One-Sided Seat Belt Restraining Element Design
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing seat belts suffer from aesthetic impairments and material weakening due to protruding strap buttons, and inflatable seat belts face challenges with gas flow and inflation due to prior art connections.
Innovation Solution
A seat belt design with a one-sided restraining element on the back surface of the seat belt, allowing for a multi-layer configuration with a hollow space for gas inflation, and a thicker restraining element that covers half or the entire width of the webbing for secure fastening and informational labels, ensuring comfort and safety without compromising inflation or appearance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If strap button elements are joined by piercing or pushing through the belt webbing on both sides, then the seat belt tongue can be held in a predefined position, but the webbing material is weakened and aesthetic appearance is impaired
Solution Approach 1:
The restraining element is positioned exclusively on the rear surface of the seat belt webbing, utilizing the third dimension (depth/thickness) to resolve the contradiction. By moving the fastening mechanism to the rear surface rather than piercing through to the front, the webbing integrity is maintained while the seat belt tongue can still be securely held in position.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraining element is divided into multiple segments (first and second restraining elements) that are distributed across the rear surface of the webbing. This segmentation allows the fastening function to be distributed rather than concentrated at a single piercing point, reducing local stress concentration and maintaining webbing strength.
2Reliability
If strap button elements are joined by piercing or pushing through the belt webbing on both sides, then the seat belt tongue can be held in a predefined position, but aesthetic appearance is impaired due to protrusions on both surfaces
Solution Approach 1:
The restraining function is extracted from the front surface of the seat belt and relocated exclusively to the rear surface. This extraction eliminates the visual protrusion from the aesthetic front surface while preserving the functional restraining capability on the back surface, resolving the conflict between security and appearance.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraining element is positioned exclusively on the rear surface of the seat belt webbing, utilizing the third dimension (depth/thickness) to resolve the contradiction. By moving the fastening mechanism to the rear surface rather than piercing through to the front, the webbing integrity is maintained while the seat belt tongue can still be securely held in position.
3Reliability
If prior art connection approach is used for strap button, then fastening function is achieved, but gas flow is restricted and inflation is difficult in inflatable seat belts
Solution Approach 1:
The restraining element is positioned on the rear surface of the webbing, away from the front surface where gas flow paths are typically located in inflatable seat belts. This spatial relocation in the third dimension allows gas to flow freely through the webbing interior without being obstructed by the fastening mechanism, while still providing secure tongue retention.
Data Source
AI summary
A seat belt (2) for motor vehicles, has a restraining element (4) for a seat belt tongue (3). The restraining element protrudes from the seat belt (2), from only on one side thereof and the seat belt (2) may be configured as a multi-layer seat belt (2) forming a hollow space (5) between the seat belt layers (21, 22).