Airbag Steering Wheel Support Portion Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional driver seat airbags struggle to stably receive and protect drivers when mounted on steering wheels with a short length dimension from the central portion to the front or rear sides, as they tend to deflate and lose support during inflation.
Innovation Solution
The airbag design includes a steering wheel side portion with an inflow opening and an attaching seat, featuring support inflation portions that protrude to abut the steering wheel's surface, preventing deflation by providing a stable support surface during inflation, even on steering wheels with non-standard dimensions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Area of moving object
If the outer bag is required to have a length dimension in a right and left direction exceeding a separated distance of the ring portion, then the airbag can cover the steering wheel structure, but the lower surface side of the outer bag is not supported by an upper surface side of the steering wheel, causing the airbag to deflate and lose stability
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is divided into two distinct portions: a driver side portion for receiving the driver and a steering wheel side portion for mounting on the steering wheel. This segmentation allows each portion to be optimized for its specific function, with the steering wheel side portion providing structural support through support inflation portions that abut the steering wheel surface.
Solution Approach 2:
The steering wheel side portion acts as an intermediary between the driver side portion and the steering wheel. It includes support inflation portions that protrude to abut the steering wheel's front surface, creating a stable support structure that prevents deflation while allowing the driver side portion to maintain its receiving function.
2Length of moving object
If the steering wheel has a short length dimension from central portion to front portion side, then the steering wheel design is compact, but the airbag cannot stably receive and protect the driver as the front portion side deflates
Solution Approach 1:
The support inflation portions are pre-configured on the steering wheel side portion to protrude toward the front surface of the steering wheel before inflation occurs. When the airbag inflates, these support portions immediately abut the steering wheel surface, preventing deflation of the driver side portion and ensuring stable driver reception from the outset.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the structural parameters of the airbag by adding support inflation portions with specific protrusion dimensions. These portions are designed to extend a predetermined distance from the attaching seat toward the steering wheel front surface, creating a stable support structure that compensates for the compact steering wheel dimensions.
3Reliability
If the support inflation portion protrudes from the attaching seat toward the front surface of the steering wheel, then the airbag gains stability by abutting the steering wheel, but the structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The steering wheel side portion and driver side portion are merged into a single integrated airbag structure. The support inflation portions are formed as an integral part of the steering wheel side portion, eliminating the need for separate support components and reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining stability.
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 design ensures the airbag can accurately and stably receive and protect drivers by maintaining support and preventing deflation, even on steering wheels with shorter dimensions, ensuring effective deployment and protection.
Implementation Method 1
a support inflation portion protruding from a front side of the attaching seat toward a front side of the steering wheel is arranged on the steering wheel side portion at the time of completion of inflation
Data Source
AI summary
An airbag includes a driver side portion having an outer peripheral wall to receive a driver at the time of completion of inflation; and a steering wheel side portion. The steering wheel side portion is provided with an inflow opening to allow inflation gas to flow in, and an attaching seat which is disposed on a peripheral edge of the inflow opening and attached to the central portion of the steering wheel; a support inflation portion protruding from a front side of the attaching seat toward a front side of the steering wheel is arranged on the steering wheel side portion; and a support surface portion. The support surface portion is abutted to and supported by a front surface side of the steering wheel and is arranged on a region on a rear surface side of the support inflation portion from a base portion to a tip end portion.