Far Side Airbag Folding for Offset Seatback Restraint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing far side airbags are ineffective in providing sufficient reaction force when left and right vehicle seats are displaced in the vehicle front-rear direction, leading to potential tilting of passengers during a side impact.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle passenger restraint device with a far side airbag that includes a main chamber and a rear deployment section, deployable to overlap with the seatback of an adjacent seat, and a step portion to hook onto the seatback, ensuring effective restraint even when seats are displaced.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the sub chamber is used to obtain reaction force from the seatback, then the passenger can be restrained during side impact, but the structure becomes ineffective when left and right seats are displaced in the vehicle front-rear direction
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag structure transitions from a static sub chamber configuration to a dynamic rear deployment section that can adapt its position. The rear deployment section is configured to be deployable toward the vehicle rear side past the seatback, allowing it to dynamically adjust and maintain overlap with the adjacent seatback regardless of front-rear displacement, thereby preserving restraint effectiveness across varying seat positions.
Solution Approach 2:
The airbag is divided into functionally distinct segments: the main chamber for initial inflation and the separately deployable rear deployment section for obtaining reaction force. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specific function independently, with the rear deployment section specifically designed to extend and engage with the adjacent seatback even when seats are displaced relative to each other.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the main chamber receives reaction force through the sub chamber, then passenger movement can be suppressed, but the passenger may tilt over when sufficient reaction force is not obtained due to seat displacement
Solution Approach 1:
The rear deployment section is pre-configured and positioned to extend past the seatback toward the adjacent seat, ensuring that it is ready to engage with the adjacent seatback structure before impact occurs. This preliminary positioning guarantees that reaction force can be obtained even when seats are displaced, preventing passenger tilting during side impact.
Solution Approach 2:
The rear deployment section acts as an intermediary element between the main chamber and the adjacent seatback. It extends the reach of the airbag system to bridge the gap created by seat displacement, enabling the transmission of reaction force from the adjacent seatback to the passenger through this intermediate structure.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the airbag is configured to overlap with the adjacent seatback in side view, then reaction force can be obtained even when seats are displaced, but the airbag structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The rear deployment section is integrally combined with the main chamber to form a unified airbag structure. This merging eliminates the need for separate mechanisms to achieve the overlapping configuration, as the integral design allows the rear section to naturally extend and engage with the adjacent seatback while maintaining structural simplicity.
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 airbag effectively restrains passengers by obtaining reaction force from the seatback, reducing movement and maintaining consistent inflation and deployment, even when seats are displaced, thus enhancing passenger safety.
Implementation Method 1
an inflator that is provided at a vehicle width direction inner side portion of a seatback of one seat of the left seat or the right seat and that is configured to eject gas on actuation
Implementation Method 2
the far side airbag is configured so as to overlap with a seatback of another seat of the left seat or the right seat in side view... the main chamber is not able to obtain sufficient reaction force from the side support section
Data Source
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AI summary
A vehicle passenger restraint device includes a left seat (12L) and a right seat (12R) provided in a vehicle cabin so as to be capable of moving in a vehicle front-rear direction, and a far side airbag (34) that is provided to a vehicle width direction inside portion of a seatback (16L, 16R) of the right seat (12R) and that is configured so as to be inflated and deployed to a vehicle width direction inside of a passenger seated in the right seat (12R) by being supplied with gas from an inflator (32) . The far side airbag (34) includes a rear deployment section (38) that is configured to deploy toward a vehicle rear side past the seatback (16L, 16R) of the right seat (12R). The far side airbag (34) is configured so as to overlap with a seatback (16L, 16R) of the left seat (12L) in side view even when the left seat (12L) is displaced in a vehicle front-rear direction with respect to the right seat (12R).