Backpack Airbag Leg Strap Assembly and Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing airbag rescue systems face issues with inefficient and unreliable deployment of inflatable balloons due to insufficient pressure transfer from the airbag to the enclosure, and cumbersome leg strap mechanisms that hinder proper load distribution and user convenience.
Innovation Solution
The design incorporates a backpack with a restricting element that concentrates zipper separation forces perpendicular to the engagement line, facilitating efficient airbag deployment, and a leg strap assembly with a gated carabiner for easy, one-handed connection and disconnection, ensuring proper load transfer and user safety.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the airbag inflates within the flexible enclosure, then the airbag can be contained and deployed, but the distributed pressure may not be sufficient to cause the zippered opening to open
Solution Approach 1:
A restricting element is introduced as an intermediary component between the airbag and the zipper. This element concentrates the distributed inflation pressure into focused forces at specific points, enabling reliable zipper separation. The restricting element acts as a mediator that transforms the uniform pressure field into localized separation forces.
Solution Approach 2:
The restricting element creates local concentration of force at the zipper separation location. Instead of relying on uniform distributed pressure, the design introduces a localized structural feature that focuses the inflation force precisely where needed to separate the zipper teeth, improving deployment reliability.
2Strength
If a looped leg strap design is used, then the leg strap can be attached to the waist belt, but the user must use both hands to thread the waist band through the looped end
Solution Approach 1:
The traditional looped-end mechanical attachment is replaced with a gated carabiner clip mechanism. This substitution transforms the complex threading operation into a simple clipping action, maintaining secure attachment while dramatically improving ease of operation. The gated carabiner provides both security and operational simplicity.
Solution Approach 2:
The gated carabiner design allows the leg strap to be easily attached and detached by the user without requiring assistance or complex manipulation. The self-contained clipping mechanism enables independent adjustment and removal, enhancing user convenience while maintaining secure attachment.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the leg strap is fixed in position, then the load bearing position is stable, but the airbag safety system may ride up on the user's torso
Solution Approach 1:
The leg strap assembly incorporates adjustable positioning features that allow the user to adapt the strap position to their specific anatomy and gear load. This dynamic adjustability prevents the system from riding up while maintaining stable load bearing, transforming a static design into an adaptable one.
Solution Approach 2:
The leg strap design allows modification of key parameters including length, position, and attachment points. By enabling users to adjust these parameters, the system can be optimized for each individual's needs, preventing harmful riding up while maintaining stable load distribution during use.
Data Source
AI summary
A backpack for carrying by a user includes a body, an inflatable balloon, a balloon inflation system, a balloon inflation system coupled to the body and to the inflatable balloon, an actuator operably coupled to the balloon inflation system, and a leg strap assembly. The body includes a support element and at least a first enclosure. The inflatable balloon is positioned within the enclosure. The leg strap assembly includes a leg strap fastener, a first leg strap having a first end coupled to the support element and a second end coupled to the leg strap fastener, and a second leg strap end having a first end coupled to the body and a second end releasably connectable to the leg strap fastener. The support element is coupled to the balloon such that, upon inflation of the balloon, tensile force is applied to the support element and to the leg strap assembly.