Seat Belt Load Transfer Structure for Frontal Impact Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current seat belt assemblies face challenges in effectively transferring occupant loads to the structural side walls and floor of vehicles during deceleration events, such as accidents, which can lead to inadequate frontal impact protection and safety ratings.
Innovation Solution
A seat belt assembly featuring a retractor mounted on the seat back frame with a tubular member that transfers pulling forces from the seat belt webbing to the vehicle's side walls and floor, utilizing a belt guide system to distribute and anchor the loads efficiently.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the seat belt retractor is mounted on the seat back frame, then the seat belt can be easily integrated with the seat structure, but the pulling forces are not effectively transferred to the vehicle's structural side walls and floor
Solution Approach 1:
A tubular member is introduced as an intermediary component between the seat belt retractor and the vehicle structure. This tubular member extends from the seat back frame to the vehicle side wall, serving as a force transfer pathway that effectively transmits pulling forces from the seat belt to the vehicle's structural frame during deceleration events
Solution Approach 2:
The force transfer pathway is extended from the vertical dimension (seat back frame only) to the horizontal dimension by adding the tubular member that reaches to the vehicle side wall. This dimensional extension creates a more effective load path that spans multiple structural elements
2Device complexity
If the seat belt loads are transferred directly to the seat back frame, then the structure is simpler, but the forces are not distributed effectively to the vehicle side walls and floor
Solution Approach 1:
The force transfer function is segmented into multiple components: the seat back frame, the tubular member extending to the side wall, and the anchorage points on the vehicle structure. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function while collectively achieving effective force distribution
Solution Approach 2:
The tubular member acts as a mediator that connects the seat back frame to the vehicle side wall structure, enabling force distribution across multiple structural elements without significantly increasing overall system complexity
3Ease of manufacture
If the retractor is positioned forward of the seat back, then the belt routing is simplified, but the retractor is subjected to forces it is unsuited to handle
Solution Approach 1:
The tubular member serves as a mediator that redirects the force pathway away from the retractor, allowing the retractor to remain in its optimized position while still achieving proper force distribution to the vehicle structure
Solution Approach 2:
The force handling function is segmented from the retractor to the tubular member and vehicle structure, allowing the retractor to focus on belt dispensing and retraction while the tubular member handles the structural force transfer
Data Source
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AI summary
A seat belt assembly unit includes a seat belt retractor, seat back, seat back frame, a rear wall interconnecting the side walls of a vehicle, a tubular member extending along the length of the rear wall and a belt guide disposed adjacent to the seat back and rigidly attached to the tubular member. The seat belt guide is a rod-shaped member formed substantially into a U-shape with its side portions inserted into holes on the tubular member and attached using a suitable means. A shoulder belt extending from the retractor and passing through the seat belt guide, restrains occupants to the seat. The pulling force of the shoulder belt which restrains the occupant in the seat is transferred to the tubular member via the belt guide.