Shoulder Airbag Casing Fastening for Head Rotation Prevention
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current occupant protection systems, particularly in vehicles, face challenges in effectively protecting the head and neck during oblique or small overlap crashes due to the limitations of existing airbag sizes and deployment mechanisms, which can result in severe injuries from head rotation and whiplash.
Innovation Solution
An occupant protection apparatus combining a seatbelt device and an airbag system, where the airbag casing is positioned above the occupant's shoulder, with a fastening mechanism that detaches from the seat to move with the belt, ensuring the airbag can be deployed to restrain the back of the head and prevent rotation during crashes.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the size of the airbag is increased to protect the driver's head in oblique crashes, then the protection effectiveness is improved, but the vehicle compartment capacity is reduced and cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention divides the airbag system into two separate airbags: a front airbag in the steering wheel and a side airbag in the door panel. This segmentation allows each airbag to be optimized for specific protection zones (front and side) without requiring a single large airbag, thus maintaining vehicle compartment capacity while achieving effective head protection in oblique crashes
Solution Approach 2:
The invention extends protection from the traditional front-only dimension to include the side dimension by placing an airbag in the door panel. This multi-dimensional approach provides comprehensive head protection in oblique crashes without increasing the size of individual airbags or reducing vehicle compartment capacity
2Reliability
If the size of the airbag is increased to protect the driver's head in oblique crashes, then the protection effectiveness is improved, but the cost increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the airbag system into smaller front and side airbags, the invention reduces the cost of individual airbag units and their corresponding inflators. Smaller airbags require smaller, less expensive inflators and use less airbag fabric, thereby reducing overall manufacturing cost while maintaining effective protection through multi-zone coverage
3Reliability
If the front airbag size is increased to protect the driver's head, then the head protection is improved, but the steering wheel storage space is insufficient
Solution Approach 1:
The invention extracts the side protection function from the front airbag system and implements it separately in the door panel. This allows the front airbag in the steering wheel to remain compact while providing effective front protection, and the side airbag in the door panel to provide additional side protection without competing for steering wheel storage space
4Reliability
If the driver's head is restrained by the front airbag in oblique crashes, then the forward movement is limited, but the head may rotate and cause severe injury
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the protection functions of front and side airbags to provide comprehensive head restraint. The front airbag restrains forward movement while the side airbag prevents head rotation by providing support from the side, thereby eliminating the harmful effect of head rotation that would occur with front airbag alone
Data Source
AI summary
An occupant protection apparatus includes a seatbelt device and airbag device. The seatbelt device is capable of restraining an occupant to be seated on a seat in a vehicle. The airbag device includes an airbag casing to be disposed on or above a shoulder of the occupant. The seatbelt device includes a belt extendable through an insertion hole of the airbag casing. A fastening member is disposed in the insertion hole. The fastening member is configured to fasten the belt to the airbag casing when the belt is pulled out in a crash of the vehicle.