Headrest Airbag with Openable Side Panels for Occupant Egress
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing vehicle occupant protection devices face issues with poor appearance and difficulty in ensuring the ease of dismounting after airbag inflation, particularly due to exposed inflators and challenging joining strengths between airbags.
Innovation Solution
A vehicle occupant protection device featuring a single airbag stowed in a headrest or seatback that inflates and expands to cover the head from the front and sides, with an openable portion facilitated by detachable hooks and a connecting cloth to maintain expanded attitude and simplify dismounting.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If an airbag is stowed in a headrest or seatback and inflated to cover the head from front and sides, then head protection in various collision modes is improved, but ease of dismounting deteriorates because the head is covered from all around
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is divided into multiple independent inflation portions (front inflation portion and left/right side inflation portions) that can be segmented and separated. The opening portion is specifically configured to be separable from the front inflation portion, allowing the airbag to be divided into detachable segments that facilitate easy removal of the occupant's head while maintaining protective coverage during collision.
2Reliability
If the airbag is structured as a single bag covering the head from front and both sides, then comprehensive head coverage is improved, but difficulty in ensuring joining strength between multiple airbags worsens
Solution Approach 1:
Multiple inflation portions (front inflation portion and left/right side inflation portions) are merged into a single integrated airbag structure. This unified design eliminates the need for joining multiple separate airbags together, thereby avoiding joining strength issues while still providing comprehensive head coverage from front and sides through the coordinated expansion of the integrated portions.
3Reliability
If components such as inflator and cover are exposed to supply gas to the airbag, then airbag inflation function is improved, but appearance deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The inflator and other functional components are nested within the headrest or seatback structure, specifically positioned inside the housing or cavity of the headrest. This nesting arrangement conceals the components from external view, maintaining a clean and aesthetically pleasing appearance while preserving their functionality to supply gas and inflate the airbag when needed.
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
Ensures ease of dismounting by allowing the airbag to be opened after inflation, maintaining compact storage and reliable expansion performance, while improving the appearance and functionality of the device.
Implementation Method 1
the airbag receiving a gas supply and inflating and expanding toward a seat front side
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicle occupant protection device includes: an airbag structured as a single bag that is configured to cover a head area of a vehicle occupant, the airbag being stowed at a headrest or seatback of a vehicle seat, the airbag receiving a gas supply and inflating and expanding toward a seat front side, and the airbag including a front inflation portion that is configured to be inflated at the seat front relative to the head area and a left and right pair of side inflation portions that are connected to the front inflation portion and configured to be inflated at seat sides relative to the head area; and an opening portion that is provided at the airbag, is configured to cover the head area from the seat front side or a seat side, and is openable after the inflation and expansion of the airbag.