Horizontal Passenger Airbag Layout for Slim Instrument Panels
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current airbag designs for vehicles with unique platform architectures, featuring higher longitudinal space between the driver and windshield and slimmer instrument panels, result in higher neck injury values and more chest deflection due to the lack of a robust supporting location for vertical deployment, leading to inefficient passenger safety.
Innovation Solution
A horizontally inflating passenger front airbag system that deploys from a storage chamber within the vehicle, extending in a horizontal direction between the passenger seating location and a reaction surface like the windshield, providing resistance to counteract the loading direction and ensuring appropriate stiffness through controlled deformation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If current airbags are deployed vertically in modern vehicles with higher longitudinal space and slimmer instrument panels, then the airbag can be installed in available space, but this results in higher neck injury values and more chest deflection
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional vertical deployment direction of airbags to a horizontal deployment direction. Instead of deploying upward from the instrument panel, the airbag now deploys horizontally toward the passenger, utilizing the longitudinal space in the opposite orientation. This inversion allows the airbag to effectively utilize the available space in modern vehicle architectures while providing proper restraint forces that reduce neck injury and chest deflection.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent transitions the airbag deployment from a vertical dimension to a horizontal dimension. By changing the deployment direction from upward (vertical) to forward (horizontal), the airbag can leverage the longitudinal space between the instrument panel and passenger in a different orientation, achieving both proper spatial utilization and improved safety performance.
2Ease of manufacture
If vertically deploying airbags are used in vehicles with slimmer instrument panels, then installation is feasible, but structural support for the airbag is unavailable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the deployment orientation to horizontal, which changes the structural support requirements. Instead of needing vertical support structures that are unavailable in slimmer instrument panels, the horizontal deployment utilizes the longitudinal structural elements already present in modern vehicle architectures, making installation feasible while providing adequate structural support.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If horizontally inflating airbag is deployed, then passenger safety is improved by reducing neck injury and chest deflection, but the airbag deployment system becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the deployment dimension from vertical to horizontal, which fundamentally alters the deployment mechanics. This dimensional change allows the airbag to achieve improved safety performance through a different deployment pathway that naturally provides better restraint characteristics, rather than requiring complex additional components or mechanisms.
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 horizontally deploying airbag system enhances passenger safety by reducing neck injury and chest deflection, achieving improved safety ratings and efficient use of cabin space without requiring significant modifications to existing inflator systems.
Implementation Method 1
adjusting stiffness through controlled gas pressure and venting
Implementation Method 2
the contact of the airbag and the reaction surface creates a resistance opposite a direction of loading of a passenger against the airbag
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular airbag deployment system includes an airbag storage chamber, the airbag storage chamber disposed at a location within a vehicle. The vehicular airbag deployment system also includes an airbag configured to be stored within the airbag storage chamber when the airbag is in a deflated state. The airbag is further configured to be inflated in response to a collision detection event and deploy from the airbag storage chamber. In an inflated state, the airbag extends in a generally horizontal direction between a passenger seating location and a reaction surface at a front interior surface of the vehicle and the airbag contacts the reaction surface in the inflated state.