Individuals often use their wheelchair as a motor vehicle seat when travelling in motor vehicles. The current use of fixed vehicle-mounted wheelchair occupant restraint systems (FWORSs) often results in poor belt fit and discomfort. Additionally, satisfaction, usability and usage rate of FWORSs during transit use are often low. The automotive industry has shown improved occupant restraint usage, belt fit and injury protection when integrating the upper torso and pelvic restraint in a motor vehicle seat. The study compared occupant injury measures of a FWORS to a concept wheelchair integrated restraint system (WIRS) using a 20g frontal sled impact test with a 30 mph change in velocity. Neck loads, neck moments, head, pelvis and chest acceleration, sternum compression and knee and head excursion data were recorded from the wheelchair seated 50th percentile male hybrid III anthropomorphic test dummy (ATD). The WIRS resulted in a lower head injury criteria (HIC) value, lower sternum compression and a lower upper-torso restraint load than FWORS. Compared with FWORS, increased head, knee and wheelchair excursions and higher neck loads and moments were measured in the WIRS test. Both restraint scenario injury parameters were complied with occupant injury criteria based on General Motors Injury Assessmnet Reference Values (GM-IARVs) and occupant kinematic requirements defined by the society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) voluntary standard, J2249. A higher motion criteria index was calculated for the WIRS scenario and a comparable combined injury criteria index was calculated for both restraint scenarios. The sled impact test showed WIRS concept feasibility, facilitating further development by industrial manufactureres who might further want to pursue this restraint principle to increase wheelchair occupant safety and comfort during transport in motor vehicles.


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    Title :

    Wheelchair integrated occupant restraints: feasibility in frontal impact


    Additional title:

    In den Rollstuhl integrierte Sicherheitsgurte: Machbarkeit bei Frontalzusammenstößen


    Contributors:
    Roosmalen, L. van (author) / Bertocci, G. (author) / Ha, D. (author) / Karg, P. (author)

    Published in:

    Publication date :

    2001


    Size :

    12 Seiten, 19 Bilder, 3 Tabellen, 36 Quellen




    Type of media :

    Article (Journal)


    Type of material :

    Print


    Language :

    English




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