Occupant Safety Systems with Deployable Cabin Dividers and Tethers
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Solution Overview
Problem
Traditional occupant safety systems in vehicles, particularly in non-traditional seating configurations, lack adequate reaction surfaces and tethers, leading to inadequate protection during collisions, especially when occupants face each other, and struggle with handling loose objects.
Innovation Solution
The development of advanced occupant safety systems that include sensors for imminent collision detection, deployable airbags with variable stiffness and pressure, cabin dividers, and dynamic seating systems that adjust positions to mitigate collision impacts, along with a combination of tensioned restraints and inflatable restraints such as lapbelt and roof airbags, and deployable cabin dividers to manage loose objects.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Volume of moving object
If traditional airbags are used without adequate reaction surfaces or tethers, then packaging space is reduced, but airbag deflection increases and protection effectiveness decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag system is segmented into multiple functional components: the airbag itself, separate reaction surfaces (such as the dashboard panel or seatback), and tether systems with anchor points. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function optimally while maintaining compact packaging.
Solution Approach 2:
Tethers act as intermediary elements connecting the airbag to anchor points in the vehicle structure. These tethers provide the necessary reaction force transmission path, enabling the airbag to effectively restrain occupants without requiring the airbag material itself to bear all the structural loads.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If seat backrests are used as barriers to protect from loose objects, then loose object protection is improved, but in non-traditional seating configurations reaction surfaces are insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag system is designed to serve multiple functions: it provides collision protection for occupants, acts as a barrier against loose objects, and works with various seating configurations (traditional and non-traditional). The tether system similarly adapts to different anchor point locations to provide reaction force in various seating arrangements.
Solution Approach 2:
The airbag and tether system dynamically adapts to different seating configurations by adjusting the deployment characteristics and tether anchor point positions. This allows the system to maintain effectiveness whether occupants are in traditional forward-facing seats or non-traditional opposed seating arrangements.
3Device complexity
If airbags deploy without tethers, then device complexity is reduced, but airbags deflect excessively and cannot provide adequate reaction force
Solution Approach 1:
The tether system is designed to automatically engage and provide reaction force during airbag deployment without requiring external activation or complex control systems. The tether's elastic properties allow it to self-regulate the force transmission, simplifying the overall control architecture while maintaining adequate reaction force.
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
Enhances occupant safety by providing effective reaction surfaces and tethers, reducing the risk of injury from collisions and loose objects, and allowing for flexible packaging and design in various vehicle configurations.
Implementation Method 1
The inflatable restraint includes at least one of horizontally-extending chambers allowing for variable pressures along a height of the inflatable restraint
Implementation Method 2
a sensor that provides an output signal indicative of an imminent collision
Data Source
AI summary
Occupant safety systems suitable for use in both traditional and opposed seating systems include various combinations of passive safety components: sensors that provides an output signal indicative of an imminent collision, seats selectively moveable relative to seat support structures in response to the output signal, inflatable restraints deployable from lap portions of a tensioned restraint based on the output signal, airbags deployable from a roof of a vehicle based on the output signal, cabin dividers deployable from a side of a cabin of the vehicle or the roof of the vehicle based on the output signal, and curtain airbags deployable between an occupant and the side of the cabin of the vehicle based on the output signal.