Versions Compared

Version Old Version 1 New Version 2
Changes made by

Asher L

Asher L

Saved on

Key

  • This line was added.
  • This line was removed.
  • Formatting was changed.

Overview:

The purpose of this document is to provide a centralized resource for research related to Automotive Seat Design. Included content is primarily: recommended dimensions (widths, height, length) though other content such as: recommended cushion contours, ideal cushion properties and pressure distribution are also described. Feel free to add more content to this to expand it so the next Seats Form Factor DRI(s) will have more resources to use!

...

Note: In text citation will be done in an IEEE style, with a citation number inserted in square brackets beside the text/table

Note on Sources:

As Automotive Seat Design deals with accommodating a wide range of people in addition to seat ergonomics (which still relies on much subjective testing) it is best to use sources that are verified and/or peer reviewed, such as papers and studies. Typically the researchers behind these have the resources and equipment to survey a large number of people and measure metrics that the average person would be unable to. That being said, conducting in house research (if possible) is highly recommended. Finding information from a website is still perfectly acceptable if it comes from a reputable source, can be verified or you are using it to get more familiar with the topic before delving deeper into papers/studies. 



Expand
titleTerms

This section provides description for some common terms that will be used throughout the document

  • H Point: The theoretical location of the occupant’s hip. This is the pivot point of both the torso and the upper leg. Many dimensions will be relative to this.

Image Added

  • 5 Point / 6 Point Harness: A seatbelt with 5 or 6 belts in total. It restrains the movement of the occupant more than a 3 Point Seatbelt and is safer

    • 5 Point Harness

Image Added

  • 1 & 2: Shoulder Belts

  • 3 & 4: Lab Belts

  • 5: Anti Sub Belt

  • 6 Point Harness

Image Added

  • Similar setup to 5 Point Harness however Antisub Belt is two separate belts

  • Passthroughs: Cutouts in the seat to allow the belts of a 5 or 6 Point Harness to pass through the seat uninterrupted (as shown by the red circles in the image below)

Image Added

  • Seatback: The portion of the seat which supports the back and shoulders of the occupant

  • Headrest: The portion of the seat which supports the head and/or neck of the occupant

    • In race/bucket seats this will be the area above the shoulder belt passthroughs

  • Seatpan: The portion of the seat which supports the buttock and upper leg of the occupant

  • Bolsters: Protrusions/barriers typically found on the seatback or seatpan of the seat (shown by the red circles in the image below) They keep the occupant centered in the seat during cornering. 

Image Added

  • Undepressed Seat Contour: The shape of the seat cushioning (typically viewed from the side) when no occupant has sat in it

  • Depressed Seat Contour: The shape of the seat cushioning (typically viewed from the side) when an occupant is sitting in the seat - causing the cushioning to compress

  • ILD/IFD: Acronym for Indentation Load Deflection or Indentation Force Deflection. A test to determine the stiffness of a foam. Manufacturers will typically specify the stiffness of their foam in ILD/IFD

    • In this test a circular flat indenter is pressed against a foam sample of standardized width, length and height. 60 seconds after the indenter has achieved 25% or 50% compression, the force is measured 

    • Higher ILD/IFD values = stiffer foam

    • 25% ILD/IFD is for a 25% compression

    • 50% ILD/IFD is for a 50% compression

    • US measurements are in pounds-force

    • European measurements are in newtons