Pleated Air Bag Panel for Head and Thorax Cushioning
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional air bags lack sufficient softness in areas that come into contact with vehicle occupants during deployment, leading to increased fabric tension and impact forces that may not effectively cushion the head and thorax.
Innovation Solution
The air bag incorporates pleated portions with reduced fabric tension, achieved through a Z-fold configuration and interconnections between panels, which create a cushioned area that is softer than the rest of the air bag, specifically designed to absorb impact forces from the head and upper thorax.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If conventional air bag design is used, then impact absorption is provided, but fabric tension is high and softness is insufficient in contact areas
Solution Approach 1:
The air bag incorporates pleated portions at specific locations (head contact area and upper thorax contact area) that differ from the rest of the air bag structure. These pleated portions have reduced fabric tension and increased softness compared to the taut, smooth areas, creating local variations in mechanical properties to reduce impact forces on vulnerable body parts while maintaining overall impact absorption capability
Solution Approach 2:
The pleated portions are designed to dynamically adjust during deployment and impact. The pleats can unfold and expand to absorb energy, transitioning from a compact folded state to an extended cushioning state, allowing the air bag to adapt its softness and volume based on the deployment phase and impact conditions
2Stability of the object's composition
If uniform fabric tension is maintained across the air bag, then structural integrity is preserved, but cushioning softness is insufficient in occupant contact areas
Solution Approach 1:
The air bag features non-uniform fabric tension distribution through strategically placed pleated portions. These localized areas have relaxed, folded fabric that creates softness and compliance, while the surrounding areas maintain taut, high-tension fabric for structural support. This spatial variation in fabric tension allows the air bag to simultaneously achieve structural integrity and localized cushioning softness
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the air bag is designed to be soft in contact areas, then cushioning is improved, but impact absorption capability may be reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The air bag is segmented into functionally distinct zones: pleated portions for cushioning and smooth portions for impact absorption. The pleated portions are located at head and upper thorax contact areas to provide soft cushioning, while the smooth, taut portions cover the remaining surface area to maintain high impact absorption capability. This segmentation allows different regions to perform different functions simultaneously
Solution Approach 2:
Different mechanical properties are assigned to different locations on the air bag surface. The pleated portions have low fabric tension and high compliance for cushioning, while the smooth portions have high fabric tension and rigidity for impact absorption. This local differentiation of material properties enables the air bag to optimize both cushioning softness and impact absorption without compromise
Data Source
AI summary
An inflatable vehicle occupant protection device (14) includes at least one panel (212) of material that defines an inflatable volume (54) of the protection device. The at least one panel (212) has a portion presented toward the vehicle occupant when in an inflated and deployed condition. The protection device (14) includes at least one pleat (296, 316) formed in the at least one panel (212). The at least one pleat (296, 316) defines a cushioned portion (210) for receiving a portion of the occupant. The at least one pleat (296, 316) reduces fabric tension in the cushioned portion (210) to provide the cushioned portion with a degree of softness that is reduced over remaining areas of the protection device (14).