Inflatable shoulder belts and inboard upper anchor shoulder-belt geometry in far-side oblique impacts
Edwards, Marcy A. / Nash, Carl E.
Proceedings of the 2017 International IRCOBI Conference on the Biomechanics of Injury
September 2017
Abstract
Vehicle occupants in far-side oblique impacts are at risk of head and thorax injury due to impacts with interior structures and with near-side occupants after slipping out of the shoulder belt. This study evaluated the effects of inflatable seat belts, along with inboard vs. outboard and B-pillar vs. seat-integrated shoulder-belt anchorage locations, on Hybrid III and THORM dummy kinematics and injury metrics in simulated far-side oblique crashes. Seven simulated crashes were conducted, with a 45° principal direction of force and a 55 km/h velocity change with 23 g peak acceleration. Shoulder-belt upper anchorage location and belt type influenced the tendency for the dummy to slip out of the belt and subsequent occupant excursion. The inboard seat-integrated inflatable belt restraint system had the greatest influence, eliminating Hybrid III shoulder-belt slip out and decreasing excursion by 331 mm, compared with the conventional production B-pillar-mounted belt. The inflatable belt also showed potential to mitigate neck injuries, with low dummy injury metrics and distributed loading area.
Vehicle occupants in far-side oblique impacts are at risk of head and thorax injury due to impacts with interior structures and with near-side occupants after slipping out of the shoulder belt. This study evaluated the effects of inflatable seat belts, along with inboard vs. outboard and B-pillar vs. seat-integrated shoulder-belt anchorage locations, on Hybrid III and THORM dummy kinematics and injury metrics in simulated far-side oblique crashes. Seven simulated crashes were conducted, with a 45° principal direction of force and a 55 km/h velocity change with 23 g peak acceleration. Shoulder-belt upper anchorage location and belt type influenced the tendency for the dummy to slip out of the belt and subsequent occupant excursion. The inboard seat-integrated inflatable belt restraint system had the greatest influence, eliminating Hybrid III shoulder-belt slip out and decreasing excursion by 331 mm, compared with the conventional production B-pillar-mounted belt. The inflatable belt also showed potential to mitigate neck injuries, with low dummy injury metrics and distributed loading area.
Abstract
Vehicle occupants in far-side oblique impacts are at risk of head and thorax injury due to impacts with interior structures and with near-side occupants after slipping out of the shoulder belt. This study evaluated the effects of inflatable seat belts, along with inboard vs. outboard and B-pillar vs. seat-integrated shoulder-belt anchorage locations, on Hybrid III and THORM dummy kinematics and injury metrics in simulated far-side oblique crashes. Seven simulated crashes were conducted, with a 45° principal direction of force and a 55 km/h velocity change with 23 g peak acceleration. Shoulder-belt upper anchorage location and belt type influenced the tendency for the dummy to slip out of the belt and subsequent occupant excursion. The inboard seat-integrated inflatable belt restraint system had the greatest influence, eliminating Hybrid III shoulder-belt slip out and decreasing excursion by 331 mm, compared with the conventional production B-pillar-mounted belt. The inflatable belt also showed potential to mitigate neck injuries, with low dummy injury metrics and distributed loading area.Seat belts, ID: 2291