Airbag Packaging Wrap Helical Securing Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current airbag packaging methods using sleeves and tape are costly, time-consuming, and can distort or twist the airbag, affecting deployment efficiency due to the need for cutting tape and achieving a tight fit.
Innovation Solution
A packaging wrap formed from a fabric sheet with a cover and elongated tail that securely envelops and packages the airbag, eliminating the need for tape by attaching to fastening studs and allowing helical wrapping to maintain a tightly packed condition.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If tape is used to secure the packaged airbag, then the airbag can be held in place, but additional costs and packaging steps are added
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the securing function previously performed by separate tape into the integrated packaging sleeve structure. The sleeve includes a tail portion that wraps around and secures the airbag package, merging the containment and securing functions into a single component, thereby eliminating the need for separate tape application steps
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the securing function from the tape component and integrates it directly into the packaging sleeve structure. The tail portion of the sleeve is designed to wrap around the packaged airbag and secure it without requiring external tape, removing the dependency on separate securing materials
2Reliability
If a sleeve is used to package the airbag, then the airbag can be contained, but the airbag may become distorted or twisted affecting deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging sleeve is segmented into distinct functional portions: a main body portion for containing the airbag and a tail portion for securing. This segmentation allows the main body to provide containment while the tail provides securing without interfering with the airbag's rolled configuration, preventing distortion and twisting
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the packaging sleeve have different functional properties. The main body portion is designed for containment with appropriate dimensions, while the tail portion is designed specifically for wrapping and securing. This local differentiation ensures that each portion performs its specific function optimally without causing airbag distortion
3Volume of moving object
If the sleeve is made to fit tightly over the airbag, then packaging compactness is achieved, but the roll/fold becomes distorted negatively affecting deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The packaging sleeve is designed with dynamic securing rather than rigid tight fitting. The tail portion wraps around the packaged airbag and can be adjusted to provide appropriate securing force without creating excessive compression that would distort the airbag roll or fold, maintaining deployment reliability while achieving compact packaging
Data Source
AI summary
In one aspect, an apparatus for protecting an occupant of a vehicle includes an airbag having a stored condition in which the airbag is deflated, flattened, and rolled and/or folded. A packaging wrap is formed from a fabric sheet. The packaging wrap includes a cover and an elongated tail that extends from the cover. The cover is configured to be wrapped or folded about the rolled and/or folded airbag to envelope and package the airbag in the stored condition. The tail is configured to be wrapped around the cover and the airbag packaged therein to secure the airbag packaged in the cover.