Citation

Shen W, Parenteau CS, Roychoudhury R, Robbins J. Annu. Proc. Assoc. Adv. Automot. Med. 1999; 43: 383-397.

Copyright

(Copyright © 1999, Association for the Advancement of Automotive Medicine)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

This study investigated occupant body weight distribution on various seat components at different seated positions. A test seat with instrument panel and door prototypes was constructed, and load cells used to quantify load distribution on seat and other interior components. Three experiments were conducted: the 1st used 36 adult subjects at 13 selected normal positions, the second with 11 adults at 17 non-normal positions, and the third with 19 children at 7 positions. For adults, the lowest load on seat cushion is 51.1% of body weight for normal seated positions and 55.1% for non-normal positions. The lowest load on seat cushion and back is 76% of body weight for normal positions and 55% for non-normal positions. For children at various positions, the highest load to seat cushion is 93.4% and to the cushion and back 94%. With 2% of all tests, the cushion load is less than 30kg and cushion and back summed load less than 40kg. Using cushion-based occupant detection technology, there is an overlapping zone between small female adults and 30kg children. The frame-based technology can increase discrimination power. Furthermore, reducing critical weight for airbag suppression from 30kg to 24kg can significantly minimize, or even eliminate, the overlapping zone.