Knee Airbag Fold Design for Convex Panel Adaptation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional knee gas bags fail to effectively adapt to the convex shape of vehicle interior structures without external support, limiting their suitability for areas like the lower section of the instrument panel.
Innovation Solution
A knee gas bag design featuring a rear section with parallel first folds and perpendicularly arranged second folds, which shorten the ridge of the first fold when subjected to tension, allowing the gas bag to assume a concave shape and connect with the front section to form a banana-shaped cross-section, adapting to convex surfaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If conventional knee gas bags are used without external support structures, then they cannot effectively adapt to the convex shape of vehicle interior structures, but adding external catching bands or support structures increases device complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The gas bag is divided into multiple sections with different fold patterns. The rear section contains first folds extending parallel to the section and second folds arranged perpendicularly within the first folds, creating a segmented structure that can independently adapt to convex surfaces without requiring external support bands.
Solution Approach 2:
The fold configuration creates a banana-shaped cross-section with curved surfaces that naturally conform to convex vehicle interior structures. The combination of parallel first folds and perpendicular second folds generates the necessary curvature without external catching bands or rigid support structures.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the rear section is made rigid to maintain shape, then it cannot adapt to the convex shape of the instrument panel, but making it flexible reduces structural stability
Solution Approach 1:
The rear section employs dynamic fold structures that allow the material to deform and adapt to convex surfaces while maintaining overall structural integrity. The first and second folds work together to provide controlled flexibility, enabling the gas bag to conform to the instrument panel shape without compromising stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The gas bag utilizes flexible material with integrated fold patterns that allow the shell to adapt to curved surfaces. The combination of parallel and perpendicular folds creates a flexible yet stable structure that can conform to convex shapes while maintaining its compositional integrity during deployment.
Data Source
AI summary
Described is a gas bag for a motor vehicle with a gas bag envelope surrounding a gas space, wherein the gas bag envelope comprises a front section (12) having an impact area (12a) and a rear section (14) directly connected with the front section (12) via a circumferential edge (11) having a support area (14a). Here, the rear section (14) has a folding for the contouring of the gas bag. In order to achieve that the gas bag adapts to a convexly bent surface shape of a part of the vehicle interior structure against which it rests without external catching bands or the like the folding consists of at least one first fold (18) extending parallel to the rear section and at least a second fold (20), wherein the second fold (20) is arranged in the first fold (18) and substantially stands perpendicularly to the rear section (14).