Vehicle Airbag Cushion Head Support Tether Gas Flow
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional airbag apparatuses for vehicles often injure rear seat passengers during frontal collisions due to instantaneous inflation of the airbag cushion, which can cause head or neck injuries from high-pressure deployment.
Innovation Solution
An airbag apparatus with a depressed head support portion, shoulder support portions, and a support tether that guides gas flow smoothly, allowing the airbag to deploy effectively and absorb impact while minimizing pressure on the passenger's head and neck.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the airbag cushion is instantaneously inflated to provide immediate protection, then the response time is reduced, but the passenger's head or neck may be injured by high-pressure deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag cushion incorporates a depressed head support portion with a specific contour design that creates a localized low-pressure zone. This depressed portion is positioned to receive and support the passenger's head, distributing the impact force over a larger area and reducing peak pressure on the head and neck regions while maintaining rapid overall deployment for immediate protection.
2Force
If the airbag cushion is deployed with high pressure to ensure effective protection, then the protective effect is improved, but the risk of injuring the passenger increases
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag cushion employs varying internal pressure distribution through its structural design. The depressed head support portion creates a pressure gradient where the pressure is lower in the head support region compared to other areas. This parameter change allows the airbag to exert sufficient protective force on the body while maintaining reduced pressure on the head and neck, thereby preventing injury.
3Device complexity
If the airbag cushion uses a simple deployment structure, then the device complexity is reduced, but the gas flow may not be smooth causing unreliable deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag cushion incorporates a pre-formed depressed head support portion in its structure before deployment. This preliminary structural feature is designed to guide gas flow during inflation, ensuring smooth and reliable deployment without requiring complex additional components. The depressed portion acts as a built-in flow guide that maintains deployment reliability while keeping the overall structure relatively simple.
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 deploys smoothly and reliably, stabilizes the passenger's head and neck, reduces impact on the head, and prevents neck bending, thereby minimizing injuries during vehicle collisions.
Implementation Method 1
an airbag apparatus which is installed in a roof of a vehicle so that when a vehicle collision occurs, an airbag is deployed to protect a passenger
Implementation Method 2
a support tether provided in the airbag cushion and extending in a transverse direction across the shoulder support portions such that a gas path may be defined in a front portion of the airbag cushion below the support tether, the gas path guiding the gas downwards
Implementation Method 3
the head support portion receives a head of a passenger... stabilizes the passenger's head and neck, reduces impact on the head
Data Source
AI summary
An airbag apparatus for a vehicle may include an inflator, and an airbag cushion having a depressed head support portion formed in a rear portion of the airbag cushion so that when the airbag cushion may be deployed by gas supplied from the inflator, the head support portion receives a head of a passenger, and shoulder support portions protruding from lateral sides of the head support portion in a rearward direction and forming a space between the shoulder support portions to have the head support portion therebetween when the airbag cushion may be deployed, and a support tether provided in the airbag cushion and extending in a transverse direction across the shoulder support portions such that a gas path may be defined in a front portion of the airbag cushion below the support tether, the gas path guiding the gas downwards.