Open AccessThis article is devoted to the urgent, presently, problem that is to ensure the best level of the passive safety of car seats with active head restraints, as well as to assess the effectiveness of such constructional designs. This is an impact-related task, to be, as a consequence, essentially nonlinear with large deformations, strains and accelerations.
To solve this problem finite element models of three types of seat designs with active head restraints have been developed. When creating the simulation FEM a number of CAD (Computer Aided Design)/CAE (Computer Aided Engineering) software was used.
This work was performed within the framework of the developed technique, which allows an efficient creation of the car seat designs with passive and active head restraints that meet requirements of the passive safety.
The results of calculations and experiments allowed us to find that the active head restraint significantly reduced a NIC (Neck Injury Criterion) value, namely up to 36.92 (4%) when using the active headrest with articulated tilting couch, 29.23 (per 24%) when using the active headrest with sliding pad, and 26.15 (31%) when using the active head restraint, which is provided with an airbag. We have also managed to achieve significantly reduced head acceleration under impact.
It was found that FEM seats with active head restraint, which is provided with an airbag, are the most secure because of the least NIC value under the impact (26.15).
Presented in the article materials are used in teaching students at the department “Wheeled vehicles” of scientific and educational complex "Special engineering" in BMSTU.