Vehicle Seat Airbag Deflection Surface Forward Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing rear vehicle seat airbag structures do not effectively deploy airbags in a forward direction, which can lead to inefficient deployment and potential safety issues during vehicle collisions.
Innovation Solution
A rear vehicle seat with an airbag assembly that includes an upright seat frame, cushion portion, cover portion, and an airbag assembly featuring an attachment bracket with a deflection surface that guides the inflatable airbag to deploy forward, ensuring it moves in a controlled direction relative to the outboard bolster section and upright seat frame.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If traditional airbag structures are used without a deflection surface, then the airbag can inflate freely in all directions, but the deployment direction cannot be controlled and outboard expansion occurs during initial deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The deflection surface acts as an intermediary component between the airbag and the seat bolster. It is a simple structural element that redirects the airbag's expansion force to achieve forward deployment control without adding complex mechanical systems, sensors, or actuators.
Solution Approach 2:
The deflection surface is pre-installed on the attachment bracket before airbag deployment. During initial deployment milliseconds, the deflection surface is already in position to guide the airbag's expansion direction, preventing outboard expansion before control systems can respond.
2Reliability
If the airbag is allowed to expand freely without guidance, then the structure remains simple, but deployment efficiency and passenger protection are reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The deflection surface serves as a passive intermediary that reliably guides airbag deployment direction. This simple structural feature enhances passenger protection effectiveness by ensuring consistent forward deployment without requiring complex active control systems.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment bracket is segmented into distinct functional areas: an attachment section for securing the airbag and a deflection surface for guiding deployment. This segmentation allows each component to perform its specific function efficiently while maintaining overall structural simplicity.
3Ease of operation
If a deflection surface is added to guide airbag deployment, then deployment direction control is improved, but the attachment bracket complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The deflection surface is merged with the attachment bracket to form a single integrated component. This combines the attachment function and the deployment guidance function into one piece, avoiding the need for separate guide structures and reducing overall assembly complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The attachment bracket is designed with multi-functionality: it provides both the attachment section for securing the airbag and the deflection surface for guiding deployment direction. This universal design eliminates the need for additional specialized components.
Data Source
AI summary
An airbag assembly includes an attachment bracket, an inflatable airbag and a deployment device. The attachment bracket is attached to an outboard bolster section of a seat assembly. The attachment bracket defines an attachment section that extends along an inboard surface of the outboard bolster section and a deflection surface extending from the attachment section with the inflatable airbag. The deployment section is attached to an inboard side of the attachment section. The deflection surface is dimensioned and shaped such that upon deployment of the inflatable airbag the inflatable airbag is guided to move by the deflection surface in a forward deployment direction relative to the outboard bolster section.