Airbag Side Chambers for Oblique Impact Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current airbag systems face challenges in effectively absorbing energy during oblique vehicle impacts, particularly in tests like the small overlap rigid barrier and new NHTSA frontal oblique impact tests, where the direction and magnitude of impact require selective inflation strategies to minimize occupant injury.
Innovation Solution
The airbag module includes a base, an inflator, and an airbag with a middle chamber and side chambers, where the middle chamber has a lower inflated stiffness and a vent for easier inflation medium exhaustion, and a tether to retain the occupant's head, along with an impact sensing system that communicates with the inflator to deploy the airbag based on impact direction and magnitude.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the airbag uses a single chamber with uniform stiffness, then the structure is simple, but it cannot effectively adapt to different impact directions and magnitudes in oblique impacts
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is divided into multiple chambers (first chamber, second chamber, third chamber) with different inflated stiffness characteristics. Each chamber can be selectively inflated based on impact conditions, allowing the system to adapt to different impact directions and magnitudes without requiring a completely different airbag structure for each scenario.
Solution Approach 2:
The airbag system transitions from a static, uniform structure to a dynamic, variable-stiffness structure through selective chamber inflation. The inflated stiffness of different chambers can be adjusted based on real-time impact sensing, enabling the airbag to optimize its protective characteristics for each specific impact event.
2Force
If the airbag inflates quickly with high stiffness, then it provides immediate protection, but it may cause excessive force on occupants during oblique impacts
Solution Approach 1:
Different chambers of the airbag are designed with different inflated stiffness characteristics. The first chamber has a first inflated stiffness, the second chamber has a second inflated stiffness, and the third chamber has a third inflated stiffness. This allows specific chambers to provide softer cushioning for occupants while other chambers provide structural support, distributing the protective force more evenly and reducing excessive localized force on the occupant.
Solution Approach 2:
The system changes the effective stiffness parameter of the airbag by selectively inflating different chambers based on impact conditions. During oblique impacts, the control system can inflate chambers with lower stiffness to reduce the force applied to occupants, while maintaining sufficient protective force through the combined effect of multiple chambers.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the airbag uses multiple chambers with different stiffness, then it can adapt to different impacts, but the inflation control becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag system incorporates an impact sensing system that provides feedback about the impact event to the control system. Based on this feedback regarding impact direction and magnitude, the control system selectively inflates appropriate chambers with different stiffness characteristics, enabling adaptive protection without requiring complex pre-programming for every possible impact scenario.
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
This configuration enhances energy absorption, reduces head and rotational movement of occupants, thereby lowering head and brain injury criteria during oblique impacts by strategically deploying the airbag based on sensed impact conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an inflator in communication with the airbag for inflating the airbag from an uninflated position to an inflated position
Implementation Method 2
the airbag may be a component of an airbag module including a base supporting the airbag, and an inflator in communication with the airbag for inflating the airbag from an uninflated position to an inflated position
Data Source
AI summary
An airbag includes a middle chamber having a front panel and first and second side panels spaced from each other and extending from the front panel. The airbag includes a first side chamber attached to the first side panel and a second side chamber attached to the second side panel, and a manifold chamber spaced from the front panel and attached to and in fluid communication with the middle chamber and the first and second side chambers.