Textile Gas Guide Shear Stress Seam Design
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional textile gas guides for inflatable curtains face seam failure due to tensile stress during gas inflation, necessitating the use of rigid gas guides that increase costs and weight.
Innovation Solution
The development of textile gas guides that utilize an overlapping fabric design, where the seam is subjected to shear stress instead of tensile stress, eliminating the need for a rigid gas guide and enhancing the module's ability to withstand inflation pressure.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional textile gas guides are used with simple folded material design, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but seam failure occurs due to tensile stress during inflation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent inverts the traditional seam orientation relative to the inflation force. Instead of seams running parallel to the inflation direction (subject to tensile stress), the seams are configured to run perpendicular to the inflation direction, placing them under compressive or shear stress instead. This inversion of seam orientation fundamentally changes the stress state from harmful tension to beneficial compression/shear, resolving the contradiction between simple manufacturing and reliable performance.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the geometric parameters of the gas guide structure, specifically the fold configuration and seam placement. By creating specific fold patterns (such as box folds, flat folds, or waterbomb folds) and positioning seams at specific angles and locations, the structure transforms the stress distribution during inflation. This parameter change allows the seam to experience compressive or shear forces rather than tensile forces, maintaining reliability while keeping manufacturing simple.
2Reliability
If rigid gas guides are used to prevent seam failure, then seam reliability is improved, but device weight and manufacturing cost increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent employs flexible textile material with specific fold configurations to create the gas guide structure, replacing rigid metal or plastic guides. The folded textile structure itself, through its geometric configuration, provides the necessary structural integrity to withstand inflation pressures without requiring rigid reinforcements. This flexible shell approach eliminates the weight penalty of rigid guides while maintaining seam reliability through proper seam orientation.
Solution Approach 2:
By inverting the seam orientation to run perpendicular to the inflation direction, the patent eliminates the need for rigid gas guides entirely. The inverted seam configuration naturally resists inflation forces through compression and shear, allowing the use of lightweight flexible textile material throughout the structure, thus reducing overall weight while maintaining reliability.
3Ease of manufacture
If rigid gas guides are used to support textile gas guides, then manufacturing cost is reduced, but device complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent merges the gas guide function and the airbag cushion into a single integrated textile structure. The gas guide is not a separate component but is formed by folding and sewing portions of the airbag cushion material itself. This merging eliminates the need for separate rigid gas guide components and their associated assembly steps, reducing device complexity while maintaining manufacturing simplicity and cost-effectiveness.
Solution Approach 2:
The textile material serving as the airbag cushion also serves dual functions: it forms the cushion structure and simultaneously creates the gas guide channels through its fold configuration. This multi-functionality eliminates the need for separate rigid gas guide components, reducing overall device complexity while keeping manufacturing processes simple and cost-effective.
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 design allows textile gas guides to withstand higher inflation pressures without failing, reducing the need for rigid gas guides and lowering the manufacturing costs of airbag modules.
Implementation Method 1
the seam is subjected to shear stress instead of tensile stress
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C~1D
Figure 2A~2B
AI summary
A textile gas guide 220 may include a fabric member 120 which may include an obverse side 120a, a reverse side 120b, a leading edge 120c, and a trailing edge 120d. The fabric member may overlap upon itself at least once such that at least a portion of the obverse side adjacent the leading edge may be disposed to align with at least a portion of the reverse side adjacent the trailing edge to define an overlapping region. A first seam may be sewn through the overlapping region, the first seam being in shear stress when the airbag module is inflated. An airbag module may include the above textile gas guide and an airbag cushion including an inflation throat. At least a portion of the textile gas guide may be located within the inflation throat. An inflator may be inserted into the textile gas guide.