Airbag Vent Tether Mechanism for Pressure Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airbag systems often deploy with excessive gas pressure, increasing the risk of injury to a passenger's head and neck due to excessive collision acceleration.
Innovation Solution
An airbag apparatus featuring a vent hole part with a cover member and vent tether system that adjusts gas discharge, reducing pressure by selectively covering the vent hole and limiting expansion, thereby reducing the risk of injury.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the amount of gas injected to the airbag is increased, then the protective effect of the airbag is improved, but the inner pressure of the airbag is increased more than necessary, causing injury to the head or neck of the passenger
Solution Approach 1:
The vent hole is divided into two functional parts: a first vent hole for initial gas discharge during deployment, and a second vent hole for controlled gas discharge after deployment. This segmentation allows different discharge rates at different stages, reducing peak pressure while maintaining protective function.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member dynamically adjusts the vent hole area based on airbag deployment state. During deployment, the cover restricts the second vent hole to control pressure rise. After deployment, the cover moves to allow greater gas discharge. This dynamic adjustment optimizes pressure control throughout the deployment process.
2Stress or pressure
If the vent hole area is increased to reduce pressure, then the inner pressure control is improved, but the gas discharge amount cannot be sufficiently controlled during different expansion stages
Solution Approach 1:
The vent hole is segmented into a first vent hole with fixed area for initial deployment and a second vent hole with variable area controlled by the cover member. This segmentation enables different discharge characteristics for different deployment stages.
Solution Approach 2:
The cover member provides dynamic control over the second vent hole area, allowing the system to adapt gas discharge rate to the current deployment stage. The cover moves from a restricted position during deployment to an open position after deployment, providing versatile pressure control.
3Stress or pressure
If a cover member is added to control gas discharge, then the pressure control is improved, but the device complexity is increased
Solution Approach 1:
The cover member is passively driven by the deployment process itself. The expanding airbag automatically moves the cover member from the restricted position to the open position through the tether connection, without requiring external actuators or control systems. This self-service mechanism adds minimal complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The tether acts as an intermediary element connecting the cover member to the airbag deployment process. It translates the expansion motion into cover member movement, providing a simple mechanical linkage that adds minimal complexity while achieving the desired control function.
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
The system effectively reduces the probability of head and neck injury by controlling gas discharge and pressure, providing a buffer time and reducing collision acceleration during deployment.
Implementation Method 1
a vent tether connected to the airbag cushion part and the cover member, and pulling the cover member in connection with an expansion of the airbag cushion part
Implementation Method 2
Gas is injected into the front airbag. The front airbag is deployed while expanded by the injected gas
Data Source
AI summary
An airbag apparatus for reducing an injury may include: an airbag cushion part having a vent hole part through which gas is discharged; a cover member having a communication hole part smaller than the vent hole part, and adjusting the amount of gas discharged through the vent hole part by selectively covering the vent hole part; and a vent tether connected to the airbag cushion part and the cover member, and pulling the cover member in connection with an expansion of the airbag cushion part.