Airbag Tether Attachment Mechanism for Burst Strength
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional tether attachment methods in air-bags can lead to tether disconnection during inflation due to excessive force, causing the tether to break and fail in restricting the air-bag's expansion or movement.
Innovation Solution
A connection arrangement where the tether passes between and partly around adjacent yarns of the air-bag, with specific configurations in three portions to enhance stability and minimize the risk of breakage, including passing around multiple yarns and interweaving with single yarns to absorb shock and distribute force effectively.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If the tether is attached by interweaving with warp yarns only, then the attachment is simple and effective initially, but the tether breaks and disconnects during inflation due to excessive force
Solution Approach 1:
The tether attachment is divided into three distinct portions: a first portion that passes between yarns and wraps around them, a second portion that interweaves with warp yarns, and a third portion that passes between yarns and wraps around them. This segmentation distributes the attachment across multiple attachment mechanisms, preventing any single point of failure and maintaining reliability while remaining manufacturable
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment arrangement combines multiple attachment methods (passing between yarns, wrapping around yarns, and interweaving) into a composite structure. This composite approach leverages the strengths of each method: the passing-through portion provides friction and distribution, the wrapping portion provides mechanical interlocking, and the interweaving portion provides direct attachment, collectively enhancing tether connection reliability
2Ease of manufacture
If the tether is attached with a simple interweaving method, then the manufacturing process is easy, but the burst strength of the air-bag is reduced due to concentrated force on the tether
Solution Approach 1:
The attachment is segmented into three portions that distribute the inflation force across different sections of the tether and air-bag. The first portion distributes force by passing between multiple yarns, the second portion interweaves to share load, and the third portion provides additional distribution. This segmentation prevents force concentration, maintaining burst strength while keeping the manufacturing process relatively simple
Solution Approach 2:
Different portions of the tether attachment have different local characteristics optimized for their function: the first and third portions use a passing-and-wrapping configuration to distribute force over a wider area, while the second portion uses interweaving for secure attachment. This local quality variation optimizes the overall strength distribution without complicating the entire manufacturing process
Data Source
AI summary
A safety device for use in a vehicle includes an air-bag inflatable by a gas source. At least part of the air-bag is woven and includes a plurality of generally parallel woven yarns. An elongate tether is attached to the air-bag by an attachment arrangement including a first portion in which part of the tether passes between two adjacent yarns of the air-bag from one side to another side of the air-bag and partly around at least two adjacent yarns on one side of the air-bag. The arrangement incorporates a second portion in which the tether is interwoven with a pre-determined number of single adjacent yarns of the air-bag. The arrangement incorporates a third portion in which the tether passes between two adjacent yarns of the air-bag from one side to another side of the air-bag and partly around at least two adjacent yarns on one side of the air-bag.