body.
Solution Approach 2:
The arm rest structure is pre-positioned to extend forward to create maximum protective coverage before collision occurs. This preliminary extended position ensures that when deformation occurs, the structure is already in place to intercept incoming deformed areas before they reach the occupant.
Data Source
AI summary
An arm rest attachable to a seat for a vehicle occupant to sit on includes side members, a front member, and a rear member. The side members include a pair of side members provided at left and right sides of the vehicle occupant and extending in a front-rear direction. The front member is in front of the vehicle occupant when the vehicle occupant is seated and is configured to couple front sides of the left and right side members to each other at least when in use. The rear member couples the seat to rear sides of the side members. The side members and the front member are rotatable about a line that connects left and right coupled points between the rear member and the seat.