Airbag Retainer Filter Liner for Particulate Energy Reduction
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional airbag inflators produce solid particulates that can penetrate the airbag fabric due to their mass, velocity, and temperature, causing damage, as these particulates lose energy when striking the retainer sidewall, which reduces their ability to create holes in the fabric.
Innovation Solution
An airbag module with a retainer and filter liner that directs inflation fluid through a tortuous path, using a filter screen material like woven or knitted metal wires, to reduce the energy of particulates by fracturing and trapping them, preventing damage to the airbag fabric.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional retainer sidewall is used to encircle the inflator, then the structure is simple and easy to manufacture, but solid particulates can penetrate the airbag fabric causing damage
Solution Approach 1:
A filter liner is introduced as an intermediary component between the inflator and the airbag. This filter liner captures solid particulates in the inflation fluid before they can reach and damage the airbag fabric, while allowing the inflation fluid to pass through. The filter liner is secured to the retainer sidewall, creating a multi-layer protection system that maintains structural simplicity while improving reliability.
2Force
If the retainer sidewall is deformed outward radially under high force, then the structure can withstand the inflation force, but particulates strike the angled sidewall and retain more energy to penetrate the airbag
Solution Approach 1:
The filter liner serves as a mediator that intercepts particulates before they can strike the retainer sidewall at angles. By capturing particulates within the filter media, the system prevents them from gaining additional energy from angled impacts with the deformed sidewall, while the sidewall itself can still deform to withstand the inflation force.
Solution Approach 2:
The filter liner is made of porous material that allows the inflation fluid to pass through while capturing solid particulates. The porous structure provides a large surface area for particulate capture and dissipation of particulate energy through friction and turbulence as the fluid passes through the filter media.
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 filter liner effectively reduces the energy of particulates by decreasing their mass, velocity, and temperature, preventing them from penetrating the airbag fabric and minimizing damage, while also trapping metallic vapor to prevent accumulation and further damage.
Implementation Method 1
the filter liner is secured to the retainer sidewall, wherein the sidewall and filter liner are configured so that inflation fluid discharged from the discharge portion is directed into the filter liner
Implementation Method 2
using a filter screen material like woven or knitted metal wires, to reduce the energy of particulates by fracturing and trapping them
Implementation Method 3
The metallic vapor condenses and coalesces outside the inflator on airbag module surfaces, such as surfaces of the bag retainer. As it accumulates on the retainer surface, this solidified metallic vapor can separate and contribute to the solid particulates directed into the airbag.
Data Source
AI summary
A retainer secures an airbag inflator to a base plate of an apparatus for helping to protect an occupant of a vehicle. The retainer includes a base wall and a sidewall that extends from the base wall and is configured to encircle a discharge portion of the inflator from which the inflation fluid is discharged. The retainer also includes a filter liner secured to the retainer sidewall, wherein the sidewall and filter liner are configured so that inflation fluid discharged from the discharge portion is directed into the filter liner.