Steering Wheel Neutral Positioning for Airbag Deployment
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing steering devices with airbags in center pads of steering wheels fail to adequately protect vehicle occupants' body parts beyond the head during collisions while maintaining the feeling of security for the driver, as they often require the steering wheel rim to be rotated, making it difficult to ascertain the wheel's rotation status.
Innovation Solution
A steering device with a collision-detecting unit that positions the steering wheel to a neutral state during impact, incorporating an engageable-disengageable support member and a reciprocally rotatable member, along with engagement grooves and a gas inflator with aligned supply holes, to ensure the airbag deploys effectively and consistently protect the head and other body parts.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If the steering wheel rotates together with the center pad during normal driving, then the driver can ascertain the rotation status and maintain feeling of security, but the airbag body cannot consistently deploy at a predetermined position to protect chest and lumbar areas
Solution Approach 1:
The steering wheel is divided into two independent rotational components: the rim that rotates during normal driving operations, and the center pad that remains fixed during normal driving but can rotate independently during collision events. This segmentation allows the driver to maintain control and security feedback through rim rotation while the fixed center pad ensures consistent airbag deployment positioning for protecting chest and lumbar areas.
2Reliability
If the center pad remains fixed while the rim rotates during normal driving, then the airbag can deploy at a predetermined position to protect body parts, but the driver cannot ascertain whether the steering wheel is rotated
Solution Approach 1:
The steering wheel is divided into two independent rotational components: the rim that rotates during normal driving operations, and the center pad that remains fixed during normal driving but can rotate independently during collision events. This segmentation allows the driver to maintain control and security feedback through rim rotation while the fixed center pad ensures consistent airbag deployment positioning for protecting chest and lumbar areas.
3Adaptability or versatility
If the airbag body is formed in a circular shape for head protection, then the airbag can deploy in the same shape at any steering angle, but the airbag cannot sufficiently protect chest and lumbar areas
Solution Approach 1:
The center pad is pre-configured in a fixed position that corresponds to the optimal deployment position for protecting chest and lumbar areas. The airbag body is designed with an elongated shape that extends in the vehicle width direction to cover these body parts. By fixing the center pad position beforehand, the system ensures that when collision occurs, the airbag deploys at the predetermined position with the correct shape to provide comprehensive protection for head, chest, and lumbar areas.
4Reliability
If the steering wheel is positioned to neutral during collision, then the airbag deploys at predetermined position for maximum protection, but the steering function is temporarily disrupted
Solution Approach 1:
The center pad is pre-configured in a fixed position that corresponds to the optimal deployment position for protecting chest and lumbar areas. The airbag body is designed with an elongated shape that extends in the vehicle width direction to cover these body parts. By fixing the center pad position beforehand, the system ensures that when collision occurs, the airbag deploys at the predetermined position with the correct shape to provide comprehensive protection for head, chest, and lumbar areas.
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
Enhances safety by ensuring comprehensive protection of vehicle occupants during collisions without reducing the driver's feeling of security, as the airbag consistently deploys at a predetermined position, maintaining safety during both collisions and normal driving conditions.
Implementation Method 1
an inflator that supplies gas to the airbag body, the plurality of supply holes being oriented in the same direction
Data Source
AI summary
There is provided a steering device. The steering device has an airbag module that is disposed inside a steering wheel for steering a vehicle and that protects a vehicle occupant during a collision of the vehicle with another object by deploying an airbag body toward the vehicle occupant. The steering device includes a detecting unit that detects the collision of the vehicle with another object in advance; and an adjusting unit that positionally adjusts the steering wheel to a neutral position when the collision of the vehicle with another object is detected by the detecting unit, the neutral position of the steering wheel being a position of the steering wheel when the vehicle is traveling straight.