Adaptive Vehicle Airbag Inflation Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air-bag apparatuses fail to adequately protect occupants of varying body sizes, as the fixed size of the inflated bag body may not fully receive either smaller or larger individuals, leading to gaps or inadequate coverage.
Innovation Solution
An air-bag apparatus with a body size detection system that adjusts the inflation expansion of the bag body by altering its volume using a volume change part, adjusting gas supply from multiple inflators, and breaking sewn parts to accommodate different occupant sizes, ensuring sufficient coverage and minimizing forward movement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the bag body is inflated to a fixed size, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but it cannot adequately protect occupants of varying body sizes
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements dynamic adjustability of the bag body volume through multiple inflators that can be selectively activated. The system transitions from a fixed static volume to a dynamic variable volume that adapts to different occupant sizes, directly resolving the contradiction between adaptability and device complexity
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the volume parameter of the bag body by controlling the operation of multiple inflators. By adjusting which inflators operate and for how long, the system varies the gas supply quantity to achieve different final volumes, enabling adaptation to different occupant sizes while maintaining a relatively simple control mechanism
2Volume of moving object
If the bag body volume is increased for large occupants, then coverage is improved, but gas consumption and inflation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies partial action by selectively activating only the necessary number of inflators based on occupant size detection. For small occupants, fewer inflators are activated; for large occupants, more inflators are activated. This avoids the excessive gas consumption that would result from always activating all inflators, while still achieving adequate volume for each occupant size category
Solution Approach 2:
The system dynamically adjusts the gas supply quantity by controlling which inflators operate, matching the bag body volume to the actual occupant size rather than always providing maximum volume. This dynamic adjustment optimizes gas consumption based on actual protection needs
3Volume of moving object
If the bag body is made larger to cover large occupants, then coverage is improved, but the bag body becomes heavier
Solution Approach 1:
The patent makes the bag body weight dynamic by varying the volume according to occupant size. The bag body can be small and light for child occupants, or large and heavy for adult occupants, rather than always being large and heavy. This resolves the contradiction by making weight adaptive to actual protection needs
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the volume parameter of the bag body based on detected occupant size, which directly affects the weight. By adjusting the gas supply quantity and controlling inflator operation, the system achieves variable volume and corresponding variable weight, optimizing the weight-to-protection ratio for different occupant sizes
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The system effectively receives and protects occupants of various body sizes by dynamically adjusting the bag's inflation to match the occupant's size, reducing the risk of separation from the seat back and forward movement, while preventing head impact with in-vehicle components.
Implementation Method 1
an inflator that supplies a gas to the bag body at a time of an impact input
Data Source
AI summary
An air-bag apparatus includes: a bag body that is provided on a vehicle seat and that is inflated and expanded at a time of an impact input and prevents at least an upper part of a body of an occupant seated on the vehicle seat from being separated from a seat back of the vehicle seat; an inflator that supplies a gas to the bag body at a time of an impact input; a body size detection part that detects a body size of the occupant seated on the vehicle seat; and an expansion degree adjustment part that adjusts a degree of an inflation expansion of the bag body in accordance with the body size of the occupant detected by the body size detection part.