One of the main criteria for choosing children's products is safety. It is important to remember this on the road, on a walk with a stroller, and even seating the child in a high chair. It is necessary to carefully approach the choice of means of protecting the child. Why should you pay attention to the five-point seat belt? If only because even in sports cars This is the driver protection. After all, such belts allow you to evenly distribute the load during tension and securely fix the human body in the chair.
Purpose
The five-point seat belt is a means of passive protection against the dangerous movement of a child while traveling by car, while walking in a stroller or while feeding on a special chair. These seat belts are suitable for children up to 3-4 years old (group 0, 0+ and 1+ car seats are used), then they become small and baby car seat fixed with ordinary car belts.
Device
The five-point harness consists of two shoulder straps, two leg straps and one strap that goes between the legs. That's where its name comes from. The 5-point harness buckle always locks securely as kids love to play with it and try to open it. On the shoulder straps, additional softening pads are most often worn to protect the neck of a small passenger from injury and chafing.
In addition, often the car seat belt buckle is equipped with soft upholstery, which will soften the pressure of the buckle on the child’s stomach or groin. All soft pads can also be purchased separately if they were not included in the package of the children's product. The five-point seat belt for a highchair and stroller is often thinner and less secure than for a car seat.
Operating principle
The load of such belts in the event of a collision is distributed to the strongest parts of the child's body - the shoulders, bones of the hips and pelvis. As you know, in the event of a collision, the human body is subject to inertia. In security cases it is difficult to guarantee reliable protection. That is why the five-point seat belts are used for children, which completely fix the child's body and do not allow him to slip out of the child car seat. Fixation of strong body parts helps to avoid serious injuries and the consequences of an accident or hard braking. It is important to remember that after an accident, it is undesirable to use a car seat, it must be replaced with a new one.
Stroller seat belts help prevent an active baby from falling out while walking. Fixing the child in the high chair will enable the person who feeds him to move away or be distracted for a while, without fear that the baby will slip out of the high structure.
Fastening
In a child car seat, fastening five-point belts is quite simple - the shoulder belts pass through special holes in the chair and are fastened from the back of the back with a special metal or plastic hook. The leg straps also pass through the holes in the seat and are held in hooks on the underside of the car seat. Tension belt, which runs between the child's legs, passes under the chair and is attached to one hook along with the shoulder straps. Each belt must be adjusted separately for the child, and also do not forget about his clothes - in the autumn-winter period, it may be necessary to loosen the belts so that the child is comfortable.
The seat belts for the stroller and high chair can also be adjusted to fit the child, lengthening or shortening them, or changing them to thicker, softer or more secure locks. Changing the belt is the same as in the car.
Car seat: fastening and installation
In addition to properly adjusted seat belts, the child car seat must be securely attached to the car. It can be done in several ways:
- regular three-point seat belts of the car;
- Isofix mount;
- installation of an additional base for the car seat, which in turn is fixed regular belts or Isofix mount.
Fastening with regular seat belts is universal way car seat fixation. Despite the convenience, this method has its drawbacks - this procedure somewhat complicated and inconvenient, in addition, there is a possibility of incorrect or insufficiently strong fixation of the chair. Sometimes in situations involving a car seat of groups 0 and 0+, regular belts may not be enough for its full girth. In this case, it is necessary to replace the standard belts in the car dealership with longer ones, without increasing the length of the belt with your own hands. Fixing the car seat and the child with regular seat belts is necessary for children over 3 years old (from 18 kg), since not all car seats of older groups have a five-point seat belt.
Isofix mount
This method was developed and standardized in Europe in the 90s and has since gained popularity due to its simplicity and reliability. The Isofix car seat has the main advantage - in addition to the five-point seat belts, it is securely fixed on the car seat.
The whole system is divided into two parts: automobile and armchair. The vehicle uses two metal brackets, which are installed at a standard distance of 280 mm from each other in the back of the rear seat at the passenger seating areas. Most often, these places are marked with the inscription Isofix and sometimes with a picture of a child in a car seat. The car seat also has two rigid guides with a fixation mechanism in brackets.
This fastening is quite simple and allows you to securely install the seat in the car without fear of error. After all, two characteristic clicks will make it clear that the car seat mount is securely fixed. Recently, a third attachment point has been used to fix the upper part and avoid a dangerous forward lean. It is also called the "anchor" belt. It attaches from the top of the car seat back to a brace that can be located on the car's rear shelf, on the trunk floor, or in any other rear area. The Isofix car seat is suitable for any car on which the system's attachment points are installed.
Alternative to five-point harnesses
In addition to five-point seat belts, there are restraint bumper tables or buffer tables. Such a table is a soft cushion with plastic inserts, which is attached to a regular seat belt across the child's body. This type protection is looser and gives the child more freedom to act. It is believed that such protection is able to keep the child in the seat during an accident and not cause him injury due to its softness and elasticity. However, according to the latest crash tests, it was revealed that such tables are not able to reliably hold the child when the car is turned over, and also do not have the ability to protect the upper body during a sharp inertial motion forward.
Advantages of five-point seat belts
Since any parent considers it necessary to take care of their child, it is important to understand that the safety of the baby must be trusted with proven and reliable means. A five-point seat belt has a number of advantages over belts with fewer anchorage points:
- correct distribution of the load on the strong parts of the child's body;
- mitigation of the force of impact during an accident due to reliable fixation in the car seat;
- easy adjustment of the belts to the size of the child;
- soft and secure holding of an active baby in the stroller and highchair;
- opportunity easy replacement belts in any children's product.
The installation and use of seat belts must comply with the requirements of paragraph 6 of Art. 253. What does it say? Belts consisting of two shoulder straps and one waist strap are obligatory. Attachment points on the body: for the waist strap - two; for shoulder straps - two or possibly one, symmetrical with respect to the seat. Seat belts must be homologated by the FIA and comply with FIA standards No. 8854/98 or 8853/98. In addition, belts used in circuit racing must be equipped with a twist-lever lock. At the same time, for competitions involving road traffic common use, belts equipped with a push-button lock are recommended. In the rally, during the entire duration of the competition, two cutters must be attached to the board to cut the belts. They must be accessible to the first and second drivers sitting in their seats and belted security.
The NAF may homologate the attachment points of the seat belts on the roll cage if it is homologated and provided that the attachment points have been tested.
Installation
It is forbidden to fasten seat belts to the seats or their supports.- Seat belts can be installed on the anchor points provided for by the design of the production car. The recommended geometry of the location of the anchor points is shown in the figure
Shoulder straps should point back and down. They should be installed so that the angle to the horizontal of the upper edge of the seatback is no more than 450, while it is recommended that this angle not exceed 100. The maximum angles relative to the center line of the seat when viewed from above is 200, while the shoulder straps must converge or intersect .If possible, use the vehicle manufacturer's anchorage point on the C-pillar.Attachment points that create a greater angle to the horizontal must not be used unless the seat is FIA-compliant.In this case, 4-point safety harness shoulder straps can be fitted on the rear seat lap attachment points, originally provided by the vehicle manufacturer. For seat belts with 4 attachment points, the shoulder straps must be installed crosswise, symmetrically relative to the center line of the front seat. The lap and thigh straps must not pass along the sides of the seat, but through the seat , to cover and fix the pelvic region on the largest possible surface. The lap straps must fix the driver's body exactly in the depression between the edge of the pelvis and the top of the thigh. Under no circumstances should they put pressure on the abdomen. Particular attention must be paid to avoiding possible damage to the straps by sharp edges. - If it is not possible to mount the straps on the serial attachment points, new mounting points must be made on the body or chassis, for the shoulder straps - as close as possible to the axis of the rear wheels.
The shoulder straps can also be attached to the roll cage or cross brace (body) by means of a loop, can be mounted on high points mounts rear belts, or may be attached to or supported by a transverse reinforcement welded to the rear slant bars of the roll cage
If a transverse reinforcement is used, it must meet the following conditions: - The transverse reinforcement must be a cold drawn seamless carbon steel pipe of at least 38x2.5 mm or 40x2 mm with a minimum tensile strength of 350 N/mm2. - The height of this reinforcement must be such that the shoulder straps extending backwards are directed downwards at an angle of 100 to 450 to the horizontal from the upper edge of the seatback. The recommended angle is 100.- The belts can be fastened with loops or bolts, but in the latter case, an insert must be welded into the reinforcement for each attachment point. The straps must be attached to these inserts welded into the reinforcement tube using M12 bolts of strength class 8.8 according to ISO or 7/16" according to UNF specification.- Each attachment point must withstand a load of 1470 daN (kgf), for interthigh straps - 720 daN (kgf). When using one attachment point for two straps (forbidden for shoulder straps), it must withstand load equal to the sum specified for each webbing.- For each newly created anchor point, a steel reinforcing plate with an area of at least 40 cm2 and a thickness of at least 3 mm must be used.
Each set of seat belts must be used as homologated, without any modification or removal of parts, and in accordance with the manufacturer's instructions. every serious collision, and whenever the straps are torn, frayed, or weakened by chemicals or sunlight. They should also be replaced if metal parts or locks are deformed or rusted. Any set of straps that does not function fully should be replaced .
Good afternoon, dear readers. This article is the first article from new series " Vehicle security systems ".
Of course, all of you know that the safety of cars and, mainly, passengers and the driver of the car, has always been given Special attention. Over the long years of the existence of cars to protect people, many various systems and funds that every year protect better and better.
Let's start our discussion of car security systems with seat belts. Historically, belts have been around for a long time, and have already saved many lives.
Why you need to wear seat belts
This issue was considered in the article, so we will not touch it again.
Let us dwell on what kind of seat belts are, how they differ, which belts are better and which ones are worse.
Inertial and non-inertial seat belts
If you do not know what inertial and non-inertial belts are, then I will try to explain.
Inertial belts retract when unfastened special device, i.e. an unfastened inertial belt automatically returns to its place. To fasten the retractable belt, you need to pull it out and secure it in the belt buckle. At present, and for a long time already, all cars are equipped with inertial seat belts.
Non-inertial belts automatically in the unfastened state are not removed, but remain lying on the seat.
Eat significant difference in how buckle up correctly inertial belt and non-inertial. If the inertial belt automatically adjusts its length and tightly holds the person himself, then for the non-inertial belt, you must first select the length of the strap. When fastened, the length should be such that your palm fits between the strap and the chest. Do not loosen the belt too much or tighten it too much, as this may cause injury. If you suddenly have to use a car with conventional belts, then be sure to adjust their length to suit you.
Two-point, three-point, multi-point seat belts.
This classification of belts is based on how many points the belt is attached to the car body.
Most common three-point harnesses- belts that are attached to the body of the car over the passenger's shoulder, on the same side - below and on the other side - with a lock. These belts consist of two straps - chest and waist. In most cases, the front and rear outboard seats are equipped with three-point seat belts. But the central rear seat is often equipped today two-point belt, which is a single strap that is attached on both sides of the passenger and runs in the area of \u200b\u200bthe belt.
It is obvious that the more points of attachment of belts to the car body, the better belt keep the person in emergency. Therefore, in addition to two-point and three-point, there are also multi-point harnesses. Unfortunately, such belts are installed mainly on racing cars. But if you have to choose how to buckle up, then always choose three-point harness- with such a belt, the risk of injury is much lower.
How to properly fasten your seat belt
Let's start with the fact that each belt must be adjusted accordingly.
For not inertial belt the right one must be selected length(this was discussed above).
For all belts, if possible to customize belt height, you should definitely use it. The height must be chosen in such a way that the belt in no case falls on the neck. Also, the belt should not be too low, passing over the person’s shoulder. We need to find a middle ground.
The seat belt (hereinafter - RB) is a tool to protect the motorist and car passengers while driving. Proper operation RB reduces the risk of injury to a person during an accident. In this article, you will learn what a two-point, multi-point and three-point seat belt is, how effective it is to use, and which one is better to use for the child and the stroller.
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Types of seat belts
As we have already said, there can be several types of RB. They are divided among themselves according to the number of attachment points, as well as the design. Let's consider each of them in turn.
point-to-point
A two-point RB is an adjustable motorist protection that is attached at the waist.
femoral
For the first time such elements were put into operation in 1949. To date, this type of RB is used only in older cars, since it is unclaimed in passenger vehicles.
Belt
Belt, as well as femoral RB, are also practically not used today. About ten years ago, waist RBs were used by car manufacturers to equip rear seat protection. Today they can be found in some buses, but still such waist-belt RBs are actively used on airplanes, due to the fact that they can reliably keep a person in the seat. Thus, the passenger can comfortably sit on the seat during takeoff or landing. But neither children in the car, nor even strollers, can be fastened with such elements.
Shoulder
The popularity of shoulder RBs has also recently faded away. Such RBs run from the shoulder to the hip. Actively used by automotive manufacturers in the 60s of the last century. But, as practice has shown, they did not particularly protect motorists in case of accidents due to the fact that getting into an accident, a person could simply slip out from under the shoulder RB. Accordingly, neither children nor strollers with babies can be fastened with shoulder RBs.
Three-point
The design of the three-point seat belt is single remedy protection, combining the shoulder and waist straps. A buckle runs along the segment of the RB, which allows the driver or passenger to use the design with convenience. Three-point seat belts in the event of an accident will be able to evenly distribute the braking force over several parts of the body - the femoral girdle, shoulders, and also the chest. And this, in turn, greatly facilitates the blow to a person. For the first time such RBs were put into operation in 1959.
Until the mid-80s of the last century, such straps, as a rule, were operated exclusively on the front seats. But over time, as tests showed, traffic rules in many countries were revised, as a result of which auto manufacturers began to install both on the front and on rear seats three-point RB. However, this applies to developed countries - here such a requirement was introduced in 2007.
Despite their relative safety, such RBs are not suitable for small children and strollers. If the dimensions are not typical, then the upper part of the strap in the event of an accident will come too close to the throat of the strapped person. As for strollers, do not even think about fastening a stroller with a child with a three-point RB.
According to their type, such straps are divided into:
- Inertial. Such RBs are the most common and it is these straps that are found in almost all cars. If the inertial RB is not fastened, then in this state it is mounted on the side pillar of the car, and to use it, it is enough to pull it out of the installation site and install it in the lock. If you decide to unfasten the inertial RB, then it is in automatic mode will return to its original position.
- Non-inertial ones differ from inertial ones not only in that they do not return to their place when unfastened, but also in the way they are fastened. For example, an inertial RB will build the required length on its own, based on the dimensions of the driver or passenger. But as for non-inertial straps, in this case, a person must first set the length, and only then sit down and put it on. At the same time, it should be taken into account that it is not worth excessively loosening or overtightening such a RB, otherwise it may be fraught with an accident. Therefore, in any case, before use, such straps should be adjusted to suit you.
- RB with tensioner. The tensioner device allows you to automatically adjust the holding force of the driver or passenger in an accident. Such RBs work themselves in case of an accident.
Multipoint
Multi-point elements include four-point and five-point seat belts. Today, they are most commonly used in race cars, as well as in air transport. Concerning racing cars, then in them multipoint RBs also play the role of an additional component of lateral support, in addition to the main function. That is, multi-point RBs allow you to keep the body of the driver of the car in his seat. It should also be noted that since the five-point RB are the most reliable, it is quite possible to fasten a stroller or a child with them. Almost all child restraints use five-point RBs.
Use of seat belts
In many countries, the SDA contains a requirement in without fail use RB while driving a car, of course, if the car is equipped with straps. As for Ukraine, Russia and Belarus, in these countries the use of RB is mandatory not only for the driver, but also for passengers. If the straps are not used while driving, the traffic police officer has the right to issue a fine.
Retaining devices
As you can understand, ordinary RBs are designed for the growth of adults, so you cannot use them when transporting children and strollers. To do this, in order to protect the life and health of the child, there are restraints or special automobile so-called strollers - car seats. If a child is strapped in with a three-point harness without a seat, the child is at least five times more likely to suffer a neck injury than if they were seated in a special restraint.
In the Russian Federation, according to traffic rules, all children under 12 years of age must be carried in restraints that can be used with a belt.
RB and airbags
The use of straps is mandatory if the vehicle is equipped, otherwise there is a high risk of injury. Please note that the principle of operation of airbags is thought out during development in such a way that the driver must fasten the RB when they are opened. Accordingly, if in the event of an accident the driver is not fastened, and his body can even shift a little, then the consequences of opening the airbags can be very sad. For example, if the blow is head-on, then the motorist will at least get hit on the head with a pillow, and believe me, this blow will be much stronger than if you just hit your head on a torpedo. To date, many automotive manufacturers equip their vehicles with an airbag lockout function if the RB is not fastened while driving.
Efficiency
Let's move on to the question of the effectiveness of car seat belts. Probably, it is not necessary to explain how important this element of protecting the driver and passengers is, because its effectiveness has been tested over the years and numerous tests in practice. We can say with confidence that in critical accidents, when the likelihood of survival is very low, it is the seat belts that provide protection. In general, the percentage of protection is about 70 out of 100%, which cannot be said about airbags. The latter allow you to protect only in 20% of cases.
Seat belts are one of the best means passive protection. They prevent the body from moving during impacts and collisions. Enhanced Efficiency can be achieved through cushions built into the hard parts of the cabin.
Attention! The use of seat belts in the design of the car helps to avoid a number of serious injuries.
An interesting social video about the consequences of seat belts:
Types of seat belts
Automotive industry over 100 years of constant evolution. It is not surprising that during this time many unique designs appeared. It is most convenient to classify the types of seat belts according to the number of fixation points:
- point-to-point;
- three-point;
- four-point;
- five-point;
- six-point.
Most cars now have three-point seat belts. They have V arrangement, thanks to which it is possible to achieve an optimal distribution of energy in a collision.
Attention! For the first time, three-point seat belts were installed by engineers Volvo. This happened in 1959. The author of the development is Niels Bohlin.
Perhaps the most famous modification of such a device is the Belt-in-Seat design. In it, the shoulder part of the latch is attached to the back. The first to introduce this technology into production were representatives Mercedes. It happened way back in 1990.
The first car to be sold in the states with BIS technology was the Mercedes-Benz SL. This is a premium car, in which the comfort of passengers and their safety at that time reached an unprecedented level.
Attention! It is believed that BIS technology helps to avoid injury when a vehicle rolls over.
Two point harnesses were created in the first place. True, a hundred years ago it was a simple rope stretched across the driver's belt. Interestingly, after such a long time, this technology is still used, however, in airplanes and for the back seats of cars.
Four-point seat belts can be seen on sports cars. They provide a more secure fixation of the body and much less comfort. Nevertheless, this technology is considered very promising. True, to install the structure in a car, upper mounts are required.
Five-point harness security has also found its way into the sports entertainment industry. They are also used in child seats. In fact, this is a whole set of belts, consisting of many straps.
Attention! One belt in a five-point design goes through the legs, two through the waist, and the same number through the shoulders.
The six-point design is basically the same as the five-point design, but there is another additional seat belt that goes through the rider's legs. As a result, this is the most robust design.
Separately, it is worth noting that technology does not stand still. New developments in the field of security are constantly being created. One of the most promising is the inflatable belt design. The principle of operation is extremely simple. As soon as an accident occurs, a special chamber is filled with gas. Due to the gas, the useful area of \u200b\u200bthe belt increases. This means that less load is created on the human body, due to a more rational distribution of mass. Also, this design provides additional protection in a side collision.
Attention! The gas cushion is built into the shoulder strap only.
In reality there is whole line interesting concepts which performed well in tests. These include Volvo SCC's criss-cross seat belt device. The 3+2 system deserves special attention. It was created by Autoliv and provides enhanced rollover protection. vehicle.
What is the seat belt made of?
The main structure of the seat belt consists of:
- straps;
- castle;
- fastening bolts;
- retractor.
For the production of straps is most often used synthetic material. The main requirement for him is high level strength. The seat belt retractor works on the basis of a ratchet mechanism. Emergency blocking occurs due to the sensitive element.
The basis of the sensitive element is a simple metal ball. When it moves, the coil is fixed by a system of levers. Some designs use a pendulum instead of a ball.
The device of the inertial seat belt can be viewed on the video:
Separately, you need to talk about the system responsible for the gradual tension of the tape. This is due to the flywheel. It is mounted on the axis of the coil. This is a small disk that makes the process smooth. But if an accident occurs, a jerk is formed, due to which the disk has to overcome the friction force. In parallel, there is pressure on the helical surface.
Attention! As a result of the actions described above, the disk is displaced and the ratchet is blocked.
The seat belt device helps to ensure the safety of passengers during collisions. But even they have a certain limit of effectiveness. At speeds over 200 kilometers per hour, belts will be of little use.
The bolts in the seat belt device are responsible for reliable fastening the whole structure while driving. They are made of hard alloy that can withstand serious loads. Moreover, they are attached to the car frame to ensure maximum reliability.
Operating rules
At first glance, the seat belt is extremely easy to use. But there are certain nuances, the knowledge of which will allow you to use it as efficiently as possible.
First of all, do not overtighten the seat belt. Of course, this will provide a stronger fixation, but the risk of injury increases several times.
However, too little tension significantly weakens the braking effect of the seat belt device in the vehicle. There is a proven method that allows you to conduct correct setting. It is necessary to make such a tension so that you can put your hand under the belt, and there is a noticeable compression on the brush.
Attention! When setting up the device, it is necessary that you can easily reach all the controls of the car.
Do not, under any circumstances, fasten the harness in a twisted state! It won't provide right level fixation. Moreover, it will be simply inconvenient for you to drive a car.
An important rule operation is that after an accident occurs, the entire fixing device must be changed, including straps and bolts. There are several reasons for this.
Firstly, under strong tension, the tapes lose their properties and strength. Therefore, it is dangerous to continue using them. Secondly, complete replacement must be carried out every 5-10 years due to natural wear and tear.
Attention! Each brand of car is equipped with an original device for fixing the driver and passengers. Do not replace with a cheap analogue.
Operation of seat belts and airbags
As mentioned above, a pillow can only be effective in combination with braces. Moreover, if the driver is not fastened, the airbags may simply not work in the event of a collision.
The straps and the rest of the device, in fact, are one of the elements of the overall safety complex, which should save the life of the driver and passengers, as well as prevent injuries.
If you are not wearing a seat belt, the airbags can cause serious damage when deployed. The fact is that the impact force is not softened by anything, and this will make the collision very hard.
Statistics
If we take into account car statistics an accident, then a fastened shoulder strap saves in 70 percent of cases. In turn, pillows have proven their effectiveness in only 20%.
It is very important that absolutely everything in the cabin is fastened, including passengers on rear seats. The fact is that with a strong impact, an unfastened passenger will randomly move around the cabin, injuring everyone else.
The use of seat belts can greatly reduce the risk of injury in a collision. Moreover, fastened shoulder straps can save lives. There are many designs that are installed in different types machines. In most cases, manufacturers use a three-point locking system. Although more and more interesting alternatives are appearing, gradually being introduced into life.
