External Air Bag Expansion Guide for Vehicle Bumper

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Solution Overview

Problem

Existing external air bag mounting structures for vehicles are unsatisfactory, and mass-produced packages have not been effectively considered, limiting the effective expansion and absorption of collision energy when a vehicle collides with an obstacle.

Innovation Solution

An external air bag apparatus with a mounting structure that includes a bumper cover with a tear line, an expansion guide between the bumper cover and the cushion, and reinforcement ribs, which guides the cushion to expand forwards, incorporating a door mechanism and fastening system for improved expansion and assembly.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Reliability

If an external air bag is disposed behind a bumper to absorb collision energy, then the impact to the vehicle is decreased, but the mounting structure is unsatisfactory and mass production packages are not considered

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvecollision energy absorptionVSAvoidmounting structure

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The external air bag system is divided into separate functional modules: the cushion component, the expansion guide structure, the mounting bracket, and the fastening mechanism. This segmentation allows each part to be manufactured independently and assembled systematically, resolving the mounting structure issues while maintaining collision energy absorption effectiveness.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The expansion guide structure and mounting brackets are pre-assembled and positioned before final cushion installation. The tear line is pre-formed in the bumper cover, and the expansion guide is pre-attached to the bracket, enabling streamlined mass production assembly while ensuring reliable cushion deployment for collision energy absorption.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

2Reliability

If a cushion is expanded to surround the front surface of the bumper cover, then the shock absorption is enhanced, but the expansion path must be precisely controlled

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveshock absorptionVSAvoidexpansion path control

Core Design Contradiction:

ReliabilityVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The expansion guide structure acts as an intermediary component between the cushion and the bumper cover. It includes guide surfaces and constraints that direct the cushion's expansion path, ensuring the cushion reliably surrounds the front surface of the bumper cover during deployment while simplifying the precision requirements for cushion manufacturing.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #24Intermediary (Mediator)

3Manufacturing precision

If an expansion guide is introduced to guide cushion expansion, then the expansion path is controlled, but the device complexity increases

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveexpansion path controlVSAvoidexpansion guide structure

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The expansion guide functionality is merged with the mounting bracket structure. The bracket serves dual purposes: securing the external air bag system to the vehicle and providing the expansion guide surfaces. This integration reduces the number of separate components and simplifies the overall device complexity while maintaining precise expansion path control.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #5Merging (Combining)

Solution Approach 2:

The mounting bracket is designed with multi-functionality, serving both as a structural support element and as an expansion guide. The bracket's geometry provides guide surfaces that control cushion expansion while simultaneously providing mounting points for secure installation, eliminating the need for separate guide components and reducing overall system complexity.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #6Universality (Multi-functionality)

4Productivity

If a mounting structure with brackets and fasteners is used to fix the expansion guide to the bumper cover, then the assemblability is improved, but the number of parts increases

Engineering Contradiction:

ImproveassemblabilityVSAvoidnumber of parts

Core Design Contradiction:

ProductivityVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The mounting system incorporates a door mechanism that transitions from a closed assembly state to an open deployment state. The door is pivotally connected and can be separated when the cushion expands, allowing the system to maintain structural integrity during assembly while enabling free expansion during operation. This dynamic behavior reduces the need for permanent fasteners and simplifies the part count.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #15Dynamics

Solution Approach 2:

The door mechanism is designed to be temporarily connected during assembly and operation, then separated when the cushion needs to expand. The pivotal connection allows the door to be easily detached from the expansion guide, enabling the cushion to fully surround the bumper cover without permanent constraints. This temporary connection approach improves assemblability while reducing the number of permanent fastening parts.

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

Data Source

PatentUS8752860B2External air bag for vehicle

Publication Date: 2014.06.17 HYUNDAI MOTOR CO LTD

AI summary

An external air bag apparatus may include a bumper cover having a tear line in a front portion thereof, a cushion disposed behind the bumper cover, wherein the cushion expands outwards by tearing the tear line when the cushion may be expanded so that the cushion surrounds a front surface of the bumper cover, and an expansion guide arranged between the bumper cover and the cushion to guide the cushion to expand forwards to the bumper cover.