Elastic Membrane Safety Device with Gas-Tight Envelope
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Solution Overview
Problem
Elastomers used in safety devices for motor vehicles, such as rubber, emit aromatic and allergenic substances over time, which can be harmful to occupants and impair the device's functionality due to their proximity to humans.
Innovation Solution
A safety device featuring an elastic membrane with a gas-tight envelope that prevents the escape of undesirable substances, combined with catalysts for oxidation and fragrant overlaying substances to neutralize or mask the odor, and a filling fluid source for accident-initiated expansion.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an elastic membrane made of elastomers is used for the safety device, then the device can achieve reliable expansion and structural integrity, but harmful aromatic and allergenic substances escape from the membrane over time
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements a nested structure where an inner elastic membrane (made of elastomers for reliability) is placed inside an outer gas-tight envelope. The inner membrane performs the expansion function while the outer envelope contains harmful substances, effectively nesting the problematic component within a protective barrier.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent extracts the harmful substance containment function from the elastic membrane itself and assigns it to a separate gas-tight envelope. This separation allows the membrane to focus on structural integrity and expansion while the envelope handles the harmful substance containment.
2Object-generated harmful factors
If a gas-tight envelope is added to cover the elastic membrane, then harmful substances are contained, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent uses a thin-film foil as the gas-tight envelope, which provides effective containment of harmful substances while minimizing the added complexity and volume. The flexible nature of the thin film allows it to accommodate the expansion of the inner membrane without requiring complex rigid structures.
3Volume of moving object
If the envelope is designed to be flexible to facilitate stowage, then installation space is reduced, but gas-tightness may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs a flexible thin-film foil that maintains gas-tightness through its material properties and construction (such as laminated structures or specific polymer compositions) while allowing the envelope to deform and compress for compact stowage. The flexibility is achieved without compromising the barrier function against harmful substances.
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 solution effectively contains and neutralizes harmful substances, ensuring the safety device's functionality and occupant safety by preventing the release of aromatic and allergenic substances and providing a reliable expansion mechanism.
Implementation Method 1
an expandable bladder of rubber or latex is inflated
Implementation Method 2
catalysts for oxidation
Data Source
AI summary
In various embodiments, a safety device for a motor vehicle is provided. The safety device includes an elastic membrane, which partially or completely delimits a hollow space, which is provided for an accident-initiated filling subject to elastically expand the membrane. The elastic membrane is covered by a separate envelope in a gas-tight manner, which provides an opening through the expansion of the membrane.