Airbag Alignment Apertures for Modular Component Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Inflatable curtain airbags face challenges in accurately aligning modular components during manufacturing and deployment, which can affect their positioning and functionality in vehicle safety systems.
Innovation Solution
The use of alignment apertures in modular components of inflatable curtain airbags, such as mounting assemblies and wrapping members, allows for precise alignment with landmarks on the airbag or other components, ensuring correct positioning and orientation through the use of alignment apertures and landmarks, facilitating secure coupling and deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If modular components are used in inflatable curtain airbags, then ease of manufacture and assembly are improved, but alignment precision of components deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
Alignment apertures serve as intermediary features between modular components, providing a physical guide that ensures precise alignment during assembly. The apertures act as mediators that translate the modular design benefit into accurate component positioning without requiring complex alignment procedures
Solution Approach 2:
Alignment apertures are pre-formed in modular components during manufacturing, establishing predetermined alignment paths before assembly occurs. This preliminary preparation of alignment features enables accurate component positioning to be achieved simply by inserting components through the pre-defined aperture paths
Data Source
AI summary
Inflatable airbag cushions often have modular components attached to them after the main airbag has been manufactured. Such modular components can include external tethers, mounting tabs, mounting assemblies, and fill tubes. Often, these modular components are positioned at predetermined locations on the airbag. Further, the modular components typically have a predetermined orientation. Employing an alignment aperture and at least one landmark on the airbag can allow a modular component to be positioned correctly along at least one axis of the airbag. Landmarks can include seams, edges, folds, and marks, such as ink from printing. Additional apertures, landmarks and/or hardware can be used to assure proper orientation of the modular component on the airbag. The modular component can be coupled to the airbag by stitching.