Seat-Mounted Side Airbag Layout for Head Bottoming-Out Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional side airbag devices fail to adequately protect the occupant's head during a side collision due to the head colliding with the door trim, resulting in a 'bottoming out' condition.
Innovation Solution
A side airbag device with a head protection chamber that deploys in front of the seat belt, featuring a non-expanding part and a slit between the head protection chamber and the upper securing apparatus, allowing the chamber to deploy with greater freedom and utilize the door trim's reaction force for stable head protection.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If the head protection chamber is secured to the vehicle seat, then the airbag structure is stable, but the head protection chamber cannot deploy with sufficient freedom to reach the optimal protective position
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is divided into multiple chambers (side protection chamber and head protection chamber) with different securing arrangements. The head protection chamber is not directly secured to the vehicle seat, allowing it to deploy freely, while the side protection chamber is secured to maintain structural stability. This segmentation resolves the contradiction by applying different securing strategies to different functional portions of the airbag.
Solution Approach 2:
The non-expanding part acts as an intermediary element between the head protection chamber and the vehicle seat. It provides structural support and positioning without directly constraining the head protection chamber's deployment, enabling the chamber to reach its optimal protective position while maintaining overall airbag stability.
2Reliability
If the head protection chamber deploys to protect the occupant's head, then head protection is provided, but the chamber may get between the seat belt and occupant causing improper deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The rear end part of the head protection chamber is positioned forward relative to the side protection chamber, creating a localized structural arrangement. This positioning ensures that when the airbag deploys, the head protection chamber naturally positions itself in front of the seat belt, preventing interference with seat belt function while maintaining reliable head protection.
3Reliability
If the airbag structure is tightly secured to the vehicle seat, then structural stability is maintained, but the head protection chamber cannot utilize the door trim's reaction force for effective protection
Solution Approach 1:
The head protection chamber is designed with dynamic deployment characteristics, allowing it to move and position itself during the inflation process. This dynamic behavior enables the chamber to make contact with the door trim and utilize its reaction force, improving head protection reliability without requiring tight securing to the vehicle seat.
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 head protection chamber deploys upright and effectively uses the door trim's reaction force to ensure reliable head restraint, enhancing protection against 'bottoming out' conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an inflator that supplies expansion gas to the airbag
Data Source
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AI summary
To provide a side airbag device capable of suitably protecting the head of an occupant. The present invention is a side airbag device stowed in a vehicle seat, comprising: an airbag that expands and deploys to protect an occupant seated in the vehicle seat; and an inflator that supplies expansion gas to the airbag. The airbag includes: a head protection chamber that mainly protects the head of the occupant; a side protection chamber that is located below the head protection chamber and protects the sides of the occupant's body; and a non-expanding part provided around the head protection chamber and the side protection chamber. The rear end part of the head protection chamber is located more forward than the rear end part of the side protection chamber. An upper securing apparatus is provided for securing an upper part of the non-expanding part to the vehicle seat. A slit is formed between the head protection chamber and the upper securing apparatus, extending downward from the upper end of the non-expanding part.