Segmented Heatable Seatbelt Webbing for Selective Heating
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing heatable seatbelt webbings in vehicles heat a fixed length of the webbing regardless of the occupant's body height, leading to inefficient energy use and potential heat accumulation when not fully unwound.
Innovation Solution
A heatable seatbelt webbing with multiple sections, each having its own heating conductor, allowing for selective heating based on the occupant's height, integrated into the webbing body using conductive materials like wires or yarns, and a control unit to manage heating sections and prevent overheating.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a fixed length heatable area is used in the webbing, then the heating system is simple to manufacture, but energy efficiency deteriorates when the occupant has a short body height
Solution Approach 1:
The webbing is divided into multiple heatable sections (first, second, third sections) along its longitudinal direction, each with its own heating conductor. This segmentation allows selective heating of only the necessary portion based on occupant height, improving energy efficiency while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The heating system transitions from a static fixed-length heating approach to a dynamic selective heating approach. The control unit activates specific heating conductors based on detected occupant height, allowing the system to adapt its heating configuration dynamically to match actual needs
2Reliability
If the entire webbing is heated, then adequate heating coverage is ensured for all occupant heights, but heat accumulation occurs when the webbing is not completely unwound
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the webbing into multiple heatable sections with independent heating conductors, the system can activate only the sections that are currently in use based on webbing extension. This prevents heating of coiled portions and eliminates heat accumulation while ensuring adequate coverage for the unwound portion
Solution Approach 2:
The control unit receives feedback about webbing extension and activates heating conductors accordingly. This feedback mechanism ensures that heating is applied only to the necessary sections, maintaining reliable heating coverage while preventing harmful heat accumulation in coiled portions
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple heatable sections are implemented, then energy efficiency and adaptability improve, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The webbing is divided into multiple heatable sections (first, second, third sections) along its longitudinal direction, each with its own heating conductor. This segmentation allows selective heating of only the necessary portion based on occupant height, improving energy efficiency while maintaining manufacturing feasibility through modular design
Solution Approach 2:
The heating system is designed to serve multiple functions: it can heat different portions of the webbing depending on occupant height, and it can operate in different configurations (full heating, partial heating, selective section heating). This multi-functionality increases adaptability while the underlying structure remains relatively simple
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
This solution enables energy-efficient heating tailored to the occupant's height, preventing unnecessary heating of the belt reel and ensuring safe temperature management, thus enhancing both comfort and safety.
Implementation Method 1
each heatable section has its own heating conductor associated with it in such a manner that the heatable sections are heatable separately from one another
Data Source
AI summary
The invention describes a heatable webbing (12) for a seatbelt system (14) of an automotive vehicle, wherein the webbing (12) comprises plural heatable sections (24, 26, 28) each extending over different longitudinal portions of the webbing (12), wherein at least one heating conductor (18, 20, 22, 44, 46, 64, 66, 68) is associated with each heatable section (24, 26, 28) in such a manner that the heatable sections (24, 26, 28) can be heated separately from each other by appropriate activation of the individual heating conductors (18, 20, 22, 44, 46, 64, 66, 68). Moreover, the invention describes a seatbelt system (14) for an automotive vehicle comprising a heatable webbing (12).