Vehicle Airbag Sideways Stabilization via Lower Region Attachment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airbag systems for vehicles are complex and prone to tangling or causing injury when deployed, particularly when protecting pedestrians or cyclists, as they often require complicated restraining members that can trap individuals during sideways displacement.
Innovation Solution
Attaching stabilization members to the lower region of the airbag instead of the lateral ends, reducing material usage and complexity, and using flexible materials to prevent tangling and injury, while maintaining effective sideways stabilization and deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If stabilization members are attached to the lateral ends of the airbag, then sideways stabilization is achieved, but the airbag system becomes more complex and the risk of tangling and injury increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the stabilization function from the lateral ends of the airbag and relocates it to the lower region. By attaching stabilization members to the lower region instead of the lateral ends, the system achieves sideways stabilization with a simpler configuration, reducing the risk of tangling and injury while maintaining the essential stabilizing function.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the attachment dimension from lateral (horizontal) to lower (vertical) region of the airbag. This dimensional shift allows the stabilization members to be positioned away from the lateral ends, reducing complexity and tangling risk while still providing effective sideways stabilization through a different spatial arrangement.
2Stability of the object's composition
If stabilization members are attached to the lateral ends of the airbag, then sideways stabilization is achieved, but the amount of material needed increases and weight increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the stabilization function from the lateral ends and relocates it to the lower region, allowing for shorter stabilization members. This reduces the total quantity of material needed while maintaining the sideways stabilization effect, thereby reducing both material usage and weight.
3Stability of the object's composition
If stabilization members are attached to the lateral ends of the airbag, then sideways stabilization is achieved, but the risk of pedestrian/cyclist injury increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the stabilization function from the lateral ends where it could trap pedestrians or cyclists, and relocates it to the lower region. This removes the harmful trapping effect while preserving the essential sideways stabilization function, thereby reducing injury risk to pedestrians and cyclists.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention converts the potentially harmful lateral restraining members into beneficial lower-region stabilization members. By relocating the stabilization function to the lower region, the system eliminates the trapping hazard while maintaining stabilization, effectively turning a harmful configuration into a beneficial one.
4Stability of the object's composition
If a complicated shape with section near bonnet hinges is used, then lateral displacement is prevented, but the airbag system becomes harder to manufacture
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the lateral displacement prevention function from the complicated bonnet hinge section and relocates it to the lower region with simpler stabilization members. This simplifies the airbag shape and manufacturing process while maintaining the essential function of preventing lateral displacement.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to an airbag system (3) for a vehicle (1) comprising - an inflatable airbag (5), adapted to be deployed along the windscreen (9) and/ or A-pillars (11) of the vehicle (1), - a housing (7) adapted to store the airbag (5), the housing (7) being intended to be located below a bonnet (13) of the vehicle (1), - at least one stabilization member (19, 23, 27). The inflatable airbag (5) is connected to the housing (7) by means of an inflating channel (17). The at least one stabilization member (19, 23, 27) is adapted to connect a lower region (6) of the airbag (5) outside of the inflating channel (17) to the housing (7) or to the vehicle (1) for providing sideways stabilization. The invention further relates to a use of at least one stabilization member for sideways stabilization of a deploying/deployed airbag and the use of at least one stabilization member for pulling back a deployed airbag.