Side Airbag Baffle Design for Chamber Pressure Control
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional vehicular side airbag apparatuses face challenges in configuring a side airbag with multiple chambers for enhanced occupant protection while maintaining high productivity and using a small number of components, as they often require complex junctions and additional components for partitioning and reflux prevention.
Innovation Solution
The vehicular side airbag apparatus incorporates a configuration with first and second band-like members forming front and rear up-down partition portions, which are integrally joined to the vehicular interior and exterior panel members, allowing the side airbag to be partitioned into upper and lower bag areas with a gas passage that can be closed off, inhibiting reflux and adjusting internal pressures using a simple structure with minimal components.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If complex junctions and additional components are used for partitioning and reflux prevention, then multiple chambers with enhanced occupant protection can be formed, but the number of components and device complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent integrates the partitioning function and reflux prevention function into a single baffle component. The baffle is configured to divide the airbag into multiple chambers while its specific structure (with opening/closing capability) simultaneously prevents gas reflux, eliminating the need for separate reflux prevention components and reducing overall device complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The baffle is designed as a multi-functional component that performs multiple tasks: it partitions the airbag into distinct chambers for targeted protection, controls gas flow between chambers, and prevents reflux of inflation gas. This universal component replaces what would traditionally require multiple separate parts, reducing the total number of components while maintaining enhanced protection performance.
2Reliability
If multiple chambers are formed with partitioning structures, then occupant protection performance is enhanced, but the assembly process becomes more complex and manufacturing efficiency decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent combines multiple functional features (partitioning, reflux prevention, gas flow control) into a single integrated baffle component. This reduces the number of separate parts that need to be manufactured and assembled, streamlining the production process while still providing multiple chambers for enhanced occupant protection.
Solution Approach 2:
The multi-functional baffle serves as a universal component that accomplishes multiple objectives simultaneously. By designing a single component that can partition chambers and prevent reflux, the patent reduces assembly steps and manufacturing complexity, thereby improving productivity without sacrificing protection performance.
3Reliability
If additional components are used for reflux prevention, then internal pressure control is improved, but the number of components increases
Solution Approach 1:
The baffle is designed as a universal component that simultaneously provides partitioning and reflux prevention functions. Its specific structure allows it to control gas flow and prevent reflux without requiring separate reflux prevention components, thus maintaining internal pressure control while reducing the total number of components in the system.
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
This configuration enables the formation of multiple chambers and adjustment of internal pressures simultaneously, enhancing occupant protection performance while simplifying the assembly process and reducing the number of components required, thus improving manufacturing efficiency and product quality.
Implementation Method 1
when an inflator gas is fed into the side airbag
Implementation Method 2
The three chambers are separated from one another by a first baffle and a second baffle
Implementation Method 3
A gap is formed between the longitudinally front end of the first baffle and the second baffle so as to form an internal vent hole
Data Source
AI summary
A vehicular side airbag apparatus including chambers corresponding to an occupant's shoulder, lumbar, and chest and having three-dimensional shapes formed by baffles inside a side airbag and providing a thickness. The first baffle extends in a vehicular front-rear direction and is joined to a rear edge 103a of a side airbag 103 at a rear end 107b of the first baffle. The second baffle extends in a vehicular up-down direction and has an overlap portion 109 which is set at a longitudinally intermediate position of the second baffle and to which a longitudinally front end 107c of the first baffle is connected along with a vehicular interior panel 105 and a vehicular exterior panel 106. Longitudinal both ends 108b and 108c of the second baffle are joined to an outer peripheral edge of the side airbag 103.