Airbag Sub-bag Two-stage Deployment for Passenger Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing passenger protection apparatuses, such as airbags with convex portions, may not adequately address the safety concerns during collisions due to the projection of sub-bags towards the passenger, which can lead to inadequate impact absorption and passenger safety.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a main airbag and sub-bags that deploy in a manner where the sub-bags initially expand outward and then inward to face the passenger, utilizing locking members and communication ports to ensure even deployment and absorption of impacts from various collision types.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If sub-bags are configured to project toward the passenger side to provide direct protection, then passenger protection coverage is improved, but the risk of direct impact on the passenger increases
Solution Approach 1:
The sub-bags are designed with dynamic deployment characteristics, expanding first in the width direction away from the passenger, then turning toward the passenger side. This dynamic two-stage deployment allows the airbag to adapt its configuration during inflation, providing protection coverage while managing impact forces through controlled movement rather than direct linear projection
Solution Approach 2:
The deployment strategy utilizes multiple spatial dimensions by first expanding the sub-bags in the width direction (perpendicular to passenger-facing direction), then rotating them to face the passenger. This dimensional approach allows the airbag to achieve protective coverage without direct linear projection toward the passenger, effectively distributing impact forces across different spatial vectors
2Reliability
If sub-bags expand directly toward the passenger to maximize protection, then impact absorption is improved, but deployment control and evenness become more difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag system is segmented into a main bag and multiple sub-bags with distinct deployment functions. The sub-bags are further divided into width-direction expansion phase and passenger-side turning phase. This segmentation allows independent control of different deployment stages, enabling even and controlled impact absorption without compromising deployment manageability
Solution Approach 2:
The sub-bags perform preliminary expansion in the width direction before turning toward the passenger side. This preliminary action prepares the airbag structure for subsequent passenger-facing deployment, ensuring even gas distribution and controlled expansion sequences that simplify overall deployment control while maintaining effective impact absorption
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 enhances passenger safety by ensuring that sub-bags do not linearly deploy backward towards the passenger, thereby improving the overall impact absorption and safety during collisions.
Implementation Method 1
an inflator configured to supply gas to deploy the airbag
Data Source
AI summary
A passenger protection apparatus for a vehicle includes an airbag and an inflator. The airbag is provided to be able to deploy around a passenger in a vehicle, and the inflator is configured to supply gas to deploy the airbag. The airbag includes a main bag configured to support a head and an upper body of the passenger bending down, and a sub bag projecting from the main bag toward a passenger side. After expanding in a direction different from the passenger side, the sub bag turns to the passenger side.