Air Bag Cover Hinge Structure for Inner Cover Tensile Relief
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing air bag cover design faces issues with excessive tensile force applied to the inner cover due to differences in curvature radius during the expansion of the air bag, leading to potential damage.
Innovation Solution
The air bag cover incorporates a main cover with a hinge portion of reduced rigidity and an inner cover with an extension portion that extends upon opening, featuring an S-shaped concave groove and corrugated shape to manage the curvature difference, preventing excessive tensile force.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the main cover and inner cover are simultaneously rotated together upon air bag activation, then the mounting structure of the illuminated emblem is reinforced, but excessive tensile force is applied to the inner cover due to the difference in radius of curvature between the main cover and inner cover
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the cover into two separate covers: the main cover that rotates upon air bag activation, and the inner cover that remains stationary. This segmentation allows the main cover to perform its rotation function while the inner cover maintains structural integrity and provides a stable mounting surface for the illuminated emblem, preventing excessive tensile force concentration.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge portion acts as an intermediary element that connects the main cover and inner cover. It allows the main cover to rotate relative to the inner cover while maintaining their structural connection, thereby mediating the force transmission and preventing excessive tensile force from being applied directly to the inner cover.
2Strength
If the main cover is made rigid to maintain structural integrity during rotation, then the mounting structure is strengthened, but the difference in radius of curvature between the main cover and inner cover causes excessive tensile force
Solution Approach 1:
By separating the rotating main cover from the stationary inner cover, the invention allows the main cover to maintain its rigidity for structural integrity during rotation, while the inner cover remains unaffected by the rotational forces, thus avoiding excessive tensile force.
Solution Approach 2:
The hinge portion serves as a mediator that decouples the rigid main cover from the inner cover, allowing the main cover to rotate with maintained structural integrity while preventing the transmission of excessive tensile forces to the inner cover.
Data Source
AI summary
An air bag cover is provided. The air bag cover includes: a main cover assembled to an air bag housing to cover an air bag cushion disposed in the air bag housing, the main cover including a hinge portion that is formed on an inner surface of the main cover, and the main cover is rotatable and openable about the hinge portion upon an expansion of the air bag cushion; and an inner cover assembled to the inner surface of the main cover to cover the hinge portion, and to open together with the main cover, wherein the inner cover includes an extension portion disposed adjacent to the hinge portion, and the extension portion is extendable upon an opening of the main cover, and wherein a rigidity of the hinge portion is less than a rigidity of the main cover.