Seat-Back Side Airbag Layout to Avoid Curtain Airbag Interference
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing side airbag systems fail to adequately protect occupants from head to pelvis in various seating positions, particularly when the backrest is reclined, due to interference with curtain airbags and potential chest injuries from excessive pressure.
Innovation Solution
A side airbag device with an airbag cushion embedded in the seat backrest that inflates and deploys to cover the entire side surface of the occupant's upper body, featuring an upper chamber that rotates upward to accommodate different postures, including reclined positions, and includes an inflater to supply gas for deployment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the side airbag is inflated with fixed height, then the deployment is simple, but it cannot protect occupants in various postures and may interfere with curtain airbag
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag cushion is designed with a movable upper end that can dynamically adjust its position along the backrest based on occupant posture. This dynamic structure allows the airbag to adapt to different seating positions (normal, reclined, etc.) without requiring multiple fixed-height airbags or complex control systems, thus improving versatility while maintaining relatively simple device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the height parameter of the airbag cushion by allowing the upper end to move along the backrest. This parameter adjustment enables the airbag to provide effective protection for occupants in various postures (normal seating, reclined positions) while avoiding interference with the curtain airbag deployment.
2Reliability
If the upper part of side airbag is inflated with high thickness and pressure, then it can protect the upper body, but it may exert impact on occupant's chest and increase rib damage risk
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag cushion is designed with different thicknesses at different locations: the lower part has greater thickness for robust protection, while the upper part has reduced thickness to minimize chest impact. This local quality variation ensures effective protection of the upper body without increasing rib damage risk, as the thinner upper portion applies less pressure to the chest area.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the side airbag is designed to protect head in reclined position, then it can protect occupants in rest mode, but it may interfere with curtain airbag deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag cushion's upper end can move dynamically along the backrest to adjust its position. When an occupant is in a reclined position, the upper end moves upward along the backrest to maintain proper protection alignment, while when the occupant is in normal seating position, it remains lower to avoid interfering with curtain airbag deployment.
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 device effectively protects the occupant's head and body from head to pelvis by minimizing interference with curtain airbags and reducing chest injuries, ensuring comprehensive safety regardless of seating posture.
Implementation Method 1
an airbag cushion which is embedded in a backrest of a seat and is inflated and deployed to correspond to an entire side surface of an upper body of an occupant upon side collision of the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
A side airbag device for a vehicle, comprising: an airbag cushion that is built into a backrest of a seat and inflated and deployed so as to correspond to the entire side surface of an occupant's upper body in the event of a side impact crash of the vehicle; and an inflator that generates gas according to an impact detection signal in the event of the side impact crash of the vehicle to supply the gas to the airbag cushion, wherein the airbag cushion is configured such that the height of upward inflation and deployment is expanded by contact with the occupant's arm, thereby avoiding interference with a curtain airbag at the initial stage of deployment of the airbag cushion and safely protecting the head of the occupant by expanding an upper chamber thereof upward by contact with the occupant's arm.