Floor-Mounted Inflatable Tube for Lower Leg Restraint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Autonomous vehicles lack traditional structural elements like instrument panels and steering wheels, making it difficult to deploy airbags effectively to protect occupants' lower legs and feet during collisions, as existing airbag systems rely on these structures for impact absorption.
Innovation Solution
An inflatable tube apparatus connected to the vehicle floor, which deploys upon collision to encircle and restrain the lower legs and feet, providing a cushioning effect and preventing hyperextension by being actuated with an inflator and controlled by a crash sensor system.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If traditional airbag systems are used in autonomous vehicles, then they can protect upper body occupants, but they cannot effectively protect lower legs and feet due to lack of instrument panel and steering wheel structures
Solution Approach 1:
The patent transitions from traditional horizontal airbag deployment (frontal airbags between occupant and instrument panel) to a vertical deployment configuration (inflatable tube extending upward from the vehicle floor). This dimensional change allows the airbag to protect lower legs and feet in autonomous vehicles that lack traditional instrument panels and steering wheels, thereby adapting to new vehicle configurations while maintaining protection effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces a reaction structure as an intermediary element that provides a surface for the inflatable tube to rest against. This reaction structure serves as a mediator between the inflatable tube and the absent instrument panel/steering wheel, enabling the airbag to absorb impact energy and provide the necessary ride-down effect even in autonomous vehicle configurations without traditional structures.
2Volume of moving object
If vehicle cabin space is increased for autonomous vehicles, then passenger comfort and flexibility improve, but traditional reaction surfaces for airbag deployment are eliminated
Solution Approach 1:
The patent relocates the airbag system from the horizontal plane (instrument panel/steering wheel mounted) to the vertical plane (floor-mounted inflatable tube). This dimensional relocation allows autonomous vehicles to have larger, more flexible cabin spaces without traditional structures while still providing effective lower leg and foot protection through the vertically deployed airbag system.
3Reliability
If inflatable tube is deployed to encircle lower legs and feet, then impact protection is provided, but the structure must be anchored to vehicle floor
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines the inflatable tube with the vehicle floor structure by anchoring the tube's ends to the floor. This merging creates an integrated system where the flexible inflatable tube and the rigid floor structure work together to provide stable support and effective impact protection for lower legs and feet during collisions.
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 protects the lower legs and feet of occupants in autonomous vehicles by restraining forward movement and absorbing impact energy, ensuring safer collisions by adapting to the open cabin configuration of autonomous vehicles.
Implementation Method 1
an inflator that is actuatable to direct inflation fluid into the inflatable tube
Implementation Method 2
The middle portion of the inflated tube is configured to extend above the vehicle floor to define a space for receiving the lower legs and/or feet of the occupant and restrain forward movement of the lower legs and/or feet
Data Source
AI summary
An apparatus, system, and method for helping to protect occupants of a vehicle in the event of a collision. The apparatus comprising an inflatable tube having a first and second end connected to the floor of the vehicle and a middle portion therebetween and an inflator that is actuatable to direct inflation fluid into the inflatable tube in response to a vehicle collision. The inflatable tube is configured to inflate and deploy from the vehicle floor in response to receiving inflation fluid from the inflator. The middle portion extends from the floor and forms an arch into which the lower legs and/or feet of the occupant can move into in response to a collision and be restrained.