Vehicle Seat Restraint Portion for Side Collision Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Vehicle seat devices fail to effectively restrain occupants during side collisions when the seat is positioned at the center of the vehicle width direction, as the distance between the occupant and the side door is larger, leading to inadequate restraint performance.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle seat device equipped with a detection unit for side collisions, a movable restraint portion that can shift to a facing position, and a movement control unit to position the restraint portion at the facing position when a side collision is detected, along with the deployment of side airbags based on acceleration thresholds to enhance occupant restraint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the seat is located at the center portion in the vehicle width direction, then the space utilization and driving visibility are improved, but the restraint performance during side collision deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint portion is designed to be movable between a retracted position and a facing position. Upon detecting a side collision, the movement control unit activates the restraint portion to extend toward the occupant, dynamically adjusting the restraint configuration based on collision conditions rather than maintaining a fixed position
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint portion is pre-positioned in a retracted state during normal driving to maintain center seating benefits. Upon collision detection, it rapidly deploys to the facing position, performing the restraint action in advance of actual contact between the occupant and door
2Reliability
If the seat is positioned closer to the side door, then the restraint performance during side collision is improved, but the space utilization and driving visibility deteriorate
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of fixing the seat or restraint portion at a position optimized for collision restraint, the system dynamically extends the restraint portion only when needed, allowing the seat to remain in the optimal center position for both visibility and space utilization during normal operation
Solution Approach 2:
The restraint function is extracted from the fixed seat structure and implemented as a separate, movable restraint portion that can be independently activated. This separates the functions of space utilization (center seating) and restraint (activatable component), allowing both to be optimized simultaneously
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat device includes: a detection unit that detects a side collision in a vehicle; a seat that is provided in a vehicle cabin so that the seat can be located at a center portion of the vehicle cabin in a vehicle width direction and that can face at least one of a front side and a rear side in a vehicle front-rear direction; a restraint portion that is provided on a seat side portion and that is movable between a retracted position in which the restraint portion does not face a seated occupant seated in the vehicle width direction, and a facing position in which the restraint portion faces the occupant in the vehicle width direction; and a movement control unit that positions the restraint portion at the facing position when the seat is located at the center portion and the detection unit detects the side collision.