Multi-Zone Airbag Restraint for Occupant Slippage
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional airbag systems may fail to effectively restrain adult occupants during collisions due to the potential for slipping through the airbags, as they primarily focus on sandwiching the torso or waist area, which is inadequate for the larger lower half of an adult's body.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle occupant protection system featuring a vehicle seat with side wall portions that protrude to cover the shoulder and waist areas, equipped with pairs of first and second airbags that inflate and push against each other in the seat width direction, along with additional features like tilt suppression members, angled surfaces, and hook and loop fasteners to enhance retention strength.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If conventional airbags sandwich the occupant from left and right at the torso area, then the airbags can restrain the torso area, but the occupant may slip through between the left and right airbags
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag system is divided into multiple independent airbags (first airbags at shoulder area, second airbags at waist area, and third airbags at lower body area) that inflate separately to provide comprehensive restraint. Each airbag targets a specific body region, preventing the occupant from slipping through gaps while maintaining modular system architecture.
Solution Approach 2:
The airbags are arranged in multiple spatial dimensions - vertically stacked (shoulder, waist, lower body levels) and horizontally distributed (left and right sides). This three-dimensional arrangement creates a包围式 restraint structure that eliminates slip paths while maintaining system simplicity through standardized airbag modules.
2Reliability
If airbags are positioned to hold the waist area of an occupant, then the airbags can restrain the occupant, but the lower half of an adult occupant with larger weight may slip through at the lower side of the airbags
Solution Approach 1:
The restraint system is segmented into three vertical zones: first airbags at the shoulder area, second airbags at the waist area, and third airbags at the lower body area. This segmentation ensures each airbag group targets a specific zone, with the third airbags specifically addressing the lower body support need to prevent slipping through the bottom gap.
Solution Approach 2:
Different airbag groups are positioned at different vertical locations to provide localized restraint: the first airbags restrain the upper body, the second airbags restrain the mid-section, and the third airbags restrain the lower body. This local quality approach ensures appropriate coverage for each body region without requiring excessive airbag size.
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
The system effectively inhibits movement of the occupant towards the seat front side during collisions by providing enhanced retention strength across the shoulder and waist areas, reducing the likelihood of slipping through the airbags.
Implementation Method 1
The pair of first airbags and the pair of second airbags receive supplies of gas and are inflated, and expand towards the seat width direction inner sides thereof
Data Source
AI summary
A pair of first airbags and a pair of second airbags are stowed in opposing regions of side wall portions of a vehicle seat. The first airbags are positioned at a seat front side relative to a shoulder area of a seat occupant in a seat side view. The second airbags are positioned at the seat front side relative to a waist area of the seat occupant in the seat side view. The pair of first airbags and the pair of second airbags are supplied with gas, inflate and expand towards the seat width direction inner sides thereof, and are structured such that each pair of airbags, in the inflated and expanded states thereof, push against one another at a seat width direction middle side of the vehicle seat.