Inflatable Curtain Airbag Sail Panel Nesting

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Solution Overview

Problem

Vehicle curtain airbag systems with sail panels require more packaging space due to the additional components, which is a challenge in limited pre-deployment configurations.

Innovation Solution

A curtain airbag system design featuring a sail panel with an overlapping portion intermittently attached to the inflatable curtain, utilizing tethers to maintain position and reduce limb excursion, while optimizing packaging space by adjusting the sail panel's attachment and angle relative to the inflatable curtain's edges.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If a sail panel is added to the curtain airbag system to reduce occupant limb excursion, then safety performance is improved, but packaging space requirement increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvesafety performanceVSAvoidpackaging space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The sail panel is positioned within the folded configuration of the inflatable curtain, nesting one component inside the spatial envelope of the other. This allows both the curtain and sail panel to coexist in a compact pre-deployed state, reducing overall packaging space while maintaining both safety functions

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The sail panel is attached at an angle relative to the front edge of the inflatable curtain, creating a multi-dimensional folded configuration. This angular arrangement allows the components to pack more efficiently in three-dimensional space, reducing the volume required for storage while maintaining deployment functionality

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

2Volume of moving object

If the sail panel is intermittently attached to the inflatable curtain, then packaging space is reduced, but structural stability may be compromised

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvepackaging spaceVSAvoidstructural stability

Core Design Contradiction:

Volume of moving objectVSStability of the object's composition

Solution Approach 1:

The attachment between sail panel and inflatable curtain is implemented intermittently rather than continuously, creating segmented attachment points. This segmentation reduces the material and structural complexity while maintaining adequate stability through strategically positioned attachment zones that allow compact folding

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

3Reliability

If the sail panel overlaps the front edge of the inflatable curtain, then limb excursion reduction is improved, but packaging space increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvelimb excursion reductionVSAvoidpackaging space

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSVolume of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The overlapping portion of the sail panel is nested within the folded layers of the inflatable curtain, allowing the overlap configuration to be maintained in the deployed state while occupying minimal additional space in the pre-deployed folded state

Inventive Principle:

Principle #7Nested doll (Nesting)

Solution Approach 2:

The overlap is arranged in a multi-dimensional folded configuration where the sail panel overlaps the front edge at an angle, utilizing three-dimensional space efficiently to maintain the overlapping geometry without proportionally increasing packaging volume

Inventive Principle:

Principle #17Another dimension (Dimensionality change)

Data Source

PatentUS8240707B2Inflatable curtain airbag systems

Publication Date: 2012.08.14 FORD GLOBAL TECH LLC

AI summary

A curtain airbag system includes a sail panel. The sail panel may be attached with an inflatable curtain of the curtain airbag system.