Pedestrian Protection Airbag Internal Tethering Stability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional pedestrian protection airbags are complex and prone to lateral displacement, with tethering members risking tangling and injury to pedestrians or cyclists, especially when impacted at oblique angles.
Innovation Solution
A pedestrian protection airbag with tethering members that extend within the projected periphery of the airbag, reducing the risk of tangling and injury by maintaining the airbag in place, and allowing for a simpler, lighter, and cheaper design.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Stability of the object's composition
If external tethering members are used to prevent lateral displacement of the airbag, then the airbag stability is improved, but the device complexity increases and the risk of tangling and injury to pedestrians increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts the tethering function from external components and integrates it into the airbag structure itself through internal chords. The airbag comprises a front region, rear region, and laterally extending side regions with integrated chords that prevent lateral displacement without requiring external tethering members, thus reducing device complexity while maintaining stability.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements nesting by placing the tethering chords inside the airbag structure. The chords are nested within the airbag's lateral side regions, allowing the airbag to contain its own stabilization mechanism, which eliminates the need for external tethering members and reduces overall system complexity.
2Stability of the object's composition
If external tethering members are used to maintain the airbag in place, then the airbag stability is improved, but the risk of tangling and injury to pedestrians increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the harmful external tethering members and replaces them with internal chords integrated into the airbag structure. This extraction eliminates the risk of pedestrians getting tangled in external straps while maintaining the necessary stabilization function through the internal chord system.
Solution Approach 2:
By nesting the stabilization chords inside the airbag structure rather than having them extend externally, the patent eliminates the hazard of external tethering members that could entangle pedestrians. The chords remain contained within the airbag's lateral side regions, providing stabilization without external exposure.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the airbag includes a section near the hinges of the bonnet to prevent lateral displacement, then the airbag stability is improved, but the airbag shape becomes more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the airbag into distinct functional regions: a front region, a rear region, and laterally extending side regions. Each region serves a specific purpose, with the side regions containing the chords for stabilization. This segmentation allows for a simpler overall shape compared to adding a separate section near the bonnet hinges, while achieving the same stabilization effect.
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 solution effectively reduces the risk of airbag displacement and tangling, enabling a more stable and cost-effective deployment that prioritizes pedestrian safety without the complexity of external tethering members.
Implementation Method 1
The airbag is adapted to be inflated to a deployed state
Data Source
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AI summary
The present disclosure relates to a pedestrian protection airbag (5) for a vehicle (1). The airbag (5) is adapted to be deployed along a windscreen (9) and/ or A-pillars (11) of the vehicle (1), is inflatable to a deployed state and has projected periphery. The airbag (5) comprises at least one tethering member (27, 33; 39, 41; 51, 53; 65, 67, 69, 71) connecting a first region (25) of the airbag (5) with a second region (23) of the airbag (5) along a path, the path being arranged within the projected periphery of the airbag (5), when the airbag (5) is in a deployed state. The disclosure further relates to a vehicle (1) comprising such a pedestrian protection airbag (5) and a method of deployment of such a pedestrian protection airbag (5).