Knee Air Bag Vehicle-Front Section Deployment Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Low mount knee air bag modules face challenges with unstable and non-reproducible deployment behavior, particularly when attached exclusively via inflator mounting bolts, leading to potential tipping and insufficient deployment along the instrument panel.
Innovation Solution
The fill and support section of the knee air bag is extended forward, creating a vehicle-front section that extends beyond the housing, preventing tipping and allowing for a simpler, cost-effective design with a 2D outer skin structure, enabling stable deployment without external guides or increased installation space requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Device complexity
If the knee air bag is attached exclusively via inflator mounting bolts, then the device complexity is reduced, but the deployment stability deteriorates causing tipping and non-reproducible deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle-front section of the fill and support section is positioned in advance between the packet and the outlet opening before deployment. This preliminary positioning ensures that the section extends beyond the housing front end during deployment, providing stable support and preventing tipping without requiring additional attachment structures.
2Stability of the object's composition
If external bands, guides and additional 3D-structures are provided to prevent tipping, then the deployment stability is improved, but the device complexity and installation space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes external bands, guides, and additional 3D-structures from the design. Instead, the stability function is integrated into the fill and support section itself, which is extended forward to provide inherent stability without requiring separate external components.
Solution Approach 2:
The fill and support section serves multiple functions: it provides structural support, prevents tipping, ensures reproducible deployment, and eliminates the need for separate external stabilizing components. This multi-functional design reduces overall device complexity.
3Area of stationary object
If the outer skin is designed with transverse pleating to fit within housing, then the area utilization is improved, but the manufacturing complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The vehicle-front section of the fill and support section extends beyond the housing front end during deployment. This excessive extension in the forward direction allows the outer skin to be manufactured as a simpler 2D structure without transverse pleating, while still achieving proper positioning and support function.
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
This solution ensures reliable and reproducible deployment of the knee air bag, preventing tipping and allowing for a wider air bag design that fits within the housing without transverse pleating, while maintaining stability through early positioning of the vehicle-front section, enabling attachment via inflator mounting bolts only.
Implementation Method 1
the knee air bag features an outer skin which encloses a gas space... the bag can be inflated by the inflator (usually in the form of a gas generator)... upon actuation of the inflator moves essentially directly upon the knee-shinbone region
Implementation Method 2
the purpose of the knee air bag during the vehicle impact is, firstly, to prevent contact between the instrument panel and the sensitive knee-shinbone region... and secondly, to counteract a forward displacement of the pelvis
Data Source
AI summary
A knee air bag apparatus having a housing disposed in or adjoining a lower region of an instrument panel extending from front to rear having an outlet opening. An inflator and a knee air bag are mounted in the housing in the initial state, and in an expanded state deploys in front of the instrument panel. The air bag outer skin has a protective section and a fill and support section. The protective section when expanded state is positioned, in front of the instrument panel. To improve deployment behavior, the fill and support section features a vehicle-front section such that with the knee air bag fully expanded, the front section extends beyond the vehicle front end of the housing in the direction of the vehicle front.