Vehicle Side Airbag Diffuser for Early Inflation and Thermal Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing side airbag devices face challenges in ensuring early inflation and deployment to effectively restrain occupants during a side crash, with issues of delayed gas supply and potential high-temperature contact with internal airbags.
Innovation Solution
A side airbag device configuration featuring an inflator positioned on the outer side of the seat width direction, with a diffuser that supplies gas to an inner chamber through a first supply port, allowing early inflation and deployment, and an outer chamber that communicates with the inner chamber through a second supply port, ensuring the inner chamber inflates and deploys early to restrain the occupant effectively while avoiding high temperatures.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Loss of time
If the inflator is disposed on the outer side of the outer side frame, then the auxiliary airbag can be deployed early to expand space, but the gas supply path curves greatly causing delayed inflation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a diffuser as an intermediary component between the inflator and the auxiliary airbag. The diffuser receives high-temperature gas from the inflator and distributes it to multiple chambers (auxiliary airbag and main airbag) through separate supply ports. This mediator structure optimizes the gas distribution path, enabling the auxiliary airbag to inflate quickly without requiring a curved gas supply path around the outer side frame.
2Loss of time
If the inflator is disposed on the inner side of the outer side frame, then the internal inflation airbag can be inflated early, but the high-temperature gas is supplied directly into the internal inflation airbag causing potential occupant contact with high temperature
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the airbag system into multiple independent chambers: the auxiliary airbag (internal inflation airbag), the main airbag (forward deployment airbag), and the diffuser with separate supply ports. The inflator is positioned in the diffuser and supplies gas through a first supply port to the auxiliary airbag and through a second supply port to the main airbag. This segmentation allows the auxiliary airbag to inflate early while the main airbag acts as a thermal barrier, preventing direct contact between the occupant and high-temperature gas.
Solution Approach 2:
The main airbag serves as an intermediary thermal barrier between the inflator and the occupant. When the inflator supplies high-temperature gas to the auxiliary airbag, the main airbag is simultaneously inflated and positioned between the auxiliary airbag and the occupant, preventing direct thermal contact while allowing the auxiliary airbag to achieve early inflation.
3Device complexity
If a single airbag structure is used, then the device is simpler, but the ability to restrain occupant early and control temperature is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent divides the airbag system into functionally distinct segments: the auxiliary airbag for early inflation and space expansion, the main airbag for occupant restraint and thermal protection, and the diffuser for optimized gas distribution. Each segment performs a specific function that contributes to overall system reliability, enabling both early occupant restraint and temperature control while maintaining manageable device complexity.
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
The configuration enables early and effective restraint of occupants by ensuring the inner chamber inflates and deploys quickly, reducing the risk of injury and maintaining a lower temperature within the inner chamber.
Implementation Method 1
an inflator disposed on an outer side in a vehicle width direction relative to a side frame installed inside a side part of a seatback... configured to supply a gas
Implementation Method 2
a diffuser housed inside the side part and contains the inflator, the diffuser being configured to supply the gas into the inner chamber from a first supply port formed in a peripheral wall of the diffuser
Implementation Method 3
an inner chamber housed inside the side part, and is configured to inflate and deploy toward a part of an occupant on the outer side in the vehicle width direction upon receiving supply of a gas from the inflator
Implementation Method 4
an outer chamber housed inside the side part, and is configured to inflate and deploy toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction and a vehicle front side relative to the inner chamber
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle seat equipped with a side airbag device includes: an inflator disposed on an outer side in a vehicle width direction relative to a side frame; an inner chamber housed inside the side part, and is configured to inflate and deploy toward a part of an occupant on the outer side in the vehicle width direction upon receiving supply of a gas from the inflator; an outer chamber housed inside the side part, and is configured to inflate and deploy toward the outer side in the vehicle width direction and a vehicle front side relative to the inner chamber upon receiving supply of the gas; and a diffuser housed inside the side part and configured to supply the gas into the inner chamber from a first supply port formed in a peripheral wall of the diffuser when the inflator is activated.