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SAE TECHNICAL
PAPER SERIES

A New Airbag Generation

Heinz D. Adomeit
Dirk Meissner
Ulrico Sachse

PETRI AG.

Affiliated with Mobility Technology Conference & Exhibit

The Engineering Society
@- -I =For LandAdvanrrng
sea Arr andMobrlity
Space,
Sao Paulo, Brasil
I N T E R N A T I O N A L October 2-4, 1995

400 Commonwealth Drive, Warrendale, PA 15096-0001 U.S.A. Tel: (412)776-4841 Fax:(412)776-5760

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Copyright 1995 Society of Automotive Engineers, Inc.

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A New Airbag Generation
Abstract
In its course of development passive safety has
reached a high standard. Vehicle structures
guarantee acceptable decelerations of the meanwhile
stiffed car compartment; the car interior has been
defused by paddings and an adequate styling and the
restraint system has been equipped with modern and
efficient subsystems.
Just the first glance to up-to-date real-world
accident statistics and to the development of traffic
accidents over the years makes clear that this high
standard in vehicle safety reflects in a reduced
number of occupant injuries. The number of
occupants with fatal injuries in traffic accidents in the
FRG may here serve as an example. The period from
1970 to 1992 saw a reduction of casualities from
about 19.000 to about 7.000 people. In the annex
figure 1 illustrates this development. Considering
resultant costs from injuries the effects of improved
vehicle safety become even clearer.ln a study [4] H.
Appel included resultant costs from injuries into a
safety index and analyzed them for the years 1960 to
1990 for the FRG. As a result he observed an
improvement of this safety index by the factor 4.
A detailed analysis of the latest statistics, however,
reveals that there are still accident fields with a high
number of severe injuries.This study particularly deals
with thorax injuries, the reasons for the observed
frequency and severity of such injuries and with
measures to be taken in the passive safety system to
ease or even avoid specific restraint system loadings.
A NEW AIRBAG GENERATION
RESTRAINT SPECIFIC INJURIES - A picture of the
relevance of thorax injuries which are focused in this
paper was extracted by analysis of the publications:
- Importance, characteristics and appearance of seat
belt trauma [I]
- Road accidents,StatisticaI Federal Office [2]
The result of this analysis shows that there are still
about 5.000 thorax injuries per year in the FRG with
fractures and injury severity of MAlS 3 to 6. These
injuries are related to belt force vs. thorax skeleton
injury limit.
PRESENT STATUS OF RESTRAINT SYSTEMS
WITH REGARD TO THORAX RESTRAINT - Today's
restraint systems are mainly ruled by the seat belt.
Even in vehicles equipped with airbag - which is
mainly used as head protection although it is called
fullsize airbag - the seat belt remained the dominant
Heinz D. Adomeit
Dirk Meissner
Ulrico Sachse
PETRI AG.
restraint component. Features like pretensioner,
height adjuster and webb-locker helped to further
improve the seat belt systems during the last
years.But what remained to the system was the fact
that the seat belt applies forces over a small and linear
area and with concentration of pressure to clavicle and
lower ribs. Taking into account the tolerance limit of
the human body as to thorax-skeleton-loads by linear
applied forces, eg. seat belt, over the age or bone
structure of the occupant it proves that the admissible
thorax-belt-forces rank from 4,5 to 10 kN [5].As this
limit is often exceeded accidents result in thorax
injuries.
REGULATIONS AND TEST PROCEDURES FOR
THE DEVELOPMENT OF RESTRAINT SYSTEMS -
The development of vehicle safety focuses on the
different established official regulations and non-
official test procedures. The average occupant is
represented by the H 111 50% male dummy and the
loading criteria are defined in these regulations. But
these assumed basic conditions actually do not
represent real-world accidents, the diversity of
occupants involved in accidents and their load-
bearing capacities. Both, incompatibility of different
vehicles mainly as to their weight, structure and
stiffness and diversity of occupants as to height,
weight and seating position are the cause for a
frequent exceeding of tolerable occupant loadings in
today's restraint systems. In addition,the ways of how
restraint forces are applied, are not taken into account
in the existing regulations and loading criteria.
However this field is of outstanding
importance,because it offers evaluation of the
"biomechanical quality" of restraint load application on
occupants body.
NEW GENERATION OF RESTRAINT SYSTEMS -
Previous sections dealed with non-satisfying features
of restraint systems. Aim of new restraint system
generations must be to smooth out and to overcome
those difficulties. Moreover, an efficient restraint
system should be adaptable and, therefore, react
"intelligently" to different accident conditions and
occupant characteristics, or it has to be further
improved towards even lower restraint loads on the
occupant to offer additional safety margin.
Requirements applied to a new and efficient
restraint system lead to following conclusions:
- A restraint system regarding loads and occupant's
mass, which, moreover, is taking care of
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recognizing how loads are applied to the thorax. This
can be achieved by a new balance between airbag
and seat belt. Compared to the present situation that
thesis means:
- restraint reduction by seat belt
- restraint increase by airbag
The reduction of seat belt forces can be realized by
load limiters in the shoulder belt portion by a load of
not more than 4,s kN. A matrix (see figure 2 in annex)
indicates the trend of a new airbag-oriented restraint
system in comparison to present standard.The given
figures were obtained in a test environment of a
compact car.The main development was carried out
for the 50 % Male; loadings for 5 % Female and 95 %
Male derived.lmprovements to different body parts
are clearly to be seen.There are reductions for some
parts and inversions (from over to under the limit) for
some other.
For the demonstration of the adaptability of an
airbag-dominated restraint system a simplified
computer model was designed for calculating
different occupants and different levels of accident
severity in computer simulation see figures 3 to 5 in
the annex. In figures 6 to 14 the simulation runs are
presented. We especially point out to figure 15 which
demonstrate that although the weight of occupants is
in the range from 46,3 kg (5XFemale) to 97,s kg
(95% Male) and the accident severity considers an
energy range of occupants from 40 % (40 km/h,5% F)
over 100 OO/ (50 km/h,50% M) up to 189 % (60
km/h,95% M) the restraint results in form of
decelerations and displacement rank from 83% to
110% or from 81% to 113%resp.
To put this new restraint system into practice new
airbag module concepts have to be developed
showing a faster and intenser effect (before the
occupant is exposed to high relative motion). Here,
effects of the airbag module in Out-Of-Position
(OOP) conditions must not be ignored. New airbag
generations have to offer improvements under these
OOP-conditions, too.
OUT-OF-POSITION -Closely connected to the a.m.
targets the question arises to what extent new airbag
systems might cause additional adverse effects for
occupants under Out-Of-Position conditions
(00P)[3]. Out-Of-Position means any occupant
position differing from seating positions defined for
standard testing.Meanwhile, OOP test series could
prove that airbag overlaps with the occupant during
inflation can be kept within the FMVSS 208 limits if
- there is sufficient distance to module (> 100 mm)
- and sufficient mass (of occupant) is involved. [6]
Critical features, however, remain:
- direct contact of body parts with module surface
- little masses:(child, 5%Female, head only or limbs,
etc.)
Design measures in the airbag module have
meanwhile become known to effect primarily load
reductions on OOP occupants and will be further
developed and refined. Those are:
- position of module in steering wheel or dashboard
- design of module components and their interfaces
- cover design
- airbag folding pattern
Particularly the positioning of the inflator in the airbag
module combined with the new PETRI airbag folding
pattern caused remarkable reductions of OOP
loadings. Figures 16 andl7 represent the principle of
the PETRI folding process and figure18 shows the
PETRI folded airbag package. It is to be seen that in
an airbag folded according to that pattern the gas flow
during inflation accelerates the airbag fabric from the
center only step by step. Thus, it is easy to
understand that lateral bag-slaps of the fabric causing
abrasion injuries to the face can completely be
avoided. But even more important are the elementary
advantages of this folding concept under OOP
conditions:
- reduced occupant loadings because of lower inertia
forces of airbag and
- reduced or controllable gas flow towards occupant
thorax and head
Furthermore, this folding concept with its advantages
as listed in figure 19 is the basis for a completely new
generation of driver, passenger and side airbag
modules which can be produced with fully
mechanized assembling lines.
Secondary measures at electronics sensing and
inflator techniques, too, can help to solve OOP
problems. Target is -
in case of extreme OOP
constellations - to reduce the amount of energy of the
system (inflator) or even to avoid its triggering (child
seat leaning against dashboard). But of course those
secondary measures must not supress the described
general goals, the increase of occupant protection by
airbags.
Generally speaking, the new aims to lift up
occupant protection to a higher standard using the
potentials of airbag systems can be in harmony with
necessary reductions of OOP loadings for occupants.
But the fields addressed to in airbag module
development have to get involved into the general
problems when success should come all ways.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
[I] Otte, D. u.a.: Bedeutung, Charakteristik und
Erscheinung des Sicherheitsgurttraumas. 6 .
~eutsch-~sterreichische-~chweizerische
Unfalltagung. In: Hefte fur Unfallheilkunde Mai 1991
[2] Statistisches Bundesamt: Verkehr, Fachserie
8, Reihe 7 Verkehrsunfalle, Wiesbaden 1992
[3] Adomeit, H.-D.; MeiOner, D.: Airbag -
Erganzung im Ruckhaltesystem oder Basis fur neue
Konzepte des Insassenschutzes, 3. Internationales
Akzo Nobel Symposium fur Fahrzeuginsassen-
Ruckhaltesysteme. Koln, 27.-29. April 1994
[4] Appel, H.: Stadtauto. Fortschritte der
Fahrzeugtechnik. Viemeg & Sohn
Verlagsgesellschaft 1995 ISBN 3-528-06642-3
[5] Fayon, A. u.a.: Thorax at 3-Point Belt
Weavers during a Crash (Experiments with cadavers).
SAE 751 148
[6] Melvin, J.W. u.a.: Assessment of airbag
deployment loads with the small female Hybrid Ill
Dummy. SAE 9331 19
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ANNEX

Figure 1

Fatal injuries of car occupants in the German Federal Republic (Quelle: Statistisches Bundesamt Wiesbaden)

Figure 2

Matrix with basic trend of occupant loadings for present and new restraint system. Compact car, NCAP conditions

OCCUPANT HEAD LOAD THORAX LOAD PELVIS LOAD

LOADINGS

RESTRAINT HIC a3ms a3ms DEFLEC SHOULDER a3ms PELVIS

SYSTEM TlON BELT BELT
(9) FORCE FORCE
("/a) (9) (S)
(mm) (k~) (k~)
CRITERIA 1000 80 60 76 4,5 80 8

50 % MALE

5 % FEMALE

95 % MALE
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figure 3
Simplified model to analise the airbag performance concerning different occupants and crash severities

Steering wheel with airbag Thorax

(65 1, Triggertime 2 ms)

Distance Steering wheel-Thorax: 350 mm

car crash pulse a(t) lnitial velocity vo

Initial velocity vo

PSI GENERIS V95.1

figure 4 Downloaded from SAE International by University of New South Wales, Saturday, September 15, 2018
Thorax caracteristics for different occupants

95%-male
Thorax mass: 32.8 kg

50%-male
Thorax mass: 25.0 kg

5%-female
Thorax mass: 15.6 kg

PSI GENERIS V95.1

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Figure 5
Definition of the different crash severities

pulse for
collision speed v,=40 kmlh

maximal deceleration aMAx=300

m/s2

pulse duration t,=38 ms

maximal deformation sMAx=206

mm

n,z

F 0
pulse for
iP
C
--
ID-
collision speed v0=50 kmlh

maximal deceleration aM,,=300 m/s2

-*
%
j
--
,--
pulse duration tE,,=47 ms

maximal deformation sMAX=322

mm
P -

I.
0 ., .I . ."
.
1
z e l t In e
Im .I

pulse for
collision speed v0=60 kmlh

m/s2
maximal deceleration aMAx=300

pulse duration tE,=56 ms

maximal deformation sMAX=464

mm
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figure 6
Matematical simulation of restraint for 5%-female-thorax with 40 kmlh pulse applied

1000.

900.

800.

700. I
Y
P
*
2
4
600

2
O 500.

2
3 400.
8 I
L,
300.

8E
0
zoo.,

100.

0.
MINIMUM =
.0000E+00 g 3 3 2 '0
-!
0
"? x g,
p"
N
9
MAXIMUM =
1.000(1E+03
THORAX-X-DISPLACEMENT [m]
A= 530000
NODE

DAISY V47 PSI

PAM-CRASII V199.5 RUN O N lJP7 ON 95-07-21 AT 74:01:45

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figure 7
Matematical simulation of restraint for 5%-female-thorax with 50 kmlh pulse applied

1om.

900.

800.

700.
Y
2
3C
600.
4

82 500.

2
3 400.
YL,
3 300.
Y
2
0
200.

E
100.

0.
MINIMUM =
.0000E+00
MAXIMUM =
8 3 3 N
7
'0
7 a w
-?
00
-?
N
"!

I.O00OE+03
A=
THORAX-X-DISPLACEMENT
530000
[m]
NODE

D A I S Y V4.7 P S I

PAM-CRASH VI995 RUN O N IfP7 ON 95-07-21 AT 84:06:01

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figure 8
Matematical simulation of restraint for 5%-female-thorax with 60 kmlh pulse applied

1000.

900.

800.

700.
Y
P
9
600.
4

!3 500.
400.
YC,
300.

4
0
E
200.

100.

0.
MINIMUM =
.0000E+00 q 3 3 cy
7 : 0
h!
'$
h!
og
h!
N
"!
MAXIMUM =
l.O000E+03
A=
THORAX-X-DISPLACEMENT
530000
[m]
NODE

D A I S Y V4.7 P S I

PAM-CRASII V1995 RUN O N HP7 ON 95-07-21 AT 914:46:58

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figure 9
Matematical simulation of restraint for 50%-male-thorax with 40 kmlh pulse applied

1000.

900.

800.

700.
?
N
*
3C

2
4
600.

2
500.

2
3 400.

2 300.

200.
0
E
100.

0.
MINIMUM =
.OOOOE+OO
MAXIMUM =
8 3 3 N
-!
'Q
-! a V
?
8
-?
N
'-?

1.0000E+03
A=
THORAX-X-DISPLACEMENT
530000
[m]
NODE

D A I S Y V4.7 P S I

PAM-CRASH V1995 RUN ON HP7 ON 95-07-21 AT 1@:01:56

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figure 10
Matematical simulation of restraint for 50%-male-thorax with 50 kmlh pulse applied

1000.

900.

800.

700.
Y
**
N

600.
L
2
500.

2
3 400. .

8
L,
300.

8
0
E
200.

100.

0.
MINIMUM =
.0000E+00 8 ;3 ? N
-! 2 0
N
v.
-?
cg
N
N
"!
MAXIMUM =
I.OOOOE+03
A=
THORAX-X-DISPLACEMENT
530000
[m]
NODE
DAISY V 4 . 7 P S I

PAM-CRASH V199.5 RrJN ON 11P7 ON 95-07-21AT^ ?4:06:19

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figure I 1
Matematical simulation of restraint for 50%-male-thorax with 60 kmlh pulse applied

1om.

900.

800.

700.
Y
2
*
600.
4
2
500.

s
3 400.
tt:t,
* 300.

2,
0
E
100.

0.
MINIMUM =
.oooo~+oo 8 3 cg
9
N
7
'0
7
0
"!
p.
"!
cg
"?
CU
"!
MAXIMUM =
I.OOOOE+03
A=
THORAX-X-DISPLACEMENT[m]
530000
NODE
D A I S Y V4.7 P S I

PAM-CRASH V1995 RUN ONIIP7 ON 95-07-21 ~ 7 a4:47:10

1
figure 12 Downloaded from SAE International by University of New South Wales, Saturday, September 15, 2018
Matematical simulation of restraint for 95%-male-thorax with 40 kmlh pulse applied

1om.

900. .

800.

-
*2
700.

600.
4
=z
500.

2
3 400.
3
L,
9 300. 1

200. I
0
E /
100.

0.
MINIM UM =
.OOOOE+OO 8 5 3 N
7 2 a "
w! 3 r-4
"!
MAXIMUM =
1.0000E+03
A=
THORAX-X-DISPLACEMENT
530000
[m]
NODE

D A I S Y V4.7 P S I

PAM-CRASII V1995 RUN ON IIP7 ON 95-07-21 AT 1D:02:04

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figure 13
Matematical simulation of restraint for 95%-male-thorax with 50 kmlh pulse applied

1om.

900.

800.

700.
?
**N
2
4
600.

2
500.

2
3 400.
tt:t,
300.

200.
0
E
100.

0.
MINIMIJM =
.0000E+00 8 3 3 P4
7
'0
7
0
"1
W
"!
W
"1
N
"!
MAXIMUM =
I . 0000E+03
A=
THORAX-X-DISPLACEMENT[m]
530000
NODE

D A I S Y V4.7 P S I

PAM-CRASH V1995 RUN O N IiP7 ON 95-07-21 AT 1&:06:28

 Downloaded from SAE International by University of New South Wales, Saturday, September 15, 2018
figure 14
Matematical simulation of restraint for 95%-male-thorax with 60 kmlh pulse applied

1000.

900.

800.

700.
?
2
*
600.
4
2
500.

2
3 400.

u8
7 300.

200.
0
E
100.

0.
MINIMUM =
.OOOOE+OO 8 3 8 ry
7
'0
7 3 5 cg
P!
ry
"!
MAXIMIJM =
l.OOOOE+03
A=
THORAX-X-DISPLACEMENT[ m ]
530000
NODE

D A I S Y V4.7 P S I

PAM-CRASII V1995 R U N O N HP7 ON 95-07-21 AT^ 53:51:18

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Figure 15

Demonstration chart of the obtained results

40 krnh 50 krnh 60 krnh

I
lndex of occupant energy (112 m v 2 )

7 1 lndex of thorax acceleration

m i l n d e x of thorax displacement

Remark: The results were obtained by mathematical

simulation using the simplified model
described in figures 3 to 5
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PETRI - FOLD
Principal Representa tlon

upper foid shell

/
.down hoider
n f l a tor
hold~ngfixture

ieil

1 : Folding mechanism in pre-folded position

h pleat element

VI t'l ,

2 : Foldino mechanism closed

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Fig. 17:
PETRI -FOLD
PrincipaL Representation

3,4 : Fold shells in pre-folded position

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Figure 19: Features of PETRI-Airbag-Fold

Function and Safety

Reduced load of the overall airbag module

and the supporting elements during inflation
Even inflation in all directions
Contollable inflation
Reduced loadings in Out-Of-Position conditions

Development Potentials

Simpler design of module and cover

Weight reductions
Reduced development time
Reduced module size by smaller airbag packing

Manufacture

Mechanization and automatization possible

Flexible
Process reliability