OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN REAR END COLLISIONS

THIS PAPER DISCUSSES THE PROBLEM OF OCCUPANT PROTECTION IN SEVERE REAR END COLLISIONS FROM THE STANDPOINT OF HIGH PERFORMANCE SEAT STRUCTURES AND HEAD RESTRAINTS. CONSIDERATION IS GIVEN TO BOTH FIXED HEAD RESTRAINTS AND TO DEPLOYABLE HEAD RESTRAINTS. TWO-DIMENSIONAL COMPUTER SIMULATIONS OF OCCUPANT KINEMATICS IN A VARIETY OF REAREND COLLISIONS ARE UTILIZED TO PROVIDE INITIAL PERFORMANCE CRITERIA FOR HEAD RESTRAINT DESIGN CONFIGURATIONS. THE RESULTING PROTOTYPE SYSTEM UNDERWENT A TEST AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM ON AN IMPACT SLED. THE RESULTS OF THE VARIOUS PROTOTYPE PERFORMANCES AND GENERAL CRITERIA FOR HIGH PERFORMANCE HEAD RESTRAINT SYSTEMS ARE DISCUSSED. /SAE/

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Vol 80, No 2, P 72
• Authors:
  • Melvin, J W
  • MCELHANEY, J H
• Publication Date: 1972-2

Media Info

• Serial:
  • SAE Journal of Automotive Engineering
  • Publisher: Society of Automotive Engineers

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Computers; Constraints; Deployable head restraints; Headrests; Prototypes; Rear end crashes; Simulation; Vehicle occupants
• Subject Areas: Bridges and other structures; Highways; Passenger Transportation; Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00221552
• Record Type: Publication
• Files: TRIS
• Created Date: Feb 24 1972 12:00AM