Folding Airbag Cushion Structure for Head Rotation Restraint
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current airbag designs fail to effectively restrain the rotational movement of a passenger's head during vehicle crashes, particularly in new frontal research moving deformable barrier tests, leading to potential serious brain injuries.
Innovation Solution
An airbag cushion with a main body comprising a rear panel and a front panel bonded by a rear and front bonding line, featuring a protruding chamber with a folding structure that unfolds and inflates to provide enhanced support, including a chamber strap and reinforcement patches to maintain shape and prevent opening, and a front tether to control collision forces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a conventional airbag cushion is used, then the basic cushioning function is provided, but the head rotational movement cannot be effectively restrained during crashes
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag cushion is divided into a main body and a protruding chamber with folding structure. The protruding chamber is separated from the main body and positioned to specifically address head rotation, while the main body provides general cushioning. This segmentation allows each part to perform its specialized function effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding chamber extends in a direction perpendicular to the main inflation direction of the airbag cushion. This dimensional addition creates a three-dimensional structure that can counteract rotational forces acting on the passenger's head, providing restraint in multiple directions simultaneously.
2Force
If the protruding chamber is added to restrain head rotation, then the restraint force is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The protruding chamber is nested within or integrated with the main body of the airbag cushion. The folding structure of the protruding chamber allows it to be compact when not in use and expand when needed, effectively adding restraint capability without significantly increasing the overall device footprint or complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The protruding chamber employs a folding structure that transitions from a compact folded state to an expanded inflated state during deployment. This dynamic structure allows the airbag to adapt its shape and volume based on deployment conditions, providing enhanced restraint force while maintaining a relatively simple stored configuration.
3Reliability
If the folding structure is used to form the protruding chamber, then the restraint capability is enhanced, but the manufacturing precision requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The folding structure of the protruding chamber is formed from flexible material that can bend and fold along predetermined lines. This flexibility allows the structure to achieve its three-dimensional shape through folding rather than requiring complex rigid joints or precise assembly, thereby reducing manufacturing precision requirements while maintaining structural integrity during inflation.
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 cushion effectively restricts head rotation during crashes, enhancing passenger safety by providing improved restraint forces and maintaining the shape of the protruding chamber to prevent injury.
Implementation Method 1
a main body 10 and a protruding chamber 20 which are inflated by a gas G introduced into an inner space R
Data Source
AI summary
An airbag cushion according to an embodiment may include a main body including a rear panel having a rear bonding line and a front panel having a front bonding line bonded to the rear bonding line and disposed to face a passenger when inflated by a gas introduced into an inner space formed between the front panel and the rear panel and a protruding chamber which is inflated and protrudes toward the passenger from the front panel, wherein the protruding chamber is provided with a folding structure in a state in which a part of the front panel is folded, and the folding structure is unfolded and inflated as the main body is inflated by the gas introduced into the inner space.