Constant Area Vent for Aircraft Crash Airbag
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional airbag vents are susceptible to collapse during crash attenuation, leading to reduced effectiveness in energy dissipation and increased peak acceleration, which can result in less survivability and aircraft damage.
Innovation Solution
A constant area vent system with a rigid vent support that maintains the open area of the vent during compression, preventing deformation and ensuring efficient gas release and energy attenuation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If a flexible vent is used in the airbag, then the vent can be easily manufactured and integrated into the airbag structure, but the vent collapses during crash attenuation, reducing energy dissipation effectiveness
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies this principle by using a flexible membrane as the vent structure that can be easily integrated into the airbag while maintaining its function. The membrane is designed to be flexible enough for easy manufacturing but structured to prevent complete collapse during compression.
Solution Approach 2:
The vent is divided into multiple segments or sections that can independently deform and maintain structural integrity. This segmentation allows the vent to be manufactured as an integrated component while preventing catastrophic collapse by distributing the structural load across multiple segments.
2Device complexity
If the vent area reduces during compression, then the airbag structure becomes simpler, but the peak acceleration increases and energy attenuation effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces a third dimension by adding depth or layering to the vent structure. This dimensional addition allows the vent to maintain its effective area during compression through three-dimensional deformation patterns rather than simple two-dimensional collapse, thereby reducing peak acceleration without significantly increasing structural complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The vent structure uses composite materials that combine different properties - one layer provides structural support to maintain area during compression, while another layer allows for gas flow. This composite approach maintains energy attenuation effectiveness without requiring overly complex single-material structures.
3Stability of the object's composition
If a rigid vent support is added to maintain constant vent area, then the energy attenuation and stability improve, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The rigid vent support is merged with the flexible membrane to create an integrated assembly where the support structure and flexible component work together as a single unit. This merging reduces the number of separate parts and simplifies the overall assembly process while maintaining constant vent area during compression.
Solution Approach 2:
The vent assembly is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: the rigid support maintains structural integrity and constant area, while the flexible membrane allows gas flow and accommodates deformation. This multi-functionality reduces the need for additional separate components, thereby limiting the increase in device complexity.
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 constant area vent system enhances energy attenuation and stability by maintaining the vent's open position, reducing peak acceleration and improving survivability during crashes.
Implementation Method 1
Each airbag bladder is fully pressurized just prior to impact and is vented during impact for energy attenuation
Data Source
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AI summary
The external crash attenuation airbag includes an inflatable bladder which is inflatable to an exterior of an aircraft, so that the inflatable bladder is generally located between the aircraft and a crash surface when inflated. The airbag includes a vent configured to burst at a predefined burst pressure, the vent being located a side portion of the inflatable bladder. The airbag also includes a vent support located approximate the vent, the vent support being configured to prevent deformation and therefore maintain the effectiveness of a venting area of the vent.