Airbag Inflator Elastic Support for Steering Wheel Vibration Damping
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Solution Overview
Problem
The integration of a dynamic damper in recent steering wheels is hindered by the space occupied by the airbag apparatus, and the peripheral portion of the airbag is exposed, potentially contacting high-temperature gas and being affected by gas heat due to the design of the retainer's arch portions and inner rim boundary.
Innovation Solution
An airbag apparatus is designed with an elastic support system where the inflator is elastically supported by the bag holder, and the retainer includes arch and bag encompassing portions to prevent vibration hindrance and gas heat exposure, with the bag encompassing portions extending inward to cover the airbag's peripheral portion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the airbag apparatus occupies a large part of the interior space of the steering wheel, then the airbag and retainer can be properly positioned, but it becomes difficult to incorporate a dynamic damper
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag apparatus is designed to serve multiple functions within the same spatial envelope: it provides airbag deployment protection, inflator support and protection through arch portions, and dynamic damper functionality through the elastically supported inflator. The inflator serves dual purposes as both a gas generation device and a damper mass, while the elastic support portions serve as both mounting structures and spring elements for vibration suppression.
Solution Approach 2:
The dynamic damper function is merged with the existing airbag apparatus structure by elastically supporting the inflator with elastic support portions. This combines the inflator's mass with spring elements to create a vibration suppression system that operates alongside the airbag deployment system, eliminating the need for separate dedicated space for a dynamic damper.
2Loss of energy
If the inflator is elastically supported by the bag holder to function as a dynamic damper, then steering wheel vibrations are suppressed, but the airbag peripheral portion may contact high-temperature gas
Solution Approach 1:
The retainer structure is segmented into arch portions for inflator protection and bag encompassing portions for airbag protection. This segmentation ensures that the dynamic damper function (elastically supported inflator) does not compromise the protective coverage over the airbag peripheral portion, allowing vibration suppression while preventing gas heat exposure.
Solution Approach 2:
The bag encompassing portions serve as intermediary protective elements that extend inward from the bag attachment portion to shield the airbag peripheral portion from high-temperature gas, while allowing the inflator to move elastically for vibration suppression without exposing the airbag to harmful heat.
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
This design effectively suppresses steering wheel vibrations and protects the airbag's peripheral portion from gas heat, ensuring proper function and safety by maintaining the airbag's attachment to the bag holder while preventing vibration hindrance and heat exposure.
Implementation Method 1
an inflator 80 is elastically supported by a bag holder 40 with elastic support portions 101
Implementation Method 2
when vibration the frequency of which is equal to or close to the resonance frequency of the dynamic damper is transmitted to the dynamic damper from the steering wheel, the dynamic damper resonates to absorb vibration energy of the steering wheel
Implementation Method 3
the arch portions of the retainer surround the inflator while being spaced from the inflator, so that a space for vibration is ensured
Implementation Method 4
The bag encompassing portion extends inward in the radial direction from the inner rim of the bag attachment portion. The bag encompassing portion encompasses the peripheral portion of the airbag
Data Source
AI summary
An airbag apparatus, which is incorporated in a steering wheel, includes a bag holder in the longitudinal direction of the steering wheel. An inflator is elastically supported by the bag holder with elastic support portions. A retainer includes an annular bag attachment portion. The retainer is fastened to the bag holder such that the periphery of the airbag opening is held between the bag attachment portion and the bag holder. The retainer further includes arch portions and bag encompassing portions. The arch portions extend rearward in the longitudinal direction of the steering wheel from the inner rim of the bag attachment portion, and surround the inflator. The bag encompassing portions extend inward in a radial direction of the steering shaft from the inner rim of the bag attachment portion, and encompass the periphery of the airbag opening.