Integrally Formed Vehicular Air Bag Door with Soft Hinge

Solution Overview

Problem

Conventional vehicular air bag doors have a complex manufacturing process and a high number of constituent elements due to separate manufacturing and assembly of the chute, door plate, and hinge, which complicates production and increases costs.

Innovation Solution

The chute, door plate, and hinge are integrally formed with one another, allowing for a single mold manufacturing process, reducing the number of components and simplifying the manufacturing process, with the hinge and door plate made of soft materials to prevent damage during airbag inflation.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If the chute, door plate, and hinge are manufactured separately and assembled, then each component can be optimized independently, but the manufacturing process becomes complicated and the number of constituent elements increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent optimizationVSAvoidmanufacturing process complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The chute, door plate, and hinge are merged into a single integrally formed component. The door plate includes a chute forming portion that forms the chute, and a hinge forming portion that forms the hinge, both integrally with the door plate. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly of these components, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing the number of constituent elements while maintaining functional optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

2Manufacturing precision

If the chute, door plate, and hinge are manufactured separately and assembled, then each component can be optimized independently, but the number of constituent elements increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecomponent optimizationVSAvoidnumber of constituent elements

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The chute, door plate, and hinge are merged into a single integrally formed component. The door plate includes a chute forming portion that forms the chute, and a hinge forming portion that forms the hinge, both integrally with the door plate. This eliminates the need for separate manufacturing and assembly of these components, thereby simplifying the manufacturing process and reducing the number of constituent elements while maintaining functional optimization.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

3Strength

If hard materials are used for the chute and door plate, then structural strength is improved, but damage may occur during airbag inflation

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvestructural strengthVSAvoiddamage during inflation

Core Design Contradiction:

StrengthVSObject-affected harmful factors

Solution Approach 1:

The material parameter of the door plate is changed from hard material to soft material. The door plate is made of a soft material that is flexible and elastic, allowing it to deform and absorb impact forces during airbag inflation. This prevents damage to the air bag door and instrument panel while maintaining sufficient structural strength for its functions.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

Data Source

PatentUS7740269B2Vehicular air bag door

Publication Date: 2010.06.22 HYUNDAI MOBIS CO LTD

AI summary

A vehicular air bag door is disclosed. More particularly, a vehicular air bag door for achieving a reduction in the number of constituent elements and a simplified manufacturing process thereof is disclosed. The vehicular air bag door includes a chute provided at an instrument panel to mount an air bag module thereon, a door plate provided in an opening of the chute and connected with a door section defined in the instrument panel, and a hinge provided between the chute and the door plate. The chute, the door plate, and the hinge are integrally formed with one another.