Avalanche Airbag Two-Bag Structure for Compact Cold-Weather Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing avalanche airbags face challenges with high pack volume, difficulty in folding at low temperatures, and insufficient mechanical strength, which affect deployment efficiency and safety.
Innovation Solution
A two-chamber avalanche airbag design with a flexible, gas-permeable outer bag and a gas-tight, elastic inner bag, where the inner bag is attached to the outer bag at specific points or areas, allowing for easy packing, high elasticity, and enhanced mechanical resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the airbag material is made gas-tight to maintain volume and pressure, then the air retention is improved, but the pack volume increases and folding becomes difficult at low temperatures
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is divided into two separate bags: an inner gas-tight bag for air retention and an outer flexible bag for compact packing. The inner bag maintains gas-tightness to preserve volume and pressure, while the outer bag's flexible, gas-permeable material allows tight folding and small pack volume. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by assigning different functional requirements to different components.
Solution Approach 2:
The inner gas-tight bag is nested inside the outer flexible bag. When not in use, the inner bag can be compressed within the outer bag, achieving small pack volume. During deployment, the inner bag inflates to maintain its gas-tight volume while the outer bag provides structural flexibility. This nested configuration allows both gas-tightness and compact storage.
2Strength
If the airbag material is made rigid to withstand mechanical stress, then the strength is improved, but the ease of folding and packing deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The mechanical strength function is assigned to the outer bag made of flexible, tear-resistant material, while the inner bag handles gas retention. The outer bag's material properties provide the necessary mechanical strength to withstand avalanches, rocks, and trees, while its flexibility enables easy folding and compact packing. This functional segmentation resolves the contradiction between strength and foldability.
Solution Approach 2:
Different material properties are applied to different parts of the system: the outer bag uses flexible, tear-resistant material for mechanical protection and foldability, while the inner bag uses gas-tight material for air retention. This local differentiation of material qualities allows each component to optimize its specific function without compromising the other.
3Speed
If the airbag is designed to inflate rapidly to create lift, then the deployment speed is improved, but the gas-tightness requirement increases leading to larger pack volume
Solution Approach 1:
The rapid deployment function is handled by the inner gas-tight bag that can inflate quickly to create lift, while the outer flexible bag provides compact storage capability. The inner bag's gas-tight design enables rapid inflation without significant air loss, achieving fast deployment. The outer bag's flexibility allows the entire system to be packed tightly when not in use, resolving the contradiction between rapid deployment and compact storage.
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 design enables rapid deployment over a broad temperature range with a small pack volume and low weight, maintaining air retention under high mechanical stress, ensuring effective protection against avalanches.
Implementation Method 1
the material of the inner bag can be stretched, whereby the elasticity of the material of the inner bag is between 25% and 500%, preferably a minimum of 50%, especially preferably some 300%. Due to the elasticity of the material of the inner bag, the inner bag absorbs the deformations transferred from the outer bag very well without tearing.
Implementation Method 2
The inner bag, on the other hand, consists of a gas-tight and elastic material, whereby the inner bag or second bag can be inflated with gas. Due to the gas-tightness of the material of the inner bag, upon and after deployment of the airbag or avalanche airbag no, or as good as no, gas can escape the filled airbag through the material of the inner bag.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention relates to an avalanche airbag (2), comprising a deployable outer bag (12), consisting of a flexible, gas-permeable material, and a deployable inner bag (13), consisting of a gas-tight elastic material and inflatable with gas, whereby the inner bag (13) is arranged inside the outer bag (12). The material of the inner bag (13) has an elasticity of at least 25%. The avalanche airbag (2) facilitates rapid deployment after activation over the entire temperature range as well as a small pack volume with a low total weight. Furthermore, the invention relates to a method for manufacturing an avalanche airbag (2) and an avalanche airbag system.