Motorcycle Airbag Retainer Layout for Stable Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
In saddle riding-type vehicles, the airbag module can be inclined in the left-right direction due to the placement of the inflator on the side of the head pipe, which affects its deployment.
Innovation Solution
A retainer is provided behind the head pipe with an inflator and an airbag that includes a proximal end portion and an outward deployment portion, featuring a tab fixed to the retainer to prevent inclination, and a loop diffuser in the inflator to guide gas flow and stabilize the airbag.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If the inflator is disposed on the side of the head pipe and the airbag module is disposed closer to the head pipe, then the airbag module can be compactly disposed in the front-rear direction, but the airbag may be deployed in such a way as to be inclined in the left-right direction
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is divided into functionally distinct segments: the proximal end portion that remains positioned in the retainer and the outward deployment portion that extends outward. This segmentation allows the proximal end to be stabilized by the tab fixation while the outward deployment portion achieves proper deployment orientation, resolving the contradiction between compact disposition and deployment stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The tab is预先 fixed to the retainer at a position opposite the inflator before deployment occurs. This preliminary action establishes a stable reference point that prevents left-right inclination during the deployment process, ensuring that even with the inflator positioned on the side of the head pipe, the airbag deploys correctly without lateral deviation.
2Reliability
If the tab is fixed to the retainer through an opening in the side surface, then the fixing portion is made hardly affected by the gas injected from the inflator, but the fixing structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The tab is extracted through the opening in the side surface of the retainer and fixed to the outer side. This extraction allows the tab to be positioned in a location that is not directly in the path of gas injection from the inflator, protecting the fixing portion from gas interference while maintaining a relatively simple fixing structure through the opening.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the loop diffuser is disposed in the gas flow path of the proximal end portion, then the proximal end portion is reinforced and deployment stability is improved, but the inflator structure becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The loop diffuser acts as an intermediary component disposed in the gas flow path between the inflator and the proximal end portion of the airbag. It mediates the gas flow to reinforce the proximal end portion during inflation, improving deployment stability while containing the added complexity within the inflator assembly rather than the overall airbag system.
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 airbag is deployed effectively while being suppressed from inclination in the left-right direction, ensuring proper positioning and stability during deployment.
Implementation Method 1
an airbag (42) that is housed in the retainer (41), inflates by gas (G) discharged by the inflator (43), and is deployed in front of an occupant
Implementation Method 2
a loop diffuser (141) that guides the gas (G) may be provided in the inflator (43), and the loop diffuser (141) may be disposed in a gas flow path of the proximal end portion (121)
Data Source
AI summary
A saddle riding-type vehicle includes a retainer that is provided behind a head pipe; an inflator; and an airbag that is housed in the retainer, inflates by gas discharged by the inflator, and is deployed in front of an occupant. The airbag includes a proximal end portion that is positioned in the retainer when the airbag is deployed and an outward deployment portion that extends from the proximal end portion and is deployed to the outside of the retainer when the airbag is deployed. A tab is provided on the proximal end portion, and the tab is fixed to the retainer.