Integral Headrest Airbag for Multi-Directional Occupant Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing occupant protection devices face challenges in securing effective joint strength between head airbags and auxiliary airbags, and in providing attractive design and unobstructed vehicle operation, while also ensuring comprehensive protection against collisions from multiple directions.
Innovation Solution
An occupant protection device with an integral airbag housed in the headrest or seatback, featuring a front deployment section and lateral deployment sections that inflate and deploy to surround the occupant's head and upper body, providing staged inflation and deployment to enhance restraint capabilities and accommodate various collision modes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the gas supply pipe is provided projecting out above the seatback, then the airbag can be supplied with gas effectively, but the appearance becomes unattractive and the gas supply pipe becomes a hindrance when operating the vehicle seat
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is housed inside the headrest, with the gas supply pipe routed through the headrest structure rather than projecting externally. This nesting approach conceals the gas supply system within the headrest housing, eliminating the aesthetic and operational issues of external piping while maintaining reliable gas delivery to the airbag
2Device complexity
If the head airbags are housed inside the headrest, then the appearance is improved and vehicle seat operation is unobstructed, but it is difficult to secure joint strength between the pair of head airbags that join up after inflation and deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is configured as a single integral bag body that includes both the front deployment section and the pair of lateral deployment sections as unified structures. This merging of previously separate airbags into one continuous bag eliminates the joint strength problems between separate airbags, while the entire integrated airbag is housed within the headrest to maintain aesthetic appearance and unobstructed seat operation
3Adaptability or versatility
If multiple separate airbags are used to protect against collisions from multiple directions, then coverage is improved, but the joint strength between airbags is difficult to secure and device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The integral airbag is divided into functionally distinct deployment sections: a front deployment section for frontal collision protection and a pair of lateral deployment sections for side collision protection. These segmented sections are integrated into one bag body, providing multi-directional protection coverage while avoiding the joint strength issues of multiple separate airbags
Solution Approach 2:
Multiple airbag functions (frontal and lateral protection) are merged into a single integral bag body housed in the headrest. This combining approach achieves comprehensive collision protection coverage from multiple directions while reducing device complexity by eliminating the need for multiple separate airbags and their associated joints
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 device effectively protects occupants from collisions by providing a more comprehensive and forceful restraint than traditional configurations, with improved positioning and deployment to ensure effective protection across multiple collision scenarios without obstructing vehicle operation or aesthetics.
Implementation Method 1
an airbag (30) which inflates and deploys from a state of being housed in a headrest (18) or seatback (16) on receipt of supplied gas
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3A~3B
AI summary
An occupant protection device (10) includes a multidirectional airbag (30) that inflates and deploys from a state housed in a headrest (18) on receipt of supplied gas. The multidirectional airbag (30) is configured as an integral bag body to surround a head (H) of a seated occupant (D) with a front deployment section (36) and a pair of left and right lateral deployment sections (38). The front deployment section (36) includes a front inflating portion (42) that deploys to a seat forward direction of the head (H) of the seated occupant (D) and of at least one of a shoulder (S) or chest (B) of the seated occupant (D). Each of the pair of left and right lateral deployment sections (38) includes a lateral inflating portion (44) that is connected to the front deployment section (36) and inflates and deploys alongside the head (H) of the seated occupant (D).