Airbag Inner Bag Arm Stabilization
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional airbag apparatuses experience issues with the outer bag floating from its housing during inflation, leading to a swaying motion that compromises the cushioning effect and may improperly engage occupants.
Innovation Solution
The airbag apparatus features an inner bag with an arm that inflates orthogonally to the inlet opening, holding down the outer bag's peripheral defected region around the housing, preventing it from floating and ensuring stable inflation and occupant protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the outer bag is inflated without additional support structures, then the inflation process is simple, but the outer bag floats from the housing during inflation causing swaying motion
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is divided into an inner bag and an outer bag as separate functional components. The inner bag serves as a support structure that remains inflated to hold down the outer bag, while the outer bag provides the primary cushioning function. This segmentation allows the inner bag to act as a stabilizing framework without requiring complex external support structures.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner bag acts as an intermediary element between the housing and the outer bag. By remaining inflated after the outer bag deploys, the inner bag mediates the interaction between the housing and outer bag, preventing the outer bag from floating and providing a stable interface that eliminates swaying motion.
2Reliability
If the outer bag engages the occupant during swaying motion, then the airbag provides cushioning, but the bag may press the occupant unduly
Solution Approach 1:
Instead of allowing the outer bag to engage the occupant directly during unstable swaying motion, the design inverts the engagement sequence by having the inner bag engage first. The inner bag, which is held down by the housing and remains stable, provides the initial cushioning contact, thereby preventing undue pressure from unstable outer bag motion.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner bag provides beforehand cushioning by engaging the occupant first during deployment. Since the inner bag is stabilized by the housing and does not sway, it establishes a stable cushioning foundation before the outer bag fully engages, preventing harmful oscillatory pressure on the occupant.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the outer bag floats from the housing during inflation, then the inflation gas can distribute freely, but the outer bag cannot secure enough reaction force for cushioning
Solution Approach 1:
The housing provides local quality support at specific contact points around its perimeter. Rather than requiring uniform support across the entire housing surface, the housing engages the inner bag at localized regions, creating stable pivot points that prevent floating while allowing the inflation gas to distribute freely throughout the airbag structure.
Data Source
AI summary
The airbag apparatus includes an airbag folded and housed in a housing. The airbag includes an outer bag constituting an outer wall of the airbag and an inner bag disposed inside the outer bag. The inner bag includes an outlet port supplying inflation gas into the outer bag and an arm inflatable into a tapered bag contour. The arm holds down a peripheral defected region of the outer bag defected from the housing onto a top plane of a ring of a steering wheel all the while that the inner bag remains completely inflated at the operation of the airbag apparatus.