Airbag Vent Cover Tether Mechanism
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airbag systems face challenges in adjusting deployment pressure to accommodate occupants of varying body sizes, such as infants and adults, as current vent rate adjusting members either inadequately reduce initial pressure or fail to maintain appropriate pressure for adults.
Innovation Solution
An airbag apparatus with vent holes and corresponding conical vent covers that are initially opened to discharge gas during inflation to reduce initial deployment pressure, then shielded by a tether as the airbag inflates to maintain appropriate pressure for adult protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a vent rate adjusting member is installed to reduce initial deployment pressure, then infant protection is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vent cover system operates autonomously based on the airbag's own inflation process. The tether automatically pulls the vent cover to the closed position when the airbag reaches full deployment, eliminating the need for external sensors, actuators, or control systems. The system uses the airbag's own deployment mechanics to trigger the pressure maintenance function.
Solution Approach 2:
The complex electronic control systems and active vent mechanisms found in conventional airbags are replaced with a simple mechanical tether-vent cover assembly. This extracted simplified mechanism achieves the same dual function of pressure reduction and maintenance through passive mechanical means rather than active electronic control.
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
Prevents injury from excessive initial deployment pressure for infants while ensuring appropriate deployment pressure for adult protection by controlling gas discharge through the vent holes.
Implementation Method 1
a tether which penetrates the vent hole and pulls the vent cover while being tightened as the airbag is inflated
Data Source
AI summary
Provided is an airbag apparatus capable of adjusting deployment pressure of an airbag. To this end, an airbag apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention includes: an airbag which is inflated when gas flows into the airbag, and has a vent hole through which the gas flowing into the airbag is discharged; a vent cover which is disposed outside the airbag; and a tether which penetrates the vent hole and pulls the vent cover while being tightened as the airbag is inflated so that the vent cover shields the vent hole.