Rotating Airbag Housing Structure for Faster Cushion Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Airbag housing designs often hinder rapid expansion and deployment, making it difficult for the airbag to open at the desired time during emergencies, which can slow down deployment speed and increase occupant injury.
Innovation Solution
A case-type airbag module with a rectangular housing featuring a first and second member connected by a rotational shaft or a connecting member with a bent portion, allowing the housing to open readily during airbag expansion and deployment, enhancing deployment speed and reducing internal pressure resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the housing is designed to be secure and stable, then the housing structure strength is improved, but the housing opening speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is divided into a first member and a second member that can rotate relative to each other around a rotational shaft. This segmentation allows the housing to maintain structural strength when closed while enabling rapid opening through rotational movement during airbag deployment.
Solution Approach 2:
The housing transitions from a static, fixed structure to a dynamic structure with movable parts. The first and second members can rotate relative to each other, and the rotational shaft enables controlled movement that facilitates rapid housing opening while maintaining structural integrity during normal operation.
2Ease of operation
If the housing opening mechanism is made complex, then the housing opening capability is improved, but the device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The housing opening mechanism utilizes the force generated by airbag deployment itself to drive the rotational movement. The expanding airbag provides the self-service force that automatically opens the housing without requiring separate actuators, motors, or complex control systems, thereby simplifying the overall device structure.
Solution Approach 2:
The rotational shaft serves as an intermediary element that connects the first and second members of the housing. It enables relative rotation between the members while maintaining their structural connection, providing a simple yet effective mechanism for housing opening without requiring complex linkages or multiple moving parts.
3Stability of the object's composition
If the housing opens slowly, then the structural stability is improved, but the airbag deployment speed deteriorates
Solution Approach 1:
The housing is designed with dynamic characteristics that allow it to maintain stability during normal operation but enable rapid opening when needed. The rotational connection between the first and second members allows the housing to quickly transition from a closed stable state to an open deployed state, achieving both structural stability and fast deployment speed.
Solution Approach 2:
By dividing the housing into separable members connected by a rotational shaft, the structure maintains stability when closed but can rapidly open during deployment. The segmented design allows each member to remain structurally sound while enabling quick relative movement between members, thus achieving both stability and speed.
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 design stabilizes airbag deployment, reduces occupant injury, and potentially reduces material and cost by allowing faster and more controlled deployment, while also improving resistance to internal pressure reduction.
Implementation Method 1
a rotational shaft connecting the first member and the second member enabling mutual relative rotation, and upon expansion and deployment of the airbag cushion, one of either the first member or second member rotates relative to the other around the rotational shaft
Data Source
AI summary
A representative configuration of an airbag module including a folded or rolled airbag cushion, an inflator provided in the airbag cushion, and a case type housing for stowing the airbag cushion, wherein the housing is rectangular shaped in cross-sectional view and includes a first member forming at least one side wall of the rectangular shape, a second member that forms the remaining two or more side walls of the rectangular shape, and a rotational shaft connecting the first member and the second member enabling mutual relative rotation, and upon expansion and deployment of the airbag cushion, one of either the first member or second member rotates relative to the other around the rotational shaft causing the opening of an upper part of the case type housing to open up.