Airbag Apparatus with Selective Contraction for Offset Collision Energy Management
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airbag systems rely on vehicle body structure energy absorption, which may not be sufficient for collisions with larger or faster vehicles, or multiple collisions, leading to potential damage and injury.
Innovation Solution
An airbag apparatus with deployable airbags and control systems that deploy and contract airbags strategically to absorb collision energy, using pre-crash determination and side airbag contraction control to redirect kinetic energy and reduce structural load.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If airbags are deployed to absorb collision energy, then occupant safety is improved, but vehicle body structure may still suffer damage from excessive collision energy
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag system is divided into multiple independent airbags (first airbag and second airbag) that can be controlled separately. This segmentation allows selective deployment and contraction of individual airbags based on collision characteristics, enabling more precise energy management and reducing unnecessary structural load.
Solution Approach 2:
The airbag contraction controller dynamically adjusts the state of airbags during collision based on real-time collision information. By selectively contracting one airbag while maintaining another in deployed state, the system adapts to varying collision conditions, optimizing energy absorption while minimizing vehicle body structure damage.
2Loss of energy
If all airbags are deployed to maximize energy absorption, then collision energy is better absorbed, but unnecessary airbags increase system complexity and response time
Solution Approach 1:
Different airbags are assigned different functions based on their position and the collision scenario. One airbag is designated for contraction control while another is maintained in deployed state, creating local functional differences that optimize overall system performance for specific collision types.
Solution Approach 2:
Instead of deploying all airbags in every collision scenario, the system applies partial action by selectively deploying and contracting only the necessary airbags based on collision characteristics. This reduces unnecessary system complexity and response time while maintaining adequate energy absorption.
3Power
If airbags are contracted quickly to redirect collision energy, then kinetic energy redirection is improved, but control system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag contraction controller is pre-programmed with collision response strategies that enable rapid energy redirection. By having control algorithms prepared in advance, the system can quickly contract appropriate airbags without requiring complex real-time decision-making, thus achieving fast kinetic energy redirection with manageable control complexity.
Data Source
AI summary
An airbag apparatus to be applied to a vehicle includes airbags, a pre-crash determiner, an airbag deployment controller, and an airbag contraction controller. The airbags are configured to be deployed forward of a vehicle body front of the vehicle, and are disposed in a vehicle width direction. The pre-crash determiner is configured to establish a pre-crash determination when a probability of a collision with an object is a predetermined value or higher. The airbag deployment controller is configured to deploy the airbags in response to establishment of the pre-crash determination. The airbag contraction controller is configured to control contraction of the airbags individually, and perform side airbag contraction control by contracting one of the airbags that is on one side in the vehicle width direction and in a region where the collision with the object is occurring, and keeping deployed another one or more of the airbags in the region.