Documente Academic
Documente Profesional
Documente Cultură
The air bag traces its origin to (1/10) of a second and is nearly
air-filled bladders outlined as early as deflated by three-tenths (3/10) of a
1941. Early air bag systems were second after impact. Talcum powder
large and bulky, primarily using tanks or cornstarch is used to line the inside
of compressed or heated air, of the air bag and is released from the
compressed nitrogen gas (N2), freon, air bag as it is opened.
or carbon dioxide (CO2). Some of the
early systems created hazardous Raw Materials
byproducts. One particular system An air bag system consists of
used gunpowder to heat up freon gas, an air bag module, crash sensors, a
producing phosgene gas (COCl2)—an diagnostic monitoring unit, a steering
extremely poisonous gas. An air bag wheel connecting coil, and an
is an inflatable cushion designed to indicator lamp. An air bag module has
protect automobile occupants from three main parts: the air bag, the
serious injury in the case of a collision. inflator, and the propellant. The air
The air bag is part of an inflatable bag is sewn from a woven nylon fabric
restraint system, also known as an air and can come in different shapes and
cushion restraint system (ACRS) or an sizes depending on specific vehicle
air bag supplemental restraint system requirements. The driver's-side air bag
(SRS), because the air bag is material is manufactured with a heat
designed to supplement the protection shield coating to protect the fabric
offered by seat belts. Seat belts are from scorching, especially near the
still needed to hold the occupant inflator assembly, during deployment.
securely in place, especially in side Talcum powder or cornstarch is also
impacts, rear impacts, and rollovers. used to coat the air bag, either
Upon detecting a collision, air bags substance prevents the fabric from
inflate instantly to cushion the sticking together and makes it easier
exposed occupant with a big gas-filled to assemble. Newer silicone and
pillow. urethane coated air bag materials
A typical air bag system require little or no heat shield coating,
consists of an air bag module although talcum powder or corn starch
(containing an inflator or gas will probably still be used as a
generator and an air bag), crash processing aid.
sensors, a diagnostic monitoring unit, The inflator canister or body is
a steering wheel connecting coil, and made from either stamped stainless
an indicator lamp. These components steel or cast aluminum. Inside the
are all interconnected by a wiring inflator canister is a filter assembly
harness and powered by the vehicle's consisting of a stainless steel wire
battery. mesh with ceramic material
Air bags are designed for sandwiched in between. When the
frontal impact crashes. In a frontal inflator is assembled, the filter
collision equivalent to hitting a solid assembly is surrounded by metal foil
barrier at nine miles per hour (14.48 to maintain a seal that prevents
kilometers per hour), the crash propellant contamination.
sensors located in the front of the car The propellant, in the form of
detect the sudden deceleration and black pellets, is primarily sodium azide
send an electrical signal to start a combined with an oxidizer and is
chemical reaction that inflates the air typically located inside the inflator
bag with harmless nitrogen gas. The
canister between the filter assembly assembled on a highly
and the initiator. automated production line.
• The inflator sub-assembly is
The Manufacturing Process combined with the propellant
Air bag production involves and an initiator to form the
three different separate assemblies inflator assembly. Laser
that combine to form the finished end welding (using CO2 gas) is
product, the air bag module. The used to join stainless steel
propellant must be manufactured, the inflator sub-assemblies, while
inflator components must be friction inertial welding is used
assembled, and the air bag must be to join aluminum inflator sub-
cut and sewn. Some manufacturers assemblies. Laser welding
buy already-made components, such entails using laser beams to
as air bags or initiators, and then just weld the assemblies together,
assemble the complete air bag while friction inertial welding
module. The following description of involves rubbing two metals
the manufacturing process is for together until the surfaces
driver-side air bag module assembly. become hot enough to join
Passenger-side air bag module together.
assemblies are produced slightly • The inflator assembly is then
differently. tested and sent to storage until
needed.
Propellant
• The propellant consists of
sodium azide mixed together
with an oxidizer, a substance
that helps the sodium azide to
burn when ignited. After
inspection it is placed in a safe
storage place until needed.
• From storage, the sodium azide
and the oxidizer are then
carefully blended under
sophisticated Fig. 1 Inflator Assembly.
computerized process control.
• After blending, the propellant When the Control Module activates
mixture is sent to storage. the airbag assembly, an electric
Presses are then used to current is sent to the detonator, which
compress the propellant ignites the sodium azide pellets. When
mixture into disk or pellet form. it burns, it releases nitrogen gas very
quickly and in large quantities. This is
Inflator assembly what inflates the airbag.
• The inflator components, such
as the metal canister, the filter
assembly—stainless steel wire
mesh with ceramic material
inside—and initiator (or igniter)
are received from outside
vendors and inspected. The
components are then
Airbag design
The air bag system consists of
three basic parts-an air bag module,
crash sensors and a diagnostic unit.
Some systems may also have an
on/off switch, which allows the air bag
to be deactivated.
The air bag module contains
both an inflator unit and the
lightweight fabric air bag. The driver
Air bag air bag module is located in the
• The woven nylon air bag fabric steering wheel hub as shown in fig. 2,
is received from outside and the passenger air bag module is
vendors and inspected for any located in the instrument panel as
material defects. The air bag shown in fig. 3.
fabric is then die cut to the
proper shapes and sewn,
internally and externally, to
properly join the two sides.
After the air bag is sewn, it is
inflated and checked for any
seam imperfections.
• Types of Sensors
By function, there are 2 types.
Impact sensors and Safing sensors.
The forward sensors are located in
various locations forward of the
passenger compartment. Some are
located inside the fenders, some are
on the cowl, some are attached to the
core support in front of the radiator.
Rear SENSORS are also known as
safing sensors as their function is to
determine that a crash has occurred.
Rear safing sensors are located in
various locations in the passenger
compartment. The rear safing sensor
must close before the forward sensors
to avoid airbag deployment in cases
where the impact is not severe
enough to cause deployment. When
Fig. 4 Crash Sensors the vehicle is parked with the ignition
(a) Ball & Magnet, (b) Spring Band & Roller
off deployment is very unlikely
Sensors measure deceleration, because there is no power to the
which is the rate at which the vehicle circuits for deployment.
slows down. Because of this, the
vehicle speed at which the sensors
activate the air bag varies with the
nature of the crash.
Air bags are not designed to
activate during sudden braking or
while driving on rough or uneven
surfaces. In fact, the maximum
deceleration generated in the severest
braking is only a small fraction of that
necessary to activate the air bag Fig.5 Air bag design
system. Some vehicles without rear
The diagnostic unit monitors seats, such as pick-up trucks and
the readiness of the air bag system. convertibles, or with rear seats too
The unit is activated when the
small to accommodate rear-facing across the full front of each vehicle at
child safety seats, have manual about 28 mph (45 km/h). This is
ON/OFF switches for the passenger because the parked car absorbs some
air bag installed at the factory. of the energy of the crash, and is
ON/OFF switches for driver or pushed by the striking vehicle.
passenger air bags may also be
installed by qualified service
personnel at the request of owners
who meet government-specified
criteria and who receive government
permission. An air bag off-switch may
be used when an occupant is at risk, Dual Air bag system
this includes: infants riding in rear-
facing infant seats in the front
passenger seat; children aged 1 to 12
in the front passenger seat; drivers
who cannot keep 10 inches between
the center of the steering wheel and
the center of their breastbone; and
people with particular medical
conditions.
Initially, most vehicles featured a
Fig. 7 Dual depth Frontal air bag
single airbag, mounted in the steering
wheel and protecting the driver of the
car (who is the most at risk of injury).
GM’s new dual depth air bag is the
During the 1990s, airbags for front
industry’s first passenger-side frontal
seat passengers, then separate side
air bag that customizes restraint by
impact airbags placed between the
deploying in two different sizes and at
door and occupants, became
different pressures, depending on seat
common.
position, safety belt usage and crash
severity.
Periodicals
• Gottschalk, Mark A.
"Micromachined Airbag Sensor
Tests Itself," Design News.
October 5, 1992, p. 26.
• Grable, Ron. "Airbags: In Your
Face, By Design," Motor Trend.
January, 1992, pp. 90-91.
• Haayen, Richard J. "The Airtight
Case for Air Bags," Saturday
Evening Post. November, 1986.
• Reed, Donald. "Father of the Air
Bag," Automotive Engineering.
February, 1991, p. 67.
• Sherman, Don. "It's in the Bag,"
Popular Science. October, 1992,
pp. 58-63.
• Spencer, Peter L. "The Trouble
with Air Bags," Consumers'
Research. January, 1991, pp. 10-
13.
www.howstuffworks.com
www.answers.com
www.airbagsafety.com