Knee Airbag Intermediate Panel Layout for Controlled Inflation
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing knee airbag arrangements do not optimize gas diffusion and deployment profile for effective protection of the knees and lower legs during collisions, leading to suboptimal performance in absorbing impact energy.
Innovation Solution
A knee airbag design featuring a front panel, rear panel, and intermediate panel with specific attachment point configurations that enhance gas diffusion and deployment profile, including varying longitudinal spacings between attachment locations to facilitate controlled inflation and stable bending areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Manufacturing precision
If the intermediate panel is connected to the front and rear panels with uniform attachment spacing, then the manufacturing process is simple, but the deployment shape and gas flow distribution are not optimized
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies local quality by varying the longitudinal spacing between attachment points in different regions of the intermediate panel. Specifically, the first spacing between the front panel and intermediate panel differs from the second spacing between the intermediate panel and rear panel. This non-uniform spacing creates different stiffness characteristics in proximal and distal regions, optimizing the deployment shape and gas flow distribution locally in each region while maintaining overall structural integrity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If the attachment points are densely distributed across the airbag, then the structural stability is improved, but the gas flow and inflation efficiency are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the attachment points into distinct groups with different spacing characteristics. The first attachment points connect the front panel to the intermediate panel with a first longitudinal spacing, while the second attachment points connect the rear panel to the intermediate panel with a second longitudinal spacing. This segmentation allows different regions to have different densities of attachment points, providing structural stability where needed while maintaining gas flow pathways.
3Speed
If the longitudinal spacing between attachment points is increased, then the gas flow and inflation speed are improved, but the deployment shape control precision is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements local quality by applying different longitudinal spacing values to different regions of the intermediate panel. The first spacing (front panel to intermediate panel) is optimized for one aspect of deployment control, while the second spacing (intermediate panel to rear panel) is optimized for another aspect. This allows the airbag to achieve both rapid inflation and precise shape control by tailoring the attachment point density to the specific functional requirements of each region.
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 design ensures rapid and full inflation with improved gas flow, providing enhanced protection and stability to the knees and lower legs by optimizing the deployment trajectory and diffusion of inflation gases.
Implementation Method 1
a sensor within the vehicle measures abnormal deceleration, for example, the airbag is triggered to inflate within a few milliseconds with gas produced by a device commonly referred to as an 'inflator'
Data Source
AI summary
A knee airbag includes a front panel, a rear panel and an intermediate panel. The rear panel is coupled to the front panel to define an inflation chamber. The intermediate panel is disposed between the front panel and the rear panel and within the inflation chamber. The intermediate panel is connected to the rear panel by rows of first attachment points extending in a lateral direction across the knee airbag and connected to the front panel by rows of second attachment points extending in the lateral direction. The airbag includes a proximal bending area proximate a proximal end thereof.