Airbag Apparatus with Folded Upper Chamber for Posture Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional airbag apparatuses struggle to effectively restrain passengers in various postures, particularly when seated with reclined positions, as they deploy airbags from fixed sides, which may not adequately protect passengers from head to waist during collisions.
Innovation Solution
An airbag apparatus with a seat cushion and seat back, featuring a pair of side chambers and an upper chamber that deploy in a dome shape, with a folded portion above the seat back, allowing for reliable restraint in multiple directions, including left and right, above, and diagonally, and accommodating various seat configurations through asymmetrical folding shapes like omega, M, S, and Z configurations.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If airbag deploys from fixed side only, then device complexity is reduced, but protection coverage for various passenger postures deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is divided into multiple independent chambers: side chambers (first through fourth) positioned at different locations and an upper chamber (fifth chamber) positioned above the passenger head. Each chamber can deploy independently to provide comprehensive protection for passengers in various postures, resolving the contradiction between simple structure and versatile protection coverage.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If airbag folds location corresponds to upper chamber, then head protection is improved, but deployment timing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is pre-folded at a specific location corresponding to the upper chamber position before deployment. This preliminary folding ensures that when the airbag deploys, the upper chamber is positioned correctly above the passenger head to provide immediate head protection, while the folding structure itself remains relatively simple.
3Force
If side chambers deploy first, then lateral movement restraint is improved, but sequential deployment complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is segmented into side chambers and upper chamber that naturally deploy in sequence due to their different positions and inflation characteristics. The side chambers deploy first to restrain lateral movement, followed by the upper chamber deployment for head protection, achieving sequential deployment without complex control mechanisms.
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 airbag apparatus ensures comprehensive protection from head to waist by deploying side chambers first to restrain lateral movement and then deploying the upper chamber to cover the head, reducing the risk of head injury and improving protection across different seat orientations and collision types.
Implementation Method 1
an inflator that generates inflation gas; and an airbag housed within at least the seat back and deployed by inflation gas released from the inflator
Data Source
Figure 1(A)~1(B)
Figure 2(A)~2(B)
Figure 3(A)~3(B)
AI summary
[Problem] To provide an airbag apparatus that may reliably restrain a passenger regardless of the posture of the passenger seated in a seat. [Solution] An airbag apparatus equipped in a vehicle seat having a seat cushion that forms a seating surface and a seat back that forms a backrest, comprising: an inflator that generates inflation gas; and an airbag housed within at least the seat back and deployed by inflation gas released from the inflator. The airbag includes a pair of left and right side chambers that deploy towards the front from a side portion of the seat back and an upper chamber that deploys above the head of a passenger. The airbag is rolled in a direction that intersects the longitudinal direction from a flat unfolded state prior to being housed or folded to be compressed into a long bar shape. A folded portion is formed by folding at least a location corresponding to the upper chamber of the long bar shaped airbag to house the folded portion above the seat back.