Side Airbag Device with Segmented Bag Sections
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing side airbag devices face challenges in achieving both effective deployment performance of the side airbag main body and early occupant restraint, with issues such as the side airbag impinging on the occupant during deployment and delayed inflation of the auxiliary airbag due to inefficient gas supply routes.
Innovation Solution
A side airbag device configuration where the side airbag main body is partitioned into a front and rear bag section with internal communication through a vent hole, with the inflator housed in the rear bag section, allowing for early gas supply to both sections, and an inner bag section that inflates within the seatback, receiving gas from the rear bag section and deploying towards the occupant, thereby improving deployment and restraint performance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the side airbag main body is stowed at the seat width direction outer side of the outer side frame, then the deployment performance is improved and impingement on occupant is reduced, but the gas supply route becomes longer and more complex
Solution Approach 1:
The side airbag main body is divided into front bag section and rear bag section with separate gas supply paths. The rear bag section contains the inflator and supplies gas directly to the inner bag section, while the front bag section receives gas through the vent hole. This segmentation allows the airbag to be stowed at the outer side of the frame for better deployment performance while managing the gas supply route complexity through structured division of gas flow paths.
2Reliability
If the auxiliary airbag inflates prior to the main airbag to move the occupant inward, then early occupant restraint is achieved, but the gas supply to the main airbag is delayed
Solution Approach 1:
The inner bag section is pre-positioned within the side section and inflates first to provide early occupant restraint. The inflator is housed inside the rear bag section and supplies gas to both the inner bag section and the front bag section through predetermined paths. This preliminary action of the inner bag section does not significantly delay the main airbag deployment because the gas supply routes are designed to enable simultaneous or near-simultaneous inflation of both airbag sections.
3Reliability
If the gas supply route bends sharply at the seat front of the outer side frame, then the auxiliary airbag can be positioned for early inflation, but gas supply efficiency is reduced
Solution Approach 1:
The gas supply route is designed with different characteristics in different sections. In the region where the auxiliary airbag is positioned for early inflation, the gas supply path allows for necessary bends to reach the inner bag section. However, in the main gas supply path to the front bag section, the route is optimized to minimize bends and maintain high gas flow efficiency. This local differentiation of gas supply route quality resolves the contradiction between auxiliary airbag positioning and overall gas supply efficiency.
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 enhances the deployment performance of the side airbag main body and achieves early occupant restraint by ensuring smooth gas supply and positioning, reducing the likelihood of the airbag impinging on the occupant and enabling efficient inflation of the inner bag section.
Implementation Method 1
Gas from the inflator, housed inside the forward-deploying airbag close to a portion joined to the inward-inflating airbag, is distributed to the forward-deploying airbag and the inward-inflating airbag
Data Source
AI summary
A side airbag device-installed vehicle seat including: a side frame; a side airbag main body that is partitioned into a front bag section and a rear bag section, and in which a front portion of the rear bag section is positioned further toward the seat front side than the front flange portion at least in an inflated and deployed state; and an inner bag section that extends out from the front portion of the rear bag section, past a seat front of the front flange portion, and to a seat width direction inner side of the side frame, and in which an internal portion of the inner bag section in communication with the inside of the front portion of the rear bag section is supplied with gas from the inflator and inflates within the side section.