Rotating Webbing Guide for Vehicle Seat Belt
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seat belt systems require passengers, especially seniors, disabled individuals, pregnant women, and overweight persons, to bend uncomfortably to fasten or unfasten the seat belt, leading to potential injuries due to the fixed position of the webbing guide relative to the seat.
Innovation Solution
An apparatus and control method that rotates the webbing guide of a seat belt using a motor-driven cable system, actuated by door and buckle switches, allowing the guide to move between a front and rear position within the vehicle, facilitated by a return spring mechanism to ease the fastening operation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the webbing guide is fixed in back of the front seat or the seat is pulled forward, then the seat belt structure is simplified and stable, but passengers must bend further back to fasten the seat belt, causing inconvenience and potential injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The webbing guide is transformed from a fixed structure to a movable one, capable of rotating between a first position (when door is open) and a second position (when door is closed). This dynamic adjustment allows the webbing guide to adapt to different seating positions and passenger needs, reducing the bending required to fasten the seat belt while maintaining structural simplicity through controlled movement rather than complex mechanisms
Solution Approach 2:
The return spring automatically returns the webbing guide to its initial position after it has been moved to the second position, eliminating the need for manual intervention or additional motorized mechanisms to reset the system. This self-service feature simplifies the overall device complexity while maintaining ease of operation
2Adaptability or versatility
If the webbing guide is rotated to follow the seat position, then passenger comfort is improved, but the mechanical structure becomes more complex with additional drive units and control systems
Solution Approach 1:
The webbing guide is designed to rotate dynamically in response to door opening/closing events, adapting its position to match typical seat adjustments. This dynamic behavior provides adaptability to different seating positions without requiring continuous active control or complex mechanisms, as the rotation is triggered by simple door switch signals
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the positional parameter of the webbing guide based on door state (open/closed), allowing the guide to follow seat position changes. This parameter-based adaptation provides versatility while maintaining mechanical simplicity, as it relies on state-dependent positioning rather than continuous complex control
3Ease of operation
If a motor-driven cable system is used to rotate the webbing guide, then ease of operation is improved, but the device complexity and use of energy increase
Solution Approach 1:
The motor operates periodically only when the door is opened or closed, rather than continuously. The door switch detects these periodic events and triggers the motor to rotate the webbing guide accordingly. This periodic operation significantly reduces energy consumption while maintaining ease of operation, as the system activates only when needed rather than running continuously
Solution Approach 2:
The door switch provides feedback about the door state (open/closed) to the control system, which then activates the motor to adjust the webbing guide position. This feedback mechanism ensures the motor operates only when necessary, reducing energy use while maintaining operational ease through automated response to door events
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
This solution reduces the muscular load on passengers during seat belt operations, enhancing comfort and safety by allowing easier access and reducing strain on the shoulders and waist, particularly for vulnerable groups.
Implementation Method 1
a return unit provided on the webbing guide, and providing an elastic force to the webbing guide so that the webbing guide hingedly rotated to the first direction of the vehicular body returns to the second direction of the vehicular body when the motor stops driving
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus for rotating a webbing guide of a seat belt for a vehicle may include a drive unit for moving a cable connected at one end thereof by controlling driving of a motor in response to an actuating signal or a stop signal, the webbing guide connected to the other end of the cable, and hingedly rotated to a first direction of a vehicular body as the cable moves in a second direction, and a return unit provided on the webbing guide, and providing an elastic force to the webbing guide so that the webbing guide hingedly rotated to the first direction of the vehicular body returns to the second direction of the vehicular body when the motor stops driving.