Airbag Side Impact Test Apparatus Using Crushable Member
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current side impact testing standards require multiple full vehicle demolitions for optimization and refinement, making the testing process costly and resource-intensive.
Innovation Solution
A test apparatus comprising a linear motion generator, airbag, plate, platform, and crushable member, which simulates side impacts with a smaller footprint and less powerful equipment, allowing for multiple iterations of airbag design testing without demolishing entire vehicles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If full vehicle testing is performed according to side impact testing standards, then testing accuracy and completeness is improved, but resource consumption and cost increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the full vehicle testing system into independent functional components: a linear motion generator to simulate impact forces, an airbag system to be tested, an anthropomorphic test device representing the occupant, and a crushable member to simulate vehicle structure deformation. This segmentation allows each component to be tested independently without requiring a complete vehicle, thereby reducing resource consumption while maintaining testing accuracy for the airbag system.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a simplified copy of the vehicle-occupant-airbag system that replicates the essential testing functions. The anthropomorphic test device copies the occupant's physical response characteristics, the linear motion generator copies the impact dynamics, and the crushable member copies the vehicle structure's deformation behavior. This copying approach enables accurate airbag testing without consuming entire vehicles.
2Manufacturing precision
If multiple full vehicle tests are conducted for airbag design optimization, then design refinement is improved, but vehicle demolition requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a dynamic testing apparatus where the linear motion generator can be reprogrammed to simulate different impact scenarios, and the airbag system can be quickly replaced and reconfigured. The crushable member can be exchanged to represent different vehicle structures. This dynamic configurability allows multiple airbag design iterations to be tested efficiently without the need to demolish and rebuild entire vehicles for each test variant.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent enables the recovery and reuse of expensive test components. The airbag system, anthropomorphic test device, and linear motion generator can be recovered after each test run and reused for subsequent testing iterations. Only the crushable member, which is designed to be depleted, is discarded. This approach dramatically improves productivity by eliminating the need to demolish entire vehicles for each design optimization cycle.
3Loss of substance
If simplified testing apparatus is used, then resource consumption is reduced, but testing capability may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent maintains testing capability by carefully controlling key parameters: the linear motion generator is calibrated to reproduce impact velocities and acceleration profiles matching full vehicle tests, the anthropomorphic test device is instrumented with sensors to measure forces and movements equivalent to real occupant responses, and the crushable member is designed to deform in a manner that replicates vehicle structure behavior. These parameter controls ensure that despite the simplified apparatus, the testing capability remains reliable for airbag system evaluation.
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
Enables cost-effective and efficient testing of side impacts by reducing resource consumption and allowing for more iterations of airbag design optimization without the need for repeated vehicle demolition.
Implementation Method 1
a linear motion generator 32, an airbag 34, a plate 40, a platform 42
Implementation Method 2
The crushable member 70 is disposed between the plate 40 and the platform 42, and the crushable member 70 is deformable by the plate 40
Data Source
AI summary
A test apparatus includes a linear motion generator, an airbag, a plate, a platform, an anthropomorphic test device, and a crushable member. The airbag is spaced from the linear motion generator. The plate is moveable by the linear motion generator toward the airbag, and the platform is fixed relative to the plate. The anthropomorphic test device is adjacent the airbag and includes an end coupled to the platform. The crushable member is disposed between the plate and the platform, and the crushable member is deformable by the plate. During operation of the test apparatus, the linear motion generator moves the plate into the crushable member to slow movement of the anthropomorphic device toward the airbag. The crushable member crushes to simulate the forces on the anthropomorphic test device from a vehicle side impact.