Effects of Pretensioners and Load Limiters on 50th Male and 5th Female Seated in Rear Seat during a Frontal Collision

This study was conducted to explore the effect of various combinations of seatbelt-related safety components (namely, retractor pretensioners and load limiting retractors) on the adult rear passenger involved in a frontal collision. The study was conducted on a 50^th Male and a 5^th Female Hybrid III ATD in the rear seat of a mid-sized sedan. Each ATD was seated in an outboard position with 3-point continuous lap-shoulder belts. On these belts were combinations of pretensioners and load limiters. Since the main objective of this test series was to cross-compare the seatbelt configurations, front seats were not included in the buck in order to avoid uncontrollable variables that would have affected the comparison study if the possibility of contact with the front seat were allowed. Nevertheless, there was a short barrier devised to act as a foot-stop for both ATDs.

A design of experiment (DOE) was constructed as a full factorial with and without a pretensioner and three types of load limiters. Each ATD was tested with a progressive load limiter (PLL1). Additionally, the 50^th Male was tested with a self-adaptive load limiter (SALL) and the 5^th Female was tested with a second type of a progressive load limiter (PLL2). The test pulse was designed to approximate a 35 mph (56 kph) frontal rigid barrier test of a four-door sedan.

In summary, for the specific configurations reported herein, it was found that pretensioners were an appreciable factor in improving ATD values, and that load limiters had a greater positive effect in the absence of pretensioners and more so for the 50^th Male than for the 5^th Female.