Spring-Loaded Web Guide for Adjustable Seat Belt Routing
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional seat belt webbing paths in passenger vehicles can be uncomfortable and chafe occupants, particularly in second row seats of sport vehicles, due to the location of retractor systems, which fail to accommodate a wide range of occupant sizes and shapes effectively.
Innovation Solution
A pivoting web guide assembly and a track web guide assembly are integrated into the vehicle seat, allowing for adjustable webbing paths that can pivot and translate to accommodate different occupant sizes, avoiding neck chafing and providing comfortable and secure belt routing through the use of telescoping connectors and springs, enabling near-free motion to adjust to various occupant sizes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional fixed webbing paths are used, then the seat belt structure is simple, but the webbing path chafes occupants and is uncomfortable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies the dynamics principle by making the web guide assembly movable rather than fixed. The web guide can pivot and translate along a track to adjust the webbing path dynamically, allowing the system to adapt to different occupant positions and sizes while maintaining comfort without excessive complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The web guide assembly is segmented into movable components including a pivot mechanism and a telescoping connector that allows independent adjustment of the webbing path segments, enabling customization for different occupants while keeping the overall structure manageable
2Adaptability or versatility
If fixed webbing paths are used, then the device complexity is low, but the seat belt cannot accommodate a wide range of occupant sizes and shapes
Solution Approach 1:
The web guide assembly incorporates dynamic adjustment capabilities through pivoting and telescoping mechanisms that allow the webbing path to be repositioned to accommodate various occupant sizes and shapes, providing versatility without requiring multiple fixed installations
Solution Approach 2:
The adjustable web guide assembly serves multiple functions: it guides the webbing, accommodates different occupant positions, and adapts to various seat configurations, making a single device suitable for diverse applications across different vehicle types and occupant populations
3Ease of operation
If adjustable web guide assemblies are used, then the webbing path can be optimized for comfort, but the structural integrity during impacts must be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies beforehand cushioning by incorporating energy-absorbing elements and controlled deformation features in the web guide assembly that activate during impact events, allowing the adjustable components to maintain structural integrity while protecting the occupant from the forces generated by webbing path adjustments during collision
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the web guide assembly have different structural properties: the pivot and telescoping mechanisms are designed with specific rigidity and energy-absorption characteristics tailored to their local functional requirements, allowing the structure to be both adjustable and impact-resistant where needed
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 adjustable web guide assemblies ensure a comfortable and secure seat belt fit for a wide range of occupant sizes and shapes, maintaining structural integrity during impacts while preventing neck chafing and promoting occupant safety and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
a spring disposed between the telescoping connector and the seat back, the spring applying a biasing force to the telescoping connector
Data Source
AI summary
A seatbelt web guide assembly is adapted to be fixed to a seat back and comprises a web guide in the shape of a loop and a track base adapted to be fixed to a seat back. The track base has a housing and a sliding element. The housing is adapted to be fixed to the seat back and defines a sliding axis. A sliding element is slideably disposed in a guide feature of the housing defining the sliding axis. The web guide is connected to the sliding element for movement therewith along the sliding axis. A spring is disposed between the housing and the sliding element, biasing the sliding element relative to the housing.