Far-Side Airbag Timing for Side-Impact Occupant Protection
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional occupant protection systems face challenges in preventing occupants from being pushed toward the door side by far-side airbags during side collisions, leading to increased support requirements and costs.
Innovation Solution
The occupant protection device includes a first side airbag, a second side airbag, and a far-side airbag, where the deployment of the far-side airbag is delayed after the initial side airbag deployment, with the delay time varying based on the collision direction to prevent occupants from being pushed toward the door side.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the far-side airbag is deployed immediately after the side airbag deployment is started, then the occupant can be protected from falling inward, but the occupant is pushed toward the door by the far-side airbag
Solution Approach 1:
The side airbag is deployed first as a preliminary action to support the occupant before the far-side airbag is deployed. This sequencing ensures the occupant is already supported when the far-side airbag inflates, preventing the harmful effect of being pushed toward the door while maintaining protection effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The airbag deployment is divided into distinct time periods: the side airbag deploys in the first period, and the far-side airbag deploys in a subsequent period after a predetermined time interval. This periodic action pattern allows the occupant to be properly supported before additional inflation pressure is applied, eliminating the pushing effect.
2Reliability
If the support performance of the side airbag is increased to counteract the pushing force, then the occupant can be protected from being pushed toward the door, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The side airbag performs its support function in advance before the far-side airbag is deployed. This preliminary support action eliminates the need to over-engineer the side airbag's support performance, as it doesn't need to counteract the pushing force - the timing of deployment prevents the pushing effect from occurring in the first place, thereby reducing cost.
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
This configuration effectively prevents occupants from being pushed toward the door side by the far-side airbag, reducing the need for increased impact absorption capabilities and associated costs, while ensuring effective protection during side collisions.
Implementation Method 1
When a side collision is detected, the occupant protection device deploys and inflates the side airbag. The inflated side airbag supports a body of the occupant falling down by the inertial force.
Implementation Method 2
when a side collision toward the first seat side is detected, deployment of the far-side airbag is started after a first delay time has elapsed after deployment of the first side airbag is started
Data Source
AI summary
An occupant protection device includes a first side airbag disposed at an outer side in a width direction of a first seat, a second side airbag disposed at an outer side in the width direction of a second seat, and a far-side airbag disposed at an inner side in the width direction of the first seat and near the first seat, wherein when a side collision toward the first seat is detected, deployment of the far-side airbag is started after a first delay time has elapsed after deployment of the first side airbag is started, when a side collision toward the second seat is detected, deployment of the far-side airbag is started after a second delay time has elapsed after deployment of the second side airbag is started, and the first delay time is greater than the second delay time.