A STUDY ON THE ENERGY ABSORBING SEAT SYSTEM. RESEARCH REPORT

Research is reported involving a series of basic and practical tests of energy-absorbing (EA) seat systems which use energy absorption webbing in shoulder belts and energy absorption mechanisms in seats to improve the performance of seat belt systems. The research comprised development and trial production of energy absorption mechanisms, determination of basic seat belt system characteristics via sled experiments, and test vehicle experiments at 64 km/hr. For comparison purposes, test vehicle experiments at 48 km/hr and 56 km/hr were conducted on three-point seat belts fitted with emergency locking retractors (ELR). The EA seat belt systems evaluated were found to provide safety and practicality. While air bags provided protection primarily in frontal collisions, they also protected passengers through a three-point seat belt in side collisions and rollovers. Although performance, weight, and appearance of EA seats were satisfactory, no evaluation was made of the system with the steering wheel in place. Additional study is recommended to evaluate improved stability and performance, reduced cost, and lighter weight; the development of an energy absorption mechanism for frontal and rear collisions; the combination of EA seats and three-point seat belts fitted with ELR; the possibility of rendering EA seat systems passive; countermeasures to collisions of the knee with the instrument panel or steering column; and an examination of chassis equipment strength relative to EA seats.

• Supplemental Notes:
  • Reference copy only available at NHTSA. Translated from Japanese (original 47p; translation 62p).
• Corporate Authors:

  Japan Automobile Research Institute

  Yatabe-Cho, Tsukuba-Gun
  Ibaraki,   Japan 
• Publication Date: 1979

Media Info

• Features: References;
• Pagination: 109 p.

Subject/Index Terms

• TRT Terms: Air bags; Energy absorption; Frontal crashes; Manual safety belts; Rollover crashes; Seats; Side crashes
• Subject Areas: Safety and Human Factors;

Filing Info

• Accession Number: 00376872
• Record Type: Publication
• Source Agency: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
• Report/Paper Numbers: HS-030 022
• Files: HSL, USDOT
• Created Date: Jul 30 1983 12:00AM