| April 2nd, 2009 by admin |
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Airbag Design And Deployment
Airbag Design And Deployment
In today’s vehicles, the word “safety” brings to mind images of seat belts, broken glass, and mangled metal. However, this picture would be incomplete were it not for the innovative actions of Ford and General Motors with the introduction of the airbag in the early 1970s. They were originally designed to serve as an alternative to seat belts and quickly became standard in most cars around the late-1980s and early-1990s.
Below, we’ll explore how airbags protect you and your passengers from injuries in the event of a traffic collision. We’ll also explain how new automotive technology has led to better design and more reliable protection.
How They Protect Drivers And Passengers
Your vehicle’s airbags are triggered when your car detects an abrupt change in speed. The sensors are programmed to prevent the bags from being triggered whenever you merely stop abruptly. Instead, they deploy if your car collides with another vehicle. The mechanics of these sensors send a signal to the accelerometer, which then interacts with the inflator to deploy the device.
When the bags are deployed, a chemical reaction takes place between sodium azide (NaN3) and potassium nitrate (KNO3). This reaction generates a large amount of nitrogen gas in a very short amount of time in order to inflate the structure fast enough so as to prevent head trauma. Once the bags have been inflated, they deflate via tiny holes, allowing you and your passengers to exit your vehicle.
Recent Innovations In Technology
Recently, other airbag designs have been introduced in order to address accidents that do not involve head-on collisions. It is estimated that 30% of all collisions are side-impact events. Further, 40% of all serious injuries are caused by side impacts. To counteract this trend, side-impact bags have been designed which can act as a barrier between a passenger and the door.
Before side bags were introduced, car manufacturers were forced to modify the doors and roof sections in order to improve passenger safety. Side-impact devices were developed to reinforce these efforts. They’re designed to deploy six to eight times faster than a traditional bag due to the thickness of a car door and the time it takes the impact to reach the driver or passenger.
Along with side-mounted devices, some automakers install curtain airbags. These are devices installed at the top of the door frame which deploy downwards and protect the head. In addition to curtain devices, head protection units have been designed to inflate in a tubular, sausage-like structure that remains inflated for several seconds in order to protect against multiple collisions. These units are often incorporated along with side-impact bags.
The technology used many years ago to design the first airbags has become antiquated. Today, automakers are aggressively pursuing innovative designs that offer more protection for the head, neck, and body.
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