Diagonal Airbag Deflecting Occupants from Privacy Walls

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing airbags may capture occupants within their material during deployment, failing to effectively deflect them away from hazardous interior structures like privacy walls in passenger vehicles, particularly in aircraft where privacy walls can pose a collision risk during crashes.

Innovation Solution

Designing airbags with a tubular shape and securement within privacy walls that deploy diagonally across occupants, utilizing a tension-applying braid to shorten and widen upon inflation, deflecting occupants away from side and front walls, and integrating with a gas inflator system triggered by crash sensors.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Object-affected harmful factors

If traditional airbags are designed as large round or peanut-shaped bags, then they provide sufficient volume for occupant protection, but they fail to effectively deflect occupants away from privacy walls and may capture occupants within their material

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoccupant collision with privacy wallVSAvoidairbag shape

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSShape

Solution Approach 1:

The airbag is divided into multiple functional zones including a head protection zone, torso protection zone, and leg protection zone, each with specific geometric shapes designed to deflect occupants away from privacy walls rather than capture them. The airbag comprises a first airbag portion, second airbag portion, and third airbag portion that work together to guide occupant movement.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

Different portions of the airbag have different geometric configurations optimized for specific protection zones. The head protection portion has a shape designed to prevent head contact with privacy walls, while the torso and leg portions have configurations optimized for their respective protection needs, creating localized protective qualities throughout the airbag structure.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #3Local quality

2Adaptability or versatility

If airbags are designed to inflate rapidly in moderate to severe frontal crashes, then they provide timely protection, but they may not be optimized for varying types of seating arrangements and crash scenarios in different passenger vehicles

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveairbag design for varying seating arrangementsVSAvoidairbag design complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Adaptability or versatilityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The airbag system is designed to serve multiple protection functions simultaneously - protecting the head, torso, and legs in different crash scenarios. The modular design with distinct airbag portions allows the same airbag structure to adapt to varying seating arrangements and crash types without requiring multiple different airbag designs.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

Solution Approach 2:

The airbag incorporates a tension-applying braid that dynamically changes the airbag's geometry during inflation. As the airbag inflates, the braid tensions and transforms the airbag from a compact stored state to an expanded protective shape that actively guides occupant movement away from privacy walls.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

3Object-affected harmful factors

If airbags use a tension-applying braid to shorten and widen upon inflation, then they can effectively guide occupant movement away from privacy walls, but this adds structural complexity to the airbag design

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveoccupant deflection from privacy wallVSAvoidairbag structural complexity

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The airbag utilizes a flexible membrane structure with an integrated tension-applying braid that transforms during inflation. The thin film material allows the airbag to dynamically change shape and actively guide occupant movement without requiring rigid structural components, reducing overall structural complexity while maintaining protective function.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #30Flexible shells and thin films

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

Effectively prevents occupants from colliding with privacy walls by guiding their movement away from hazardous structures, providing enhanced protection and cushioning during crashes in various passenger transport vehicles.

Implementation Method 1

integrating with a gas inflator system triggered by crash sensors

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectGas generation and rapid inflation:

Implementation Method 2

utilizing a tension-applying braid to shorten and widen upon inflation

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectMechanical tension: Tension

Data Source

PatentUS8944461B2Airbag in privacy wall

Publication Date: 2015.02.03 SAFRAN SEATS

AI summary

Embodiments of the present invention provide an airbag system designed to deploy from a privacy wall in a diagonal manner.