Vehicle Seat Restraint Sleeve Adjustment for Dynamic Locking
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional motor vehicle restraint systems for vehicle seats lack effective mechanisms to securely restrain the seat during dynamic conditions such as sudden movements or impacts, and fail to adjust positionally to accommodate varying occupant needs.
Innovation Solution
A restraint system for vehicle seats that includes a restraint web, an elongated sleeve, and a clamp with an actuator, as well as a spool guide and biasing member to dampen forces and adjust the seat's position, along with a bracket and biasing member to pivotally secure the seat, ensuring engagement and disengagement based on seat movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional restraint system is used, then the seat can be restrained during normal operation, but the system fails to securely restrain the seat during dynamic conditions such as sudden movements or impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint system employs dynamic components including a spool that can rotate to accommodate webbing payout and retraction, a bracket that pivots between engaged and disengaged positions, and a biasing member that provides automatic restoring force. These dynamic elements allow the system to adapt to varying operational conditions while maintaining restraint effectiveness during dynamic events.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member automatically returns the bracket to its engaged position after the seat moves forward, without requiring manual intervention. The spool mechanism also self-regulates webbing tension through rotational movement, providing automatic adjustment and maintenance of restraint geometry.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the restraint system maintains constant engagement with the seat back, then occupant safety is ensured, but the system cannot accommodate seat movement during normal operation
Solution Approach 1:
The bracket is designed to pivot between engaged and disengaged positions, allowing it to adapt to seat movement during normal operation while automatically returning to the engaged position during dynamic conditions. This dynamic behavior enables the system to accommodate both operational flexibility and safety requirements.
Solution Approach 2:
The biasing member pre-positions the bracket in the engaged state, creating a predetermined tendency toward engagement. This preliminary positioning ensures that normal seat movements do not inadvertently disengage the restraint, while still allowing intentional or dynamic disengagement when appropriate.
3Reliability
If the spool is fixed in position, then the restraint web routing is simple, but the system cannot dampen restraint web forces during dynamic events
Solution Approach 1:
The spool is mounted on a spool guide that allows rotational movement, enabling the spool to rotate in response to forces applied to the restraint web. This rotation provides a mechanical means of dampening forces during dynamic events while maintaining a relatively simple overall structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The spool mechanism changes the geometric parameters of the restraint web routing dynamically. As the spool rotates, it alters the angle and length of web segments, providing force distribution and dampening capabilities without requiring complex active control systems.
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 restrains the vehicle seat during dynamic conditions, adjusts to accommodate different positions, and maintains engagement with the seat back to ensure occupant safety and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a biasing member coupled to and between the spool and the spool guide, the biasing member biasing the spool in a first direction relative to the spool guide, the spool movable against the bias of the biasing member in a second direction opposite the first direction to dampen restraint web forces acting on the spool
Implementation Method 2
a clamp coupled to the sleeve and including an actuator responsive to actuation thereof to selectively engage the restraint web to fix the sleeve thereto
Implementation Method 3
a biasing member configured to bias the bracket pivot away from the frame or support structure, wherein, upon forward movement of vehicle seat relative to the motor vehicle, the bracket is responsive to bias of the biasing member to pivot toward the vehicle seat to maintain engagement between the coupling pin and the rear portion of the forwardly moving seat back
Data Source
AI summary
A restraint system for a vehicle seat operatively mounted in a motor vehicle may include a restraint web operatively coupled to at least one of the vehicle seat and the motor vehicle, an elongated sleeve received on and at least partially about the restraint web, and a sleeve position adjuster coupled to the sleeve and including an actuator normally engaging a portion of the restraint web to fix a position of the sleeve relative to the restraint web and responsive to actuation thereof to disengage from the restraint web to allow the sleeve to be moved along the restraint web.