Adaptive Airbag Tether Release for Shape and Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle occupant restraint systems fail to reliably adapt the shape and hardness of airbags in response to varying occupant conditions, such as size and position, to achieve optimal restraining effects with minimal effort.
Innovation Solution
An airbag module with a tether release device that actively or passively controls both shaping and discharge port tethers, allowing for simultaneous or delayed release based on sensor-determined conditions, ensuring the airbag deployment geometry and pressure are adapted effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If multiple separate release mechanisms are used for shaping tether and port release tether, then reliable active release of both tethers is achieved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the release functions for both the shaping tether and port release tether into a single integrated tether release device. This device can actively release both tethers simultaneously or selectively, reducing the number of separate mechanisms while maintaining reliable release functionality through a unified control system.
Solution Approach 2:
The tether release device is designed with multi-functionality to handle both shaping tether release and port release tether release operations. It can selectively release either tether or both tethers based on control signals, providing universal release capability that reduces overall system complexity while maintaining reliability.
2Adaptability or versatility
If active release mechanism is added to control tether release, then adaptability of airbag deployment is improved, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system implements dynamic adaptability by enabling the tether release device to selectively release tethers based on detected occupant conditions such as size, weight, and position. The control system can adjust the release timing and selection (shaping tether, port release tether, or both) to optimize airbag deployment characteristics for different occupant scenarios.
Solution Approach 2:
The system incorporates passive release mechanisms that automatically activate when predetermined tensile forces are exceeded, providing self-service release functionality. This reduces the burden on the active control system while maintaining adaptability, as the passive mechanisms handle force-based release scenarios without additional active control complexity.
3Ease of manufacture
If passive release through tear seam is used for port release tether, then ease of manufacture is improved, but reliability of controlled release is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The release system is segmented into multiple independent pathways: active release through the tether release device, passive release through the tear seam mechanism, and selective combinations thereof. This segmentation allows the simple tear seam mechanism to be combined with the controlled active release system, maintaining ease of manufacture for the passive component while achieving reliable controlled release through the integrated active system.
Solution Approach 2:
The tear seam is pre-configured with predetermined tensile force characteristics that enable automatic passive release when force thresholds are exceeded. This preliminary design of the tear seam properties ensures that passive release occurs reliably under specific force conditions, complementing the active release system and providing multiple reliable release pathways.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an airbag module (10) for a vehicle occupant restraint system (12), comprising an airbag (14), an inflator (18), a shaping tether (22) for influencing the airbag deployment geometry which is connected to the airbag (14) at one tether end, and comprising a port release tether (20) which is connected to a discharge port closure (26) of the airbag (14) at one tether end, wherein the port release tether (20) is connected to the discharge port closure (26) so that it releases a discharge port (28) of the airbag (14) from a predetermined tensile tether force, and wherein an activatable tether release device (24) coupled both to the shaping tether (22) and to the port release tether (20) is provided for actively releasing the tethers (20, 22). Furthermore, the invention relates to a method of operating a vehicle occupant restraint system (12) comprising said airbag module (10), wherein airbag deployment takes place in response to predetermined basic conditions, such as in response to the weight of a vehicle occupant (16) and/or of a driving mode for manual or automated and, resp., autonomous driving.