Air Bag Deployment System Pre-Impact Volume Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Current air bag systems do not adequately minimize occupant deceleration during collisions, as the air bag deployment time and volume are insufficient to effectively absorb the impact pulse, leading to potential injuries.
Innovation Solution
An air bag deployment system utilizing pre-impact and post-impact sensors to activate the air bag to larger and smaller volumes respectively, providing a longer deceleration distance and rate, with a releasable restraining device to control deployment volumes, and a processing unit to analyze sensor inputs for accurate deployment scenarios.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Speed
If the air bag is deployed after impact detection, then the deployment response time is fast, but the deceleration distance is insufficient leading to potential injuries
Solution Approach 1:
The air bag is deployed before the impact actually occurs based on predictions from pre-impact sensors (radar, camera, laser). This preliminary deployment allows the air bag to be in place and inflated to the appropriate volume before the occupant reaches it, thereby increasing the deceleration distance while maintaining fast protection response
Solution Approach 2:
The system pre-inflates the air bag to a first deployed volume based on predicted impact severity before the collision occurs. This beforehand cushioning ensures that when impact happens, the occupant has a larger deceleration distance and the air bag is already positioned to provide optimal protection, resolving the contradiction between fast response and sufficient deceleration distance
2Length of moving object
If the air bag is inflated to a larger volume before impact, then the deceleration distance is increased, but the system complexity increases due to pre-impact sensors and control mechanisms
Solution Approach 1:
The sensor system is segmented into pre-impact sensors (radar, camera, laser for detecting upcoming collisions) and post-impact sensors (accelerometers for detecting actual impact). This segmentation allows the system to use different sensors for different phases, managing complexity by having specialized sensors for each function rather than one complex system doing everything
Solution Approach 2:
The processing unit serves multiple functions: it processes data from pre-impact sensors to predict collision severity and timing, controls the air bag inflation to different volumes, and coordinates with post-impact sensors. This multi-functionality reduces overall system complexity by consolidating control logic into a single intelligent unit
3Reliability
If the air bag deployment volume is varied based on impact severity, then the protection effectiveness is improved, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase for the inflation control system
Solution Approach 1:
The air bag system transitions from static single-volume deployment to dynamic multi-volume deployment. The processing unit dynamically adjusts the inflation volume based on real-time sensor data and predicted impact severity, allowing the system to adapt to different collision scenarios without requiring extremely precise manufacturing tolerances
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the inflation parameter (volume) based on detected impact conditions. By using sensors to detect impact severity and timing, the system can adjust the inflation parameter dynamically - using a first deployed volume for severe impacts and a second deployed volume for less severe impacts - thereby improving protection effectiveness without requiring extreme manufacturing precision
Data Source
AI summary
An air bag deployment system includes a pre-impact sensor operative to detect an imminent impact and at least one post-impact sensor operative to detect an impact. An air bag has a non-deployed volume, a pre-impact deployed volume, and a post-impact deployed volume smaller than the pre-impact deployed volume. The air bag is deployed to the pre-impact volume wherein the air bag deployment system is arranged to deploy the air bag before the impact and the at least one air bag is deployed into the pre-impact deployed volume, in reaction to the imminent impact, and to the post-impact deployed volume in reaction to the impact. The system provides for enhanced occupant safety during a collision by allowing pre-impact deployment of the air bag in order to utilize the full possible length of deceleration for the occupant as the impact pulse affects the occupant.