Airbag Cover Engagement Balancing via Segmented Claw Walls
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing front passenger seat airbag apparatus experiences a disruption in the balance of engaging force when the airbag is inflated and deployed, leading to reduced inflation and deployment performance due to varying engagement of claw portions with engaging holes, which is exacerbated by the presence of slits in the tubular outer wall portion.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a tubular inner wall portion with three or more inner walls, each featuring claw portions that extend outward, and a tubular outer wall portion with cutout portions that reduce the influence of adjacent walls on rigidity, maintaining balance and reducing weight by avoiding the need for increased thickness or reinforcement.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the thickness of inner walls is increased to maintain rigidity during airbag inflation, then the structural strength is improved, but the weight of the airbag apparatus increases
Solution Approach 1:
The inner wall is segmented into multiple claw portions that are distributed along the wall. Each claw portion independently engages with corresponding engaging holes, allowing the wall to maintain rigidity through distributed structural elements rather than increasing overall thickness. This segmentation enables the wall to resist deformation during airbag inflation without adding excessive weight.
Solution Approach 2:
The claw portions are strategically positioned at specific locations along the inner wall where engagement with the airbag cover is required. This local quality approach concentrates structural reinforcement only where needed for engagement, rather than uniformly increasing wall thickness throughout, thereby maintaining strength while minimizing weight increase.
2Ease of manufacture
If slits are added to the tubular outer wall portion to reduce deformation, then the ease of manufacture is improved, but the balance of engaging force is disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The outer wall is segmented into multiple claw portions that are independently positioned along the wall. This segmentation allows each claw portion to engage with corresponding engaging holes in the airbag cover, distributing the engaging force balance across multiple points rather than being concentrated in a single continuous structure, thereby maintaining balance even with slits present.
Solution Approach 2:
The claw portions are asymmetrically positioned and sized to compensate for the presence of slits in the outer wall. By strategically locating claw portions at positions that account for the structural discontinuities introduced by slits, the design maintains balanced engaging force distribution despite the simplified manufacturing enabled by the slits.
3Reliability
If the number of claw portions is increased to improve engagement balance, then the reliability of deployment is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The engagement mechanism is segmented into multiple claw portions distributed along the inner wall of the case. Each claw portion independently engages with corresponding engaging holes in the airbag cover, providing redundant engagement points that enhance deployment reliability. This segmentation achieves improved reliability through a relatively simple additive approach rather than complex mechanical linkages.
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
This configuration maintains the balance of engaging force during airbag deployment, improves inflation and deployment performance, and reduces the overall weight of the airbag apparatus by minimizing the need for additional structural reinforcement.
Implementation Method 1
the inflator 82 supplies inflation gas to the airbag 81 to start inflating and deploying the airbag 81
Implementation Method 2
The pressure deforms each of the inner walls 88, 91 outward, causing it to bulge outward in an arched shape
Implementation Method 3
the claw portions 89 of the inner wall 88 are inserted in and engaged with engaging holes 94 formed in the outer wall 96, so that the airbag cover 85 is engaged with the case 83
Data Source
AI summary
A front passenger seat airbag apparatus 12 includes an airbag 15, a case 25 supporting the airbag 15, and an airbag cover 50 covering the airbag 15. The case 25 includes a tubular inner wall portion 29. A plurality of claw portions 37 are arranged along a vehicle widthwise direction on the upper edge of a front inner wall 31 and a rear inner wall 32 of the tubular inner wall portion 29. The airbag cover 50 includes a tubular outer wall portion 53 having a plurality of engaging holes 57. The tubular outer wall portion 53 is engaged with the case 25 by inserting and engaging the claw portions 37 in the engaging holes 57. The front inner wall 31 and the rear inner wall 32 each include connected portions 66, to each of which a claw portion 37 is connected, and non-connected portions 65, to which no claw portion 37 is connected, along the arrangement direction of the claw portions 37. Two non-connected portions 65 are located on both sides of each connected portion 66. At least one of the non-connected portions 65 has cutout portions 61, 62 that extend from the upper end of the corresponding inner wall to a position lower than the tips 37A of the claw portions 37.