Side Airbag Nested Folding for Narrow Gap Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing side airbag apparatuses face challenges in deploying and inflating airbags effectively to protect both the head and the portion below the head of an occupant, especially in vehicles with narrow gaps between the seat back and the body side, where the upper protection portion may not be appropriately deployed due to being pressed by the initially inflated airbag.
Innovation Solution
A side airbag apparatus with a lower protection portion and an upper protection portion, where the upper protection portion is folded towards the lower side and positioned on the outer side in the width direction, and then folded back towards the rear side to be on the inner side, allowing for proper deployment and inflation, even in narrow spaces.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the upper protection portion is provided to protect the head portion of the occupant, then the protection coverage is improved, but the airbag size increases
Solution Approach 1:
The upper protection portion is nested within the lower protection portion during storage, with the upper portion folded toward the lower side and positioned on the outer side in the width direction. This nesting arrangement allows the airbag to maintain comprehensive protection coverage while minimizing its stored size within the seat back.
2Adaptability or versatility
If the airbag is deployed in a narrow gap between seat back and body side portion, then the space utilization is improved, but the upper protection portion may not be appropriately deployed due to being pressed by the initially inflated portion
Solution Approach 1:
The upper protection portion is preliminarily folded toward the lower side and positioned on the outer side in the width direction before deployment. This preliminary positioning ensures that when the airbag is inflated in narrow spaces, the upper portion can deploy properly without being pressed by the initially inflated lower portion, maintaining deployment reliability while adapting to limited space.
3Reliability
If the upper protection portion protrudes toward the front side to protect the head, then the protection effectiveness is improved, but the folded portion may be strongly pressed against the body side portion during deployment
Solution Approach 1:
The upper protection portion is folded toward the lower side and positioned on the outer side in the width direction, utilizing the width dimension for storage. During deployment, this positioning allows the upper portion to protrude toward the front side for effective head protection while the lower portion inflates first to create space, preventing the folded portion from being strongly pressed against the body side portion.
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
Ensures the airbag can be effectively deployed and inflated to protect the head and the portion below the head, preventing the upper protection portion from being incapable of deployment due to being pressed by the lower protection portion, and allows for easy rotation and deployment without interference with the seat back or body side.
Implementation Method 1
The apparatus supplies gas to the airbag upon side collision or the like of the vehicle, thereby deploying and inflating the airbag from the seat back toward a front side of the vehicle
Data Source
AI summary
A side airbag apparatus includes a side airbag housed in a seat back of a seat of a vehicle. The side airbag includes a lower protection portion configured to protect a portion below a head portion of the occupant, and an upper protection portion configured to protect the head portion. The side airbag is folded in a state in which the upper protection portion is folded toward a lower side so as to be positioned on an outer side in a width direction of the vehicle with respect to the lower protection portion, and a portion, that protrudes toward the front side with respect to the lower protection portion, of the upper protection portion folded toward the lower side, is folded toward a rear side so as to be positioned on an inner side in the width direction with respect to the lower protection portion.