OPW Airbag Structure With Concave Impact Surface
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional airbags, particularly those manufactured using the Cut & Sew method, are time-consuming and costly, require larger gas generators due to increased volume, and offer reduced protective effect due to convex impact surfaces that allow occupants to slide off, necessitating larger installation space and compromised safety.
Innovation Solution
A woven OPW airbag with multiple fabric layers and a tensioning element that forms a concave impact surface, allowing for increased protection without increasing inflation volume by using a bowl-like shape and surrounding a cavity outside the airbag, thus reducing the need for larger gas generators and installation space.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the airbag volume is increased to provide greater protective effect, then the protective effect is improved, but the gas generator size and installation space requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies curvature by forming a concave impact surface on the airbag's front side, creating a bowl-like shape that captures occupants more effectively. This curved geometry increases the protective effect by preventing occupants from sliding off, while the concave design allows the airbag to achieve its protective function with a smaller overall volume compared to conventional convex designs.
2Reliability
If the airbag depth is increased to provide greater protective effect, then the protective effect is improved, but the inflation volume increases requiring larger gas generators
Solution Approach 1:
The concave impact surface creates a bowl-like shape that provides sufficient protective depth to stop occupants effectively while minimizing the overall inflation volume. The curved geometry allows the airbag to achieve its protective function with reduced gas volume compared to straight-sided or convex designs.
3Ease of manufacture
If a convex impact surface is used as in conventional airbags, then the manufacturing is simpler, but the protective effect is reduced due to occupants sliding off
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the conventional convex surface to create a concave impact surface. This curvature change fundamentally improves the protective effect by creating a bowl-like shape that captures and retains occupants during impact, preventing them from sliding off the airbag surface, while still being manufacturable using adapted processes.
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 achieves enhanced protective effect with a concave impact surface, preventing occupants from sliding off and maintaining a large protective volume while minimizing inflation volume and installation space requirements.
Implementation Method 1
gas is supplied to the airbag within a few milliseconds to set it from an uninflated state, i.e. folded or collapsed state, to an inflated state during an inflation operation. This is accomplished by a device such as a gas generator, commonly referred to as an 'inflator'.
Data Source
AI summary
An airbag has at least two fabric layers which are connected to one another in such a way that a central inflow region forming a first airbag chamber and at least two wing regions forming respective second airbag chambers and extending radially from the inflow region are formed. During the inflation operation of the airbag, a gas flows first into the central inflow region and then from the central inflow region into the respective wing regions. Distal end portions of the at least two wing regions are connected to one another via a flat tensioning element, so that the distal end portions move axially away from the central inflow region during the inflation operation of the airbag and, in the inflated state of the airbag, radially tension the flat tensioning element at an axial distance from the central inflow region.