Side Airbag Regulating Member Load Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional side airbag systems in vehicles face challenges in optimizing load distribution during side collisions, as they often require larger airbag deployments that compromise installation properties and riding comfort, and may not adequately protect the occupant by moving them inwardly to reduce impact with the side wall.
Innovation Solution
A side airbag system with an inflator fixed to a vehicle seat's side frame, featuring an inside and outside base cloth with a regulating member, where the airbag's deployment is optimized to create a side-portion protection area and a back-portion protection area, with the regulating member controlling the inside base cloth's deployment to direct the load to the high-resistance areas of the rib structure, thereby reducing impact on the low-resistance areas.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-affected harmful factors
If a sub deployment portion is provided inside the seatback to expand and move the occupant obliquely-forwardly, then the collision impact transmitted to the occupant can be reduced, but the moving quantity of the occupant may be insufficient because the occupant is moved by way of the seatback
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is divided into a main deployment portion and a sub deployment portion, with the sub deployment portion having a different expansion direction than the main deployment portion. This segmentation allows the airbag to move the occupant in multiple directions (forward and obliquely), increasing the overall moving quantity and reducing collision impact more effectively.
Solution Approach 2:
The sub deployment portion expands in a direction different from the main deployment portion, adding a dimensional aspect to the occupant movement. This multi-directional expansion enables the occupant to be moved not only forward but also obliquely, enhancing the protection effect.
2Object-affected harmful factors
If plural bag bodies (main deployment portion, sub deployment portion) are used to compatibly attain inward moving of the occupant and protection of the occupant side portion, then the protection effect is improved, but the airbag device becomes so large that the installation property of the airbag device inside seatback, the designing property of the seat, and the riding comfortability of the vehicle may be deteriorated
Solution Approach 1:
The main deployment portion and sub deployment portion are integrated into a single airbag device with a continuous bag body. This merging approach allows the airbag to provide both inward movement and side portion protection functions while maintaining a compact size that does not compromise installation properties or vehicle comfort.
Solution Approach 2:
The airbag device is designed to perform multiple functions simultaneously: the main deployment portion provides inward movement of the occupant, while the sub deployment portion provides side portion protection. This multi-functionality is achieved within a single integrated device, avoiding the need for separate airbag systems.
3Object-affected harmful factors
If the airbag deploys to create both back-portion protection area and side-portion protection area, then the protection coverage is improved, but the deployment coordination between different areas may be compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The airbag is designed with different local deployment characteristics: the main deployment portion is optimized for creating the back-portion protection area, while the sub deployment portion is optimized for creating the side-portion protection area. Each portion has its own expansion characteristics that are tailored to its specific protective function, ensuring reliable and coordinated 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
This configuration allows for efficient load distribution, reducing the impact on the occupant by moving the upper body inwardly and enlarging the space between the occupant and the side wall, while maintaining a compact airbag design that enhances installation properties and comfort.
Implementation Method 1
an inflator that discharges gas when a lateral collision occurs, and a side airbag that is formed by sewing a passenger-side base fabric to a vehicle body-side base fabric, that is folded when it is stored and is inflated when gas is supplied from the inflator to be deployed into a space between a passenger seated in a vehicular seat and a vehicle body side portion
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 3~4
AI summary
An airbag (5) comprises an inside base cloth (6), an outside base cloth (7), and a regulating member (8) provided between these. The regulating member is respectively joined to front and rear portions of the inside base cloth at front-side and rear-side joint portions. The longitudinal length between the front-side and rear-side joint portions of the regulating member is shorter than that between the front-side and rear-side joint portions of the inside base cloth. The rear-side joint portion is positioned on a forward side of a front end portion of a side frame (231) but on a rearward side of an imaginary line connecting a hip point and a center position of a shoulder portion of a human body dummy for side-collision test (AM50) seated in a vehicle seat in a side view. A back-portion protection area (55) of the airbag is constituted by a part of the inside base cloth.