Airbag Regulating Member Outer Positioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airbags face challenges in achieving smooth and quick inflation due to the presence of a regulating member near the gas inflow port, which can obstruct the flow of inflation gas and result in an irregularly inflated shape.
Innovation Solution
An airbag design featuring a regulating member positioned on the outer peripheral side, which reduces the external dimensions of the area from the joint portion to the gas inflow port, allowing for smooth and quick inflation while accurately regulating the inflated shape by controlling the separation distance of the occupant side panel from the gas inflow port.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Shape
If the regulating member is disposed in the vicinity of the gas inflow port inside the airbag, then the external shape of the airbag can be regulated, but the inflation gas flow is obstructed resulting in slow and irregular inflation
Solution Approach 1:
The regulating member is extracted from the interior region near the gas inflow port and repositioned to the outer peripheral side of the airbag. This extraction eliminates the obstruction to inflation gas flow while preserving the shape regulation function through the regulating member's interaction with the bag body's outer peripheral portion.
Solution Approach 2:
The regulating member is positioned in a different spatial dimension (outer peripheral side) rather than in the interior space near the gas inflow port. This dimensional repositioning allows the regulating member to control the airbag's external shape without interfering with the inflation gas flow path.
2Shape
If the regulating member is disposed inside the airbag near the gas inflow port, then the area can be pulled inward to regulate shape, but the inflation gas flow path is blocked causing incomplete inflation
Solution Approach 1:
The regulating member is extracted from the critical inflation zone near the gas inflow port and relocated to the outer peripheral side. This ensures complete and reliable inflation by eliminating obstructions while maintaining shape regulation capability through engagement with the bag body's peripheral structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The regulating member acts as an intermediary element positioned on the outer peripheral side, mediating between the inflation process and the final shape formation. It regulates the airbag's external shape through its interaction with the bag body's peripheral portion without directly interfering with the inflation gas flow.
3Length of stationary object
If the regulating member is positioned to pull the vehicle body side panel inward, then the external dimensions can be reduced, but the inflation gas flow is disrupted causing uneven inflation
Solution Approach 1:
The regulating member operates in a different spatial dimension (outer peripheral side) rather than within the inflation chamber. This allows it to control the airbag's external dimensions and shape without disrupting the uniformity of the inflation process, as it interacts with the bag body's peripheral structure rather than the internal gas flow.
Data Source
AI summary
An airbag includes: a bag body forming the outer peripheral wall; and a regulating member disposed on an outer peripheral side of the bag body at a time of inflation completion of the bag body. The regulating member is configured so as to be able to regulate the bag body so that an area ranging from the vicinity of a joint portion for mutually joining the outer peripheral edge of the vehicle body side panel and the outer peripheral edge of the occupant side panel to a side of the gas inflow port at the time of inflation completion of the airbag is made smaller in external dimensions and reduced in size than an area at a time of free inflation state of the bag body.