Seat-Integrated Restraining Member for Thigh and Backrest Support
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing occupant protection devices restrict movement primarily around the shoulders, limiting the area of restraint and failing to effectively prevent occupants from moving away from the seat during collisions.
Innovation Solution
An occupant protection device with an elongated restraining member that passes through the seat and backrest, utilizing a take-up unit to form an occupant supporting portion that lifts and restrains the thighs, combined with a pulling portion to secure the upper body against the backrest, enhancing the area of restraint.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of stationary object
If the lower end side of each restraining member is fixed to the seat, then the structure is simple, but the region where the occupant is restrained is limited to a vicinity of either shoulder
Solution Approach 1:
The restraining member is divided into multiple functional segments: a first restraining portion that contacts the shoulder, a second restraining portion that contacts the thigh, and a third restraining portion that extends to the backrest. This segmentation allows each portion to restrain different body parts, thereby expanding the overall restraint region while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraining member transitions from a two-dimensional configuration (fixed at the seat base) to a three-dimensional configuration that extends vertically along the backrest. By adding the vertical dimension with the third restraining portion that reaches the backrest, the device expands the restraint coverage from merely shoulder-level to a comprehensive region covering shoulder, thigh, and back areas.
2Reliability
If restraining members are fixed to the seat, then installation is simple, but movement of the occupant in a direction away from the seat cannot be effectively restricted
Solution Approach 1:
The restraining member is divided into multiple functional segments: a first restraining portion that contacts the shoulder, a second restraining portion that contacts the thigh, and a third restraining portion that extends to the backrest. This segmentation allows each portion to restrain different body parts, thereby expanding the overall restraint region while maintaining a manageable structural complexity through modular design.
Solution Approach 2:
The restraining member transitions from a two-dimensional configuration (fixed at the seat base) to a three-dimensional configuration that extends vertically along the backrest. By adding the vertical dimension with the third restraining portion that reaches the backrest, the device expands the restraint coverage from merely shoulder-level to a comprehensive region covering shoulder, thigh, and back areas.
Data Source
AI summary
An occupant protection device includes a seat having a seat portion and a backrest portion, an elongated restraining member for restraining an occupant in the seat, and a take-up unit that takes up the restraining member. The restraining member is fed out from a housing portion of the seat and pulled up toward an upper end side of the backrest portion in accompaniment to an operation of the take-up unit, forming an occupant supporting portion and a pulling portion. The occupant supporting portion supports a back face side of left and right thigh portions of the occupant. The pulling portion extends from both left and right ends of the occupant supporting portion to the upper end side of the backrest portion, and restrains the occupant against the backrest portion.