Vehicle Safety Device with Rotating Reinforced Pad

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Solution Overview

Problem

Side impact collisions in vehicles often result in inadequate protection for occupants, leading to serious upper extremity injuries due to the lack of sufficient structural absorption of collision energy, with standard side airbags failing to deploy in minor collisions and providing insufficient protection from door intrusion.

Innovation Solution

A vehicle safety device comprising a connective rod, solenoid assembly, and reinforced pad that deploys upon lateral acceleration detection, rotating up to 95 degrees to provide additional shoulder protection by creating a soft buffer between the occupant and the vehicle door, activated by a relay device connected to an electronic control unit or airbag control module.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If standard side airbags are deployed, then some shoulder protection is provided, but protection is insufficient in minor collisions below deployment threshold and during side impact collisions

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshoulder protection reliabilityVSAvoiddoor intrusion and direct impact trauma

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforced pad is pre-positioned in a retracted state within the door structure, ready to deploy before impact occurs. Upon detection of lateral acceleration exceeding the threshold (as low as 4g), the pad rapidly deploys to the occupant's shoulder area, providing protective cushioning before direct impact can occur. This preliminary deployment action addresses the inadequacy of standard airbags that only deploy in severe collisions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Solution Approach 2:

The invention provides localized protection specifically at the shoulder region by deploying a reinforced pad made of energy-absorbing materials with specific mechanical properties. The pad comprises a rigid support structure combined with a compliant cushioning layer, creating locally optimized protection where it is most needed (shoulder area) without requiring full-vehicle structural reinforcement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Loss of energy

If only the vehicle door structure is used for protection, then minimal structure is available to absorb collision energy, but adding more structure increases device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision energy absorptionVSAvoidsolenoid assembly and activation system

Core Design Contradiction:

Loss of energyVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforced pad transitions from a static, retracted state to a dynamic, deployed state during collision. The pad is mounted on a rotational mechanism that allows it to rapidly extend toward the occupant upon activation. This dynamic deployment enables the system to provide enhanced protection only when needed, rather than permanently occupying space or adding continuous structural complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The invention replaces complex mechanical reinforcement structures with an electromechanical activation system. Instead of building a permanently rigid protective structure, the system uses a solenoid actuator controlled by an acceleration sensor and control unit to deploy the pad only when lateral acceleration exceeds the threshold, substituting permanent mechanical complexity with a controlled, on-demand activation mechanism.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Speed

If the reinforced pad rotates at high speed to deploy quickly, then protection is provided within 15-20 milliseconds, but the rotation mechanism requires precise manufacturing and increases device complexity

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepad deployment speedVSAvoidrotation mechanism precision

Core Design Contradiction:

SpeedVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The reinforced pad incorporates energy-absorbing cushioning materials in its construction, featuring a rigid support plate combined with a compliant pad portion. This beforehand cushioning design allows the pad to effectively absorb impact energy upon deployment, reducing the need for extremely high rotation speeds and lessening the demands on rotation mechanism precision while still achieving adequate protection within 15-20 milliseconds.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #11Beforehand cushioning (Prior cushioning)

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 device effectively reduces shoulder injuries in side impact collisions by deploying within 15-20 milliseconds and rotating at speeds of 14-19 meters per second, providing enhanced protection during both low-speed and high-speed impacts, thereby mitigating the risk of rotator cuff tears and AC joint dislocations.

Implementation Method 1

the solenoid assembly comprising a solenoid

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectSolenoid: Solenoid

Data Source

PatentUS11155228B2Vehicle safety device

Publication Date: 2021.10.26 KOMARIZADEH SEYED OMID

AI summary

A vehicle safety device has a connective rod having a proximal end and a distal end, the solenoid assembly connected with the distal end of the connective rod, and the solenoid assembly comprising a solenoid. The vehicle safety device includes a reinforced pad comprising a rigid support plate and a pad portion, the reinforced pad connected with the solenoid assembly. The vehicle safety device further includes an activation assembly comprising a relay device configured to transmit an activation signal to the solenoid.