US-12618760-B2 - Test rig and test setup for testing a safety belt system and/or for testing components of a safety belt system, and method for operating a test rig

US12618760B2US 12618760 B2US12618760 B2US 12618760B2US-12618760-B2

Abstract

The invention describes a test rig ( 10 ) for testing a seat belt system and/or for testing components of a seat belt system. Said test rig ( 10 ) comprises a test rig base ( 12 ), a holding unit ( 18 ) for mounting a seat belt system to be tested and/or components to be tested of a seat belt system, an impact unit ( 16 ) configured to apply load to a seat belt system to be tested, and a linear drive unit ( 20 ). The invention further presents a test setup comprising such test rig ( 10 ). In addition, the invention provides a method for operating such test rig ( 10 ).

Inventors

Kai-Ulrich Machens
Bartholomäus Brylka

Assignees

ZF AUTOMOTIVE GERMANY GMBH

Dates

Publication Date: 20260505
Application Date: 20210518
Priority Date: 20200525

Claims (17)

1 . A test rig ( 10 ) for testing at least one component of a seat belt system ( 26 ) having a webbing, comprising a test rig base ( 12 ), a holding unit ( 18 ) for mounting the at least one component of the seat belt system ( 26 ) to be tested, an impact unit ( 16 ) which is configured to apply a load to the at least one component of the seat belt system ( 26 ) to be tested and which is supported on the test rig base ( 12 ) to be substantially horizontally movable relative to the holding unit via a linear guide ( 14 ) in the operating state of the test rig ( 10 ), and a controlled linear drive unit ( 20 ) which includes a drive interface ( 22 ), the drive interface being configured to connect the holding unit to the linear drive unit so that the linear drive unit directly moves the holding unit relative to the test rig base, the drive interface being configured to connect the impact unit to the linear drive unit so that the linear drive unit directly moves the impact unit relative to the test rig base.
2 . The test rig ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the impact unit ( 16 ) comprises a test mass.
3 . The test rig ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the linear drive unit ( 20 ) comprises an electric drive system.
4 . The test rig ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein at least one wrapping element ( 32 a , 32 b , 32 c , 32 d , 32 e ) is attached to the holding unit ( 18 ) and/or to the impact unit ( 16 ), wherein each wrapping element ( 32 a , 32 b , 32 c , 32 d , 32 e ) includes at least one wrapping surface for frictional interaction with the webbing ( 28 ).
5 . The test rig ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the holding unit ( 18 ) and/or the impact unit ( 16 ) include(s) an attachment interface ( 30 a , 30 b ), wherein each attachment interface ( 30 a , 30 b ) is configured to secure the webbing ( 28 ) and/or to secure a belt retractor ( 38 ).
6 . The test rig ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the holding unit ( 18 ) and/or the impact unit ( 16 ) include(s) at least one deflecting unit ( 40 , 40 a ) for deflecting the webbing ( 28 ).
7 . The test rig ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the holding unit ( 18 ) and/or the impact unit ( 16 ) include(s) at least one sensor unit ( 42 ), specifically wherein the sensor unit ( 42 ) comprises a force measuring unit, an acceleration measuring unit, a speed measuring unit and/or a distance measuring unit.
8 . The test rig ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the holding unit ( 18 ) includes a driving surface ( 44 ) and the impact unit ( 16 ) includes a driving counter-surface ( 46 ) so that the holding unit ( 18 ) can carry the impact unit ( 16 ) along the linear guide ( 14 ), when the driving counter-surface ( 46 ) is adjacent to the driving surface ( 44 ).
9 . The test rig ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the drive interface ( 22 ) comprises a decoupling mechanism ( 22 a ) that releases one of the impact unit ( 16 ) and the holding unit ( 18 ) from the drive interface ( 22 ) of the linear drive unit ( 20 ) while the one of the impact unit ( 16 ) and the holding unit ( 18 ) is moving relative to the test rig base ( 12 ).
10 . The test rig ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein a limit stop ( 17 a , 17 b ) is provided for limiting a movement range of the impact unit ( 16 ) along the linear guide ( 14 ), in particular wherein the limit stop ( 17 a , 17 b ) is provided with a damping unit ( 17 c , 17 d ).
11 . The test rig ( 10 ) according to claim 10 , wherein the limit stop ( 17 a , 17 b ) is disposed relative to the holding unit ( 18 ) such that it prevents the holding unit ( 18 ) from being contacted by the impact unit ( 16 ).
12 . A test setup for testing the at least one component of the seat belt system, comprising the test rig ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , wherein the webbing ( 28 ) is attached to the holding unit ( 18 ), and the impact unit ( 16 ) is coupled to the holding unit ( 18 ) via the webbing ( 28 ).
13 . A method for operating the test rig ( 10 ) according to claim 1 , comprising: attaching the webbing ( 28 ) to the holding unit ( 18 ), and holding the holding unit ( 18 ) stationary relative to the test rig base ( 10 ) while the impact unit ( 16 ) causes loading onto the webbing ( 28 ) by being made to contact the webbing ( 28 ) by means of the linear drive unit ( 20 ), or holding the holding unit ( 18 ) stationary relative to the test rig base ( 10 ) while the impact unit ( 16 ) is both coupled to the holding unit ( 18 ) via the webbing ( 28 ) and drivingly connected rigidly to the linear drive unit ( 20 ) via the drive interface ( 22 ) so that the impact unit ( 16 ) causes loading of the webbing ( 28 ) by displacing the impact unit ( 16 ) by means of the linear drive unit ( 20 ), or drivingly connecting the holding unit ( 18 ) to the linear drive unit ( 20 ) while the impact unit ( 16 ) is coupled to the holding unit ( 18 ) via the webbing ( 28 ) so that loading of the webbing ( 28 ) is caused by the holding unit ( 18 ) being displaced by means of the linear drive unit ( 20 ).
14 . The method according to claim 13 , further including accelerating the impact unit ( 16 ) by means of the linear drive unit ( 20 ) and then decoupling the impact unit from the linear drive unit ( 20 ), so that the decoupling is completed before the impact unit ( 16 ) gets in contact with the webbing ( 28 ) to cause loading of the webbing ( 28 ) when holding the holding unit ( 18 ) stationary relative to the test rig base ( 10 ) while the impact unit ( 16 ) causes loading onto the webbing ( 28 ) by being made to contact the webbing ( 28 ) by means of the linear drive unit ( 20 ).
15 . The method according to claim 13 , further including first moving the holding unit ( 18 ) in the direction of the impact unit ( 16 ) by means of the linear drive unit ( 20 ) while carrying the impact unit ( 16 ), and subsequently decelerating the holding unit ( 18 ) by means of the linear drive unit ( 20 ) or moving the holding unit in a direction facing away from the impact unit ( 16 ) to cause loading of the webbing ( 28 ) when drivingly connecting the holding unit ( 18 ) to the linear drive unit ( 20 ) while the impact unit ( 16 ) is coupled to the holding unit ( 18 ) via the webbing ( 28 ) so that loading of the webbing ( 28 ) is caused by the holding unit ( 18 ) being displaced by means of the linear drive unit ( 20 ).
16 . The test rig according to claim 1 , wherein the holding unit is supported on the test rig base to be horizontally movable relative to the test rig base and the impact unit.
17 . The test rig according to claim 1 , wherein the impact unit is configured to contact the webbing of the seat belt system to apply the load to the at least one component.

Description

RELATED APPLICATIONS This application is a U.S. National Stage Application filed under 35 USC 371, claiming priority to Serial No. PCT/EP2021/063084, filed on 18 May 2021; which claims priority from German Patent Application DE 10 2020 113 887.3, filed 25 May 2020, the entireties of which are hereby incorporated herein by reference. TECHNICAL FIELD The invention relates to a test rig for testing a seat belt system and/or for testing components of a seat belt system, the test rig comprising a test rig base and a holding unit for arranging a seat belt system to be tested and/or components to be tested of a seat belt system. BACKGROUND The invention further relates to a test setup for testing a seat belt system and/or for testing components of a seat belt system comprising such test rig. Accordingly, a seat belt system including a webbing is fastened to the holding unit. In addition, the invention relates to a method for operating such test rig, wherein a seat belt system that comprises a webbing is fastened to the holding unit. Test rigs of this type, test setups adapted to be realized with said test rigs and methods for operating a test rig are known from the state of the art. They serve to simulate loads as realistically as possible which during operation of a seat belt system act on the same and on the components of the seat belt system. It is generally endeavored to design test rigs in such universal manner that a seat belt system can be tested in different arrangement variants corresponding to different installation locations of the seat belt system in a vehicle, e.g., installation in the B pillar, installation in a backrest. Moreover, it is usually desired that seat belt systems under test can be tested in different load scenarios. At the same time, test rigs are intended to have a compact design. This applies particularly to a floor space required for the test rig. It is understood that the afore-mentioned requirements to test rigs are conflicting. Specifically, it is a conflict of aims that test rigs by which a plurality of arrangement variants and/or load scenarios can be realized usually require a large space. On the other hand, known test rigs of compact design allow to realize only few arrangement variants, specifically only one arrangement variant and/or only one load scenario. SUMMARY Consequently, it is the object of the invention to eliminate or at least mitigate the afore-mentioned conflict of aims. Accordingly, specifically a test rig is to be provided which is universally applicable as regards arrangement variants and load scenarios to be realized and at the same time has a compact design. The object is achieved by a test rig of the type mentioned in the beginning which comprises an impact unit configured to apply dynamic load to a seat belt system to be tested, and, in so doing, to take the reaction of the seat belt system, particularly in interaction with elasticity and inertia, into account via the impact unit. On the whole, such a test rig helps take the actual interaction of the individual elements of the seat belt system by far more realistically into account. The impact unit is supported, in the operating state of the test rig, to be substantially horizontally movable on the test rig base via a linear guide. In addition, the test rig includes a controlled linear drive unit comprising a drive interface. Accordingly, the holding unit is optionally fixed relative to the test rig base or is drivingly connected rigidly to the linear drive unit via the drive interface. The impact unit is drivingly connectable rigidly to the linear drive unit via the drive interface. The impact unit is thus always supported on the test rig base via the linear guide. Optionally, it is drivingly connected rigidly to the linear drive unit via the drive interface or is disconnected from the linear drive unit. In the latter case, the impact unit is substantially freely displaceable along the linear guide. The holding unit is either stationary relative to the test rig base or is connected to the linear drive unit via the drive interface. From the afore-mentioned coupling options, a large number of load scenarios is resulting which can be implemented by means of the test rig. The linear drive unit which is substantially freely programmable also contributes to this. This means that the linear drive unit is configured to follow any distance, speed and/or acceleration profiles in a controlled manner. Specifically, a crash pulse known from a vehicle crash is tracked. The acceleration over time is not constant or not uniform in the normal case. In addition, at the holding unit a seat belt system to be tested and/or components to be tested of a seat belt system can be disposed in almost any way. In other words, the test rig is configured to implement almost any arrangement variants of seat belt systems. Generally, a universal test rig as regards the load scenarios and the arrangement variants is resulting. Since linear