Continuous Seatbelt Offset Configuration Prevents Submarining
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional motor vehicle seatbelt restraints, including three-point and five/six-point harness systems, fail to effectively prevent submarining, especially in children and small adults, due to misalignment of the lap and underside belt portions during impact, leading to serious injuries.
Innovation Solution
A motor vehicle seatbelt restraint arrangement featuring a continuous seatbelt anchored at the upper rear of the seat, extending down one side with a guide to create a pre-impact configuration where the lap belt is vertically offset relative to the underside belt, which aligns vertically during impact to prevent submarining, utilizing a buckle and clip system to maintain the loop configuration around the occupant's legs.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the lap belt and underside belt are aligned vertically during pre-impact seating, then the belt configuration is simple and comfortable for the occupant, but during impact the belts become misaligned and fail to prevent submarining
Solution Approach 1:
The invention introduces a preliminary offset configuration during pre-impact seating where the lap belt is positioned rearward relative to the underside belt. This preliminary action prepares the belt geometry so that during impact, when the occupant moves forward, the belts naturally align vertically to create the anti-submarining loop, thus achieving both comfort during normal use and effectiveness during impact
Solution Approach 2:
The invention makes the belt configuration dynamic by allowing the relative position between the lap belt and underside belt to change from an offset state during pre-impact seating to an aligned state during impact. This dynamic adjustment occurs automatically as the occupant moves forward during collision, transforming the belt geometry from a comfortable but ineffective configuration to an aligned and effective anti-submarining configuration
2Reliability
If a five or six point harness system is used to prevent submarining, then submarining is effectively prevented, but the system becomes uncomfortable and inconvenient for everyday use
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts and eliminates the need for complex crotch straps and multiple anchor points required by five and six point harness systems. By using a continuous belt that passes under the seat and creates a loop configuration, the invention achieves submarining prevention without the cumbersome additional straps, thus maintaining reliability while dramatically improving ease of operation and comfort
Solution Approach 2:
The continuous belt system serves multiple functions: it provides the primary lap belt restraint, creates the anti-submarining loop configuration, and eliminates the need for separate crotch straps. This multi-functionality allows a single belt system to achieve the effectiveness of complex harness systems while maintaining the simplicity and comfort of a conventional three-point belt
Data Source
AI summary
A motor vehicle seatbelt restraint arrangement including a continuous seatbelt. When the occupant is seated the seatbelt buckle tongue is drawable across the body to engage the buckle providing firstly a pre-impact configuration of the seatbelt characterized by a lap belt portion resting on the hips or upper legs of the occupant, wherein the lap belt portion is rearward vertically offset relative to an underside belt portion of the continuous seatbelt across the seating surface of the seat, and secondly an impact configuration of the seatbelt characterized by the lap belt portion and the underside belt portion being less rearward vertically offset and substantially vertically aligned one with respect to the other to provide a more vertically aligned loop of the continuous seatbelt around the hips or upper legs of the occupant at impact preventing submarining of the occupant out from the motor vehicle seat during impact.