Airbag Device Nested Below Motorcycle Meter
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Solution Overview
Problem
The compact disposition of an airbag device at the front portion of a saddle riding type vehicle is challenging due to the limited space occupied by steering handles and meters.
Innovation Solution
The airbag device is designed with a retainer and inflator positioned below the meter, which can open to allow the airbag to deploy upward, utilizing the space beneath the meter for compact placement, and the meter's hinge allows it to cover the opening, guiding the airbag's deployment direction.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an airbag device is installed in a saddle riding type vehicle, then rider protection is improved, but the device complexity and space requirements increase the overall vehicle complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag device is nested within the existing seat structure of the saddle riding type vehicle. The airbag module is positioned in the seat cushion, utilizing the existing structural space rather than adding separate external components. This nesting approach allows the airbag system to be integrated into the vehicle without significantly increasing overall device complexity or requiring additional mounting space.
Solution Approach 2:
The seat structure serves multiple functions: it provides the rider's seating support and simultaneously houses the airbag protection system. The control unit is integrated with the seat's existing sensors and structural elements, allowing the seat to function both as a mechanical support and as part of the safety deployment system. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated components.
2Reliability
If a large-sized airbag module is used to ensure adequate protection, then rider safety is improved, but the available space in the compact vehicle structure is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag module is oriented vertically within the seat cushion rather than horizontally. This vertical positioning utilizes the height dimension of the seat structure, which is typically underutilized in compact vehicle designs. By deploying the airbag in the vertical direction, the system achieves adequate protection volume without consuming excessive horizontal space within the compact vehicle structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The airbag module is nested within the existing seat cushion cavity, utilizing the internal volume already allocated for seating comfort. This nesting approach allows the airbag to occupy space that would otherwise be unused structural volume, avoiding the need to expand the overall vehicle dimensions or sacrifice other functional spaces.
3Device complexity
If the airbag device structure is simplified to reduce vehicle complexity, then device complexity is reduced, but the adaptability to different seating positions and rider types decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag device incorporates sensors that detect the rider's presence, seating position, and body characteristics in real-time. Based on this dynamic information, the control unit adjusts the airbag deployment parameters, including deployment timing, inflation pressure, and duration. This dynamic adaptation allows the simplified structural design to effectively accommodate different seating positions and rider types without requiring complex mechanical adjustments or multiple configured systems.
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 configuration enables the airbag device to be compactly and efficiently deployed at the front of the vehicle, protecting the passenger while minimizing the device's size and preventing foreign matter entry.
Implementation Method 1
a generator that generates electrical energy by utilizing a kinetic energy of a body of the rider
Data Source
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AI summary
To enable compact disposition of an airbag device at a front portion of a saddle riding type vehicle. Provided is an airbag device for a saddle riding type vehicle including: an inflator 53; an airbag 52 configured to expand by gas discharged from the inflator 53; and a retainer 51 accommodating the airbag 52, the airbag 52 being deployed upward from an opening 51e of the retainer 51, in which the retainer 51 is provided below a meter 36 provided in the vicinity of a steering handle 23, and the meter 36 openably and closably covers the opening 51e.